The doctors told Dick Hoyt that his infant son Rick should be institutionalized. There was no hope, they said, of Rick being anything more than a vegetable.
Rick was attending public school two years later, when a five-mile benefit run was held for a local lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Rick wanted to participate. Dick was not a runner, but agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair. During the run, Rick felt as though he simply wasn't handicapped anymore - he was just one of the runners. Wanting to give Rick this feeling as often as possible, Dick ran in an increasing number of events with his son.
Four decades later, Rick and Dick Hoyt have competed over 65 marathons, 206 triathlons and hundreds of other events as a father-son team. Rick, whose father was told he was incapable of intellectual activity, graduated from Boston University in 1993.
Ø Galatians 5:7 YE DID RUN WELL; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Ø Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
AN EPILOGUE OF JOHN’S IMPRISONMENT
“The new prisoner has arrived, Captain.”
“Is the rumor true?” the Captain responded.
Without answering, the guard held up a piece of papyrus for Protheus to see.
“Herod has lost his mind. He will yet be found as mad as his father.
“Making this man a prisoner,” he continued, “may very well set off a revolution.
The common people are enraged.”
“Sir, forgive me, but I must speak. I do not like this,” said one of the guards in a voice shaking with emotion. “I do not want him here. I do not want his blood on my hands. I fear that man. I listened to him once, in the desert. I fear what God might do to us
for imprisoning such a man.”
for imprisoning such a man.”
“Do your duty soldier. Prepare a cell.” “Only one is empty, sir.” “Prepare it then.”
“There is nothing to prepare, sir. It is the third cell.”
“The pit? We shall see a holy man of God vanquished to that?”
“I cannot say I disagree with you,” sighed Protheus.
At that moment the door at the head of the stairs swung open. In the doorway could be seen the silhouette of two soldiers and a prisoner.
“I wonder how long Herod will let him live,” thought the captain to himself.
LESSONS FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST
Ø Luke 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Ø Freedom from offense is essential for every Christian because Jesus said it is impossible to live this life and not have the opportunity to be offended.
o Offense imprisons countless Christians
o Severs relationships
o Widens the existing breaches between us
1) OFFENSE CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE
Ø Matthew 14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and PUT HIM IN PRISON for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. 4. John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
2) EVEN STRONG CHARACTER CAN BE SHAKEN
Ø Matthew 11:6 Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
o Put yourself in John’s place. You have been the man on the cutting edge of what God is doing. Now you’re in prison. The temptation to become offended grows greater the longer you are in prison. “If He is the Messiah, why doesn’t He get me out of this prison? Now you hear stories of how this Man and His disciples live a very different life from yours.
o JOHN: You have lived a life of self-denial.
o JESUS: They eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners.
o JOHN: You have lived eating locust and wild honey and fasted often.
o JESUS: He and disciples don’t even fast.
Jesus responds by saying, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Matthew 11:6)
3) WE MAY NEVER KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE TRIAL
Ø Matthew 11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
§ Christ notices in John his steadiness. Was he not ever steady and uniform in the testimony he bore to me?
Ø Matthew 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:
§ As far as we know, John never knew about the high praise that Jesus gave to him.
§ Oftentimes we don’t have the privilege of knowing how the outcome of our trial
Ø John didn’t know the whole picture or plan of God, just as we don’t know the complete picture today. Jesus was encouraging him, saying, “You’ve done what was commanded of you. Your reward will be great. Just stay free from offence with me!”
HURDLE: OFFENSE
The question is not:
Ø “Why is God doing this? Why is He like this?”
Ø “Why does He not answer me?”
Ø “I need Him desperately, and why does He not rescue me?”
Ø “Why did God allow this tragedy to happen to me, to my children, to my wife, to my husband, to my family?”
The question before the house is this:
Ø “Will you follow a God you do not understand?
Ø “Will you follow a God who does not live up to your expectations?”
Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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