The Roar of the Kingdom

This morning…

… Veteran’s day ….

…we’re continuing our sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew—a series we’ve titled 'The King and His Kingdom.' So — go ahead and grab your Bible and turn with me to Matthew 11.

And hey — if you don’t have a Bible, we want to give you one! Make sure to stop by our free resource library in the foyer and grab a Bible after the service. Here at Mission Church, we believe the Bible is more than just an ancient text. We believe it’s God’s living and breathing Word—reliable, authoritative, and true. That’s why everything we do—from the songs we sing to the messages we preach—flows from God’s Word.

Today, we’re picking up where we left off last week in Matthew 11. We’ve been looking at a conversation between Jesus and the crowd, and today we’ll be focusing on verses 12 through 19. So — If you’ve found it in your Bible—or if you’re following along on your phone—and if you're able to, would you stand with me for the reading of God’s Word?

And — as we stand together — let’s remember that this is no ordinary book. This is the very Word of God—alive and powerful—and through it,God speaks to us today. So, let’s come to this time with our hearts open and ready to receive what God has to say to each one of us.

Hear the Word of the Lord from Matthew 11:12-19.

Matthew 11:12–19 (CSB)

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. 15 Let anyone who has ears listen.

16 “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children:

17 We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

This is the Word of the Lord:

Praise Be to God

Let’s Pray

Have you ever been disappointed? My guess is that everyone here has — at some level — experienced disappointment. And disappointment is a result of something not turning out the way that you expected it to.

For example — maybe you were excited about a job opportunity, but the company went with someone else. Or maybe you planned a dream vacation, but it rained the entire time. Or—let’s be honest—maybe you’ve been frustrated when people didn’t act the way you thought they should.

We’ve all been there — we have all set up expectations in our minds of how things should be, and when life doesn’t play along, we feel frustrated, disappointed, and maybe even a little bitter. And it’s not just the small stuff — like vacations or job opportunities—but we have all experienced disappointment in our relationships and also in our spiritual lives, too.

Think about it — have you ever expected God to work in a certain way in your life and then He didn’t? Maybe you prayed for healing, but it didn’t come. Or maybe you expected God to fix a broken relationship, but it only got messier. Sometimes — we can find ourselves disappointed or even critical when God doesn’t seem to meet our expectations — and when that happens — our faith struggles— we forget all that God has done for us and our heart begins to harden.

This heart struggle is at the heart of what we see in Matthew 11. John the Baptist, the prophet who had faithfully pointed the way to Jesus — was sitting in a prison cell. Let’s be honest — reality had not met his expectations and — as a result — John was left wondering if Jesus really was the Messiah. And the crowds? They were watching Jesus, hearing His teaching, and witnessing His miracles — yet — many of them were full of doubt, resistance, and even criticism. Why?!?! Well — because Jesus didn’t fit their expectations of a Messiah.

Brothers and sisters — when God’s Kingdom doesn’t look the way we thought it would, how are we going to respond? Will we embrace it—or will we criticize it?

And this brings us to the heart of the matter — You see — the truth is — we often resist or criticize the work of God when it doesn’t align with our personal expectations or desires. In other words — our unbelief shows up when God’s plan doesn’t match our plan.

But — our text is helpful today — for it shows us that — God’s Kingdom is going to confront our expectations, and when it does — we must resist the temptation to criticize and reject God’s work — and instead — humbly submit to Jesus as King, trusting in His way, even when it challenges our expectations and understanding.

We are going to see this truth as we dissect Jesus’s words to the crowd in two main divisions:

The Kingdom Come vs. 12-15

Responding to the Kingdom vs. 16-19

The Kingdom Come

John the Baptist burst onto the scene at just the right moment—perfectly timed according to God’s plan. After 400 years of silence, without any word from the Lord, the people of Israel were eagerly waiting for something—anything—from God. And until Jesus began His ministry, all eyes were on John. And — John — well — he wasn’t just another prophet. He was the one everyone was talking about—the culmination of everything the Old Testament had been building up to.

