Preaching by Deed
"Christ is the only teacher this world has ever known whose life exactly accorded with his instructions. No
object is so edifying with this accordance. The perfect holiness of the Redeemer would have been less
clearly seen and less deeply felt, if we could not have compared his actions with the perfect rules of life,
uttered by his mouth‖. (Dwight's Theology Vol. 1. page 365)
Understandably, His friends would praise him. But consider these testimonies of the Roman rulers after they
had examined him by every method they could imagine - beatings, insults and humiliation:
―Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith
unto them, I find in him no fault at all‖. (John 18:38)
―Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man‖.
(Luke 23:47)
Now consider Messiah‘s evaluation of himself:
―...I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love‖. (John 15:10)
―Which of you convinceth me of sin?‖ (John 8:46)
―I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do‖ (John 17:4)
No man in all history could honestly say that of himself except Y‘shua HaMashiach.
Preaching by Effect
Though the Saviour never (to our knowledge) wrote a book or travelled to foreign countries to preach, who
will doubt these facts?
At His birth, he changed the course of history and men all over the world began to number the years from his
arrival.
More books, magazines, tracts and papers have been written about Y‘shua than any person who has ever
walked this earth.
His words have been translated into every major language and into hundreds of dialects.
Every day, millions of people from all nations pray to him in their morning and evening devotions.
More institutions, schools, colleges, hospitals and clinics have been built to further his cause than the sum
total of all others which honour spiritual leaders.
11:7-10 What did you go out into the desert to see?
―(7) And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into
the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? (8) But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in
soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. (9) But what went ye out for to see? A
prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. (10) For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I
send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee‖.
The subject of the Messiah first appearing in the wilderness was discussed earlier in the notes on Matt 3:3.
11:11 He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he
―Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the
Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he‖.
The topic is the offer of the kingdom. Is there a better way to extend an invitation than to say that the least in
YHWH's kingdom is greater than the greatest in the present world?
11:12 The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force
―And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent
take it by force‖.