Matthew 13:31-33 - “A mustard seed and yeast”

For the sake of a better understanding, I am going to use the King James version of this Parable…“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”

    When God is involved, something small can be transformed into something great. A mustard seed was an expression of the time to signify something small or of little significance. If you were to look at a mustard seed you would think that not much could become of it. It is not something that exudes expectation. This is a kingdom principle; In God’s kingdom, people, situations, and circumstances are not limited to how they appear in the natural.
    The word “Parable” comes from the Greek "parabole" (para-bow-LAY) which comes from ‘para’-next to; along side; and ‘ballow’-to cast…So, it means "to place beside, to cast alongside"  As defined by Vine’s Expository Dictionary of N.T. Words, it "signifies a placing of one thing beside another with a view to comparison"… A parable is a short story or narrative that has two levels of meaning. A parable is a simile and an example and a metaphor all at the same time. Jesus did not invent parables, but used them when teaching and especially used them when He spoke about the Kingdom of God.
    A parable can also have more than one meaning as we will see. Let’s see if we can interpret these two short parables…First we have to break this down a little; we have a “mustard seed”, it is planted and grows, then we have the birds that come and perch in its branches…let’s look at the typical view…
“Mustard seed” == Kingdom of God ( in seed form ); Word of God; “faith” which Jesus spoke of; or the Church; all of which may start out small.
“Planted” == in individual; in a community; in the world as a whole.
“Grows” == through seeking; study; preaching; teaching
“Birds” == people; come seeking joy, peace, protection, provision, rest.
“Branches” == denominations;

Parable #2 – Most common interpretation;

“Yeast-Leaven” ==  Gospel or Word of God
“Woman” == the Church
“Meal or dough” == the world.
The church takes the yeast of the gospel and has an affect on the world like yeast mixed into dough.
But, there could be another interpretation; If we dig deeper into the words of this parable, we find a different perspective…
    If you were a Jew in those days, you would have caught the phrase – “3 measures of meal”… This is what they would take to the Temple as an offering, an act of worship. They would grind up the meal very fine, then add oil and frankincense and make it into a cake. Now, there were two things you were not allowed to put into the meal as a Jew; honey and leaven or yeast. In the Bible, leaven is always a picture of sin. (read) Lev. 2:11…
   The woman represents Satan or evil. Satan is always trying to influence or have an affect on the church and Christianity. The reason I used the King James version is because of the words “took and hid” – it was a deliberate act…An act of sabotage.
   The “yeast” of Satan may be formalism, ritualism, traditionalism, liberalism, or legalism. If the “meal” is an offering of worship…then the “leaven” is something Satan is deceptively trying to sneak into worship. Legalism is the “leaven” of the Pharisees. They arranged their faith into a list of do’s and don’ts…They were outwardly conforming to the law, but inwardly they were corrupt. I’m sorry to say that the “leaven” of the Pharisees is still around today. It’s an attitude of “I am spiritual because I don’t drink, or smoke, or chew, and I don’t go with girls that do!” You can come to church three times a week and still be as carnal as the Pharisees.
    The “leaven of the Sadducees was just the opposite. While the Pharisees added to the Word of God, the Sadducees took away from it. They said there is no resurrection; no angels; nor spirits…Today it’s there is no hell; no virgin birth; no inspired word; no miracles; no absolute truth.
    The fact that the leaven permeated all the dough would mean that it is found in every church. When the leaven takes over the preaching and teaching of truth, I pray Christ comes to rapture His church because it will be a time of great tribulation.
    So, you see, sometimes an in depth look, rather than just a skim of the surface, can bring out some rather interesting facts…And Jesus said, “Let those who have ears hear…”

