It may be hard to see that the Kingdom of God is advancing if you are 80 years old
Every 15 to 20 years a new generation brings advancements and change
Some of those are good and other cause us to question
Each generation seems to bring increasing problems in our world
Senseless school shootings
Children being raised by social media
The home and family have lost commitment
Scamming is done openly on our phones and internet
Each generation seems to be in love more with “me” than the love for one another
So is the Kingdom of God advancing or is it almost lost?
Had evil overcome good? Is this the last generation?
Jesus spoke of His generation and that of John the Baptist
A generation that beheaded John and crucified Jesus
Jesus said
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. Matthew 11:12
Despite the evil of Jesus’ generation
The Kingdom of Heaven advanced and multitude followed Him
Read the Book of Acts and see the generations after Jesus
The Kingdom of Heaven advanced and the Church grew
So where is your focus
May it be said in our generation the Kingdom is advancing
Life to Every Generation
As our world increases in communication…
We find things changing in faster ways.
The way we think is changing with ever generation.
Why?
With the increase of communication
comes an increase of messages.
A story is not a story,
unless it has a message.
Every movie you and I watch has a message.
Most of the time when we watch a movie,
we say it was a good movie because of the actors, and graphic arts,
but seldom comment on the underlined message.
We don’t realize how our minds are being shaped.
These messages shape the culture
and that shape is constantly changing.
What you grew up on, shaped that generation.
We have labeled these generations...
· The Lost Generation — born 1883-1900. ...
· The Greatest Generation — born 1901-1924. ...
· The Silent Generation — born 1925-1945. ...
· Baby Boomer Generation — born 1946-1964. ...
· Generation X — born 1965-1980. ...
· Generation Y — born 1981-1996. ...
· Generation Z — born 1997-2012. ...
· Generation Alpha — born 2013-2025.
Each generation has a different way
of looking at life and how to live it.
Jesus, when talking about the Kingdom of Heaven
and the time between John the Baptist
and Himself, speaks about that generation.
"To what can I compare this generation?
They are like children sitting in the marketplaces
and calling out to others:
"'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking,
and they say, 'He has a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking,
and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."
' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
Matthew 11:16-19
Jesus says Kingdom living is walking in wisdom…
“But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
Verse 19
There is a time to play the flute,
time to get together and celebrate
and there is a time to mourn or lament
to play and sing the songs in the miner keys.
In Jesus’ generation…
Many did not pay attention to the invitation to life.
Although John the Baptist and Jesus
came with two different personalities,
they represented two real aspects
of living and how to handle life.
Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3…
There is a time for everything under heaven.
Jesus came to teach and
demonstrate to us a heavenly wisdom…
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;
then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:17-18
I was talking to an 84-year-old man who
was very concerned for his children and grandchildren
because the generations from his youth have…
On one hand made many gains
but morally are losing ground.
Every generation is marked with
attitudes, motivations, and history…
Some good and some bad.
Many are complaining…
Things are not getting better, but worse.
Commitment to….
Family, working to provide, sober thinking,
are less than the last generation.
People trying to get attention for their cause...
Thinking the only way to be heard is to riot
or go into a school and kill innocent children.
We live in a generation of fear.
It seems the message of the Kingdom of Heaven
was not being heard in Jesus’ generation.
Yet, John gave his life to the message of repentance…
A call to take seriously what the world calls the ills of society.
John was not giving out drugs to coverup our sin…
And therapeutics that make us feel good
when we should feel bad.
John’s message was “repent"...
And the message of repentance had a very good reason,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
John’s message was…
It is better to turn from our sins
rather than learn to live with them.
Jesus’ message was a message of living in
freedom, joy, and peace,
a message of community, and loving one another.
Jesus was where the people were...
People of all walks of life.
Jesus knew how to celebrate with people
of all backgrounds and positions…
Male and Female, Jews and Gentiles, Leaders and Slaves.
John came preaching the Kingdom of Heaven
is at hand.
Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of Heaven
can be within you.
Both in different ways demonstrated the Kingdom…
But the thing that defined them was wisdom from above.
Jesus said I came that you might have life to the full.
This is not something we have to wait for.
We, like Jesus, should be living life now to the full.
As you and I live life to the fullest…
What will be the evidence that we are doing it right?
“But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
Let the wisdom of Heaven guide you
to live among this generation.
Many will not listen…
Like in the generation of John and Jesus.
But many will, just look at the multitudes
who came to hear Jesus, look at
the growth of the Church in the Book of Acts.
Growth and advancing of the Kingdom
are happening because…
God’s children are living life
to the fullest in a world of death.
Fulfilling Jesus’ goal for you is incorporated
in the church, in your home, at work, and play.
His intent was that now, through the church,
the manifold wisdom of God should be made known
to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
according to his eternal purpose which
he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:10-11
Many folds of wisdom for every situation of life
are available for you and I “now”…
To make known to everyone in this generation
and the generations to come.
Don’t sit around complaining
about how bad it is,
anybody can do that.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness and all the wisdom
you need will be given to you.
So where is your focus?
May it be said…
In our generation the Kingdom is advancing.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 11:12-19 NIV
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him hear.
16 "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
17 "'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.'
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."
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