7As 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? 8If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. 9Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is the one about whom it is written:
" 'I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.'[c] 11I 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. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
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.' 18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19The 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."
This passage if filled with all sorts of revelation but iam only going to talk about a few things in this passage.
The first thing that i am gonna look at is Verses 7-10
I find it very intersting that Jesus addresses these people in this manner, This harsh tone is not seen many times in all of his teachings.
I find it interesting that he asks the crowd "What did you go out to the desert to SEE"
What did you come into 2008 to see?
did you come into this year thinking about someone, something,???
What was your GAZE ON IN 2008
I find it very interesting that Jesus and John have a large crowd in the middle of the DESERT!!!
These people went to the middle of freakin nowhere to here this crazy dude who smelled like camel booty and hadn't eaten a descent meal in years!
I think that there was a reason for the people to have to take their gaze off of there everyday surroundings and come to a place where all they could see and experience was the teachings of John and the power that was in Johns baptism.
What are you looking for in 2009?
The second thing that iam gonna talk about is verse 11 the key part of this text is
"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."
This is a very interseting and confusing portion of text because it tells u how great john is but then it says who john is now the least in the kingdom of heaven
The key to this portion of scripture is the 2 Covenants
the 1st being the old testament (everyting before jesus)
the 2nd is the new testament (everything during and after Jesus)
The key is that John was apart of the old covenant and we are apart of the new covenant and the new covenant is better than the old covenant
The next portion of text that iam gonna focus on is verse 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."
I think that often times Christ has given us the victory but we don't "Lay hold of it"
The KJV says "And the Violent TAKE IT BY FORCE"
I think that often times we don't take it by force
we often times don't use force in prayer and worship
we don't demand that demons flee. We don't fully access the the power granted to us
I encourage you as we enter in a new year
TAKE IT!
Take the victory in every aspect of your life
don't be afraid to get forceful in the prayer room
"The only power that God yields to is that of Prayer" -Leonard Ravenhill
Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS Waterfalls
Ben,
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