Have you ever been in situations in your life when upon reflection, you didn't really appreciate the gravity or the weight of the moment? And it's only when you look back that you realise, wow, that was really a watershed moment. This was a moment I should have been far more aware as to what was really happening, but I wasn't.

I remember years ago driving down through Glenham with my work mates, heading out to the farm where our equipment was parked. We came across a car crash, and we were there probably five minutes after it happened. It wasn't a car crash as in a collision, but a young girl had driven off the bank down on one of the corners with a steep edge. I don't exactly know what happened. Someone else was already there making sure everyone was okay, and we were probably the second car to arrive. We pulled up, and the girl who had been driving the car was right there. She came and talked to us. It was clear that she had no idea that she'd just about lost her life in this crash. It could have gone an awful lot worse than it had. She was just very calm. She wasn't really aware of the gravity of the situation. She wasn't yet shaken. She was all happy and smiling. It had not yet hit her.

In this passage in Matthew's gospel, the Lord Jesus is teaching don't miss this moment! This man John the Baptist, this Elijah who you have been waiting for, he is here. He has come, meaning the Messiah and his kingdom too have come. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

To consider these things, I have simply two headings for you this morning, first in verses 7-10, and then second in verses 11-15.

More Than Just a Prophet

Let's consider first of all verses 7-10. Jesus turns to address the gathered crowd. "As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John." The question is: why does Jesus feel it important to teach the crowds concerning the identity of John the Baptist? If Jesus is the Messiah, why doesn't he just focus on his own ministry? Why doesn't he continue his own preaching? Why does he take time to teach the people about John?

Well, we're going to find that out. No doubt it is because, materially, John the Baptist's imprisonment would have stirred a great deal of controversy in Israel. It would have stirred controversy about who John really was and the legitimacy of his preaching. He was widely revered by the people as a true prophet, but now perhaps the crowds are a little uncertain. So here Jesus speaks directly to them, and he asks three rhetorical questions to highlight and show the uniqueness and the legitimacy of John the Baptist's ministry as the messianic forerunner.

The first question he asks is in verse 7: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?" In effect, he's saying to the crowds, when you people went out to see John there in the wilderness towards the River Jordan, did you go out to him because he was an ordinary man? You see, there was nothing so common in the desert as a reed shaken by the wind. That's why Jesus is using this analogy. John was no ordinary man. You did not go to find a reed shaken by the wind. That is an ordinary thing in the desert. This was not how you found John. You didn't go to find something common. Jesus says you heard him. You saw him. This was no ordinary man. There was something divine about his presence, about his message, about his mission, about his manner and his works. There was nothing common about John the Baptist.

Jesus' next question presses the point. You did not go out into the wilderness to find a man in soft clothing, did you? You did not go out there, into the wilderness, into the desert to find a king. Kings are in palaces, not the wilderness. That's why you went to him. He wasn't dressed in fine clothing. He was dressed instead with a leather belt, clothing made of camel's hair. Still you went to him.

The third question drives home the point: John was truly a prophet from the Lord, you see. That's why you went to him. And critically for this present section, Jesus affirms that John was even more than a mere prophet. He was in a unique category all of his own. That's the critical point.

Now let's ask this question: what is the point of these things that we're saying here? The point is that Jesus singles out John the Baptist as the final arrow in God's quiver pointing to the arrival of the Messianic King. In this way, John was utterly unique. His was a life foretold long past as the way maker, the expected one before the arrival of the Messiah. He was the final signpost this way.

Down through the ages, God revealed in type and shadow to his people a coming redemption through the Messiah; this promised seed in the language of Genesis; this root from parched ground in the language of Isaiah. John the Baptist was the last messenger preparing that coming. The church of old had long awaited to see these days, the coming of Christ, but God made them wait. They were held in suspense. The times were not fulfilled, and God would not yet act. Yet to Israel, God repeatedly communicated these promises, saying, "Wait and see, for I will come. The deliverer will come to Zion." And so John is unique because every prophet before him, as we read through our Bibles in the Old Testament, had to wait for the days of fulfilment.

But John himself is unique in that order because he prophesies as the Christ is before him. More than a prophet, Jesus says here. "After me, one is coming who is mightier than I," John said, "and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals." He's the last in the prophetic order.

Moving on to verse 10, look again with me. Jesus points to the Old Testament to make his point. He cites from the final book of the Old Testament, from Malachi 3, primarily. Jesus says here, "This is the one about whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.'"

