The Spread of Jesus' Influence

We're studying the life of Christ as you well know on Wednesday evenings. We've been in it for some time and probably will be for some more time. I appreciate it in John's prayers mentioning the desire and the hope that as we look at the Lord's life, we will have a desire to become more like him. And that certainly should be the intent of a study like this. I was thinking today and yesterday as I was looking at these passages again. I'm just so amazed at our Lord's life, at the way he responded to people. Sometimes I think we read the stories and the gospels and we kind of, ooh, and ah, at the miracles and they are awesome. They're amazing. They're displays of his deity. But sometimes I think we miss the little personal touches of our Lord. We're going to see some of that hopefully tonight if we get that far. But just to see how Jesus interacted with people, to see how he had such compassion, and tenderness, graciousness met their needs, boldness when that was needed, authority in teaching. It was just amazing to watch him move about among humanity. And to see the way he dealt with people. I never cease to be amazed and challenged and convicted in my own heart about our Lord's life. So let's really keep that in mind as we think about the Lord and not just try to get all of our questions answered about certain passages. But to really look at our Lord's life in the sense of what can we learn about how we should be living and be challenged by. We're in a part of our Lord's ministry, the great Galilean ministry. We have seen that he has chosen 12 of his disciples to be apostles who will be with him continuously. We'll learn from him and be prepared in his training and teaching to move on into ministry themselves and lay the foundation for the church. We have seen that he has already made a one tour of the region of Galilee, a preaching tour, which was accompanied by miracles that served to authenticate his message and be the credentials for his ministry. And we have seen also that he stopped on a mountainside to give what is often called the sermon on the Mount, kind of the essence of his teaching about his kingdom. Coming down from that mountain is where we find him tonight and we're going to begin in Matthew chapter 8. This section is sometimes called the next few events in our Lord's life, sometimes called the spread of Jesus influence. And it does have to do, at least in the first few stories here, with the amazing spread of not only his power, his fame, the awareness of his ministry. And we see continuing crowds, great crowds, large crowds, the Bible talk about that are following him everywhere he went. Now at the same time, the opposition from the Pharisees is escalating and growing to the point that very soon when we get to Matthew chapter 12, we will find a crisis point of denial on the part of the Jewish leaders, a firm decision. And then from that point on, Jesus begins to focus more on the 12. But let's begin with Matthew chapter 8, verse 5, where we find the healing of the Centurions servant. Matthew chapter 8, verse 5, when Jesus had entered cappernum, a Centurion came to him asking for help. Let's go back to our map and make sure we remember where cappernum is. Cappernum comes up often in these stories. We've seen that this is where Jesus really makes his home base as he ministers in the region of Galilee. He's really living in and making cappernum his home base. And so this is a city that we will see tonight if we get that far that Jesus will say you have much responsibility because of all that you've seen and heard. So Jesus is back now. He's come down off of the mountain, which was just north of cappernum with sermon on the mount was taught. And he's back now in the city of cappernum. So when he gets to cappernum, notice what happens in verse 5, a Centurion came to him asking for help. Centurion is a Roman military official military leader over 100 soldiers. So he has a position in the Roman army that is a position of leadership and hang on to that thought because it will play a part in the story. Verse 6, Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering. Luke's gospel, you notice the parallel passage that on your sheet there, Luke 7 verses 1 through 10. Luke tells us that he was near death. He was that sick. He was near death. Verse 7, Jesus said to him, I will go and heal him. Verse 8, the Centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed. Now there's been some question as to why the Centurion said that. I'm not worried that have you come under my roof. There have been those who've said, well, possibly he was aware of the Jewish tradition that if a Jew entered the home of a Gentile, he would be ceremonially unclean, not able to go into the temple, not able to worship, bring sacrifices and so forth, he would be considered ceremonially unclean if you went into the house of a Gentile. And that may be what he was thinking, but Luke's gospel again adds a little bit of information that helps us. I think come to a different conclusion about why the Centurion said that. The Centurion says in both gospels, I am not worried that have you come under my house, but then in Luke's gospel it goes on to say, that's the reason I did not feel worthy to come to you. Luke's gospel says that he sent some Jewish leaders from Copernum to Jesus rather than coming himself. Of course Matthew says the Centurion came and there have been those who said, well, that shows discrepancy and the Bible contradiction. But it really doesn't. The Bible often speaks and we often speak of someone doing something through others, the person responsible for it being done can be spoken of as having done it, even though he may have sent others to actually be his representative. For instance, later in the gospels in Matthew 26, the