First Sunday
Matthew 11:2-12 English Standard Version
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers[a] are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man[b] dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?[c] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who 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 suffered violence,[d] and the violent take it by force.
I. Aggressive Expansion
a. Are You the one… or shall we look for another?
i. John the Baptizer was the older cousin of Jesus, a prophet, and the messenger of the Lord, sent before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus, the people of Israel, and help usher in His presence
1. John’s ministry had a very practical and political edge (Luke 3:1-18)
2. Sometime after preparing the way for and baptizing Jesus, John was put in prison for 6-10 months, and while there he heard about the deeds of Jesus
ii. John must have felt some level of confusion about Jesus’ ministry while in prison, because he sent disciples to confirm if Jesus is “the one.”
1. Perhaps John was confused because Jesus performed miracles but asked that no one spread the word or identify Him as Messiah?
2. Perhaps John was confused because Jesus taught parables and stories instead of getting right to the point?
3. Perhaps John was confused because Jesus had not spent much time addressing the religious and political corruption within their nation?
4. Perhaps John was confused because Jesus had not yet condemned the Romans for social injustice or the oppression of His people?
5. Perhaps John was confused because after ushering in the presence of God he was STILL in prison?
6. Perhaps John was confused because Jesus was helping the poor, the sinners, and the outcasts, but not His own family?
iii. How many of us can relate to John?
1. Lord I partnered with your word over East Gate and my house. I ushered your presence into my home and made you a priority
a. Why haven’t I received boldness and a lampstand?
b. Why hasn’t my prodigal come home yet?
c. Why haven’t I experienced super natural provision?
d. Why have you done this for others and not me?
2. Lord, is your presence not really enough? Is your presence what I need, or should I look for something else?
b. Jesus’ response
i. “Go and tell John what you see and hear”
1. The blind receive sight
2. The lame walk
3. Lepers are cleansed
4. The deaf hear
5. The dead are raised up
6. The poor have the good news preached to them
ii. Jesus was informing John’s disciples of His priorities
1. You may still be confused in prison waiting for something else, but this is what I am doing right now
2. Whenever we focus on what God is NOT doing instead of what He IS doing, we set ourselves up for offense.
iii. Blessed is he who is not offended (skandalizo [G4624]) by me
1. To cause a person to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey
a. To cause to fall away
b. To be offended in one. To see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority
c. To cause one to judge unfavorably or unjustly of another
iv. Jesus didn’t comfort John, He gently corrected him.
1. Do not be offended when Jesus begins working in a way you would prefer He didn’t
2. Do not be offended when Jesus waits to work in the areas you want Him to work in the most and starts in the ones you would rather He wait to hit
a. Healing marriages in the home before bringing prodigals home
3. Do not be offended when Jesus tells you “no,” or “wait,”
4. Do not be offended when others receive what you’ve been waiting for
5. Do not be offended when others receive what you think you deserve
v. Don’t focus on what God isn’t doing, focus on what He IS doing and partner with Him there.
c. Jesus to the crowd – What did you go out into the wilderness to see?
i. What are you here for?
1. To see a reed shaken in the wind? – a crazy person, someone unstable, are you here for entertainment?
2. To see someone in soft clothes? – a celebrity, someone of influence?
3. A prophet? Yes and more than a prophet (my herald)
a. The GREATEST prophet to ever live, because he ushered in my presence
ii. However, even the LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven is GREATER than John.
1. Those who recognize, receive, and submit to God as Creator and Father
2. Those who recognize, receive, and submit to Jesus as Lord & Savior
3. Those who recognize, receive, and submit to Holy Spirit as President & Power Source
iii. If that is you, Jesus says that you are GREATER than every Old Testament Prophet
1. There is no greater position on Earth, than that of a Holy Spirit filled son or daughter of God, a love partner of Christ.
2. Don’t live for position, live from identity.
3. You are greater, because you not only usher in His presence, you CARRY IT
d. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force!
i. Now that the PRESENCE of God is available…
ii. The kingdom has suffered violence?
1. Suffered violence – biazo (G971)
a. To apply force
b. To have force applied
Luke 16:16 English Standard Version
16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.[a]
2. Before John God selectively chose men and women to experience and carry His presence, and expand, His kingdom. Since John the Baptist, anyone zealous enough for it can encounter it.
iii. The violent take it by force!
1. The violent – biastes (G973) - strong, forceful, aggressive
2. Force – harpazo (G726)
a. To seize, carry off by force
b. To seize upon, claim for one’s self eagerly
c. To snatch out or away
iv. The kingdom of heaven is filled with those who are zealous, passionate, aggressive for His presence. The kingdom is expanded by those who are zealous, passionate, aggressive enough to carry His presence into hostile environments.
v. This has been the reality since the beginning of time, only made more available after Jesus to give Himself for mankind. Since Adam and Eve, humanity had to contend for the presence of God to dwell with them.
