The Kingdom of Heaven is Now (Matthew 13:1-3)
Gary McManus, 01/24/2021Part of the God's New Year series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
January 24, 2021 Matthew 13:1-3
See also Matthew 13:24, 13:31, 13:33, 13:44, 13:45)
John and Jesus: (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17):
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. . . .OR
the Kingdom of heaven IS near.
Matthew uses the term “Kingdom of Heaven” more times
than anyone else: 31 TIMES!
Reminder: The Kingdom of Heaven is NOT Heaven.
(See Matthew 25:34
Heaven is in the future. The Kingdom of Heaven is NOW.
John “shows us the door” more, John 10.
(See Matthew 23:13)
Notice in Matthew 13:3 “many things”.
Five times; “the Kingdom of Heaven is like. . .”
Parables have a lot going on.
Jesus sees things differently and calls us to see things differently.
Parables about the Kingdom of Heaven
The weeds; the Kingdom’s RECEPTION.
The seed and the leaven; the Kingdom’s growth
. . .and it is “hidden”.
And yet it IS present.
KJV: “HIDDEN in the lump”
See Matthew 13:16, Matthew 13:9
The One who gave sight to the blind can also
open our eyes to see.
( Compare Isaiah 43:19)
Jesus does not describe strange events.
So, when you see that the Kingdom of Heaven
is open to you and that you may enter,
consider giving everything and anything to get in.
Watch “American Pickers” and “Antiques Roadshow”.
You can learn some Bible truths.
The Kingdom is precious but not an object.
The Kingdom of Heaven is life—a new life.
All of a sudden things aren’t what they always seemed before. . .nothing looks like it did before. . .the Apostle Paul will say everything he lost to follow Jesus,
“I consider it now as just garbage.” (Philippians 3:8)
Jesus noted the JOY, Matthew 13:44.
Children’s Bible: “happy” in the Sermon on the Mount. . .Happy are the poor. .
not because they are poor.
The Kingdom of Heaven is open to those who thought they could not enter. What about you?
Amen.
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