Jesus... 'I must preach the kingdom of God...'

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.


Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.


Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord


Luk 4:43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.


Luk 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.


Luk 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.


Act 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.


1Co 1:23,24 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.


*******

Preach the KINGDOM of heaven.


Jesus said these words- 'I must preach the kingdom of God…'


I MUST… What does that mean, that word- must.


Let's look at the dictionary definition-

must
1 [muhst]
–auxiliary verb
1.
to be obliged or bound to by an imperative requirement: I must keep my word.
2.
to be under the necessity to; need to: Animals must eat to live.
3.
to be required or compelled to, as by the use or threat of force: You must obey the law.
4.
to be compelled to in order to fulfill some need or achieve an aim: We must hurry if we're to arrive on time.
5.
to be forced to, as by convention or the requirements of honesty: I must say, that is a lovely hat.
6.
to be or feel urged to; ought to: I must buy that book.
7.
to be reasonably expected to; is bound to: It must have stopped raining by now. She must be at least 60.
8.
to be inevitably certain to; be compelled by nature: Everyone must die.

Pasted from


Do you see the words used to describe 'must'… OBLIGED, IMPERATIVE REQUIREMENT, NECESSITY TO, REQUIRED or COMPELLED TO, FORCED TO, URGED TO, EXPECTED TO.


Jesus said… I MUST meaning that Jesus was obliged, Jesus was bound by imperative requirement, Jesus was under the necessity to, Jesus was required to, Jesus was compelled to… PREACH the kingdom of God! Yes, the verse goes on to say more but for this moment right now let's just try to comprehend the importance of what is being said here.


We don't imagine anyone in control having to do much of anything, do we? We believe deep in our hearts that time and time again people who have power don't have to answer to the rules the way the average, common person has to. Power has given them the unspoken right to kill, cheat, lie, steal, rape, beat, abuse as they desire to. Throughout time people in power have lived horrible lives of debauchery this is undeniable. Many of those in power hear the words 'you must' and they turn around and say they will do as they like, there is nothing they 'must' do.


When we think of God the ALL powerful... to use the words- God must- seems absurd. God can do anything, right? Yet we read these words-- Jesus said 'I must'. He didn't only use those two words with preaching the kingdom of God, but this is what we've been studying lately and that is why we are studying this particular instance.


Luk 4:43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.


Jesus said He MUST preach the kingdom to other cities. Preaching the kingdom was WHY Jesus was sent. SALVATION! REDEMPTION! This is the preaching of the kingdom! All preaching should revolve around salvation in Jesus Christ. The entire Bible is about this- the old testament looking forward towards it and the new testament looking back at it- salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.


There is no wonder whatsoever that our Savior said He '...must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for therefore am I sent. ' It is the pure truth.


The kingdom exists. The kingdom is NOT fantasy. The kingdom is LIFE everlasting. Preaching the kingdom, preaching the gospel is revealing this reality. We must ALL live in this reality but sadly many don't, many refuse to even think about this reality preferring to live without any thought of the kingdom. It's tragic, very, very tragic but people go day after day after day without truly understanding these words….


'Thy kingdom come', 'Thine is the kingdom'.


They might say these words - some might say them even daily- but do they live them? Do we live with the living kingdom of God in their hearts as a reality they need to share with others? A reality that Jesus came to preach? A reality we must preach, a reality we must live.


By the grace of God may we live the kingdom that Jesus was born to give to us, that Jesus preached to us, that Jesus died to fulfill, that Jesus was resurrected to give to us fully.


Amen!

Entrance...into the everlasting kingdom

2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,


Like precious faith- the faith of the apostles. Obtaining this precious faith comes THROUGH the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.


That didn't say through our righteousness… it said through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.


Grace and peace be multiplied. Amazing! Multiplied grace, multiplied peace, who wouldn't want their grace and peace multiplied? If someone were to tell you that your grace and peace could be multiplied wouldn't you quickly ask how? We are told this-- grace and peace be multiplied…through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Through what? Through KNOWLEDGE of God and of Jesus our Lord. KNOWLEDGE. Through the knowing of God and of Jesus our Lord.