Matthew 13:47-50

Let’s look at a couple of more things found in this parable;
While the net representing the kingdom is being dragged through the water, it is indiscriminate in what it collects, the good, the bad, the useful and the useless. In the sea, all kinds of fish and all kinds of junk simply coexist. When I was a kid, in the spring of the year, as soon as the ice would melt move away from the shores of Lake Superior, the beach would be lined with “Smelters” at night. It was sort of a tradition. You would collect drift wood, build a giant fire for warmth, and, you would put on hip waders, go out in the ice cold water as far as you could, put down a drag net, and drag it to shore. Smelt were really a bait fish that would come to spawn. When you got the drag net to shore, everyone would grab a bucket and collect all the smelt from the net. Then you would turn the net over and dump all the other stuff out and go out again. Again, the net represents what?
( Kingdom or the Church ) What did it catch? (everything) Good, bad, and the ugly!
    A day of judgment is coming pictured by the “sorting” when the catch arrives at the beach, but prior to that event, nothing is rejected. It is an important distinction I think we need to make as the church representing Jesus Christ’s work on the earth. Jesus himself said in John 12:47 - “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” What business then does the church have in thinking it has the right to judge the world?  The church needs to be very careful it doesn’t mount its moral high horse and condemn a world Jesus Himself – at this time - does not judge.
    A second caution for the church is to avoid the temptation of acting like a sports fisherman who is only interested in catching one kind of fish! The net of the kingdom does not discriminate and drags all sorts into the kingdom, the old boots, the beer cans, bottles, cigarette packages, as well as Smelt!  So the church needs to avoid the habit of rejecting as junk those whom Jesus came to save. Jesus didn’t shy away from sinners and neither should the church…while the net is still in the water…I’m just sayin…
Let’s move on to the sorting process;
    Finally the whole mess, the prawns, the toadies, the good, the bad, the ugly are dragged up onto the Millennium beach so to speak, and what is the criteria by which the fish/sheep/wheat are sorted?  (Good and bad) We automatically assume that the separation is based on the goodness or badness of the person, in other words a moral decision…if the good out weighs the bad then we are okay. But, when we went fishing for smelt, what were we after? (Smelt) so what did we keep? In all of this, who was deciding what was kept? (The fisherman) So the criteria for acceptance is based on what is acceptable to the fisherman, not their moral status!
    Was the thief on the cross accepted on his moral status?  He was put into the “save” bucket purely on His acceptability to the fisherman. And this had better be true because if it isn’t, none of us will be accepted! So the sorting, fortunately for us, is done by the same Savior who hung on the cross beside that thief who accepts us according to His criteria not necessarily the criteria of our fellow “Christ-ians.” The same God who stands there as our Judge fortunately also stands there as our Savior.
    William Colgate founded his company over 100 years ago. He was an avid Christian, and his church was praying for souls in the community to be saved, and for church growth. A poor woman had been attending for several months, and one day came forward for membership. At the next board meeting someone expressed opposition to the poor woman joining the church. Colgate stood and said “I think we need to go back and remake our prayers. We have been praying for God to save sinners, but we forgot to specify what kind of sinners we want him to save!”
    Someday the dragnet of the church will reach the shore, and God will not separate the good from the bad…He will separate the saved from the lost!

“Parable Realities of the Kingdom”
Mathew 13:47-50
Matthew 25:31-33
Matthew 13:24-30

    In each of these parables Jesus tells us about three realities: 1. There is an end to the present world order when Jesus will return to earth. 2. There is a time of judgment before which each of us will stand. 3. There is a separation of the good and bad, and the good take their place in the home of God, as the bad are consigned to a place of eternal separation from God, and consequently experience the natural suffering that goes along with being separated from God and all goodness.

    But even the Old Testament gives us this solemn warning concerning the end: “(“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:1-3).
    The book of Revelation describes it this way: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
    The question is: How do we reconcile an unending eternity of hell with a good and loving God? There are three truths I want us to consider as we attempt to understand the reality of hell in light of the character of a loving God. The first is this:

Free will makes hell necessary. By it he is saying, “If you do not wish to live with me, you don’t have to” And if people do not wish to live with God, there must be a place where they can be away from God. Because we have free will, that is, the ability to freely determine our own actions and form our own destiny, it means that God sends no one to hell; it is a choice that people make.
    There is an interesting parable that Jesus told about a rich man and a man named Lazarus. Both die, and Lazarus is in heaven and the rich man is in hell. The Bible says, “In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’” (Luke 16:23-24). What is interesting in the story is that the rich man does not ask to get out of hell. Neither does he request to go to heaven. This is the place that he has chosen, even though he seems to blame God for not properly warning about this place. He does not like it there, but he has no interest in heaven. He does not want out of hell; he only wants a little relief. He does not seem to regret the things he has done, nor does he repent.
    We see this all the time. People all around us are living in hell, but they would rather remain in their hell than come to God. To be sure they want a little relief now and then, but they have no desire to turn their lives around. These people are dead to what their lives could mean if lived in a relationship with God.