Now cast your eyes down to verse 14, and we are given even more on this link between John the Baptist and the messianic forerunner of Malachi. In verse 14 it says, "And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come." What is Jesus saying here about John being Elijah? What is this about? That's a good question.

To answer that question, we need to understand what's in Malachi 3. Jesus initially quotes from Malachi, but when we continue reading in Malachi and come to Malachi 4:5-6, we have a connected promise: "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."

This is a prophetic passage some four centuries earlier. Because of this passage, the Jews believed that literal Elijah the prophet was going to arrive before the Messiah would come. Jesus says that John is this expected Elijah. Not in the flesh, of course. This is not what Malachi meant. Rather, John comes in the spirit and the power of Elijah. He is the Elijah-like messenger. John even dressed like Elijah, the leather belt, the girdle. He had the zeal of Elijah. He spoke truth to power like Elijah.

Listen to how Luke 1:17 puts it, speaking of John: "It is he who will go as a forerunner before him, that is Jesus, in the spirit and power of Elijah." You see, the Old Testament often uses imagery and symbols in its own context to paint the picture of the future. The coming of Elijah is one such example. Malachi meant it metaphorically. It simply meant God was going to send a great prophet, one like Elijah, to prepare the way. Even Jesus himself is predicted in the Old Testament in a similar way. The messianic prophecy of Ezekiel 34 says, "Then I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David." But it is not David in the flesh that is meant; rather, it's the shepherd king that is coming ultimately, Jesus.

So this is what Jesus is saying here regarding John the Baptist and Elijah. Now as to the point of this quotation that Jesus uses here in Matthew 11, I think this is one of those times wherein I think we can do better than to make a passing comment: "Ah, yes, Malachi 3, Jesus fulfils this prophecy," and we turn to the next page and move on. I think we can do better than that. So let's try to do better. Your love for Jesus will grow exponentially through mining beneath the surface at times, looking for the subterranean soils rich in gold previously that you had overlooked. Let's do that now. The Bible is such a book as this.

So what I want you to see here is a detail that perhaps many Christians reading their Bibles will almost always miss. Because Malachi is doing much more than prophesying of John the Baptist the forerunner. Rather, Malachi is reapplying the imagery of Israel's journey out of Egypt as found in Exodus, led by the Lord towards the land of promise. You see, Malachi himself is drawing upon Exodus 23:20.

If you think back to the giving of the law of Moses, after many chapters of God communicating his law, he then makes this promise to Moses and the people: "Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared." That's the language that Malachi is using and reapplying, speaking of the coming forerunner that Jesus then quotes in Matthew 11. It's all coming together as one big picture. Because the first line in Exodus 23:20 is verbatim what Malachi says in his verse line, and deliberately so. It means that when John the Baptist arrived, God is putting the story of Israel on repeat. He's sending his final prophet to point us to him who can lead us safely to Canaan's side. He's identifying the one who will lead the true exodus, the exodus out of our spiritual bondage in sin.

We might state the material point then this way: John is the forerunner to the Messiah, the one God says will "bring you into the place which I have prepared". Amazing truth. It is in Jesus that the exodus account replays. God is telling humanity through the event of Israel's freedom from Egypt: you are in bondage to your sin, but behold, I am coming, as in the past, and a new exodus is coming. In the Messiah, men and women will hope, and in him you will find rest as I bring you into the place that I have prepared for you.

You see, Joshua brought the people of Israel into the temporal land but could not achieve true rest. The greater Joshua, Jesus, brings us to the heavenly rest, that which the first prefigured. These are the truths that the Lord Jesus is bringing out here as he points people to John the Baptist.

The Greatness of the Kingdom

Moving on, let's come into our second heading now: the greatness of the kingdom, verses 11-15. As Jesus has validated John the Baptist's ministry, now he's going to point people to the arrival of the kingdom as a consequence of John's presence. Because this forerunner is here, the accompanying messianic kingdom age has dawned.

So read again in verse 11: "Truly I say to you, among those born of woman, 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." What is Jesus' point here? He wants us to appreciate the glory of the new age breaking in with his coming, the glory of the inaugurated kingdom of heaven.