And there is more…

2Pe 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.


We are given exceeding great and precious promises! It is through the promises that we are partakers of the divine nature- partakers of our Savior! We escape the corruption in the world through lust by being part of that divine nature of our Savior, through HIS righteousness. The fact that we have to escape the corruption in the world through lust should tell us something very important. There is something we have to ESCAPE. We cannot be all caught up in the world and truly believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord. Satan is lord of this world, if we worship this world we are worshipping Satan. If we don't escape the corruption that is in our lives in this world through lust then we are part of this world and we are not part of the divine nature. Our Savior gives us many promises and it's through Him, through His righteousness that we have any hope at all.


Let's continue with this passage…


2Pe 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Add to our faith (given to us by the righteousness of Christ)… add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity.


Add. When you add to something you had to have something first in order to add to it. We have to have the faith given to us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Without that faith we can't add to anything. Is it possible that too many seek to have virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity without having that faith? We have to give diligence to ADD to our faith, we can't ignore adding to our faith and we can't presume to add to something we might not have. Accepting the gifts of God is so important. Understanding that these spiritual gifts though unseen are the essence of what makes us who we are is very important. Accepting the faith given to us is paramount.


Continuing on…


2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.


Spiritual blindness, unable to see the reality of future promises, forgetting that we were redeemed from our old sins… we can't be blind, we can't forget the future promises, we can't allow ourselves to ever forget that we were purged from our old sins, we can't! But people do and people will forget. People will go blind, people will stop seeing far off and only live in the here and now. We have to give diligence to make sure that we are right with our Savior, to make sure He is our all in all. If we do these things… WE SHALL NEVER FALL.. We will be Christ's forever! And make no mistake, you can be Christ's and then leave Him, you can forget and it a forgetting that can cost you eternity.


An entrance shall be given to us abundantly…. INTO the everlasting KINGDOM of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!


An entrance shall be given to us!


An entrance shall be given to us…. how amazing!


We want an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, don't we? This entrance shall be given to us abundantly. We must listen to these words we can't ignore them, we just can't. We are admonished in many ways and for our own good. To think that we can do otherwise is to be blind, to be shortsighted, to forget.


By the love of our Savior may we forever be His, forever! May we never ever forget! May we have our eyes opened, may we see far off, may we NEVER forget all through the grace, through the righteousness of our God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!.


Amen!

Deadly fallacy

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


The will of the Father.


The Father's kingdom will come.


Today I read an article that was a bit disturbing. The article talked about a mega superstar preacher who seems to believe that everyone will be in the kingdom of heaven- without exception. He believes there is a new Christianity on its way and the old hell-fire and damnation is a thing of the past. It makes me incredibly sad to read things like this because I know who is behind it all- the great deceiver.


How can anybody read this…


Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


… and believe everyone will be in the kingdom of heaven no matter what, that there is no eternal result to not repenting of sin and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.


Who can read this…

Ecc 12:13

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter
Fear God, and keep his commandments
- for this is the whole duty of man.


… and believe that man can do whatever he pleases and he will be in the kingdom of heaven.


Who can read this…


Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.


…. And believe that those who are NOT born again will be in the kingdom of God?


Who can read this…


Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


… and believe that you don't really have to believe in an active, living, breathing way and you'll still be saved.


Who can read this…


Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God


….and believe that they don't need an active, living faith in the grace and in the gift of God?


Who can read this…


Mat 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.


… and believe that the good seed and the tares will both be in the kingdom of heaven?


I could go on and on and on but truly is it necessary? There will be righteous people and wicked people when Christ comes again and they will be separated. The righteous in Christ will go to the kingdom of heaven and the wicked will eventually be burned completely up in the lake of fire and be no more. We are NOT guaranteed the kingdom of heaven just because we are alive, just because we are human beings. This fallacy that is spreading and finding a home in a 'new' sort of Christianity is a deadly fallacy and those who believe the lies will hear these words of Christ our Savior --


Mat 7:23 … I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


If Jesus is telling us the truth, and He can do nothing but that, then NOT EVERYONE…shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. If some of those saying Lord, Lord are not going to be in the kingdom of heaven how can we ever believe that those who don't even say Lord, Lord, will be in the kingdom of heaven? It's ludicrous.