But let’s be honest—John didn’t make things easy for himself. Everywhere he went, he stirred up trouble. His message of repentance disrupted the status quo — and not everyone was thrilled about that. The religious leaders were uncomfortable. Even the king felt the weight of John’s words. You see — conflict followed John — and his boldness to speak the truth eventually led to his arrest, imprisonment, and, sadly, his execution.

Now — as we get to our text today — we see that the battle for souls had truly begun. John the Baptist and Jesus were leading the charge — announcing the arrival of God’s Kingdom. But here’s the thing—even though this was incredible news — this good news was not being met with open arms. There was resistance. There was doubt. And there was outright rejection.

And so —as Jesus speaks to the crowd—he affirmed John’s ministry— but — they were still not so sure what to make of it all. They were confused, skeptical, and maybe even a little bit offended because John and Jesus were not fitting into their expectations.

So Jesus continues the conversation—and as He does — He reveals something important. Let’s look at verse 12

Matthew 11:12 (CSB)

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now (which would have been about 18 months), the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force.

Underline or make a note of this phrase “The Kingdom of heaven,” — "The Kingdom of heaven" speaks of God’s rule and reign—it speaks of God’s will for mankind, and it speaks of God’s work with mankind. And this is exactly what we — as a church — are partnering with God to see take place in our community — that His will and His work would be done in us and through us, so that those living in NW Las Vegas may come to saving faith and join us in glorifying God! For we long that the glory of God would cover the earth as the waters cover the sea!

So—the Kingdom of God represents God’s purpose, His message of the Law and the Gospel, His principles, and His activities—all of which Jesus says have been met with violence.

Now — this is a challenging verse to interpret, and the reason for this is that Jesus, as He often does, is using a play on words to help us see and understand the depth of the Kingdom of God.

On one hand — Jesus is speaking of the violence that the Kingdom of God has endured from those outside of it. The reality is—the Pharisees and the scribes attacked John verbally, and King Herod attacked him physically. The Kingdom was being violently denied and rejected. And soon, the enemies of the Kingdom would kill not only John but even Jesus Himself. They would destroy both the messenger and the Messiah.

And you know what—Jesus had already told us — in His Sermon on the Mount and when He was preparing His disciples for their mission, that if we’re faithful to Him and His mission, we’ll face opposition and even persecution.

I saw this truth so clearly this past week. As many of you know, I was in Dallas for a church network function, and some of the other pastors that we partner with sat with me and shared stories of the opposition they are facing in countries like Israel, Cambodia, and Burkina Faso. I was overwhelmed to hear from Pastor Israel, who has remained faithful to preach the gospel, even though his church building was destroyed by Hezbollah. I was also encouraged by the faithful prayers of Pastor Eugene, who works alongside the underground church in China, faithfully preaching the gospel while being threatened with imprisonment by the communist government. I was deeply moved by Pastor Theo, who pastors in Burkina Faso, a country in Africa that is being overtaken by ISIS, where Christians are being killed across the country.

Each of these men shared their stories as though their experiences were normal, and I was reminded of what Jesus says here: The Kingdom of heaven has suffered and will continue to suffer violence.

But again—Jesus is using a play on words. You see — He’s not just speaking of the violence done against the Kingdom — but He’s also describing how the Kingdom of Heaven is forcefully advancing. In other words — with John’s call to repent and be baptized — and with Jesus’ message — that He is the only way to salvation—the Kingdom of God has been moving relentlessly through the godless, sin-darkened world that opposes it.

And this image of people "violently seizing" the Kingdom by force points to a deeper truth — that following the Lord requires earnest effort, untiring energy, and the utmost exertion. To be a Christian is to swim against the current of the world, to go against its grain — because the adversary—Satan, his demons, and the world system—are strong forces. Which means — that those who enter the Kingdom of grace through faith in Christ do so with great determination as they are empowered by the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts and converts.

