KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” 16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 ”‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” (Luke 14:15-24)

This illustration of the guest list at a feast is both an encouragement, and a warning, for those who desire to be a part of the kingdom of God.
On the encouraging side, we don't have to be spiritual superstars in order to enter the kingdom. God looks not at our position, our clothing or our spiritual gifts, but at our heart attitude towards Him.

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:32-4)

The kingdom is accessed through the application in our lives of the 'golden rule', agape loving (a love involving action, not just mental assent) of both God and others.

As we saw from the Parable of the Sower last week, perseverance is required.

15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Our heart attitude, as demonstrated through our actions, is the invitation that enables us to attend the feast, to enter the kingdom of God.

The warning, on the other hand, was directed, at the time, to the religious people of the day.

20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

While we all see the problems of the Pharisees, we are often blinded to the reality that these characteristics are the potential downfall in leadership of any generation.

Let's look briefly at the 'woes', a list of warnings from Jesus that we need to guard against today.

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.(Matthew 23:13)

We must be so careful to only teach Biblical truth, not denominational theology.

Verse 14 is excluded from the NIV, but it talks about taking advantage of 'widows' ie. the easily beguiled - and the saying of long prayers!

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. (Matthew 23:15)

We can travel away, looking better than we are in reality, for at home people know us better.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it. (Matthew 16:22-3)

Do we make additional rules in an attempt to earn holiness by human means?

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:23-4)

Do we major on the minor?

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:23-4)

Is our life at home in line with what we preach?

27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:27-8)

Are we really what we portray ourselves to be? We need to be honest with others.

29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! (Matthew 23:29-32)

Of course we are not like the Pharisees! But are we?

Two additional warnings precede these 'woes'.

5 “Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’ (Matthew 23:5-7)

Do not dress to distinguish yourself from those you lead.

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:8-12)

Do not use a title. Walk in humility.

Please do not take offence with me. This is Scripture speaking. I take offence with myself when I see areas here where I am failing my God, through my thoughts and actions.

"Forgive us lord. Help us Lord become more like You."

(Continued next week)

KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

PARABLE OF THE SOWER

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:1-9)"

Farming was the main occupation of the Jews of the time. Therefore they would have understood, in the natural, what Jesus was saying, more easily than many of us today do.

Even so, Jesus explained in detail what it meant.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

Can we lose our salvation? Apparently so. As confirmed here.

13 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)

We need to nurture our faith carefully, to ensure that our seed is sown in the good soil. We choose our own soil in which to be planted! To produce a good crop we need to persevere in our faith.

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:36)

We also need an understanding of what we believe in order to remain firm in our faith. 'There is nothing as blind as blind faith!' A David's Doodling here!

Love of Money

3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:3-10)

What soil are you planted in? Fortunately, in the spiritual, it is never to late to ask for a transplant!

(Continued next week)

KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Hope you are not going to get too mixed up with my logic here! For we will look at the parables in alphabetical order, except for this one! And with this one, we will first look at the middle, before considering the beginning and the end! Please bear with me, for all will be revealed! (No, that is not a parable!)

The Parable of the Sower is a key parable, not only for its contents, but because Jesus took the opportunity here to explain what a parable is. Hence why we are starting in the middle.

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ”‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men lon ged to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10-17)

Jesus made several points here that will help us understand the parables better.

1. All the parables are about the kingdom of heaven and the parables are all about the kingdom of heaven!

2. Knowledge about the kingdom is restricted in its distribution.

3. This knowledge is given on an 'all or nothing' basis.

4. Unbelievers will neither understand the parables, nor the kingdom lifestyle.

5. Those who do understand, and live the lifestyle, will receive a special blessing that would be the envy of many prophets and righteous people from Old Testament times.

We are so privileged to live in a time in history when the secrets of the kingdom have been revealed to those who wish to respond. This has been the case for the past 2000 years.

Today however, we are doubly blessed. For in the ongoing pattern of God since the Reformation, which has seen the gradual restoration of truths (eg. personal faith, believer baptism, Holy Spirit anointing, healing, spiritual gifts, etc.) lost from the end of the first apostolic age (from the time of the death of the apostle John), we are now experiencing the revelation that the kingdom is not only future, but also to be a present reality today.

When I was a boy, before I even believed, I could not understand the Lord's (Disciples) Prayer when it said;

10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

I was taught that it was future, but even then, had my doubts about that. For it seemed, even then in my innocence, to be worded as much in the present as in the future, along with the other petitions of the prayer.

Today, I am grateful (and relieved!) to see that there is a new and growing revelation amongst many, many, dedicated believers that 'the kingdom is for now' too.

This is both a privilege and a responsibility! Yes, there is a great blessing but along with the blessing comes a responsibility to live out the revelation of the kingdom lifestyle.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48b)

But if your heart desire is to experience more of your Saviour and Lord;

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

Amen.

(Continued next week)

KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

AN INTRODUCTION continued

Before we get into the individual parables next week I thought I should share a little about my life in regard to the 'love of riches'. If you have heard this from me before, please forgive me.

By nature and inheritance I am a businessman. And how do you measure success in business? By profit - or loss. That is - money. Although I am bit different to most, for I like the challenge of doing something different, in the end, success or failure is judged in monetary terms.

