In Matthew 11, John the Baptist is in prison, about to be beheaded. He sends messengers to ask Jesus a very important question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3).
In a very compelling answer, Jesus points to the miracles He performed: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
In a sense, Jesus was saying, “Yes, I am He. I am the One. The scriptures said I would do these things. Go tell John that you’ve seen me fulfill these prophecies.”
What amazes me about this list is the last miracle. It stands out to me more than any other. You see, today mankind cannot do the first five miracles. Even with our latest medical advances, technology and breakthroughs, we cannot restore sight to the blind.
There are millions who are confined to wheelchairs without our ability to help them walk again. Leprosy still exists today, but perhaps more importantly, we have yet to cure the leprosy of our age, AIDS. While some advances have helped those with poor hearing differentiate some sounds, for millions, the world is a silent place. And despite our best efforts, we cannot raise the dead.
But then there’s the last miracle: “And the good news is preached to the poor.” Wait a minute; we can do that! In fact, we are doing that! I think this is one way we can all be Christlike.
At Compassion, we have one thing in common: We are all miracle workers because we are all part of this ministry that, around the globe, is preaching the good news to the poor.
You. A miracle worker. Who would’ve known, huh?
“Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.'” –Matthew 11:4–5, NIV
Prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us this one miracle we can perform — to preach the gospel to the poor! May we always cherish this opportunity to be Christlike. Thank You for allowing us to be part of a ministry that is one — on purpose, with a unified heart for children trapped in poverty.
Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.