Who dares to contradict the words of Jesus Himself? Obviously some do and many believe the lies that others are spoon feeding them as they are told they are being fed the truth. It truly saddens me to know that many are being swallowed up by the deception of Satan and lost to the truth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


May God help us to fully give our hearts, our lives wholly to our Savior. May we truly have the grace of Jesus Christ, may we have His righteousness save us in the purest love that ever existed and still exists and will forever exist in Him.


Amen.

Not every one...shall enter into the kingdom

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


Not every one that saith unto me- Lord, Lord…


Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.


Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are


Jesus said- there will be people saying to Him - Lord, Lord, and ALL that say Lord, Lord will NOT be His. Many will say - Lord, Lord. Will YOU be among those who say Lord, Lord? You could be, I could be and we could be among those who say it genuinely, we could be among those that Jesus Christ knows. We could be among those that do the will of the Father in heaven. We could very well be among those who are ready- watching and prepared for His return. We could be among those who DO the things He says to do.


One thing is certain ONLY those who do the following will be known of the Lord--


Those who do the will of the Father in heaven.
Those who are prepared and waiting for Jesus to return.
Those who do the things Jesus says to do.


We are guaranteed NOT to be among those known by the Lord if we do not do the will of the Father in heaven, if we are not prepared and waiting for Jesus to return, if we are not doing the things Jesus tells us to do.


So many believe that we are supposed to do NOTHING. They really do. They sit around day after day assuming that they are ready for our Savior when He returns and they do so because Satan wants them to believe that they are saved. If you believe something to be true you don't do much to change that belief, right? For many years people believed smoking was harmless and the people that enjoyed smoking didn't try change that perception- why would they? They held the belief that smoking was fine and that was that. It wasn't until other people started making connections to smoking and bad health that people who enjoyed smoking began to suspect that maybe this supposedly harmless pastime wasn't quite so harmless. Then there began tests, experiments and the data started adding up that yes, it's factual that smoking is harmful. People were forced to believe that the smoke they inhaled could hurt them. Does this mean that ALL people believe it? Most do, but there are a few that don't. Does this knowledge change the fact that people smoke knowing it harms them? No. The point is… people believed that it was harmless only to find out different later. People believe right now that they know the Lord and will be saved by Him, but MANY are going to find out later that they don't know Him. How is that possible? How? They are convinced they know the Lord. So if someone is convinced they know the Lord then how are they being deceived? We have to study the word of God and find out. We have to ask ourselves these questions.


Are we doing the will of the Father?
Are we prepared and waiting for Jesus to return?
Are we doing the things Jesus' says to do?


Do we know what the will of the Father is?
Do we know how to be prepared and waiting for Jesus to return?
Do we know what things Jesus tell us to do?


It is MORE than just assuming we are saved. It is more than saying Lord, Lord, and believing He know us because we say that to Him. Why would Jesus tell us all this if He didn't expect us to study it and learn more? Jesus wants us to understand that people will be deceived, people that believe they know Him. We cannot be among those who assume we are saved. We cannot be among those who only have a superficial relationship with our Savior. We cannot be among those who sit in a pew and pay our tithes to a church and believe we belong to Jesus. We cannot be FAKE in our relationship with our Savior, He knows any falseness we possess.


Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


By the grace of our God we will know HIM! By the grace of God we will enter the kingdom of heaven! By the grace of God we will DO the will of the Father in heaven.


May we continue to study to understand all that Jesus would have us understand! In His amazing, wondrous love!


Amen.

Ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven

Mat 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


Be converted and become as little children.
Whosever therefore shall humble himself as this little child.
Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name.


All our young lives we are told to 'grow up'. It's offensive when someone tells us to 'grow up' when we are already physically mature. Here Jesus is telling us to be as little children and IF we do not become as little children we shall NOT enter the kingdom of heaven.