Bible speaks of pilot scourging Jesus. Well, pilot didn't scourge Jesus. Pilot didn't have the whip in his hands. His soldiers did that. But pilot was the one who ordered it. He was the one responsible for it. So the Centurion, yes, he comes to Jesus. He sends people in his stead, but he himself is represented there. And so he says in Luke's gospel, this is the reason why I didn't feel worthy to come to you. So I think the Centurion really is in all humility saying to Jesus, I do not feel worthy of you being in my home. Here's a man who has a high position in the army. A man who is a leader in his own right. A man who has authority and he does not feel worthy to have Jesus come into his home. An interesting insight into this man's character. Verse 8, the Centurion said, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come into my way. But say the word and my servant will be healed. And then notice his explanation of that verse 9, where I myself am a man under authority with soldiers under me. I tell this one, go and he goes and that one come and he comes. I say to my servant, do this and he does it. Here's a man who understood authority and he understood what it meant to be under authority. He knew what it meant to have the kind of authority that says, do this and it's done for you in another place maybe. And he's attributing, you see by his statement, he's attributing that same authority to Jesus. He's saying, Lord, I know you have that kind of authority. You don't actually have to be somewhere for stuff to be done. You can say for it to be done and it will be done. While I have authority over soldiers, I recognize you have authority over nature. You have authority over illness, over disease. And you can speak and it's gone. It obeys you. So really this is a statement of faith, isn't it? It's an evidence on this man's part that he trusts the power and the person of Jesus Christ. So Jesus' response indicates this, verse 10, when Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, only twice in the gospels, is it said that Jesus was amazed or astonished at something? And this was one of them. Remember Jesus is acting in his humanity as well. So as a real man, he was astonished. He was amazed at this man's answer. And he says, I tell you that he said to those following him and Luke indicates it was a large crowd. I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. So notice what he says next. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Let me ask you, who is he talking about there? Who comes from the east and west? Gentiles. Gentiles from the east and west, this man was a Gentile, right? The centurion was a Gentile. And Jesus has just said, I have not seen that kind of faith in Israel. And then he makes this statement, people will come from the east and west coming from different directions into the kingdom to feast. There will be Gentiles in the kingdom. But then notice what he says in verse 12. But the subjects of the kingdom, who is that? Subject the kingdom. If we've talked about Gentiles, there's only one other option. Somebody say it. Israel. Yeah, Jews. The Jews. The subjects of the kingdom. Now that tells you something, doesn't it? Jesus came to bring the kingdom for the Jews. Okay. Now he's not talking about saved people here because he's going to say they'll be cast out. Well, let's just look at what he says. He says the subject of the kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So he's not talking about believers. He's not talking about saved people. He's not talking about you and me. The subjects of the kingdom is Israel. It's Jews. Now Gentiles will be involved in the kingdom. But the subjects of the kingdom will be cast out. That doesn't mean there'll be no Jews in the kingdom. There will be. But the idea is I came to offer my kingdom to Israel and they're rejecting it and look at this Gentile. This Gentile has the kind of faith I've not seen in Israel. And it just prompts Jesus to think ahead of what the kingdom will be like when people from all over the earth will be involved. And the very people that the kingdom was for having rejected it will be turned away and will be punished. Now obviously again, remember there will be Jews in the kingdom. But at this point, Jesus is highlighting the rejection of Israel of the kingdom and the awareness of the power of the king on the part of a Gentile. So there's really something very interesting going on here in this encounter. Verse 13, Jesus said to this interior and go, it will be done just as you believed it would and his servant was healed at that very hour. It's really a remarkable account. You have to wonder. Did the centurion know of Jesus through the noblemen? Remember when Jesus first came back to Galilee from his early ministry in Judea and Jerusalem area, John chapter four, he healed a noblemen son. The noblemen lived in Comparnam and sent to Jesus 20 miles away and Jesus spoke from a distance and healed him. You think maybe the centurion and the noblemen were friends, maybe neighbors, maybe they knew each other, both Roman officials, one in the military, one in the government. It's quite possible that the centurion had heard from the noblemen about Jesus and his power and his ability to heal from a distance. His faith has come because of the testimony of someone who has already encountered the Lord and his power in his life. It's quite possible. We can't say that with any dogmatism obviously, but it's quite possible that that may have happened. Any comments, questions about this initial story and after the sermon on the mount, healing of the centurion servant? Okay, let's move to the next event which we'll find in Luke's Gospel, Luke chapter seven. We'll be going back and forth a little bit between Luke and Matthew tonight in their various accounts. Luke