Our paragraph topic is: (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 4.
Christ has been talking to the crowd about John the Baptist. He told them of all men born of women, up to now, no man is greater than John. Yet in the kingdom of heaven, even though John is great, the least in the kingdom of heaven is even greater than he. Christ wants the crowd to know about John. He wants them to understand who he was. But by telling them this, he wants them to understand that there is one greater than John. John prophesied about the coming of the Messiah. He spoke of one greater than he who's sandals he was not worthy to untie. John knew Christ. He knew the greatness of Christ. For it was John's job to make way for the coming of Christ.
Before the disciples of John came to Christ to ask the question of Scandal, Christ spoke with his disciples about the coming battle. He spoke to his disciples about the peace that he did not bring and the sword that he did bring that would cause turmoil and chaos to families and friends. He tells the crowd and his disciples what is happening in the kingdom. Christ tells them, "But from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been enduring violent assault." The kingdom of heaven is under attack. It is being assaulted by the forces of evil and they are gaining ground. They are taking the kingdom by force. John was the advance guard to take back the kingdom. He prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah. He pushed back the forces of evil. He cleansed the people and kept the forces at bay until the Messiah arrived. Until now the kingdom was under assault. But Christ has come to put an end to the battle. Christ has come to end the war. Christ has come to be the victor.
Christ goes on to tell the people, "And the violent have been seizing it by force." Until now the violent have been winning. Until now the violent have been gaining ground. Until now the violent forces of evil have been taking souls from the kingdom by force and Christ has come to take them back. Christ has come to cast out demons. Christ has come to remove the evil sickness from the bodies of the infirmed. Christ has come to make the lame walk after they have been possessed by evil that has transformed their bodies grotesquely. Christ is the victor and the assault stops now.
Two thousand years ago the battle started and continues today. Though the forces of hell will not prevail against the church that Christ built, the battle continues. And the forces are like creeping vines, inching their way into the lives of the people, steadily growing into the churches of the world, taking root into souls of those shepherds who lead the people. Just as in Christ's time where the people lived under the occupation of the pagan Romans, today we also live under the rule of the pagan world. Christians are like fish in a fish bowl, having to live and breathe in the environment of evil. The kingdom is being assaulted. Are you breaking down the kingdom of heaven or are you building it up? Are you a soldier for Christ or a soldier for Satan? There is no middle ground. There are no neutral position. Christ gives us the armour to protect ourselves. Christ gives us the battle plans to follow. Christ gives us the weapons to fight with. Are you a soldier for Christ?
Christ has been talking to the crowd about John the Baptist. He told them of all men born of women, up to now, no man is greater than John. Yet in the kingdom of heaven, even though John is great, the least in the kingdom of heaven is even greater than he. Christ wants the crowd to know about John. He wants them to understand who he was. But by telling them this, he wants them to understand that there is one greater than John. John prophesied about the coming of the Messiah. He spoke of one greater than he who's sandals he was not worthy to untie. John knew Christ. He knew the greatness of Christ. For it was John's job to make way for the coming of Christ.
Before the disciples of John came to Christ to ask the question of Scandal, Christ spoke with his disciples about the coming battle. He spoke to his disciples about the peace that he did not bring and the sword that he did bring that would cause turmoil and chaos to families and friends. He tells the crowd and his disciples what is happening in the kingdom. Christ tells them, "But from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been enduring violent assault." The kingdom of heaven is under attack. It is being assaulted by the forces of evil and they are gaining ground. They are taking the kingdom by force. John was the advance guard to take back the kingdom. He prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah. He pushed back the forces of evil. He cleansed the people and kept the forces at bay until the Messiah arrived. Until now the kingdom was under assault. But Christ has come to put an end to the battle. Christ has come to end the war. Christ has come to be the victor.
Christ goes on to tell the people, "And the violent have been seizing it by force." Until now the violent have been winning. Until now the violent have been gaining ground. Until now the violent forces of evil have been taking souls from the kingdom by force and Christ has come to take them back. Christ has come to cast out demons. Christ has come to remove the evil sickness from the bodies of the infirmed. Christ has come to make the lame walk after they have been possessed by evil that has transformed their bodies grotesquely. Christ is the victor and the assault stops now.
Two thousand years ago the battle started and continues today. Though the forces of hell will not prevail against the church that Christ built, the battle continues. And the forces are like creeping vines, inching their way into the lives of the people, steadily growing into the churches of the world, taking root into souls of those shepherds who lead the people. Just as in Christ's time where the people lived under the occupation of the pagan Romans, today we also live under the rule of the pagan world. Christians are like fish in a fish bowl, having to live and breathe in the environment of evil. The kingdom is being assaulted. Are you breaking down the kingdom of heaven or are you building it up? Are you a soldier for Christ or a soldier for Satan? There is no middle ground. There are no neutral position. Christ gives us the armour to protect ourselves. Christ gives us the battle plans to follow. Christ gives us the weapons to fight with. Are you a soldier for Christ?
