WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

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Did Jesus expect everyone to understand His parables about the Kingdom of God?

Most people assume Christ used this method of teaching (parables) to make the truth more easily understood. Jesus, Himself said the opposite is true.

“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given… Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand'” Matthew 13:10-13

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Matthew 13:16-17

Jesus did not expect everyone to understand His parables about the Kingdom, either in His days on earth or now.

It is interesting that Jesus quoted the prophecy from Isaiah (approx 700 BC): “And in them, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand.” Matthew 13:14-15

Jesus then explained the Parable of the Sower. The sown seed was “the word of the kingdom”. Next, He gave the three most common reasons most people don’t understand what He called “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven“.

  1. Jesus gave the example of a person who is so deceived by Satan that he lacks the spiritual depth even to grasp the meaning of the message.
  2. Next, He gave the example of one who “stumbles” at the word when “tribulation or persecution arises“.
  3. Then comes the example of the one “who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful“.
  4. Finally, “this is the one who hears and understands it” They understand Christ’s teachings concerning the Kingdom of God. The person who hears and believes the message then acts on that information to produce abundant spiritual fruit.

When one repents in faith and receives the gift of God’s Spirit (Acts 2:38), he begins a Spirit-led life. Through His Spirit, as Paul explains: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 Also, we need to constantly ask our Lord: “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths” Psalms 25:4

Jesus promises these believers:

“What will they then do? “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” Revelation 2:26

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” Revelation 3:21

Do you want to reign with Jesus in His coming Millennial Kingdom on earth? If you do then make sure you are walking according to the Holy Spirit producing abundant spiritual fruit.

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST?

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JESUS FINAL WORDS WERE: “ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME. THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS …

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

It was clearly a command to HIS followers. Will we be obedient to that command?

HE HAS GIVEN US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and He has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Time is short, start living eternal now with a focus on Jesus return. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to be your counsellor, teacher and comforter. He will guide you into all truth, He will direct your paths, but it must be with a humble and contrite heart that says, not my will but Your will be done from this day forward.

Listen to Floyd McClung give excellent teaching on being an obedient disciple of Christ using the Parable of the Sower.