Note: Usually if I post a slice before 9:45 a. m., it appears at 9:47 a.m., but evidently this is not the case all the time. Yesterday, for example, the posting appeared in the middle of the night...Let's see what happens today!
Matthew 11: 11-15
The Violent Bear It Away
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
For one who hears and responds to the Word of God, he or she is challenged to put it into practice, even to take "violent" (stern, direct, fearless) efforts to do so. It as the aggressive rather than the passive approach that does justice to the message of salvation. Jesus is not advocating conversion by the sword, but a brave, courageous, unhesitating or uncompromising approach The enemies of the Word have often use violence to destroy it; believers can and must counteract this aggression with an aggressive living out and spreading of the Gospel by word and deed. If I open my ears and heart to the message, I will seek and find the will and strength to pass it on to others.
Bro. Rene
No comments:
Post a Comment