And you know what — these truths — that the Kingdom of Heaven is advancing with force, and those who enter it must do so with great effort —this shouldn’t had been a surprise — why? well — look at verse 13

Matthew 11:13 (CSB)

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

In other words, everything they had been waiting for — everything the Law and the Prophets had pointed to — was now unfolding before their very eyes. John wasn’t just another prophet in a long line of messengers. No—John was the one who came to prepare the way for the Messiah, the King Himself! His message of repentance was the final call before the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven in the person of Jesus.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. In verse 14, He makes an even more astonishing claim:

Matthew 11:14–15 (CSB)

14 And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. 15 Let anyone who has ears listen.

Now—it’s important to understand that Jesus is not speaking of relativism. In other words, He’s not saying, “This is only true for those of you who are willing to accept it.” No! Jesus is stating something absolute: If your heart is not hardened, and if you are open to hearing the truth, you will see that John is the fulfillment of the last words of the Old Testament.

You see, the prophet Malachi was pointing to John when he declared in Malachi 4:5-6.

Malachi 4:5–6 (CSB)

5 Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

Jesus is saying — “Look! this is all happening right in front of your eyes — you are all witnessing the fulfillment of prophecy! You are part of history— you are a part of God’s unfolding story!”

And not only that — but — this was also a moment of reckoning for them. Jesus is declaring here — that everything they had been waiting for—the arrival of the Kingdom and the coming of the King—is being realized in this very moment. The crowds were standing on the threshold of eternity — yet — many of them missed it because they could not bear the truth of God’s Word. The truth was right before their eyes — but — their hearts were hardened by sin.

And you know what? This isn't just something that happened back then. It’s still happening today. There are many who — despite hearing the truth of the gospel — reject it. Yes—the gospel goes forth, and the message of the Kingdom is proclaimed, yet many refuse to accept it. Why? Who would reject God’s gift of amazing grace? Who would reject having their sins forgiven? Who would reject the offer of eternal life—free of guilt and shame?

Well — for many people — hearing the truth is tough. When they’re told they’re sinners, rebels against the Kingdom of God, deserving the just wrath of a holy God—it’s a hard pill to swallow. And when they hear that there’s absolutely nothing they can do to fix this problem—no amount of hard work, intelligence, or religious effort can earn God’s love or forgiveness—it’s even harder. The message that salvation comes only by faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone? Well — for some — that’s just too much to bear. The gospel becomes a stumbling block, and instead of receiving the good news, their hearts harden. Why?

Because that truth is hard. It’s hard to hear, and it’s hard to accept. Many reject it because they can’t handle the weight of it. They’d rather hold on to the illusion of control, thinking their own efforts can save them. Or they find comfort in denying the reality that they need a Savior. But here’s the thing—the gospel offers freedom — a freedom that comes only when we face the truth, as hard as it might be - and repent of our sin, trusting in Jesus as our savior and submitting to Him as our King.

Friends — the Kingdom of God is here — and —It’s advancing. And Jesus is saying, ‘You’re standing on the edge of eternity, witnessing God’s promises being fulfilled. The Kingdom is breaking in, so the question is—will you accept it, or will you walk away?’

There are still many here today — just as there were in that crowd— who refuse to see and accept the truth — who refuse to accept the Kingdom that is being offered to them. But the offer still stands. It is available to you now — not in some distant future. Will you — like many in the crowd — let your heart harden, or will you see the Kingdom for what it is—the fulfillment of all God’s promises, the place where you can find forgiveness, grace, and the assurance of eternal life?

How will you respond? Will you humbly receive God’s Word, with open hearts and a willingness to surrender? Or, like the crowds, will you criticize it for not meeting your own expectations, or for not aligning with your personal desires?

You see — the Kingdom of God is not always what we expect. It doesn’t always come in the way we imagine, and it doesn't always fit into the boxes we’ve created for it. But the truth is — the Kingdom of God is not here to cater to our desires or preferences — it's here to transform our lives and hearts, and to bring us into alignment with God's will.

This brings us to our second point:

2. Responding to the Kingdom

A fundamental teaching of Scripture is that the gospel demands a response. It’s not something we can hear passively or approach casually. Jesus tells us that if we are going to enter the Kingdom, we must not only respond—but — we must seize it. This isn’t a lukewarm decision; it’s an urgent and determined pursuit.

