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12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear! 16 "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'" ~ Matthew 11:12-18
Today, we return to our study of Matthew 11 where the Lord Jesus addressed the people regarding His kingdom and the kingdoms of this world which will always be at odds. The kingdom is a big theme in the gospels mentioned 126 times. It is merely mentioned only 34 times in the rest of the New Testament. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, opposition has always been known by those of faith who are in the family of God. A careful study of history reveals persecution has unexpectedly fueled the spread of the gospel. The more intimate we get in our personal relationship with God will inevitably cause unbelievers to treat us badly because they fear the truth.
In v.12 of today's passage we read, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
With the coming of John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus, God's kingdom or culture was clearly presented to this world. Persecution broke out against John the Baptist who was put in prison. The religious leaders of Israel vigorously opposed the Lord Jesus and His disciples. This explains the final words of this verse which reads, "and the violent take it by force." These words point us to those who were trying to stop the advancement of God's culture at that time. Many, at that time, were trying to usher in a Messiah who would make his political kingdom the priority. Of course, this messiah would not be the Lord Jesus. In fact, many didn't believe in the Lord Jesus as Messiah because He didn't come as a mighty warrior. He came as a sacrificed lamb. This was the cause of the riff at that time.
In v.13-15 of today's passage we read, "13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
The Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all that is in the Bible. Everything from Genesis to John the Baptist points us to the coming of God's promised Messiah. Underscored here is the fact that everything finds its meaning and purpose in reference to the Lord Jesus. According to Malachi 4:5 before the Messiah was to set up His kingdom on earth, one like Elijah would come as a forerunner. In Luke 1 we learn that John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah. John clearly was not the reincarnation of Elijah as some suggest because he clearly said in John 1:21, "I am not Elijah." The point here is if we receive the message of God's prophet, we will believe on the Lord Jesus as our Savior.
The Lord says to those who are willing to listen to His voice to listen more. He knows that there is a huge difference between hearing and listening. When we listen, we potentially grow in great wisdom. And, when we grow in wisdom, our spiritual understanding broadens and we begin to see things as He does. It is only when we listen that we hear and when we hear we will believe. And, the more we exercise our faith, it grows enabling our hearts to see Him.
In v.16-18 we read, "16 But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'"
True greatness is bowing our will to the Lord Jesus and allowing Him to define us. The people to whom the Lord Jesus spoke that day in Galilee were looking for a show. We live in a day when people check their Facebook on average every 30 seconds. It is so easy for us to be distracted from that which is really real and what is really real is the truth of God and the souls of people. This is our ultimate reason for being on this earth, to bring people to the truth found in God's Word. It is His Word, both the written and the living that changes us from the inside out.
As indicated here, the most common form of unbelief is indifference. The marketplaces were festive places where the people would play their instruments and dance. But, when met with stubborn indifference, people remain in their unforgiven sin which has prepared them for an eternity isolated from God and all that is good. By and large the people rejected John the Baptist and his message of repentance. They rejected the Lord Jesus and His message of forgiveness. They rejected repentance and they rejected faith in the Son of God and they floundered in this world that is in opposition to God.
I find that I don't have to entertain those whose hearts have been prepared for the gospel. Most people are very well aware of their sin, their failures, their mistakes, their emptiness, their loneliness, and their lostness. Wrongly most try to address the lost state of the unbelievers with inviting them to a church service. Even though they may go to a church service most end up still having emptiness, doubts, and loneliness. I'm convinced that most people are looking for something that says, "You're not alone, you are loved in spite of the flaws and the junk in your life." People want to know that there is hope to be found and the only hope is found in the One who came to die on our behalf.
What should characterize Christianity is hope and honesty with oneself and God. It is not our stance on abortion, or homosexuality, or some other political issue that brings us relief. No, it is only the truth that sets us free. Once we enter into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus life becomes an adventure that is both exhilarating and scary. The faith that is needed to ride this ride is a gift of His faithfulness and the more we experience His faithfulness in our lives, we will see Him more vividly with our hearts.
