Our paragraph topic is: (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 5.
Christ has spoken about the assault on the kingdom of heaven that has taken place since the coming of John the Baptist. The war is on. The evil one knows that Christ has come to turn the tide of the battle. Out of desperation the evil one has taken the lead and increased the attacks on the kingdom. The evil one has stepped up the assaults to the point of becoming violent with the people. People are being possessed more. People are being afflicted with more diseases. Believers are dying at the hands of possessed people who are driven to violence by their evil spirits. And Christ comes on the scene. But first there was John who preached to the people to repent.
John was a great prophet. Christ attests to his greatness by telling the people that of all men born of women, none is greater than John. Christ tells the crowds, "For all the Prophets and the Law have prophesied until John." Now that John is here the prophesies come to conclusion. The Messiah has come and the war has begun. Before the coming there was no battle. Before the coming the devil had free reign. Before the coming the people had no defense against the onslaught of the enemy. But John came and prepared the way and Christ came and gave the people the sword of God to do battle with the enemy.
John was the great one. He was Elias as had been written. Christ said, "And ifyou are willing to receive it, he is Elias who was to come." So the scriptures had been fulfilled. The scriptures were complete. Elias had come just as prophesied and now the Messiah was here. His mission was to preach the message of the kingdom. His mission was to establish the church here on earth. His mission was to anoint his followers. And his mission was to die for the sins of the world. John fulfilled his mission. Christ fulfilled his mission. And sword of God came to earth to separate the believers from the unbelievers, the saved from the damned, the just from the unjust, and the followers of Christ from the followers of Satan.
Christ told the crowd, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." We all have ears but we all do not hear the words of Christ. We all receive with our ears the message that is preached, but we all do not understand the meaning of the message. Can you hear the message? Can you understand the message of the kingdom of heaven? When we go to school the purpose of education is to advance. But when we go to church the results of the spiritual education is to become stagnant. Why do we not hear? Why do we not understand the message and become college graduates in our spiritual education rather than retarded children? He who has ears to hear let him hear! Preachers preach from week to week on the same problems, the same issues, the same sins. Yet we do not grow in godliness. We do not grow in spiritually. We do not hear the message of the kingdom and the gift that God has given us. With all the years that religion has been around and all the churches, we should have millions of spiritual giants. But instead we have millions spiritual midgets filling the pews of churches each week trying to figure out the message of Christ. Thank you Father for your patience. Thank you Father for your love. Thank you Christ for your sacrifice. Thank you Holy Spirit for your coming to teach all. More is needed and more will be revealed!
Christ has spoken about the assault on the kingdom of heaven that has taken place since the coming of John the Baptist. The war is on. The evil one knows that Christ has come to turn the tide of the battle. Out of desperation the evil one has taken the lead and increased the attacks on the kingdom. The evil one has stepped up the assaults to the point of becoming violent with the people. People are being possessed more. People are being afflicted with more diseases. Believers are dying at the hands of possessed people who are driven to violence by their evil spirits. And Christ comes on the scene. But first there was John who preached to the people to repent.
John was a great prophet. Christ attests to his greatness by telling the people that of all men born of women, none is greater than John. Christ tells the crowds, "For all the Prophets and the Law have prophesied until John." Now that John is here the prophesies come to conclusion. The Messiah has come and the war has begun. Before the coming there was no battle. Before the coming the devil had free reign. Before the coming the people had no defense against the onslaught of the enemy. But John came and prepared the way and Christ came and gave the people the sword of God to do battle with the enemy.
John was the great one. He was Elias as had been written. Christ said, "And ifyou are willing to receive it, he is Elias who was to come." So the scriptures had been fulfilled. The scriptures were complete. Elias had come just as prophesied and now the Messiah was here. His mission was to preach the message of the kingdom. His mission was to establish the church here on earth. His mission was to anoint his followers. And his mission was to die for the sins of the world. John fulfilled his mission. Christ fulfilled his mission. And sword of God came to earth to separate the believers from the unbelievers, the saved from the damned, the just from the unjust, and the followers of Christ from the followers of Satan.
Christ told the crowd, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." We all have ears but we all do not hear the words of Christ. We all receive with our ears the message that is preached, but we all do not understand the meaning of the message. Can you hear the message? Can you understand the message of the kingdom of heaven? When we go to school the purpose of education is to advance. But when we go to church the results of the spiritual education is to become stagnant. Why do we not hear? Why do we not understand the message and become college graduates in our spiritual education rather than retarded children? He who has ears to hear let him hear! Preachers preach from week to week on the same problems, the same issues, the same sins. Yet we do not grow in godliness. We do not grow in spiritually. We do not hear the message of the kingdom and the gift that God has given us. With all the years that religion has been around and all the churches, we should have millions of spiritual giants. But instead we have millions spiritual midgets filling the pews of churches each week trying to figure out the message of Christ. Thank you Father for your patience. Thank you Father for your love. Thank you Christ for your sacrifice. Thank you Holy Spirit for your coming to teach all. More is needed and more will be revealed!
