Message by Larry Thacker Jr. from September 5, “Violence in God’s Kingdom?”
The next passage in our study is Matthew 11:11-15. the Disciples of John the Baptists have just come to Jesus on John’s behalf to ask if he’s really the one or if they should be looking for someone else. John is now in prison. He knew who Jesus was. Some of his disciples were following Jesus after John pointed Him out. John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Him after he baptized Him.
So, what happened? Scripture doesn’t really tell us what John was feeling. It might be best not to speculate, but it would be understandable for John to be a bit discouraged at this point. He’s done everything he was supposed to do, and he’s in prison. He heralded Jesus as the messiah, but Jesus isn’t conducting himself the way a revolutionary leader would be expected to act.
Jesus’ answer to John, found a few verses earlier was this, “”Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” (11:4-6) One day Israel’s supremacy will be established, but Jesus is building a very different kind of kingdom. His kingdom isn’t about political domination. It is about people. Lives are being changed, and everyone is hearing the good news.
This is the foundation for what Jesus says next. John himself now becomes an illustration of God’s kingdom, yet he will not see it’s fulfillment during his earthly lifetime. He would be beheaded by Herod not long after this exchange took place. Jesus says of him, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (11)
It’s the next statement in verse 12 that seemed really strange to me. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force.” How is that even possible? What did He mean by it?
We focus on verses 11 and 12. We also explore the implications of the larger story in this message. I hope you’ll be encouraged. Your circumstances may make you wonder if what you think you know is true, but hold onto it. Look for the evidence of God’s kingdom. Know who you are and what you have. Push back the enemy!
