I believe the Kingdom of God advanced from the time of John the Baptist till Jesus
I also believed that the Kingdom of God has advanced from the time Jesus ascended into heaven to the time of the last writings of the New Testament
The question is this, do we still believe the Kingdom of God is advancing?
The Kingdom did not advance on its own
It advanced by men and women who forcefully embraced the Kingdom of God
And suffered to spread the Kingdom in the world
Jesus said this
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14
I hope we are not focused on the assaults and sufferings
Just waiting for Christ’s return to make it all better
I hope we believe the Kingdom of Heaven
Is more powerful than assaults and sufferings
I hope you believe Christ will come back for a powerful,
Glorious, forcefully advancing Church
One who has been training for the reigning
Walking in the authority of the King of kings
Advancing Kingdom
Matthew 1:12 has been interpreted
in a few different ways.
The King James Version says it this way…
…the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,
and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 KJV
The New International Version says…
… the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful men lay hold of it.
Matthew 11:12 NIV
New Living Translation…
…the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and violent people are attacking it.
Matthew 11:12 NLV
The Amplified Version…
…the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault,
and violent men seize it by force
[as a precious prize —
a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought
with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].
Matthew 11:12 AMP
Questions arise…
Is the Kingdom suffering violence
and assault or is it advancing?
Are the violent people pressing
to laying hold of the Kingdom?
Or, are violent people attacking it
to destroy it?
To best understand the second
half of Matthew 11: 12…
We should read what led up to Jesus saying
the Kingdom of Heaven has been….
Matthew 11:11-12…
I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been….
Jesus is speaking of a “time”…
The time between John the Baptist
and the time Jesus is speaking
these words to the people in Mathew 11.
So, what was going on in this space of time?
John was the last prophet of the Old Covenant.
Jesus sums up the whole Old Testament
in verse 13 of Matthew 11…
For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is the Elijah who was to come.
He who has ears, let him hear.
Matthew 11:13-15
Jesus says…
John the Baptist is the “greatest
Among those born of women…”
(verse 11)
John is the sum or last of
all the prophets and the Law.
All the Old Covenant prophets and the Law
or teachings of Moses pointed to a time in history.
So, when Jesus speaks from the time
of John the Baptist till now…
He recognizes John as the greatest
because he is one who brings to the finish line
all that the Old Testament prophets
and the teaching of the Law ran the race for.
John the Baptist is the close of an era…
A time to usher in a “New Time”.
We see this picture of John in Matthew 3:1-2…
In those days John the Baptist came,
preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
John comes announcing the Kingdom.
So…
“From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the kingdom of heaven has been…”?
The first thing we see in this time
between John and Jesus is…
The connection of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven.
They are connected to the fulfillment of
God’s Word through the Old Testament prophets
and the Law of Moses and John.
This bridge was preaching…
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
John the Baptist made preparations for the Kingdom
Jesus taught and visually demonstrated.
So, in this space of time from John to Jesus
words in Matthew 11:12, what happened?
There has been violent assault
on the Kingdom, and suffering…
But there has also been forceful advancing.
There has been violent people attacking it,
and violent men seize it by force.
Both to harm the Kingdom and to receive it.
The assaults, and suffering continued
and we have seen the King of the Kingdom of Heaven
put to death on a cross.
But the assaults and sufferings did not stop
the Kingdom from advancing.
Jesus spoke of another time,
the time between His ascending up
into Heaven and His return.
Jesus is coming back as King of kings…
They will make war against the Lamb,
but the Lamb will overcome them because
he is Lord of lords and King of kings —
and with him will be his called,
chosen and faithful followers."
Revelation 17:14
As you and I see more and more attacks,
and suffering on the Kingdom…
Don’t be discouraged.
Jesus is coming back and with Him will be…
His called, chosen and faithful followers.
I believe the Kingdom of God advanced
from the time of John the Baptist till Jesus.
I also believed that the Kingdom of God
has advanced from the time…
Jesus ascended into heaven
to the time of the last writings of the New Testament.
The question is this…
Do we still believe the Kingdom of God is advancing?
The Kingdom did not advance on its own.
It advanced by men and women who
forcefully embraced the Kingdom of God…
And suffered to spread the Kingdom in the world.
Jesus said this…
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached
in the whole world as a testimony to all nations,
and then the end will come.
Matthew 24:14
I hope we are not focused on the assaults and sufferings…
Just waiting for Christ’s return to make it all better.
I hope we believe the Kingdom of Heaven
is more powerful than assaults and sufferings.
I hope you believe Christ will come back for a powerful,
glorious, forcefully advancing Church.
One who has been training for the reigning,
walking in the authority of the King of kings.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 11:11-12 NIV
11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 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.
Matthew 24:13-14 NIV
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
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