chapter seven gives the story of the raising of the widow's son, raising of the widow's son. And this takes place at a little village called Nain, look at verse 11, Luke 7 verse 11, suit afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain and his disciples in a large crowd went along with him. Again, the emphasis of Luke on the size of the crowd. Let's take a look at where Nain is. Nain is also in Galilee right down here below Nazareth. So Jesus has moved now from Copernum and we don't know how much time has elapsed, but he has now moved to just south of his hometown where he was born or not where he was born. But where he grew up, Nazareth and little village of Nain and something amazing, really amazing, miraculous happens there. Verse 12, as he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out. Now Luke gives a little more description just to set the tone for how gripping this scene must have been. Notice he says, the only son of his mother and she was a widow. He's an only son and she's a widow so she has no one to care for her. You see, in that day and time and in that culture, a woman couldn't just go out and get a job and support herself. She was dependent on family members, particularly males who farm the land and had other trades to support the family. And so being a widow, she was entirely dependent upon this only son, only son. And now he's dead. We don't know what happened obviously, but the son has died. And Jesus, notice verse 13, is moved with compassion when the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her. And he said, don't cry. Now this was, please don't see this as a rebuke. Don't cry. I don't think it was that at all. His heart went out to her. And knowing what he's going to do, he urges her, don't cry. Don't cry. I think his own voice must have moved with compassion. Maybe there were tears in his own eyes as he knew the situation. He knew exactly what was happening there and he saw the grief of this dear lady. And so you see the compassion of our Lord as he comes upon this scene and instantly recognizes what's happening. The dynamics of this family have been shattered and this woman's entire future is hanging in the balance. And he's so moved with compassion toward her. So notice what he does next, verse 14, then he went up and touched the coffin. And those carrying it stood still. Now there's a lot going on here. The coffin in those days would not be what we think of as a coffin today. It would not even be a closed wooden box like we might think of in more primitive settings. This would basically be a plank, an open plank just wide enough to lay a body on. And it would be carried to the place of burial. It would be carried to the place very quickly in that day because they did not have the means of in bombing and so forth that we would use today. So probably this has been a death that's occurred in the last 24 hours. And this is just a plank that he's laid on, probably wrapped in spices and so forth. Jesus is able to walk up and touch that coffin and say to him, verse 14, young man, I say to you, get up. The dead man sat up and began to talk and Jesus gave him back to his mother. This whole scene is just full of of of pathos, of emotion, of feeling. You know, Jesus, Jesus touches the coffin, which in his day would have rendered him ceremonially unclean to touch a coffin, a dead person. And whether or not he actually touched the person we don't know, but he spoke to him. And when he did that, everybody stood still. I mean, the whole procession stops, probably in amazement. Who is this man with this large crowd following him? These two crowds meet a crowd of utter agony and grief meets a crowd no doubt of great rejoicing. Jesus followers and disciples and those who are excited about his ministry. And these two crowds collide, if you will, and Jesus is at the very center and he touches, he touches the plank and says to the young man, get up, get up. And the young man sat up and began to talk. Can you imagine the reaction of the crowd? Can you imagine the reaction of the mother? And isn't it tender that Jesus does not say to him after what I've done to you, follow me. He doesn't say, give up your home, give up your job, whatever, and follow me. He says to him, I'm returning you to your mother. That's where you need to be. Your mother's only possibility of any sustenance for the future is with you. I'm not asking you to be like James and John. I'm not asking you to be like Peter and Andrew. I'm not asking you to drop your nets and follow me. I'm telling you to go home, take care of your mother. And so this whole scene is full of tenderness and just a special, really special story. Verse 16, they were all filled with awe and praise God. A great prophet has appeared among us. They said, God has come to help his people. Obviously they realize this is miraculous. By the way, I'm sure many things were coming back at the end. They call him a great prophet. You know why? Can we go back to that map? Very. Can we get back to that? Name is just over Mount Shunam from Mount Taber from Shunam. Shunam is the city where Elijah raised... No, Elijah, excuse me, I always get Elijah and Elijah missed up. Elijah first, Elijah next. Elijah raised the son of a widow, the son of a woman from the dead. So they remember that story. They know that story. And so they look at this and they say, here's a prophet. This man is like Elijah. Something happened just across the hill, back in Old Testament times, that was much like this. And so they call him a prophet. And he is a prophet, but he's obviously much more. God has come to help his people, they say. In 1717 this news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. Again, another report of a miracle that has taken place. Okay, questions, comments about this particular