1. The Kingdom’s Here

Throughout the Old Testament the people were looking forward to the Kingdom of God coming.

  1. God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule
  2. New Hearts to be able to follow God an obey his commandments Jeremiah 31: 33 – 34
  3. God’s spirit in us.
  4. All sins forgiven and no longer remembered
  5. Fear of God put in heart as motivation to obey him Jeremiah 32: 39

They were looking forward for this to happen for almost 800 years.

Now Jesus comes on the scene and states :This kingdom starts today”

2. The First Parable

Matthew 13

  1. Farmer scatter seed
  2. Hard ground
  3. Shallow ground with no roots.
  4. Weeds which choke out the kingdom
    1. Worries of life
    2. Lure of wealth
      1. Lose focus on God’s kingdom and on the kingdoms of this world
      2. EXAMPLE: Ball of twine with red end on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Now he adds another barrier to the kingdom advancing Matthew 13: 24 – 30
    1. Evil in the world planted by satan
    2. Evil the love of many will grow cold. Matthew 24: 12

When you consider what is arrayed against us, how in the world is anything going to happen.

EXAMPLE:

  1. Fire burns a church down.
  2. Church bus accident
  3. James one of the three pillars of the church is killed in Acts 12

In my sight, I would pull some of this up and stop it from happening so the kingdom of God could advance.

3. The Promise

Two more parables Matthew 31 – 33

Kingdom  (God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule starts small but will grow until it consumes everything.

  1. Smallest Seed
  2. Small amount of yeast.

Hebrews 13: 20, 21 The same God who raised God from the dead will equip you with all you need to do what pleases Him

Just as much as Christ resurrection from the dead was the work of God himself, so our spiritual life is equally to be God’s own work too.

Just as powerful as the movement from death to life was in Jesus life, so should be the work that God wants to do in our lives.

  1. What God has done in Christ
  2. He is going to do through Christ.

Some think this is too far beyond them.

4. We Must

  1. Accept your death to sin in Christ
    1. A will is enacted with the death of a person
    2. Christ died and all he has is ours today
  2. Grow into our inheritance Galatians 4: 1 – 7
  3. Receive the Holy Spirit as a Deposit
  1. When you buy something it is yours with payments.  When the last payment is made you are home.
  2. No matter what the battle against us, the same God who raised Jesus from he dead will bring this about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Just a little Oil

2 Kings 4: 2 Nothing at all except a little bit of Oil

Little bit

a little deposit

A small seed

Do we see nothing at all or do we see Oil.  In Faith we will receive what God has promised for us.