The Kingdom of Heaven

Since a very young age, I was taught The Lord's Prayer. I have particularly found memories of saying The Lord's Prayer when we would gather at my grandparents for a special meal - for holidays or special celebrations.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come. 

Thy will be done in earth, 

As it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

But deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen.

The other day I was meditating on the words of The Lord's Prayer, specifically on the phrase Thy  Kingdom come.

John the baptist had a single message that he repeated throughout his ministry

• Matthew 3:2; Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
• Mark 1:15; The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!

Likewise, Jesus had a single message that He repeated throughout His ministry

• Matthew 4:17; From that time on Jesus began to preach,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
• Luke 10:11; Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.

Jesus even called His followers to bring this same message

• Matthew 10:7; As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

In Matthew 5, Jesus begins His most famous teaching, “The Sermon on the Mount”, and He begins by announcing various blessings to the people listening to Him.

• The first blessing that Jesus announces relates to His Kingdom message
  • Matthew 5:3; Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• The last blessing that Jesus announces also relates to His Kingdom message
  • Matthew 5:10; Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The way Jesus announces these blessings to the poor in spirit and he persecuted is much different than the way He was preaching – and teaching – to the masses.

• There is a distinct difference between the knowledge that “the Kingdom of heaven is near” and this “ownership” of the Kingdom that Jesus announces to the broken and the persecuted – “theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”.

I could tell you that the Kingdom of heaven is near, and you may believe me, but that won’t make a difference in your life.

John 3:3; Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

• We must SEE – recognize – the Kingdom of God by being born again

Mark 10:15; Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

• We must RECEIVE – acknowledge and accept – the Kingdom of God
• We must ENTER the Kingdom of God – but how?

John 3:5; Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

• We must ENTER the Kingdom of God by being born of water and spirit – transformation

Matthew 7:21; Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

• We must ENTER the Kingdom of God by doing the will of God, our Father

Acts 14:22; We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God

• We must ENTER the Kingdom of God by going through hardships and persecution

Matthew 5:20; 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.

• We must ENTER the Kingdom of God by accepting Christ’s righteousness as ours

1 Corinthians 6:9; Wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

• We will INHERIT the Kingdom of God when we become righteous through Christ

1 Corinthians 15:50; Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

• We cannot INHERIT the Kingdom of God unless we are fully transformed by God

The message for us, today, is simple; the Kingdom of heaven is near

• We must first SEE IT
• Then we are able to RECEIVE IT
• We must then ENTER IT
• So that we may INHERIT IT

A Bowl Of Stew

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. (Genesis 25:29-34)

The stew that Esau traded his birthright for represents everything that this world has to offer us today - money, comfort, sex, popularity, and much more. Yet the birthright that Esau traded for the stew represents all of the promises God has given to us as Christians - our inheritance as His children.

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. (Hebrews 12:16-17)

So, the question for us all to consider; what are you trading you inheritance for? What idol are you so focused on worshiping that you are forgetting what is most important? What idol are you so determined on possessing that you are willing to give up everything for? 

Today, remember the promises God has given to you. And remember the inheritance that Christ has secured for you.

Thoughts on Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5 

1 Be followers [who imitate] God, therefore, as dearly loved children [who are led by the Spirit of God and are closely related to God] ² and live a life of love [and affection], just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us [in life and death] as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity [such as lust and wrong motives, or of greed [and coveting of the things that do not belong to you], because these are improper for God’s holy people [who are called to stand out as saints among the culture you live in]. 

⁴ Nor should there be obscenity [in actions], foolish talk [such as gossip and slander] or coarse joking [about matters that do not please our Holy God], these things are out of place, but rather give thanksgiving to The Lord. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure [or unclean—in thought or life] or greedy person [who covets and lusts after things in this world] —such a man is an idolater —has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

I want to receive the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. I want to receive all that God has in store for me. I want to receive all that Jesus is preparing for me. Likewise, I want a lot of things in this world; money is tempting, power and prestige sure sound good to me. However I will not inherit any of this if I do not do away with the desires in this life and the idols of this world. 

This leaves me with a choice. I can cling to the desires that come in this world —sex, money, power —I can continue to lust after the things in our culture, valuing them above my commitment to God. Or I can pass up on the idols of this world, completely focusing and committing to God —in doing this I am looking to the inheritance of the Kingdom of God and to all that God has in store for me.  

See, we will all receive an inheritance —we can demand our inheritance now or we can wait for the one that Our Heavenly Father has in store for us.