incident. That's a great question, Holly. Any other place in the Bible where it describes you went on to tell more about who he was and didn't leave them just thinking he was a prophet. There isn't any other account of this in the gospels. And so this is the only account we have of this particular incident. And so we don't know. Again, we have snapshots of Jesus ministry. There may be days and weeks in between certain events. Maybe Jesus stayed there a while longer, ministered there. They came to know more about who he was. It's hard to tell. The disciples of John showed him all of these things. So John's faith was enhanced if he knew the Christ was that much more. Yes, I mean, there was the news was being spread all around. And John is in prison now, but his disciples go tell him what's what they've seen about Jesus. Yes. So even if Jesus did not himself stay, there would be others possibly that are hurting preach, understood who he was and knew more about this. And could could say more about it. So the questions. Comments about this story. This was probably not the first person that Jesus had raised from the dead. This is the first one we have recorded. But in just a little bit. Jesus will tell John's disciples that go back and tell John what you're seeing. The dead are raised. And the word dead is plural in that particular past. This is the first time we've heard of a person being raised from the dead. But evidently there were others at least one more. So you know, there's a lot we're not told. We know of we know of three times Jesus raised someone from the dead. What are the other two? You remember Lazarus? It was the other one. Little girl. How old was she? 12? Whose daughter was she? Jaris. Okay, here we go. Great. Jaris's daughter. 12 years old was the third one. But both of those are after this event. Okay, anything else here before we move on? All right, let's look back at Matthew's Gospel for the next event. Matthew's telling of the message from John the Baptist. And this is a little difficult to know what to call this because there is a message from John, but there's a message from John for Jesus. But there's also a message from Jesus back to John. And I think this is one of the most amazing insights into our Lord's character in all the gospels. The way he handles this situation. In Matthew 11, verse two, when John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else? Now why do you think John asked this question? I mean, wasn't it John that proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah? Why do you think John now seems to be doubting? Are you the one or should we be looking for someone else? Why do you think he would ask that? Okay, maybe he wants to know more. Okay, he really has not had much time with Jesus as he, very early in their ministries, their paths crossed just briefly. I know, I think you've seen any of the miracles that Jesus did. Hasn't seen any of the miracles that Jesus did, probably not. He's heard about them, but maybe has not seen them. Okay. Do you remember when Jesus introduced the Messiah to Israel? He was the four runner, he was the one proclaiming the kingdom is here, the king is at hand, and he introduced the whole concept of the kingdom in Matthew 3. Do you remember what he said Jesus would do? I baptized you with water, but there's one coming after me who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. And he said, he will gather the grain and fresh it out and throw the chaff into the fire. I mean, he's talking about the Messiah is going to come and he's going to clean house, he's going to judge. What has Jesus been doing up to this point in his ministry? Healing, casting out demons, doing works of mercy, teaching, you know, sometimes I think we're a little bit critical of John here, I'm not sure, but what I might have not have been confused. I might have been confused, I probably would have been, I certainly not knew the man John the Baptist was. I think I would have been confused about what he was seeing, he wasn't seeing what he proclaimed the Messiah would do. He wasn't seeing that yet. Maybe that's part of it. Do you think there's anything else that may factor into John's questioning of Jesus here? He was in prison? Yes, he was in prison. And who was John? What was John like? Did Jesus ever say to John and the Messiah? Jesus, John, John said of Jesus, this is the Lamb of God. Well, I think it was confirmed to John at the baptism by the dove coming in the voice of the Father and so forth. I don't recall that Jesus ever, the Scriptures ever say Jesus quite out told him, I'm the one, but I think he would know that, but he's having some doubts quite honestly. I think Bill's brought up a good point. I think John is in prison. That's not someplace John is used to being, is it Keith? We don't know for sure. I don't know. And the way he was burned during the wild was that he could fit his feet with the earth. Yeah. Was there a holiday of some sort when the girl danced? That was her birthday. That was her birthday. Herod's wife's daughter was her birthday and as a birthday gift Herod promised, asked me anything and I'll give it to you and she asked for the head of John the Baptist. But John has been a man of the open places. John grew up in the wilderness. John was a man who ate locusts and wild honey and had rough clothing. He was a mountain man. He was a mountaineer. He was a hillbilly. If we can say that around here. He was used to the outdoors. He was not used to being cooped up anywhere, much less a prison. No matter who you are, no matter who we are, any of us can be susceptible to discouragement and depression and questioning. What we have known in the light sometimes we question in the dark. And all of us are guilty of that. Again, let's not judge John too harshly. He may be a little