To enter the Kingdom, we must deny ourselves, lay down our pride, and run full force away from sin and this world, and toward Christ. It's an all-encompassing response that requires action. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 16:24 -

Matthew 16:24 (CSB)

24 … “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

This is what it looks like to seize the Kingdom — to surrender all that we are in order to gain all that Christ offers. The call of the Kingdom is not for the half-hearted. It’s not for those who want to hang onto the world with one hand and grab hold of Jesus with the other. No — it’s for those who are willing to lay everything down, to repent of their sins, and to wholeheartedly pursue Christ as their King.

But — the truth is — not many are ready for action and not only is this unfortunate truth a reality today but it was also a problem for those sitting in the very presence Christ. In fact — Jesus compares his generation to cranky kids .. look at verses 16-17

Matthew 11:16–17 (CSB)

16 “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children:

17 We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!

In His illustration — Jesus takes us to the marketplace, which was more than just a place to buy and sell things—it was the heart of social life. This is where funerals took place, where wedding celebrations were held, and where parents brought their children to play while they handled business.

Now — I don’t know about your house — but in mine, my kids love to play make-believe. It’s not uncommon to hear them pretending to be in school or, since they’re pastor’s kids, playing church. One kid might be leading worship, another preaching, and the third sitting in the “congregation.” But you know what happens sometimes? They argue—shocking, right? One of them will refuse to play no matter what. The other two can suggest all sorts of games, but the stubborn one won’t budge.

And as any parent knows, when a kid is in a bad mood, good luck trying to please them. You can offer them every option under the sun, but they’ll just sit there, arms crossed, refusing to engage.

And —- this is exactly what Jesus is getting at. He says, imagine a group of kids trying to play together — but no matter what they do — a few stubborn ones always refuse to join in. They play happy music, like for a wedding, but no one dances. Then they try playing a sad song, like for a funeral, but no one mourns. It doesn’t matter what game they suggest—nothing makes these kids happy. They’re impossible to please, completely unmoved.

And Jesus is saying here , "That's how this generation is acting." In other words — Jesus is comparing John the Baptist and Himself to children calling out to others to join in and pay the game. And they’ve done everything to get the other kids to respond, but nothing works. Why? Because their hearts were hard. And— as a result—they rejected John’s message of repentance, and they rejected Jesus’ offer of grace. look at verse 18

Matthew 11:18–19 (CSB)

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Let’s take a moment to think about John the Baptist. He came out of the wilderness living a life of extreme self-denial. I mean, the guy ate locusts and wore camel’s hair—he was the definition of unconventional. And how did the people respond? Well — they thought he was out of his mind! Some even accused him of being demon-possessed.

But here’s what’s crazy — these people should have known better. They knew their history! They knew the wilderness was where God had met with His prophets before. And —John’s lifestyle—his rough clothes and intense approach—should’ve reminded them of Elijah. After all — John was the first prophet in over 400 years, bringing them the Word of God. But instead of receiving the message, they slandered him.

Now, on the other hand, here comes Jesus. He’s not living like John. He’s eating, drinking, going to dinners, attending parties—pretty much doing the opposite of what John did. And guess what? The people still weren’t happy. They accused Jesus of being a glutton and a drunkard. They even judged Him for hanging out with tax collectors and sinners. But let’s be clear — Jesus wasn’t overindulging or sinning—He was just spending time with the people who needed Him the most.

And here’s the point — no matter what — the people just couldn’t be satisfied. John’s strict lifestyle didn’t impress them, and neither did Jesus’ engagement with everyday people. Why? Because their expectations were so rigid that neither approach could meet their approval.

But the real issue wasn’t about John or Jesus’ lifestyles. It was about the message they brought. The people weren’t rejecting them because of how they lived—they were rejecting the truth they preached. You see — both John and Jesus were calling people to repent, to turn from their sin, to turn from trusting in their own righteousness, and embrace the Kingdom of God, and that’s what made them uncomfortable. The message of the gospel.

Now — doesn’t that sound familiar? We see the same thing in our own culture. We’re so conditioned by our consumer mindset that we often reject the truth if it doesn’t come to us in the package we expect or prefer.

