Greater, Least, Violent?

Matthew 11:11-15 "...Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Luke 7:28 "...I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he...”

Was Jesus disrespecting John the Baptist?

- no one greater on earth.

- but the kingdom of heaven is vastly different than this earth.

How had the kingdom of heaven suffered violence?

- did everyone listen to John's message?

- how did John say the kingdom was to be obtained?

- by humility and repentance.

- how do those who reject John's message think the kingdom is to be obtained?

- by human effort.

- by violently destroying the kingdoms of this earth.

What did God's prophets receive from man throughout history? [violence]

What violence IS necessary to obtain the kingdom?

Matthew 5:30 "...And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell..."

Violence against self will and self indulgence.

Impossible to Please:

Matthew 11:16-19 “...But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds...”

Luke 7:31-35 “...To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children...”

Context:

- The general population and tax collectors recognized God's justice and the baptism of John.

- The Pharisees and Lawyers were unable to accept God's purpose for their lives.

Why are some people impossible to please?

- like immature children, they want others to respond to their music, not vice versa.

- they don't want limitations and demands for repentance.

- they don't want liberty from their own rules and requirements.

- they are indeed impossible to please.

Who are the most difficult to reach with revealed truth?

- those who are sure they already have the whole truth.

What does 'wisdom is justified by her deeds' or 'by all her children' mean?

- wisdom is proved right by all her children.

- those who were following Jesus and John were proof enough of the correctness of their teaching.

- What were the results? Many were brought into right standing with God.