To briefly sum up my business life I have

1. Been very successful in business, then failed - without knowing Jesus.
2. Came to know Jesus personally through the desperation of bankruptcy.
3. Was again successful in business before going bankrupt once more!
4. Got to know Jesus much better through this bankruptcy.
5. Started Seekers, as a charitable trust, without personal payment, for the benefit of others.

Maybe, hopefully, I have learned my lessons this time!

While there are a few businessmen Jesus followers who have managed to avoid getting caught up in the 'love of money', continuing to live on a small amount while giving the rest away, most want a bigger house and a better car, even though they may still give lots away too.

We can be 'double tithers' (churches love us!), give to the poor, promote Gods Word, do all the right things, but let go of our intimate relationship with Jesus through our busYness and good works.

No, I am not talking of an alternative 'poverty mentality' as being the way to go, but certainly one where our reliance is upon Jesus rather than our 'Super (or not so super in recent times!) Fund'.

Now Kathy and I live on her wages in a rented house, owning only personal items. It is challenging at times, and people question us on what we will do in our retirement. Most don't understand the only answer possible. Do you?

Last week I mentioned the 70 who were sent out with nothing. Interestingly, I did a trip to Africa in that way, although my airfares had been paid. I had 50c a day to live on for 2 months. After 10 days my $30 was down to $2 with 50 days to go! Then the Lord started bringing the money in. I left Africa with no money but having been provided for throughout my trip also. Everyone was surprised - the Africans and me!

In whom, or what, do we put our trust?

(Continued next week)

KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

AN INTRODUCTION continued

The second practical warning of Jesus, once again contained in round a quarter of the parables, is a warning against the love of money and accumulating riches.

I can see the hairs rising on the back of your head!

Alternatively, you may be thinking 'I don't love money', as you sit back relaxing in your armchair watching the news about the Haiti earthquake on your 100 inch screen, surround sound, blu-ray, home theatre system thinking, I am so blessed that I don't live there!

The reality is, in the natural, we all like money, whether we admit it or not! If we don't have it, we want it, if we do have it, we want more. That simply is human nature.

Of course, Jesus understood this reality and spent a great deal of time talking about money and warning us of the dangers involved.

But even before Jesus came, the Old Testament books of wisdom contained similar warnings.

10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? 12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. 13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, 14 or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. 15 Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. (Ecclesiastes 5:11-15)

Jesus was straight up about it.

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matthew 6:24)

The Pharisees were quoted as a worldly example.

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.

How about going on a ministry trip this way?

8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. (Mark 6:8)

Leave your VISA card at home, would seem to be the advice here!

I will leave you today with some inspired wisdom from Timothy.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)

(Continued next week)

KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

AN INTRODUCTION

Last week we saw that, according to the parables, developing spiritual fruit in our lives was the key to kingdom living.

Jesus was a very practical person, understanding us better than we understand ourselves. So He also took the opportunity, through the parables, to warn us of the key areas in which we can, more likely will, go astray.

First of all, there is the logical area of living a life no, or little difference, to that which we lived before we knew Jesus. Commonly called, 'one foot in the kingdom, one in the world.' Seeking the benefits without being prepared to pay the price!

Jesus was tough on this! We will see this as we go through the parables individually. A quarter of them deal with the judgment that will come upon us if we don't bear fruit in our lives! Don't know about you, but it certainly gives me food for thought. And motivation for action too!

We live in a time when the love of Jesus is promoted, almost to the exclusion of the other side of His, and the Father's, balanced character, which is ultimately, His judgment, should we choose to continually ignore His will for us.

We need to understand that, just because we have accepted Jesus as Saviour, we are not excused from judgment. Don't believe me, believe the Word! In fact, it is repeated twice in this passage, in both verses 12 and 13.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. (Revelation 20:12-13)

The book of life refers to Christians. How do I know that? From verse 15.

15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

So Jesus warned us both in the parables, written specifically for believers, and here in the description of Judgment Day, what would happen if we ignored His instructions to produce spiritual fruit in our lives. This warning is again confirmed in Hebrews.

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31)

Is all hopeless then? No, it is not.

If we do the will of God...

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:36)

And again in Romans...

7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. (Romans 2:7)

The choice is ours.

(Continued next week)

KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLES

AN INTRODUCTION

Why are the parables so important to our understanding of how to live in the kingdom today?

The disciples wondered this and Jesus gave them the answer.

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. (Matthew 13:10-13)

Kingdom living is not understood, indeed ridiculed by, non-believers and sadly, many Christians too. So Jesus took the step of explaining the Christian lifestyle in a way that could only be truly understood through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, no-one is offended! But all believers with a longing to discover the heart of God, are truly challenged!

The parables then, contain His secret messages to us, His followers.

Several years ago I went through these, and made a summary list of the topics referred to in them. This summary shows the emphasis that Jesus placed on the positive attributes we are to develop, but at the same time deals in detail with the areas in which we are most likely to be tempted to go astray. For He knows us better than we know ourselves! I am glad about that, for often it seems, I don't know much about myself! God is so practical!

The summary is contained in the pie chart.

What then, is the most important attribute required to live the kingdom lifestyle?

Reading the Word? Experiencing Holy Spirit anointing? Deep theology? No, no and no!

The single most important factor in kingdom living is in the production of fruit in our lives. No, it is not apples, which is a pity really, for we live in Hawkes Bay, one of the foremost apple growing areas of the world! But rather, spiritual fruit, which Paul summarised as being;

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-5)

May the Holy Spirit reveal this basic spiritual truth to us this week.

(Continued next week)


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