Then said He, Unto what is the Kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. And again He said, Whereunto shall I liken the Kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Luke 13:18-21)
Jesus likens His Kingdom to the mustard seed and to yeast as they yield results differing from their size. Both start small and lead to much, one a mustard tree and the other several loaves of bread. With the proper growing conditions both can lead to an abundant increase. Size at the start does not determine the final product.
Though the Kingdom of God which God is building started with Abraham, the people of faith from every age, including His church, are a part of a larger and welcoming organism. Though entry is exclusive according to God's requirements, God invites all to come in and receive the blessings of forgiveness and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Though faith is worked out in different ways throughout different ages, God’s grace is sufficient and should permeate all areas of life for those who are His. God offers grace to whosoever will come to Him on His terms and all who receive Him by faith are a part of His Kingdom. There is also a future Kingdom to come, which He will rule from Jerusalem and over Israel, that whosoever will may enter in if they do so by faith in Christ.
As children of the King we are to life Kingdom lives expressed as obedience to His Word through faith in Jesus Christ who has purchased our redemption in His own body. All who come to Jesus in repentance and faith can enter into His Kingdom and serve Him who is Lord of all, not to earn or keep that which He gives by grace, but because of our love for Him who first loved us and gave Himself for us. We spread the Kingdom, not by force or compulsion, but by sharing Jesus Christ and the Gospel of the Kingdom to whosoever will hear and believe in Him who is life and who came to bring us life more abundantly. We can and should influence our culture, not being influenced by the culture to live as the world would have us to live, but to live in, thru, and for, Jesus Christ. He has called us to be holy, in the world but not of it, and as salt and light unto those who are in darkness that they may see their need of Him. We influence the world by living by faith in a world that has no hope and living the gospel we preach that others might know Him and be born again.
God sends those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
Though the Kingdom of God which God is building started with Abraham, the people of faith from every age, including His church, are a part of a larger and welcoming organism. Though entry is exclusive according to God's requirements, God invites all to come in and receive the blessings of forgiveness and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. Though faith is worked out in different ways throughout different ages, God’s grace is sufficient and should permeate all areas of life for those who are His. God offers grace to whosoever will come to Him on His terms and all who receive Him by faith are a part of His Kingdom. There is also a future Kingdom to come, which He will rule from Jerusalem and over Israel, that whosoever will may enter in if they do so by faith in Christ.
As children of the King we are to life Kingdom lives expressed as obedience to His Word through faith in Jesus Christ who has purchased our redemption in His own body. All who come to Jesus in repentance and faith can enter into His Kingdom and serve Him who is Lord of all, not to earn or keep that which He gives by grace, but because of our love for Him who first loved us and gave Himself for us. We spread the Kingdom, not by force or compulsion, but by sharing Jesus Christ and the Gospel of the Kingdom to whosoever will hear and believe in Him who is life and who came to bring us life more abundantly. We can and should influence our culture, not being influenced by the culture to live as the world would have us to live, but to live in, thru, and for, Jesus Christ. He has called us to be holy, in the world but not of it, and as salt and light unto those who are in darkness that they may see their need of Him. We influence the world by living by faith in a world that has no hope and living the gospel we preach that others might know Him and be born again.
God sends those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
RSS Feed