Friday after Gaudete, the Third Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 18, 2020 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 11:11-15 (NKJV)
11:11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Devotion
John is the greatest among those born of women because he is the forerunner of the Christ. He is the final prophet of the Old Testament. Yet he is more than a prophet. He is the Elijah to come, pointing to the Christ Himself. In spite of this great honor Jesus says, “But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” The blessings of the New Covenant are far greater than those of the old, since we get to see and hear things that prophets and kings only desired to see and hear. The preaching of John and Jesus open wide the door to the kingdom of heaven.
That is why the kingdom suffers violence and the violent take it by force. People heard the preaching of John and Jesus and believed. They let nothing stand in their way from hearing the Gospel. They cast aside their sins in repentance and confession. They rushed into the kingdom of God by believing John’s word about Christ taking away their sins, and Jesus’ words of mercy and forgiveness for the penitent.
John still preaches through his message recorded in Holy Scripture. He still commands all men everywhere to repent of their sins each day and amend their lives. He still points to Christ who has atoned for our sins and takes them away when we repent and believe the Gospel. Let nothing stand between you and the kingdom of God. Be one who takes the kingdom by force; not the forcefulness of physical strength, but the force of faith, which lets nothing deter you from believing the Gospel.
Prayer: Lord, we beseech Thee, give ear to our prayers and lighten the darkness of our hearts by Thy gracious visitation. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