Genesis 1:27-28 English Standard Version
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
1. Adam and Eve contended with their moral failure, hard ground, and the death of a son
2. Noah and his family had to contend with wood, wind and waves
3. Abraham and Sarah had to contend with old age, new lands, cowardice and bareness
4. Isaac and Rebekah had to contend with fear, famine, and bareness
5. Jacob had to contend with his older brother, his uncle, and God
6. Joseph had to contend with his older brothers, slavery, imprisonment, famine and unforgiveness
7. Moses had to contend with the most powerful nation on the planet, wandering ex-slaves, and his anger
8. Joshua had to contend with armies and giants
9. David had to contend with his family, lions, bears, giants, and his children
10. The prophets contended with rebellious people
11. Zachariah and Elizabeth contended with old age and bareness
12. Joseph and Mary contended with the rumors of their neighbors, poverty, and murderous kings, and a disappearing Messiah child
13. Jesus contended with the devil, mankind, God, the world and death itself
14. Everyone of Jesus’ followers continue to contend with their flesh, the world, the devil, and with God
e. How about you? Will you contend for more of His presence?
i. Like John we must realize that it’s all begins with His presence
1. Not making Jesus famous
2. Not being clear about our stances
3. Not condemning religious or political corruption
4. Not correcting social injustices
5. Not even your personal breakthroughs
ii. It ALL begins with HIS PRESENCE
1. Opening physically and spiritually blind eyes to the truth of Jesus
2. Healing and strengthening physically and spiritually blind lame legs to walk in the ways of Jesus
3. Cleansing the physically and spiritually sick and drawing them near
4. Opening physically and spiritually deaf ears to hear His voice
5. Resurrecting the physically and spiritually dead to new life in Christ
6. Preaching the good news to those who are spiritually poor
II. 2023 is the Year of Aggressive Expansion
a. East Gate, we too will contend with our flesh, the world, the devil, and God Himself in order to expand what God has given us corporately and personally. The House of His Glory (Presence)
i. We will contend with our Flesh
1 Corinthians 9:27 English Standard Version
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, (pummel my body and make it a slave) lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1. We will be aggressive in practice of our spiritual disciplines, in denying ourselves daily, and carrying our crosses.
ii. We will contend with the world’s influence
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 English Standard Version
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
1. Every worldly view, philosophy, or argument that does not originate within the heart and word of God is demonic.
2. We will aggressively destroy the arguments and lofty opinions that raise themselves up against the knowledge of God and aggressively take our thoughts captive to ensure we obey Holy Spirit in thought and deed.
iii. We will contend with the demonic
Ephesians 6:12 English Standard Version
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
1. We will be aggressive in our binding and loosing, aggressive in our praying in tongues, aggressive in our casting out of demons, we will fast, we will intercede, and war against the kingdoms of darkness in prayer and worship
iv. We will contend with God
Genesis 32:28 New American Standard Bible
28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but [a]Israel; for you have contended with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
1. Jacob’s mother received a prophet word while he was in her womb, that he would become a great nation
Genesis 25:21-23 New King James Version
21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
a. Even with this prophetic promise over his life, Jacob still had to contend with God for the fulfillment of his prophetic promise.
2. We too have been given a prophetic promise as East Gate.
a. We will be supernaturally influential in our city
b. We will disciple 10% of our city
c. We will be given a lampstand
d. Prodigals will come home
e. We will experience supernatural growth and provision in every season
3. Do not make the mistake believing that just because you receive a promise from God, you won’t have to CONTEND for your promises.
Luke 18:1-7 English Standard Version
18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
III. Aggressive Expansion by Prayer and Fasting
a. We are kicking off this year of Aggressive Expansion with corporate prayer and fasting!
i. Starting today we are inviting you to pray and fast with us for at least 21 days.
ii. Leadership will be fasting for 40 days
iii. We will have corporate prayer available every morning at 6:30am and Tuesday’s at 7pm.
b. Declare what you are contending for!
i. MORE OF HIS PRESENCE
ii. Boldness, passion, fire, prodigals, salvations, supernatural growth and provision
iii. Miracles, breakthrough, healings, etc…
c. Determine how you will fast
i. Water Fast
ii. Liquid Fast
iii. Partial Fast
d. Pastoral Moment:
i. Fast from FOOD with us
ii. Challenge yourself and strike a blow to your flesh
iii. Don’t be religious
1. If you mess up, just pick yourself up and start over
2. Don’t compare your fast with anyone else’s