confused because he's not seeing exactly the kind of ministry he prophesied Messiah would have yet. Obviously that will come. But he's not seeing that from the reports he's getting. Plus, he's cooped up in prison. He's kind of down anyway. There may be several reasons why John would question what Jesus was doing. Any other thoughts about this? Why he would question. Regardless of the reasons, and again we're just trying to figure out something the Bible doesn't really make clear to us, but trying to read between the lines here a little bit. Regardless, I want you to see how Jesus responds. Verse 4, Jesus replied, this is to John's disciples. And the John has sent these disciples to question Jesus. Are you really the Messiah? Should we be looking for someone else? Jesus replied, go back and report to John what you hear and see. The blind received sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy occurred, the deaf here, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me. Now, Luke's gospel fills in this little detail that when Jesus was asked this question, he did not immediately respond. He did not give an answer immediately. In fact, I love the way Luke says it. So maybe we could just look at that. Luke chapter 7, verse 21, Luke 7, 21, I'll just read it. They asked the question in verse 20, are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else? And verse 21 says, at that very time, Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. At that very time, the impression I get is that Jesus is asked the question and he turns around and starts doing all these miracles. So they're seeing what he's doing. And then he says to them, how much time passed? He says he healed many. How much time passed we don't know, but then he says to them back in Matthew 11, okay, go back and report to John what you hear and see. You've just seen me do these things. The blind received sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy cure, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, good news, preach the poor. You know, all of that is prophesied in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 29, verses 18 to 21, Isaiah 35, verses 5 and 6, Isaiah 61, verse 1, three different passages in Isaiah where these very things are prophesied of the kingdom. This is what the kingdom will be like. These are the conditions during the kingdom, particularly almost word for word, Isaiah 35, 5 and 6. So you see what Jesus is doing here? Jesus is saying to these men from John the Baptist who are questioning, are you really the one? He turns around, does all these miracles and then says, go tell John, you saw this, this, this and this, and John will recognize that's Isaiah 35. That's the Messiah, that's the kingdom. Now the very fact that Jesus would do that indicates this is an answer of compassion, this is an answer of gentleness, of grace, and the fact that there's no rebuke here, maybe a little mild rebuke in verse 6, where he says, blessed is a man who does not fall away on account of me, but even that mild rebuke is termed, is spoken in terms of a blessing. You see how Jesus puts a positive spin and spin may be the wrong word here, but he announces this mild rebuke in a positive fashion, blessed is the one who does not turn around. He turns around, who does not fall away on account of me. I think what we're finding here is that out of grace and compassion, Jesus responds by showing the fulfillment of what Messiah would do, Isaiah 35, and then just saying, go back and tell John, he'll get it. He'll get it. He'll know that's Isaiah 35. He'll know that's Isaiah 29. He'll know that's Isaiah 61. He'll get it. Jesus does not, and please, please get this. This is something that really moved me this week as I was going back through this. Jesus does not say, oh, it's going to doubt me now, huh? Well, he oughta knew better than that. He's the one that announced. I was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. But there's none of that in Jesus. This is a beautiful example of what we saw earlier about the character of Jesus when we saw that a broken read, he will not, a bruised read, broken read, he will not destroy and a smoking flax, he will not snuff out. Well, John's a little broken right now, and John's flame is about to go out. And Jesus is not going to stop on him. Whenever we see someone who doesn't quite measure up or who may fail in a particular instance, and we just drive the dagger deep into their heart to finish him off because we've been wanting to do that for a long time. That is when we are most unlike our Savior. I mean, Jesus had the opportunity to really say, okay, John, yeah, the great John the Baptist. Now, he's a doubter. I told you, you should never put your confidence in me and you should always just trust me. This is a great opportunity to do that. And he would have been technically correct in saying that, but that's not his spirit. It's not our Lord's spirit. He doesn't even give an answer, turns around, does all the miracles and then tells his disciples, go back and tell John what you've seen, he'll understand that. Oh, and by the way, blessed is the one who does not fall away on the count of me. Just a little twinge of a challenge there. But done so graciously, so kindly. Wow. That is a real challenge, isn't it? And then notice what he does as John's disciples, verse seven, as John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. And please get what he says. He doesn't be rate John for his doubt. He doesn't say John the Baptist is doubting me. Don't you doubt me? You wouldn't do that. He doesn't do any of that. Again, that's not Jesus spirit. He turns to the crowd and begins to build John up at a point where John is at his lowest, at a point where John's wick is about to go out. He's bruised, he's broken, at a point