The reason why even the least in the kingdom, that is, Christians who you might think are on the margins, not really known to people, the least in the kingdom, the reason they can be considered greater than even John the Baptist, that great prophet, is simply a point concerning the times in which they are permitted to live. You see, John belongs to the time of prophetic promise. Though he is the greatest of men, those who are blessed to live in the age of Jesus' kingdom are infinitely more blessed than John. That's the point. It is a comparison not really between people here, but between the time of promise and the time of fulfilment. That's Jesus' point. John belonged to the time of promise. You and I, dear believer, belong to the time of fulfilment. And in this way, we are infinitely more blessed than John, considered greater than even he.

John, for all his greatness, belonged to the era of type and shadows. But you and I, dear believer, we belong to the era of fulfilment of the promises and the pouring out of the Spirit of God as foretold.

So the most basic doctrinal point here is what a privilege it is to follow the Messiah in the age in which God has gloriously broken into human history and opened the floodgates of salvation, pouring out his Spirit in a new and fresh way as never before in human history into men and women's hearts with power. This is the age in which we live. Kingdom inaugurated, not fulfilled. It's not here in its fullness yet. It's inaugurated, and it's awaiting the Messiah's return a second time for its consummation. But now it is inaugurated, and this is the age in which we live. We are granted front-row seats. Here we are in 2026. Front-row seats to witness the works of Jesus through his kingdom and his gospel. And in this way, all in his kingdom are greater than John, who belongs to the era of promise.

Let me illustrate what Jesus is saying in this way. Imagine you're out on the street, perhaps you're on holiday and you're in a really wealthy city, and you walk past a restaurant. It's a beautiful restaurant, and you can tell straight away that this restaurant is way outside your budget. You can't afford to eat in this place, and you know it. You're walking past this restaurant, but all the same you can't help but read the menu just as you're walking along on the street there. That's all you can do. You can't afford to eat in there, but maybe you dream of some time when someone will take you there and pay for you to eat there.

Friends, in simplistic terms, John could only ever stand on the street reading the menu of the restaurant and then looking at the people inside. Though he was so close, he only belonged to the time of promise. He could only read the menu. While we, on the other hand, from the witnesses of the resurrection and forward, from Acts 2 and the outpouring of God's Spirit, we are especially blessed to witness the Messianic mission come to fruition. We are seated inside the restaurant enjoying the provided meal. That's what Jesus is saying here. He's talking about the greatness of the kingdom and all that John has been pointing to. John's era was that of shadows, types, and veiled revelation. But now, with full view, we can look upon Christ, who is to us and all who believe a saviour.

The author of Hebrews says of the saints of old in Hebrews 11, "All these died in faith without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them," what, "from a distance". So even the least of Christians, those who have laid hold of Jesus, are blessed immeasurably more than even the great prophet John was in his lifetime. That's you and I, friends. This great privilege that we have of living in these times with the Messiah having already died, having already risen, having already ascended to the right hand of power. These are the times in which we live.

Now I make this application of what Christ is saying to you this way. I believe we should take more careful stock, if you will, of the times in which God has blessed us to live. We should. I do not mean of the country that we live in, though we should give thanks for that. I do not mean the wealth of the family that you were raised in. I mean the works of Christ that are now behind you to look back on and not in front of you as they were for so many of our brethren throughout the ages. What hope we have, what certainty, what conviction, what glory that has given us to look back upon the Messiah's work and not be looking forward, wondering when, wondering how, as they were.

Think of these words in 1 Peter 1:10-12: "As to the salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the spirit of Christ within them was indicating as he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. And these things which now have been announced to you through those who preach the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which the angels long to look." There is a great weightiness that the apostles say that we ought to have about the way that we view the Messiah's work and ministry, and see ourselves as so blessed, so privileged to live in these times. We have witnessed the power of God in ways that others like John could only pray for and see on the horizon.

Our brothers and sisters in ages past, they were blessed with the knowledge and Spirit of God within them, yet they fervently desired and longed after the arrival of Christ, realising the sorrowful destiny of our race without him. But they died in faith, having only seen on the horizon that one day God would make an end to the wages of sin that is owed by our race.

So the question I have for you this morning is: are you earnestly seeking the blessing of this age in which we can know the Messiah? Are we earnestly seeking him as much as those of old who looked forward to his coming earnestly sought him? As we look back, are we even more earnestly seeking him? Because the kingdom is now being revealed. It's no longer a mystery; the works of God are all plain before us. Even the least among us, those with little gift, little to give, little to say, are considered the greatest of all by Christ because we have access to that which for thousands of years others had only seen from afar. And here we are with full access and full view and a completed canon, the word of God. Have you made the most of that opportunity? What reality of this is in your life right now, I wonder? What earnest seeking of God is proven in your life because God has laid everything out before you? He's given you his word. He's poured out his spirit. We have no excuse.