We live in a world where people approach church like they’re shopping for a product—picking and choosing based on personal preferences. They want the worship music to fit their style, the preacher to look or talk a certain way, the programs to fit their schedule, and the community to cater to their needs. And if one church doesn’t check all the boxes, or if something happens that they don’t like, they just get upset and move on to the next one, like they’re returning an item that didn’t meet their expectations.

But here’s the thing—just like in Jesus’ time — the real issue isn’t about preferences or style. The issue is the human heart and the message of the gospel. Too often — people are looking for a church that makes them comfortable — rather than one that calls them to be transformed. They’re searching for a place that meets their expectations and fits into their schedules, but the gospel calls us to lay down our expectations, our preferences, and even our comfort. The gospel calls us to repentance, to surrender, and to follow Jesus

Friend — understand— the problem isn’t with the message—it never has been. The problem is with our hearts. We resist what God is offering because it challenges our preferences and expectations.

And — here’s the thing: whether people accept it or not, God’s wisdom is always proven by the results it produces. Look back at verse 19, Jesus wraps this all up by saying,

Matthew 11:19 (CSB)

19 … wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

In other words — the truth of God’s wisdom is proven by the fruit it bears. The truth of God’s Word doesn’t adjust to our preferences or expectations— No! — it stands firm and is validated by the lives it transforms.

This reminds me of the great Welsh preacher, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who— speaking to pastors — often said — that the real measure of our preaching isn’t in how many people show up—it’s in the lives being changed. One day, a young man approached him, sharing how just one simple sermon completely transformed the direction of his life. And if you ever listened to his sermons —- then you know that — Lloyd-Jones’ wisdom wasn’t in fancy words or impressive sermons — but —it was in the power of the gospel working through him — changing lives as he faithfully preached God’s Word. And that’s true for all of us too — our actions reflect the wisdom we carry.

That’s what Jesus was getting at. He made it clear—corrupt human wisdom leads to corrupt actions. Look at the people who criticized John and Jesus: — they claimed John was possessed, and Jesus was a drunk. But here’s the reality—Godly wisdom leads to godly actions. Look at the fruit of their ministries — people repented, sins were forgiven, and lives were redeemed.

And guess what? This still happens today. For centuries, people have taken shots at the church. They’ve criticized its people, its work, and the message of the gospel. Yet here’s something they just can’t explain: the power of Christ to transform lives. How else do you explain people moving from wickedness to righteousness, from despair to hope, from anger to love, from sadness to joy, and from selfishness to selflessness? It’s the power of Jesus at work—there’s no other explanation.

So, let’s take a moment to reflect on this. In Jesus' day, people rejected both John and Jesus because neither fit their expectations. And honestly, we do the same thing in our own lives, don’t we? We struggle with unmet expectations. When life doesn’t go according to plan, it’s easy to question God, and to doubt whether or not we can really trust Him.

But here’s the truth — brothers and sisters — even in the middle of our struggles, our unmet expectations, and our limited understanding, Jesus is still worthy of our trust. Yes— it’s true — It’s not always going to be easy — especially when life feels chaotic, but this is where faith comes in. Just like the people in Jesus’ time, we have a choice—reject what doesn’t fit our expectations, or trust that God knows exactly what He’s doing, even when we don’t.

Now — this brings us to our calling as believers — sharing the gospel and making disciples. I am going to be honest with you — Sharing the message of Jesus and making disciples will not be easy. Just like John and Jesus, we will face resistance. Some people will think the gospel is foolish, others will be indifferent. Some people — as you disciple them will start off excited and eventually walk away — and it’s heart breaking — But listen to me — this is a calling worth giving our lives to. We have to fight the doubt in our own hearts and push past the fear of rejection — holding firm to our faith in Christ and our desire to glorify Him with our lives. .

And here’s the hope we can cling to — wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. In other words, the truth of the gospel will be seen in the lives it changes. We may not see the results right away, — but God’s wisdom is always at work, transforming hearts, healing lives, and building His Kingdom.

So — Mission Church —- let’s not be discouraged by unmet expectations or the challenges we face. Let’s trust in Jesus—and join in with the Roar of the Kingdom of God.

Let’s pray