Love Violently

LOVE VIOLENTLY

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, [a] and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12 ~ English Standard Version Anglicized (ESVUK)

(I will tell you this…what I am about to write next I have been living my whole life to get to this moment.  I have seen the work of the Lord pulling me into this direction and this is the primary path of ministry I will spend the rest of my life in.)

A question was asked during our 9:30am Church Service Sunday about what happened to all of the people who came and filled the churches (edifices) after 9/11/2001. Where did they go, why did they leave?  The consensus was that these people came to our churches and cathedrals for comfort, for absolution, for direction and found us…not ready …found US (Christians) no different than their poor, lost selves.

So what does violence have to do with following Christ, and more than that, winning souls for Christ?

I first read the above verse a few years ago and was profoundly troubled by it.  VIOLENCE?  I didn’t get what this was saying and never could have dreamed that when the opportunity for understanding would happen, it would unlock a brand new way of looking at Christianity. 

Merriam-Webster online gives these definitions to the word VIOLENCE;

Definition of VIOLENCE

1

a : exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse (as in warfare effecting illegal entry into a house) b : an instance of violent treatment or procedure

2

: injury by or as if by distortion, infringement, or profanation : outrage

3

a : intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force <the>violence of the storm> b : vehement feeling or expression : fervor; also : an instance of such action or feeling c : a clashing or jarring quality : discordance</the>

The third definition is the one I want to focus on here.  Fervor, turbulence, a clashing or jarring quality: discordance.

We look at the nature of John the Baptist...he was called a “Wild Man”, a voice crying (shouting, screaming) in the wilderness “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!” (Luke 1:17, Luke 3:16c-17, Luke 3:8, Luke 3:11)   John had taken all religious convention and tossed it out on its ear.  He was an affront to the very eyes of those in religious power and his statements were unbridled, even furious at times.  John was unashamed, completely sold out to the concept of serving others and serving God and he had no time whatsoever for the religiosity of the Sanhedrin.  He overturned their apple cart…Jesus would then burn it to the ground.

Peter fulfilled his calling from Matthew 16: 15 – 17 transforming through a process of miraculous and unsettling events (the Transfiguration, Feeding the 4,000 and 5,000, walking on the water, Jesus’ arrest, His denial of Christ, Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension) from Simon son of John into Peter (small rock) on the day of Pentecost.  Standing before thousands this once prideful, angry, unstable, brooding and uneducated fisherman from the blue collar hamlet of Galilee spoke with an elegance and breadth that shook people down to the foundations of their very souls (Acts 2). 

The conversion of the Apostles and disciples of Jesus from that day forward was clear and palpable; people could not help but be changed when they were around them.

Acts 2:42 – 47

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 And athey devoted themselves to the apostles’ bteaching and the cfellowship, to dthe breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe4 came upon every soul, and emany wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and fhad all things in common. 45 And fthey were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, gattending the temple htogether and ibreaking bread in their homes, they received their food jwith glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and khaving favor with all the people. And the Lord ladded to their number mday by day those who nwere being saved.

 They were completely self sacrificing – giving their all to everyone because Christ gave his all for us.  They changed the world and are still changing it.

I would ask that you take a few moments and look at the Voice of the Martyrs website and see what amazing things are being done right now, today by those who have given themselves over completely to the service of their fellow man by glorifying the King of Kings  http://www.persecution.com/ .  They are fulfilling the words of Revelation 12:11; “Our brothers conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to their lives even in the face of death. (International Standard Version)”

Don’t you see this is what it is all about?  We gotta get real in this Christian Walk! The ministry is out there; in the community, in the places that are untouched or to those who have forgotten the gospel.  As Christ said in John 4:35b “ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.” We have to get out into the fields!

 I used to believe for so long that our main job as a Christian was to stand and resist the devil…but Christ told Peter that upon Peter’s revelation of who Christ was in Matthew 16, that “Upon this Rock (the revelation of Christ) I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Gates are not offensive weapons…they are defensive.  We are to build the church in front of the gates of  hell itself and then go on the offensive to save the lives of many!!!!  Here in Savannah last week there were 11 shootings in 24 hours!  Something must be done, it is time to violently and decisively overturn this world’s applecart here in America and across the globe!  (Ofcourse I hold with Christ, Gandhi and Martin Luther King…physical violence is wholly unnecessary and unwarranted in this kind of Love)

Love Violently!  We need to break down strongholds by caring for others, we need to rescue

 drug, sex and alcohol addicted folks by praying for them, loving them and taking them, if even physically, out of the jaws of death and destruction and SHOW them that there is a better way by the example of our lives completey committed to Christ!  LOVE VIOLENTLY!  We must give ourselves over completely to the agape love of 1 Corinthians 13, Love wholly, completely, generously, patiently and we WILL save many from the fate of eternal damnation.  We will give them hope and joy in the life that they live here on Earth and the promise of eternal life after.  LOVE VIOLENTLY!  Give like the widow gave the 2 mites, give out of sacrifice, give because in your giving someone will be saved (many times quite literally) from dying, lost to this wicked world . 

Please…Love and  LOVE Violently!