Author: Benjamin Hoogterp

Publisher: Benjamin Hoogterp

Published: 2012-01-12

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 1468184334

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. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, '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, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. Matthew 11:11-19Living in the Kingdom life is life according to the words of Jesus, the Master. He alone is the one with the words of Eternal life, and to disregard them is to do so at one's own peril. Many are the attempts to rebuild the church of the first century, but few connect the words of the Gospels, the life of faith, and outpouring of His Spirit with the foundation stones, the apostles that Jesus raised up. The church was founded upon Christ as the cornerstone and these men who knew His words, and because of it, it stood through even the shaking of the religous structures of that day.Today is the day to rebuild, to restore, and to reform. It is the day of revolution. In a day when everyone has their own ideas of how to live the "Gospel", we do well to return to the book, and look again at these eternal words from our Lord. Why should we call Him that if we don't? And, if our walk does not end up looking like His, how far has the apple fallen from the tree?