Jesus didn't just leave it there in telling us to become as little children, first He says- be converted. He knows that we are not naturally going to be as little children that some sort of conversion has to take place first so we can become as little children.


Conversion-


Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.


People who aren't converted have dull spiritual hearing, they're spiritually blind, their hearts are unable to be spiritually clean. People who aren't converted are spiritually sick and in need of spiritual healing that can only be found by being converted.


Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.


Conversion results in the forgiveness of sins.


Converted - to be converted means to turn about again. When Jesus tells us that we need to be converted He means we need to turn from our sin-filled life back to God.


Be converted and become as little children.


Be converted - be turned about… and become little children.



Mat 13:15 ...and should be converted, and I should heal them.


Should be turned about again and be healed by Jesus.


Mar 4:12 ... they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.


Should be turned about again and our sins will be forgiven.


The turning, the conversion that takes place is changing from one thing to another it is an action.


We have to be converted, we have to experience this turning about so we can become little children. Jesus didn't leave it there either…


'Whosever therefore shall humble himself as this little child.'


Jesus adds that we have to HUMBLE ourselves as the little child is humble. Just how is a little child humble? The word meaning here is this--


G5013
ταπεινόω
tapeinoō
Thayer Definition:
1) to make low, bring low
1a) to level, reduce to a plain
1b) metaphorically to bring into a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances
1b1) to assign a lower rank or place to
1b2) to abase
1b3) to be ranked below others who are honoured or rewarded
1b4) to humble or abase myself by humble living
1c) to lower, depress
1c1) of one’s soul bring down one’s pride
1c2) to have a modest opinion of one’s self
1c3) to behave in an unassuming manner
1c4) devoid of all haughtiness


With all that in mind when we attribute this to a child it can mean attaining a lower rank, it could mean to have the pride of a child which by no means is ever like that of an adult consumed by pride, it could mean to be unassuming- most children do not take on great airs. If we think about how children are raised today we might not understand this as much because today with all the corruption children seem to be nasty and full of self, full of pride. Then too we have to try to imagine the age of a child- a little child would be a very young child 1-3 years old perhaps. We have to remember that 13 years old was the age a boy became responsible as an adult to follow God's law. So young child, older child, young adult, adult in the realm of spiritual responsibility leaves us with this as a possibility- 1 to 3, 4-7, 7-10, 10-13. Truly to understand this we have to have some idea of the age of the child we are to become. Because the older the child the more self involved they are. The younger the child the more innocent they are, the less filled with self they are.


Mat 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.


Unless we are converted and become as little children we will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven. This is important, very, very important. We can't continue to pride ourselves on our *grown up* lives in respect to losing the humbleness of a child. We can't lose our understanding that we are CHILDREN of God. We could be 100 years old and we are still CHILDREN of God. We have to live with a humbleness in that knowledge. We have to be converted from our selfish, sin-filled natures to a selfless, humble, forgiven nature in Christ. No one who holds tight to their pride will enter the kingdom of heaven, no one.


Mat 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


As we learn more and more of the kingdom of heaven we can't ignore any aspect of it, not a single bit. We know that the kingdom of heaven is something we have to seek above all and that is seeking our Savior above all. Our Savior wants us to understand and this part about being converted, being as a little child, about being humble is something we need to keep in our hearts by the grace of God or we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. We need Jesus fully in our lives and this is what we are being taught. We need to turn again to our God, we need to seek Jesus as a child would seek a parent, trusting in Him, humble knowing He is our all in all.


In His amazing love!


Amen.

Kingdom parables concluded

Mat 13:44 Again-
The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

The kingdom of heaven - a TREASURE! Not just a treasure but a hidden treasure discovered in a field. Just imagine you, yes, YOU, going on a little trip somewhere let's say a camping trip. You set up your camp and start to dig a hole for a campfire and suddenly you discover gold! You dig up another spot close by and there is more gold! You've found a hidden treasure. Just think about how that would make you feel. Estatic! Thrilled! Overjoyed! You're so excited you hurry to find out if the land is for sale and when you discover it is but that it will take everything you currently own to buy it, well you immediately sell EVERYTHING that you own and buy the field. Why? Because you know what's in that field is worth more than everything you own. The kingdom of heaven is worth more than EVERYTHING we own, worth more than everything in existence. Jesus is worth more than everything! Salvation through our Savior has no price comparable. Yet we live as if this world means more than the kingdom of heaven. We do! Don't deny it! We live our lives with the kingdom of heaven as a second thought not a first thought. Some of us live with the kingdom of heaven as a third, fourth, fifth… last thought, and it's tragic.


