Matthew
The Kingdom of Heaven is Advancing
Matthew 11:11-12 NIV
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 forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
We have so much more evidence than John the Baptist
We have so much more evidence to put our faith on than John
Don’t stay neutral
Live your Faith in times of Mourning and Dancing
Share the message of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven
When you find resistance, be forceful like Jesus
Because the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful men lay hold of it.
Lay hold of the Kingdom for you and others
Matthew
The Kingdom of Heaven is Advancing
As you read through the book of Matthew
you will see three responses to Jesus
and the message of the Kingdom He preached.
There is the positive
Matthew 1-10
There were the crowds that followed Him
believing He was the Messiah.
There is the Neutral
Matthew 11
John the Baptist sent some of his disciples
to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah
or should we expect another.
And there is the Rejection of Jesus
the Messiah and His Kingdom.
Matthew 12
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said,
"It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons,
that this fellow drives out demons."
Matthew 12:24
John the Baptist sitting in prison
must have had some questions.
One of those questions was is Jesus the Messiah.
Jesus answered John and those who are neutral
in their conviction with…
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 cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Matthew 11:4-6
Jesus’ response reveals that faith needs evidence.
We do not have a blind faith.
Jesus asked a question of the crowd concerning
John the Baptist.
The question was…
"What did you go out into the desert to see?
Matthew 11:7
We all have things we are looking for.
We all have expectations for the questions we have.
Some expected that the message of the Kingdom
should come with dancing, others with mourning.
John the Baptist preached the Kingdom with mourning...
Jesus with dancing.
Here is what Jesus said about it…
"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
It is important we see there is a time
and place for dancing and mourning
and wisdom knows the difference.
In this discord concerning John the Baptist,
Jesus makes this statement…
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
In the generation of people in Jesus’ time…
We see different responses of
Positive, Neutral, and Rejection
to Jesus and the Kingdom.
We should not be surprised that in our generation
to find the same from the people.
If Jesus said from days of John the Baptist till now…
Would he also say from the days of Jesus till now…
The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful men lay hold of it.
I think He would.
The message of Jesus and the Kingdom
still has people who respond…
Positive, Neutral, and Rejection
Jesus was very forceful.
Jesus did not back down from false accusations
and He suffered violence.
We too need to be forcefully advancing
the message of Jesus and His Kingdom.
Like John the Baptist with mourning
and like Jesus with dancing…
Because there are large crowds
who will receive the message positively.
There are many who are neutral
and need evidence to establish their faith.
John and Jesus saw this message
of the Kingdom of Heaven
worth dying for.
Jesus also said this about you and I.
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.
Matthew 11:11
John was the greatest of the prophets.
He was greater in the sense of an elder.
He had all the wisdom and experiences
of the prophets before him.
His foundation was firm with the patriarchs.
He brought together everything God had done
from the days of creation till the coming of Jesus.
But Jesus brought to us a greater covenant.
Greater understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Because of the greater Jesus brought to us…
We have both the greatness of what
John the Baptist had and Jesus.
Because of Jesus, we who are the least
have greater than John the Baptist.
This word “greater” in the Greek meizon,
means larger (literally or figuratively,
specifically in age)
No wonder sometimes in the KJV
this word is translated elder.
We have so much more evidence
than John the Baptist.
We have so much more evidence
to put our faith on than John.
Don’t stay neutral.
Live your faith in times of mourning and dancing.
Share the message of Jesus
and the Kingdom of Heaven.
When you find resistance
be forceful like Jesus because…
The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful men lay hold of it.
Lay hold of the Kingdom for you and others.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 11 NIV
11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
7 As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
"'I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.'
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. 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."
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
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