Tag: Kingdom of Heaven
Shake off the dust!
Scripture reading for January 12th: Matthew 10:1-23, Psalms 9:1-10, Proverbs 3:1-2
Jesus first taught His disciples to go out and preach to those who were lost in Israel. “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8) They were empowered with authority to take the message of repentance to the Jewish people and to demonstrate God’s willingness and ability to heal and deliver. They had not bought these gifts, but had freely received the power from Jesus and must freely give to all who would receive. They were also to travel light and live off the gifts and hospitality of those that they would preach to. Each worker was worthy of his keep!
Jesus knew that not everyone would receive them with hospitality. Some would reject the message and maybe even mistreat these disciples. He told them up front so they would not become discouraged or surprised by the treatment. In fact, Jesus gave them some practical advice for dealing with those who would not receive: “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:14-16)
When we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people, we are doing more than we may realize. Every time we share, God is offering eternal life to those that hear. They will be held accountable for their actions. If they refuse the messengers, they are rejecting God and bring eternal judgment of God’s wrath on themselves. If they hear and accept, they bring God’s favor and and eternal life into their soul. Jesus told the disciples that they were to shake the dust off their feet upon leaving the homes or town where they were not welcomed. That dust would be a witness against those who rejected the Lord’s messengers. They were not to waste time trying to argue or debate because they must go to others who would receive. We are sent as messengers, not as lawyers! This takes the burden off us as we freely offer God’s Gospel!
Who can forgive sins?
Scripture reading for October 13th: Mark 1-3
Mark’s Gospel is concise and active. It is alive with the Good News of God here with us and in love with us. This revelation is found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man! Mark wastes little time with preliminaries of the Jewish history of the Christ and prophesies of His birth. He gets right down to the action of Jesus living among His people and loving them by teaching, healing, and casting out devils. He ate with the people and told them stories that opened up for them the kingdom of heaven and their own need for a relationship with the Father.
In Capernaum, a crowd gathered around a house where Jesus was preaching. A group of men brought a friend who was paralyzed to Jesus for healing. Because of the crowd there was no way to get him inside so they carried him up on the roof. They opened a hole big enough to let the man down and lowered him into the room.
When Jesus saw the faith of the friends, He immediately responded to the man by saying: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5) This caused some religious leaders who were present to begin to think about how wrong this statement was to come from a mere man. After all, only God could forgive sins! (Mark 2:7)
Jesus immediately understood their thoughts and sought to help them believe. He asked them why they were thinking these things and asked them which was easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or “Get up, take up your bed and walk”? In order to remove their objection, he told the man to get up, take up his bed, and walk. This the man did to the amazement of the crowd!
This story should motivate us to seek Jesus for answers to whatever problems we face. Jesus honors faith and no problem is too hard for Him. We may not have faith ourselves, but believing friends can bring us to Jesus. What friend do you know that needs help today to get to Jesus? Take a few minutes of your day to pray for him. As the Lord leads, get another friend or two and go and lift him to Jesus together! Miracles are waiting for those who break through! He truly is God!
The wedding banquet!
Scripture reading for October 10th: Matthew 20-23
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.” Matthew 22:2-3
We read in the previous chapter that the chief priests and Pharisees knew that the parables they heard were about them. They were jealous because many people were following Jesus and thought He was a prophet. (Matthew 21:45-46) As they were looking for a way to arrest Jesus, He gave them this parable that was a further warning of their dangerous path.
The king was God the Father who sent His only Son Jesus to earth. His plan was to gather a bride for His son from those who would believe in Him. He came to the Jews first and invited them to the great wedding banquet. Israel was long considered the betrothed wife of God! When the banquet was ready, servants were sent to remind the guests and their need to come. These servants were the prophets. The people of Israel gave lots of excuses and most failed to respond. Worse than that, they beat the servants of the King and killed them. (Matthew 22:5-7) The king sent his army and destroyed those murderers and their city. This likely refers to the Babylonian captivity.
The King then instructed His servants to go into the highways and on the street corners and find those who would come to His Son’s wedding banquet. Many responded to the urgent invitation. One attended the banquet not properly clothed. This person was confronted and then escorted out. This man was speechless because he knew the proper clothing but in rebellion chose not to wear it. He was bound and cast out into outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:13)
“Many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) Jesus concluded this parable with these sobering words. The invitation to His wedding banquet has gone out to all the world. Many have responded and others have chosen to not respond. Their excuses will keep them out of the King’s presence. Others come on their own terms and will be forcibly cast out at the last judgment. Only the robes given by the King’s Son will be proper attire. Have you accepted the King’s invitation? Are you wearing the proper garment?
The midnight cry!
