There is a Cry

Everyone needs compassion. This was supposed to be the title of this article. For quite some time I had been thinking about how everyone is in need of this mercy and compassion from God. God laid it upon my heart to get this message of compassion out to the world. When God instructs you in something he confirms it from multiple sources. This week I heard a song that started with the phrase “Everyone needs compassion”. But something happened this morning; something so profound that though the message of the need for compassion is central to this article, its title became There is a Cry.

As I prayed to God this morning, my mind went to so many stories of suffering that I have read recently from various parts of the world.

I remembered the people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, who can no longer get access to medication because of the civil unrest that has unhinged the stability necessary to get those drugs.

I remembered the woman that has her medication but can only take half a dose because she does not have any food to take it with and will faint if she took a full dose without food.

Brothers and sisters, another from Zimbabwe living with this disease was asked what the biggest issue was in this country that has been ravaged by this epidemic, and she said: Unemployment. So there is a cry in this country that has the highest inflation rate in the world.

I remembered the story about the 45,000 Christians living in Jerusalem and how they have been persecuted to the point that the population of Christians which was 40,000 in the 60’s has barely increased. I remembered the man that was murdered recently because he was a Christian. He had been persecuted by people who wanted him to renounce Christianity. His last words to his wife on the phone was that he would be home late…he had to meet with some people.

So as I prayed to God, I told him that there is a Cry…and then it begun. That is all I could say. Over and over I repeated the words “There is a Cry”, as I cried and cried. I told God that somewhere there is a child whose mother is missing; there is a cry from the man whose wife is sick. There is a cry from the family whose house is burned. There is a cry. Tears flowed down my face as I felt all of these regions of the world cry out to God through me. I cried for the woman that is too tired to cry. I cried for the man in a coma who cannot cry. I cried the cry that goes up to heaven and came away with the inspiration to tell you that…

Everyone needs compassion:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VwWYfwuTeaw

I thank God for Rick Warren. In his book The Purpose Driven Life God blessed him with the candor to say: We should all stop acting like we’ve all got it together.
We live in a world where we are all too eager to prove that we have got it all together. Many exude the impression that they are on the fast track to material success. This might be true but we all need God’s mercy in our lives. No one is too good and no one is too holy. This truth was driven home to my heart when God showed me that even one as righteous as John the Baptist needed compassion.


John the Baptist: Biography


Many of us have read the stories of John the Baptist yet there is a deeper meaning to who he was and a deeper spiritual significance of what he stood for.
A quick biography would show that Mother of John the Baptist and the Mother of Jesus were cousins (Luke Chapter 1). Jesus was born of a virgin and John the Baptist was born of a barren woman. When the Arc Angel Gabriel came to John’s father Zacharias and told him that his wife would conceive he did not believe so the angel told him “Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things are performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season””. Luke 1:20

The bible tells us that during the naming ceremony of John, that they brought writing table for Zacharias who wrote “His name is John”, and all of a sudden the bible says his tongue loosed and he spoke and began to praise God. Amen!

John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. As his father prophesied in Luke 1:76 that “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way.”

John the Baptist told the people to repent for the kingdom of God was at hand. He told them of the one that is to come, whose shoe laces he was unfit to even tie. He baptized our lord Jesus Christ as the heavens opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said. Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased”. John 3:22

John the Baptist: Spiritually
The spiritual significance of John is a mystery that God has revealed to me through his word. You see John was born of a barren woman. At a time when the land of Israel had not had a prophet in many years, at a time when the people suffered the yoke of their oppressors God sent John out of this bareness, and literarily out of the wilderness to prepare the way for Jesus. The same spirit of God that took hold of the prophet Isaiah was upon him as we read in Luke 1:17

The priests of old were the Levites, the men from the tribe of Levi. During the Passover celebration, each family would have to sacrifice a lamb that was pure. And so the Levite priest would spot the choice lamb from a herd and point to it saying: Behold the Lamb! In identification of the lamb to be sacrificed.

John the Baptist was a Levite. The bible tells us that his father Zacharias was a priest. And so when John sees Jesus walking by, the Lamb of God that came down from heaven to die sacrificially for the sins of the world the bible tells us “And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!” John 1:35

As surely as the Levite priests of old identified the lambs to be sacrificed, the Levite John the Baptist identified the lamb of God Jesus, the sacrificial lamb when he pointed to him and said behold the lamb of God!

You see brothers and sisters, this is part of the mystery of who Jesus is that has been wrapped up for centuries but is now being revealed unto men. A mystery that has been shrouded in rituals whose significance bear testament to a deeper spiritual meaning: That Jesus is the Son of God. That is what John the Baptist came to testify. This prophet is who John was.

John the Baptist needed compassion

Friends, this is about a cry. This is about a need for compassion.

You see towards the end John the Baptist was thrown in prison. He had suffered there and perhaps his faith was shaken. The bible tells us that rumors of Jesus went abroad and John’s disciples came to him and told him the miracles that Jesus was doing. The bible tells us “And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, art thou he that should come? Or do we look for another? Luke 7:19

This was the same John that declared Jesus unto the people saying “Behold the lamb of God!” This was the same John that baptized Jesus as the heavens parted and God said “Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased”. John 3:22

But here John was questioning if Jesus was truly the one.

And what of Jesus’ reaction? The bible says that “In that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them: Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor to gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever does not fall away on account of me” Luke 7:21-24

Instead of arguing or getting angry, Jesus did what he does best. He healed the sick people around and performed some additional miracles, then turning to Johns disciples he tells them to go and tell John all that they have seen and heard, but to also tell him that blessed is the one who does not stop believing in him! Jesus’ compassion is extended to John as he encourages him with these signs and with his words.

My friends, just as profound is what Jesus says when John’s disciples leave. He begins to ask the people what they went out into the wilderness to see when John was there; a reed that is shaken with the wind? What did you go to see? He asks. He told them that they didn’t go to see someone dressed in pretty garments because those people are in the courts of Kings?

A prophet? Yes, I say unto you much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you that Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”. John 7:26-28

Jesus pays tribute to John the Baptist. He didn’t cast John down after John’s disciples left, rather he spoke great things of John telling the people in the end that God is no respecter of persons and even the least in the Kingdom of God can do great things in the name of God.

Conclusion of the matter
Brothers and sisters, I have told this story of John because I want you to know that there may come a time when your faith is shaken but know that even John’s faith was shaken as he asked this question. But know that just as the our Lords grace was sufficient for John it will always be sufficient for you.

I have also told this story for you to know that there is a cry in the world today. It is a cry that is springing out of various regions of the earth: Out of Africa, out of the Middle East, out of Europe…out of the whole world. I pray that we come to hear this cry in our lives and stand with these regions and people in intercessory prayer. That we would move on from the prayers of people and things with which we are well acquainted and also include the prayers for men and women we do not know, and children who may be far from us. I pray that we would also be given the grace to answer this cry to the glory of God.

I pray these things through the power of Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with God and Holy Spirit as one God, now and forever more. Amen.

God bless you.



Thank you Jesus...