The Christian's Need For Reassurance

"The Christian's Need For Reassurance"
Luke 7:19-30 (John the Baptist in prison, inquiring if Jesus is the one?)

Intro. All Christians, at times, need reassurance.
Ill. Movie "Hoosiers" (Coach, as his team entered a huge basketball arena for the state championship, had his players measure the heighth of the goal...10 feet, and the distance to the free throw line, 15 feet...he reassured them by saying, "I think you will find those same measurements back in our gym at Hickory.")

-In this text, John the Baptist needed reassuring. He was the forerunner of Jesus, he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, he was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, he had grown up knowing Jesus, and a short time before he had pinpointed the Messiah, "Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."
-Yet now, in prison, after a short 6 month ministry, doubt was perhaps creeping in.
Luke 7:19 "And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"

I.Who Needs Reassurance?
-In this case, John the Baptist...
-We often need reassurance in
A.the presence of God
B.the truths of God
C.the blessings of God
D.the promises of God

II.Why Do We Need Reassurance?
A.Because of Perilous Situations (John the Baptist was there...he had preached adultery in the palace and now his life hung in the balances)
-We live in a time of peril (II Tim.3:1-5) and we often need reassurance.
(Song: "Blessed Assurance")
B.Because of Periods of Doubt (great spiritual leaders have had times of doubt and discouragement)
1.Moses (Numbers 11:11,14,15)
2.Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:7-9)
3.Paul (II Cor.1:8)
C.Because God Is Not Acting or Doing As We Expect
-Did John feel rejected? Did he feel that no one cared about him anymore? Did he wonder if anyone would ever intercede for him? Was he perplexed?
-We can reach this point in our Christian lives as well.

III.Who Provided Reassurance?
Jesus, Luke 7:21-28

IV.The Results of Reassurance
Hebrews 10:22 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith..."

The Sending Church (Mission?)

Can a mission sponsor a missionary?

Let's say that a mission has a member who feels led to go on the foreign mission field. They know him personally. They want to be the "sending church" or entity that sponsors him. Can that mission sponsor the missionary?

(Please be kind in your comments)

Double Standard To Israel

Several months ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu came to the United States. Our President & his administration didn't agree with Israel building an apartment complex ON THEIR LAND. The Israeli P.M. and his staff were not even offered so much as a PB&J sandwich, were told to go back to the table & discuss issues. The P.M. promptly left. Not long after, the President of Mexico comes and rants against Arizona and its immigration law. Congress claps and the Mexican President is given a state dinner.

Fast forward...Israeli soldiers board "aid ships" which have been attempting to smuggle in rockets which are fired at Israel's citizens. The soldiers are attacked and take action. Europe condemns Israel for trying to protect itself and there are protests around the world against Israel. Israel, it seems, is held to a double standard.

It is easy to see how that one day that countries will unite against Israel. I know that everything that the Israeli government does is open to scrutiny, but is the Biblical principle still in place which says: "I will bless those that bless thee, and curse those that curse thee." ???