We are born into a world under siege, yet we aren't taught this in our schools. We aren't raised knowing we have entered a war zone. We aren't brought up to comprehend that the entire earth is a battlefield. We aren't made to understand that we have been giving life to seek the kingdom of heaven- that this is our greatest endeavor. We are kept in the dark and taught all manner of worldly things, taught to strive for worldly things- worldly success, worldly happiness, worldly riches, worldly love, worldly status, worldly life. In fact children who might be raised to put God first, to put the kingdom of heaven first- would be considered brainwashed and this is NO lie! Being taught to do all we can to possess the treasure of heaven is a rarity. Believing that we should seek the kingdom of heaven like a treasure is another rarity, yet some do, especially those in countries where they don't have the freedom to worship as they desire. Those whose very lives hinge on whether or not they are caught worshipping God and our Savior Jesus Christ understand the value of the treasure the kingdom of heaven truly is.


Our Savior would have us understand that the kingdom of heaven means more than ANYTHING else in all the world, more than even our lives here and now. Giving up EVERYTHING for the kingdom of heaven - this is realizing its true worth.


Mat 13:45,46 Again-
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.


One pearl of great price worth EVERYTHING we possess to make it ours.
The kingdom of heaven worth EVERYTHING we possess to make it ours.
No greater treasure exists.


Mat 13:47-50 Again-
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.


The kingdom of heaven- a net that will capture us ALL. The kingdom of heaven made available to all! The kingdom of heaven affects EVERY single human being that is in existence and was ever in existence. In that wonderful net of pure love some will be justified by acceptance of the Sacrifice made for them and others will reject that Sacrifice. Those who reject salvation will be painfully destroyed- and this will be their choice- their heart choice, a choice made freely.


Mat 13:51-52 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things?
They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
Then said he unto them- Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.


Have you understood these parables? We NEED to understand these parables. We need to understand the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven! Jesus taught and we need to learn from the greatest teacher ever. The lessons our Savior would have us learn are eternally important.


Every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven -shares this wondrous message that combines the new and the old into the marvelous understanding of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!


Our Father which art in heaven...


Mat 6:13 ... thine is the kingdom.


PRAISE GOD! All glory, all honor, all power to our God, our King!


Thy kingdom come…thine is the kingdom.


Amen.

Wonderful kingdom parables continued...

Mat 13:31-32 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field.
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.


The kingdom of heaven- a tiny seed-becoming the greatest of its kind. A tiny seed growing to become a resting place for the birds. A tiny seed growing and growing and growing until at its full growth it is something quite amazing. A tiny unassuming seed containing such potential! The kingdom of heaven while we might realize the kingdom of heaven's greatness right now, we also understand that we won't understand its fullness until we realize it when our Savior returns for us. The kingdom has to be a reality to us. Would Jesus go to such great lengths to give parable after parable on something we are not to think a lot about? The kingdom of heaven is truly our life because the kingdom of heaven is our Savior- there is no kingdom of heaven without Jesus. As often as we think of Jesus we need to think of the kingdom of heaven- this was the message HE brought to us! The kingdom of heaven as something REAL not something of mere fantasy or speculation, but REALITY. Every single day we live is one day closer to the realization of the fullness of God.


1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.


We should think of the kingdom now not sometime in the future. We shouldn't wait until we are contemplating our end, but preparation for the kingdom of heaven begins when our life begins.


Jesus tells us the kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed- but He doesn't stop there. Jesus continues on and He tells us that seed is taken and sowed in a field. Continuing further He tells us that tiny seed is the GREATEST of herbs full grown. But He doesn't even stop there, Jesus wants us to know that the birds can lodge in that tiny seed full grown into the tree it was meant to become. We can't ignore this parable, we have to understand it because we have ear and we desire to hear all the truth of our Savior. We have eyes and we long to see all the wondrous things our Lord has for us to see. Our kingdom of heaven is our ultimate dream home, our ultimate dream life, NOTHING here and now on earth can compare to the joys waiting for us, nothing! The trouble is-- too many want joy right NOW, they want the joy of heaven NOW, they believe their lives here and now should be having a *dream* life, is there any wonder so many people are depressed and disappointed? The joy we have now is in the truth that Jesus gives us that we will one day be with Him, this is a joy that even the worst of the worst that life has to give us cannot destroy. This joy of eternal life in Him is something NOTHING can take from us as we journey on our pilgrimage through the highs and lows, through the valleys and peaks, through the heartaches and loves, through the life and death.


Having a bad day on your pilgrimage? Is Satan doing all he can to tear you away from your joy in Christ? Have you succumbed to vile temptations and believe all is hopeless? Does your future only look grim without a shred of peace, a shred of love, a shred of happiness? Has Satan completely blinded you to the kingdom of heaven? Is that tiny seed become tree lost to you? This is the sole purpose of the evil one- to distract us by LIFE with all its awfulness, distract us from the kingdom of heaven!


We should wake up every morning with the kingdom of heaven our goal. Seriously. Before we even crawl out of bed we should praise God that we have been given the promise of the kingdom of heaven through our Savior's sacrifice.


And BEFORE someone jumps in and says that's being selfish, desiring the kingdom, let me just say it's SELFLESS desiring to do the will of God. Satan wants us to believe it's selfish to think about the joys of the kingdom. Jesus however wants us to think a lot about the kingdom- living for Him, living in Him, living because of Him, living with the hope He died to bring to us.


AND ANOTHER KINGDOM PARABLE...


Mat 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them
The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven,
which a woman took,
and hid in three measures of meal,
till the whole was leavened.


Leaven makes bread rise nice and fluffy. If you leave leaven out of dough then the bread is a flat unleavened sort. Putting leaven into meal would make that meal rise, it would make that meal change. Some leaven creates a huge difference in the result of the dough, other makes a more subtle difference. Here Jesus is saying a woman took 3 measures of meal- enough for a loaf of bread and put enough leaven in that bread so that the whole loaf was leavened. Till the WHOLE was leavened. This wasn't subtle sort of leavening, no, this was enough leaven so the whole of the three measures of flour was affected by that leaven. Not a bit of that meal flour was left without alteration.

The kingdom of heaven is like that leaven. ALL of this world will be affected by the kingdom of heaven not one bit will go untouched by it, not the most miniscule of particles will be left out. Jesus offers the way to the kingdom of heaven and this way is offered to all- and one day all who have accepted the offer will realize in a most literal manner- LIFE in the kingdom of heaven with our Savior. And those who refuse to accept the offer of our Savior will be touched by the kingdom of heaven- and the loss of the most wondrous of gifts. Regardless of any and all things the kingdom of heaven will leaven the whole of our existence.


Do you see? Do you hear? Do you understand? The kingdom of heaven is our ONLY true reality! Yet we live as if it's the last thing on our minds, we live as if the cares of this life here and now are all that matter. We care only for now as if we are not even pilgrims but have arrived at our destination and this is all there is, this horrible, horrible sin-filled existence. Praise God for eyes to see! Praise God for ears to hear! Praise God for enlightenment through the Holy Spirit! Praise God!


Rounding off this portion of lengthy discourse filled with kingdom parables we are told…


Mat 13:34,35 - All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.


Amazing!


'I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world!'


The kingdom of heaven realized!
Salvation in the form of a God-man.
The Messiah come at last and not as a worldly conquering mystical magical king, but as a humble man, a servant of the Father in heaven, a sacrifice for all, a gift of eternal life, conqueror of the second death, our Lord now and forever!


How wondrous, how amazingly wondrous!


By the unfathomable love of our Savior may we be His always!


Amen