Scripture reading for February 6th: Matthew 25:1-13, Psalm 26, Proverbs 7:24-27
As Jesus was closing out this last message and answering His disciples questions about the end of the age, He told a parable about ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come for them. This story would have resonated with those in His culture immediately because of the customs there surrounding a wedding. When we understand what they did, this parable opens up another emphasis on being prepared and the perils of lack of preparation.
It was the custom of the day for the bride and her bridal party to prepare for the wedding day for up to a year prior to the actual wedding. The bridegroom was busy preparing a house for his bride and would come to get her when it was ready. The exact time was not set because this was part of the mystery and excitement of the wedding. As the date approached, the bridal party knew that the bridegroom could come at any time and take them to the wedding feast. The bridal party in the story knew that the bridegroom would come soon and went out to meet him. He delayed his coming and the virgins fell asleep. (Matthew 25:1-4)
“At midnight the cry rang out; ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil’ our lamps are going out.’ “‘No;’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said, ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.'” “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:6-13)
Five foolish virgins were not prepared. The delay had exposed their lack of preparation and consequent need for oil for their lamps. At that late hour, there was no time to get what they needed. When seeking entrance to the banquet, the bridegroom refused them entrance! Not all the visible church will attend the wedding!
The Capstone!
Scripture reading for January 30th: Matthew 21:28-46, Psalm 19:7-17, Proverbs 5:19-20
Jesus was well aware of the religious leaders plans to have Him killed. He told a parable about a landowner who had a vineyard that he rented to some farmers. At harvest time he sent servants to collect his share of the fruit as the rent due. When the servants came, the tenants seized them and beat them and killed some. Others were sent and were mistreated too. Finally, the owner sent his only son to collect the rent. When the tenants saw the son, they plotted to kill him and take his inheritance for themselves. Jesus asked the question: “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” (Matthew 21:40-41) This parable should have revealed truth to the religious leaders, if they had been wanting to hear.
Jesus then quoted for them a familiar messianic passage: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.'” (Psalm 118:22-23) An alternate translation renders ‘capstone’ as ‘cornerstone’. Jesus is the cornerstone of the new temple. He was telling them that they would loose out on the kingdom and it would be given to those who would produce the fruit of the kingdom. They must humble themselves and fall on Him for mercy or He would fall on them and shatter them in judgment! (Matthew 21:43-44)
This teaching was hard for the proud religious leaders to swallow. They knew that Jesus was talking about them and wanted to silence Him rather than listen and obey. They wanted to arrest Him then and there, but were afraid of the people. Proper response to Jesus through humble brokenness and obedient faith would have brought cleansing and their addition into the new temple that had Jesus as the capstone (cornerstone). Have you cast yourself on the Stone of Jesus? Do you know that you are anchored to the Rock that is the cornerstone? Take time today to reaffirm your faith and love for Jesus! Religious people are in the most danger!
A People, a King, and a Kingdom!
Scripture reading for April 17: 1st Chronicles 1-9
The Book of Chronicles was originally the last book in the Hebrew Scriptures. It begins with a listing of names starting with Adam and going through Noah. (1st Chronicles 1:1-4) From there it takes the three sons of Noah and tells of their descendants. From Shem, the genealogy follows Abraham’s line through Isaac and Ishmael. Then the line is continued through Isaac to Jacob (Israel). (1st Chronicles 2:1) Jacob’s line is traced to Jesse, the father of David and then picks up David’s family as well. (1st Chronicles 3:1-9) The last chapters of today’s reading cover the children of each of the twelve sons of Israel and their offspring.
What can we gain from this somewhat boring portion of Hebrew history? Is there any good to come from this repetition of people, offspring, and historical tidbits?
We actually can gain confidence and insight into the heart of God from this passage of Scripture. First, God keeps good books! He cares about names and people as well as what they did! This gives us confidence about the Book of Genesis as a source book for God’s people throughout their history. God knows each person by name and knows and remembers their children as well as their faith. He also has a plan to bring forth a King, His Son, through a specific line of people.
One example of a remembrance concerns Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel (Jacob). He is noted for defiling his father’s marriage bed and losing his rights as firstborn because of this. (1st Chronicles 5:1-3) Another note concerns the sons of Levi and his descendant, Merari. His sons were put into service by King David to minster with music before the tabernacle and Tent of Meeting until Solomon built the temple. (1st Chronicles 6:29-32) The people of Judah were noted for being taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness and then being the first to resettle on their own property afterward. (1st Chronicles 9:1-2)
We would do well to realize today that God has a plan. He gives each person a name and holds each one responsible for how they respond to what they know. By grace He chooses people to fulfill His purposes. He will have a people who will rule His Kingdom under the rule of His Son Jesus Christ who came through the lineage of David! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!