This morning, we’re continuing our message series, “Align.” Throughout this series, we’re learning how to position ourselves to get back into alignment with God. This enables us to live our lives to their fullest potential and not to miss out on anything that God has for us.
Last week, we learned of the value and importance of the preparation season. Although nothing is recorded in the Bible about Jesus’ life between the ages of 12 and 30, much is recorded about John the Baptist, who was publicly ministering during this time.
He was the one prophesied about by Isaiah; the Elijah who would come and prepare the way for the Messiah; the Lord.
Isaiah 40:3-5
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
If anyone has ever needed to visit a chiropractor to receive an alignment, they are well familiar with what it takes to put things back into correct alignment. Watching videos of many of these methods of alignment is horrifying.
It looks like people’s heads are getting snapped off and backs getting broken and legs or arms getting torn off. It is typically a quick and violent movement full of cracking and snapping and popping. However, it ends in alignment and relief from pain and stiffness and discomfort.
Making highways, raising up valleys, lowering mountains and hills, and leveling rough and rugged ground. None of these tasks are done without smashing and grinding and pounding and digging and sometimes even using some explosives.
These are not quiet and gentle tasks done with finesse. These are loud and violent tasks done with force and using the largest and most powerful of machines that we can round up. These construction tasks are sure to ruffle some feathers and upset some people.
Here in western PA, we are all too familiar with the inconveniences caused by road construction. Whether it was the new 422 bridge at Margeret Road, the culvert replacement on 85, the Water Street bridge replacement in Rural Valley, the never-ending Graff Bridge work, oh and I go could go on and on…
John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit and moved in power and with authority. Preparing the way for Jesus spiritually looked a whole lot like road construction does in the natural world. It was loud and messy work, but resulted in massive transformation in the lives of those willing to repent and be changed.
Matthew 11:7-14
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
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.
The phrase here ‘subject to violence’ or ‘suffer violence’ is from the one Greek word biazō. This word is only used twice in the New Testament and they are both used to describe the same account of Jesus explaining John the Baptist’s ministry from Matthew and Luke.
This word has a twofold meaning. The first meaning is pretty much what is translated here. It is to suffer from the violent assault of someone as a victim.
What happened just a few days ago, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, is nothing new in the kingdom of Heaven. He firmly stood on the truth of God and boldly defended it. He wasn’t afraid to have this stand challenged. In fact, he welcomed it and encouraged open dialog and disagreements and the sharing and challenging of ideas.
He suffered the tragic and unfortunate end that so many Christians have suffered before him. John the Baptist suffered such an end, himself.
Matthew 14:3-11
3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.
His life was brought to a tragic end because he was bold enough to confront the sin of Herod. John was only one in a long history of such violence inflicted on God’s people. Hebrews 11 goes through a huge list of great people of faith and ends by stating:
Hebrews 11:35-40
35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated – 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Violence against the kingdom of heaven is nothing new.
Jesus wept over Jerusalem and said:
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
Jesus boldly spoke truth and confronted the religious leaders often.
Luke 11:45-51
45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
Matthew 23:29-36
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
Violence against the kingdom of heaven. I’m not saying that it is right because it absolutely is not! Violence of any kind was never a part of God’s plan for us who were created in His image. Violence was the sin that God warned Cain about. In fact, it was because of the violence of people, resulting from sin, that God chose to start the world over in the days of Noah.
Genesis 6:11-13
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.
OK, now back to the Greek word biazō. This word has a twofold meaning. The first meaning is to suffer from the violent assault of someone as a victim.
The second meaning is to apply force and pressure as in to press in and press on. The Classic Amplified version draws out this two-fold meaning in its translation.
Matthew 11:12 [AMPC]
The kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize – a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]
Though the kingdom of God suffers violence from those who oppose it, there is another group of people as well! A people who see the value of it and seek and pursue it with such a zealous passion that everything else pales in comparison! Jesus said:
Matthew 13:44-46
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
These are they who are described in Hebrews 11. They both suffered violence, but they also violently forsook the things of the world in pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven. There is a war and it is one filled with violence. However, it is not one fought in the physical world, it is a battle raging in the heavenly realms for our souls and the souls of those around us!
It is described with violent words!
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
We wage war. We fight with weapons. We demolish strongholds with divine power and authority. We demolish argument and pretensions and everything that tries to set itself up against God. It is a fight in the heavenly realms!
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Biazō. We may suffer violence as a result, but we will not relent in our zeal and passionate pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven! Our love for Jesus ought to be the same love that He has for us. Perhaps described a bit like this?
Song of Songs 8:6-7
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of one’s house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.
Jesus said:
Matthew 24:6-14
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
As we align ourselves into a positionally correct life with the Lord, violence will take place. Preparing the way of the Lord requires some pretty violent work. However, that violence is all to take place in the heavenly realms and against the dark forces of evil and wickedness in the world and the devil and demons.
Violence against people has no place in the life of a follower of Christ. He crushed the head of the devil, but He did it by going to the cross in silence like a lamb being lead to the slaughter. Though He could have brought in legions of angels to destroy everything and everyone and would not have been wrong for doing so, He suffered instead.
We, as His disciples, are to follow His example. Though He suffered violence just like many prophets before Him and even His own cousin, John, He put a far greater and more violent hurting on the kingdom of darkness through it all.
Stand firmly on God’s truth and don’t let anyone or anything move you. Keep giving yourself fully to the work of the Lord because none of it will ever be done in vain and it will be richly rewarded. Remain passionate in zealous pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven and watch your life fall into perfect alignment with God’s plans and purposes and will!