Now hold that thought in mind as we continue on and look at verses 11 and 12 as Jesus continues here to show the greatness of the kingdom. So look at verse 12 with me and read again: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."

What is Jesus saying here in verse 12 about the kingdom suffering violence and the violent taking it by force? This is one of the more difficult verses in Matthew's gospel. I won't go into huge detail, but I take the position here that the term translated "violence" in the NASB refers here, and it's cast in a positive light actually, as like a holy violence. Now if you look at the NIV 1984 edition, which is what our pew Bibles are, they'll capture it this way: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." So it's cast in a positive light. It means really that Jesus is saying one of the great evidences of the kingdom's arrival was that even now there are those in great number who are rushing in as never before. They are forcefully taking the kingdom, coming to the kingdom, embracing the kingdom that is Christ himself. These times are now upon us, he says.

Luke 16:16 has the same idea: "The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it." So again, I ask, on that previous point, what urgency of the Christian religion is apparent in your life? Is Jesus an add-on, or is he your all in all? Forcefully, deliberately, not accidentally, not passively. There's nothing passive about Matthew 11:12.

Let me illustrate this way. Imagine a great crowd of people, perhaps at a sports game or a concert or something. I'm sure most of us have been to either of those two things in our lifetime. A great crowd of people surging towards a narrow gate. It'd be like if this room here was filled up with two hundred people, and then everyone at once is trying to get through the door all at once, surging to enter the narrow open gate. The people know that they only have so long to enter the arena, and so they're rushing to the gate. They're storming to get in. The gates will soon be closed. Entry will soon be barred off. So they take their opportunity to enter.

And so it is with Jesus Christ, dear friends. Strive to enter through the narrow gate is the message. Your very soul is in peril if you will not come. The kingdom of heaven in this age advances forcefully through history, and the forceful will surrender all other ambition and come and come and come to Christ again and again and again. Forcefully, it advances, and forcefully now, you must take action.

2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation." You see, no one sleepwalks their way into the kingdom, dear friends. That's what Christ is saying. The violent take it by force. Holy violence. Seizing the opportunity while it is before you because God does not have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To those who believe, the apostle said, he gave the right to be the children of God. The term translated here "take it" in verse 12 has the idea of seizing plunder. It means taking and owning what is before you. And this is the only way Christ is ever received.

The moment comes when a person stares down the barrel of eternity, and suddenly everything in their lives seems pale and meaningless in light of that eternity. They see they are great sinners before God, destined for his wrath and his justice without hope, but then they see the cross and they see the empty tomb. They see Christ as the only way of escape, and they don't hesitate. They forcefully fly unto him in total surrender to be washed and cleansed from sins, to come to the gates of heaven, to bang on the door and say, "Give me Christ, give me Christ, give me Christ, or I die." That's the point that Jesus is making here.

Matthew has shown us such people already, hasn't he? We've looked at these. Remember that dear woman with the haemorrhage in Matthew 9? She's outcast. She's poor. She's without any station in life. She's least in the kingdom. What does she do? She takes hold of Christ with force. She lays hold of him. She says, "I must be cleansed." Matthew 9:21, "If only I touch his garment, I will get well." The forceful take it by force. Or take Matthew 9:27, those two blind men crying out, "Have mercy on us, son of David." This is the urgency of the kingdom. These examples were written for our instruction, brothers and sisters. What do they say to you? How do these truths reflect in your own life? Are you sleepwalking your way into the kingdom? Or are you taking it by force? Have you come to Christ presently and actively? Do not hesitate, friends, if yet you do not know Jesus and have not tasted of what I'm speaking of here. Even now the gates are open. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him. I will dine with him and he with me."

As we conclude here, consider these final words in verse 15: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." This means that there are difficult truths for men and women to accept, but they are necessary. Think of a fire alarm sounding. Will you move immediately if you hear a fire alarm and respond? Or will you just roll over and go back to sleep? Because the alarm is sounding. The kingdom is here. It's nigh. It's present. It's advancing. But are you in the kingdom? The forerunner has come, which means, by conclusion, so has the Messiah. Christ is standing before them announcing this kingdom. So consider this morning whether you have truly entered, whether you are enjoying the benefits of Christ for yourself. Because now it is freely offered and it can be freely received as well.