where he's doubting what he himself has preached. And Jesus could have publicly corrected him. Jesus builds him up. Jesus encourages him. Listen to this, verse seven, he says to the crowd, what did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? I think that's such a beautiful choice of words. The one who will not crush a broken reed says, who did you go out to see? A reed that just follows whichever way the wind's blowing? Doesn't have the backbone to stand? No. If not, verse eight, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in King's palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes. I tell you, and more than a prophet. He's talking about John. Where did you go out to see a weak man? No, not a weak man. A strong man. A man who's pampered with delicacies of a King's court? No. A man who grew up in rough terrain. Those are what it means to work hard as rough hands. That's the kind of man I'm talking about. That kind of man. And he's a prophet and he's more than a prophet. Why would Jesus say, because John was a prophet, why would he say he's more than a prophet? What do you think he's referring to there? It's more than a prophet. John kind of follows in the train of the Old Testament prophets, right? The Old Testament prophets have done many things, but primarily if you sum their ministry up, it's all pointing toward the Lord Jesus. John has the opportunity to actually introduce Jesus to Israel. He's more than a prophet. He's the friend of the bridegroom. He's the forerunner of the Messiah. He's the one that will prepare the way, according to Isaiah 40, he fulfills some of the prophecies of the Old Testament. He's more than a prophet. You see Jesus building him up at John's lowest. Jesus lits him up in the eyes of the crowd when there might have been an opportunity to make John look a little lower in the eyes of the crowd. Jesus makes him look higher, builds him up. And that just says volumes to me about how our Lord treats people. Verse 10, this is one about whom it is written, I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you, quoting again the Old Testament prophecies of the forerunner of the Messiah from Malachi 3. Verse 11, I tell you the truth among those born of woman, women, there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. Wow, here's John doubting him. And Jesus says there's not been one born among women greater than him. He builds him up, lifts him up in front of the crowd rather than tearing him down. Again, I just think that just says volumes about our Lord's character. But then notice the next statement, yet he who is leased in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. What do you think that means? No one greater than John ever been born, but the leased in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. What do you think that means? You, I, the leased, the one who might be considered the leased in the kingdom is greater than John. How can that be? Will be seamless when we get to heaven, okay? That is very true, very true. And in that, in that sense and that aspect of God's kingdom, yes, that, that's very true. We'll be seamless when we get there. Because of the faith that we have to have, yes, yes, although Old Testament saints, John, would have faith as well. Where was John, okay, let's use the cross as a center point and a kind of a changing of dispensations of God's manner of dealing with people. But we are in the church. John was before the church. John was not a part of the church. By the way, John did not start the Baptist church. That's not what it means, John the Baptist, okay? So he was, he was before the church. He was not a part of the church. We are a part of the church. You remember what John three said about, what John said about himself? He said, I am what in relationship to the bridegroom. I am the friend of the bridegroom. I'm the best man. Guess what? You're the bride. Now, who's more important than a wedding? The bride. You've got to get that right. If you don't get anything else right about a wedding, you've got to get that right. The bride is the center of traction in a wedding. You know, I always tell grooms when we're doing weddings. All you do is just stand here and watch her come down the aisle. Everybody's supposed to be looking at her. You're just up here for, you know, when addressing. She's the focal point. I really think what Jesus is talking about is, although John can be spoken of as the greatest born among women up to that point, anyone after the cross, even the least, is greater than him in the sense that we are a part of Christ's bride. We have that high position, high treasured position of being his bride. So I think maybe that's what he may be referring to here, including the other things that you mentioned would certainly factor into that. I hate to stop right in the middle of a passage, but a wana is over and the children will be tearing down the building if you don't go get them. So we better stop. Okay, let's pray. Lord, help us to be more like our Savior, help us to respond to people, to treat people like he did with grace, tenderness, kindness. Help us to reach out to people who are hurting like the widow at name, who lost her son. Help us to reach out like Jesus did, moved with compassion, do whatever we can to help. Help us to have the grace, the balance to know when to call someone to leave everything and follow Jesus, when to tell them to go home and take care of their family. Help us to be more like our Savior to be those who would move among the people that you put in our path with the same grace, tenderness, compassion, authority when that is called for that he had. We know that we can only do this by your spirit's power. So we ask for that, that enabling of your spirit. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen.