fired Site http://egliselabelle.com/From his prison, John was heard all that Christ . He sent with him two of his disciples. They asked him: - Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else? And Jesus said to them: - Go back to John and tell him what you hear and what you see: the blind see, the paralyzed walk normally, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is he who will not lose faith because of me. As the messengers were leaving, Jesus takes this opportunity to speak about John the Baptist in the crowd: - What did you go see the desert? asked them there. A reed shaken to and fro by the wind? Yes, then who did you go see? A man dressed elegantly? Generally, those who are living in elegantly dressed royal palaces. But what did you go out to see the desert? A prophet? Yes, certainly, and even more than a prophet, I'm telling you. For this is he whom it is written: I will send my messenger before you, he will prepare the path. Really, I assure you: Among all men who are born of women there seemed no greater than John the Baptist. And yet, the smallest in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Since the time John the Baptist appeared until now, the kingdom of heaven forces entry with violence, and what are the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11.2-12, Sower)
Are you a Christian violence? For many of us who grew up in the Christian faith, we have been conditioned to live our faith in a defensive mode. We have learned to distrust the company, our non-Christian friends, leisure, technology, etc.. In short, Christians considered "spiritual" was the one who spent most of his time in meetings at the church and who maintained the least possible contact with the "outside" world.
Unfortunately this method of "life Christian "cloistered, withdrawn, disconnected from the suffering world, developed believers who may have shown contempt toward those different from themselves. The Christian life recluse helped discredit the message of Jesus and his desire to see humans being reconciled with God and enjoy life. You understand that you can live your faith passionately and enjoy life!
In the Gospels, Jesus says:
I am come that they may have life, abundant life. (John 10:10, New International Version)
Is not that wonderful? Jesus wants us to be happy, we enjoy life and we have fun with our faith. Happiness is not just for Jesus in the afterlife, but rather here on earth. Of course, in this world we will face many difficulties and hardships, but Jesus wants, despite all the challenges that lie ahead, we see happy here and now. Moreover, the joy in times of trial should be the hallmark of the Christian.
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4.4, Dove)
What a great testimony to see Christians who, despite the economic crisis, disease, injustice is joy and pride to belong to the Lord Jesus.
However, we happen to be shaken, shaken, drained of our joy. This was the case of John the Baptist for whom things were not going as he expected. Imprisoned, he even came to doubt that Jesus really was the messiah. So he sent messengers to Jesus to ask if this really was the Messiah who was to come.
Matthew tells us Jesus received his messengers with grace, he was not offended by the infidelity of John the Baptist. Instead, he began to sing the praises of John the Baptist from the crowd around him. Is not that comforting? Despite our doubts, questionings, despite these moments where we do not see clearly ahead of us and confusion assails us, Jesus is not offended. The Bible tells us that he understands our weaknesses:
Our high priest is not able to understand our weaknesses and sympathize with us. Instead, he has known all our events: in all respects, it was absolutely subject to the same temptations that we - - and yet he remained sinless. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, with a joyous and free insurance. God will demonstrate His goodness and grace, and we will get the help needed at the right time. (Hebrews 4:15-16, Living Word)
During his speech, Jesus will make a rather surprising statement, which will be the subject of our discussion today:
Since the time John the Baptist appeared until 'at this time, the kingdom of heaven is a force pass with violence and the violent take it by force. (Mt 11.12, Sower)
What does it say here? Personally, I think Jesus said here that a Christian life simply does not exist in a defensive mode, reclusive about ourselves, but in offensive mode, the other oriented toward the needs around us.
noted immediately that the term violence here has nothing to do with physical violence. But Jesus was using hyperbole to regularly score his points (cp. Matthew 18.7ss). Unlike other religions, where faith has emerged through physical violence (unfortunately, at some time Christianity has not done better), Jesus gave himself to death without a fight when he could well have had thousands of angels to rescue him and impose its message. No, the message of Jesus is not necessary, it is revealed to us through non-binding action of the Holy Spirit (cp. Acts 7.51). His message is received with joy, peace.
Jesus lived a life offensive
During his earthly life, Jesus lived a life offensive. The Kingdom of God was clearing a path with violence, there was, and remains so today a confrontation between the spiritual forces of evil and Jesus.
Jesus never curled up on himself, living on the defensive. Did you notice his speeches with religious, he was content to defend his position? Far from it! It counterattack vigorously, citing a passage of Scripture, telling a parable, making them a reproach or by asking a trick question ... Do you remember the day when Jesus enters the temple and finds the excessive trade and profiteer happening there? His zeal and passion for the house of God lead him to react in an offensive manner, it reverses table changes and hunt these bandits of the house of his Father! What audacity, what assurance!
In addition, during his three years of intensive ministry, Jesus did not spend his time cloistered in meetings with his disciples, he did not spend his time either in the synagogues. Far from it! Jesus was a practical man, a man who was not afraid to "dirty" by living among sinners and notorious people from bad lives. Jesus lived among the people, he went from village to village to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, he posed no posters inviting people to come to the synagogue to hear a speech, He invited himself in people. He went where they were, because he loved them, he enjoyed being in their company.
Church, the people of God must be a people who imitate their Lord, who loves the company of sinners and notorious man and woman in the world. A people who do not pass his cloistered life within four walls, but lives a life offensive working lives in service to those who do not know the Lord Jesus.
The Kingdom of God against the tide. That is why the violent who benefit. Live his faith is inconsistent with a life of ease is to go against the tide, it is daily faced the headwinds of society. These are not lazy people who will inherit the Kingdom, but violent.
Why a Christian life offensive?
Because we do not score goals, playing defense! Good defensive hockey is important, but if you score goals you will need offensive players. It's the same for our Christian life, if our "game" comes down to a defensive game, we will mark very few goals and our Christian life is lackluster.
- When we live a Christian life defensive we only see problems, we live a life based on fear and distrust of the outside world, we develop the impression that the devil seems more present than God.
- Moreover, if we live a Christian life defensively, we lose sight of the reason for our faith. Our faith is reduced to a philosophy, a set of dogma, belief that serves only to church on Sunday and that is completely disconnected from our lives.
We earlier quoted the passage in which Jesus says:
I am come that men have life, abundant life. (John 10:10, New International Version)
The Christian life is not reducible to a set of dogma. It's a lifestyle, it is a way of life. The Church of Jesus Christ must live the message of Jesus to make it credible to the world around them.
And I tell you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Mat 16 h 18)
Have you seen the gates after you run? Maybe in your nightmares, but in real life does not exist!
doors ... have a defensive nature, they can be irservir to prevent the enemy from entering the city or prevent those inside to leave. We can draw two truths about the Christian life offensive
- Nothing can stop attacking the Christian to leave his prison. Neither our old nature or the enemy of our soul has the power to keep the doors closed in front of us.
- Jesus promises that if we move forward, it banged the door for us.
Conclusion There are years, the magazine "Time Magazine" was in decline, leaders have launched a campaign to send thousands of letters hoping to provoke subscriptions.
At the time, all mail was being done manually and required a lot of manpower.
IBM proposed to install a fully automatic system that would write letters, put in envelopes, close the envelope, write the address, stamp and send mail without human manipulation. This powerful computer is set to work and of course, much was expected of this new tool! But as is often the case there was a catch. A poor shepherd in Wyoming has received 12,634 letters asking for a subscription to Time Magazine. "After reading a few dozen, he sent his entry with a note saying," I surrender! "It's hard to resist this kind of persuasion!
It's time went on the offensive, some goals count for the Kingdom of the victories to capture in our marriage, our family, our friends, the society around us. Take pleasure in life, incorporate it spice, going on the offensive in prayer, service, love for those who do not know Jesus.
... but the people who know their God will act with courage. (Dn 11.32, Sower)
alice.