The second point is: Justice makes hell necessary. There is a day of judgment coming. No one is going to get by with anything. The Bible says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) Sometimes we wonder if there is any justice in this world, but final justice will come at the end.
    The Scripture gives us this solemn promise: “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) — if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.” (2 Peter 2:4-9) In other words, God will right all the wrongs of the world and hold everyone responsible for the life they have lived. The most skillful hypocrites will be seen for who they are. There will be no hiding or pretending with God.

The third point that should be made is: Hell begins here and now just as heaven does. We worry so much about going to hell after we die and think nothing of living in hell here and now. Let me explain; What is hell? It is separation from God. What is heaven? It is living in the presence of God. You and I are at this present moment already living out the choices we have made. We are experiencing the joy of a relationship with God, or we are reaping the consequences of a life lived away from the presence of God and in rebellion against the will of God. To live with God is to experience the beginning of heaven’s joy and peace. To live away from God is to experience the prelude of eternal sufferings, and the consequences of our actions that eternal justice brings.“You reap what you sow”…Now? (YES) - Eternally? (YES)
    The Bible, in speaking of heaven, says, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27) God has extended an invitation to an extravagant banquet. It is the wedding feast of the Lamb. It is a place of great joy, celebration and outrageous blessing. But, we have to respond to the invitation. Without our response — that RSVP — it does not matter who you are or what you did. Where you spend eternity will be the result of your personal choice, the outcome of justice and the extension of where you are living now.

 

Keys To The Kingdom
“What you bind, what you loose!”

    “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-20)  “And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)  Jesus called his disciples to Him to give them authority; His authority!

    The first thing we should notice is that it was after their confession by Peter that Jesus is the Christ that the keys were given. I think we can discover what the keys to the Kingdom are by looking at the relationship between the Disciples and Jesus – the King; this also why we must maintain that relationship. Apart from Christ we are nothing, but Paul reminded us that “We can do all things through Christ who strengths us.”
Matthew 13:10 – “The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.”
In Isaiah 22:22 we find where the Lord says He will “give His faithful Servant the keys of the house of David and He shall open and no one shall shut and His servant shall likewise shut, and no one shall open, because he has the keys.”
Again from Matthew 16:19 – “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
    The second thing we must realize is found in Luke 17:20 – “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘there it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” What does that mean? Well, by definition if the kingdom of God is within me, then all the power and authority of God is also within me. Not in my natural abilities, natural thinking, or skills, but, I have the power and authority of God to resist and overcome the power of sin; the power and authority to live the righteous life that God’s king-dom demands; and the power and authority to receive, bind, and/or release all the promises and blessings of God! But, there’s more to it than just having the power and authority.
    First of all, the Kingdom of God operates on certain principles, laws, or “keys” as Jesus calls them. So, for this to do us any good at all we must not only have a relationship with Christ, we must also know what the keys are; what they open and what they are for. If I had a ring of keys and had no idea what they were for, what good are they? 
    Second, however, is this; although we have the kingdom of God within us - that is all the power, wisdom, knowledge, peace, love and authority of God - we have it in seed form. The very next thing Jesus says is that “The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.” Even though it was the smallest of seed, it would grow to be one of the largest plants. Like everything in seed form, it must be planted, cultivated, watered, and developed in order to become functional. The seeds of the Kingdom within us are the same.
    With that in mind, think about what we have talked about so far concerning the kingdom of God; specifically Matthew 18:3 – “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom.”  Remember, that does not mean “fighting and scrapping and kicking and yelling” when we don’t get our way! It means becoming humble, dependent, with a trusting faith. It means as Robert Fulghum said about  everything he learned in kindergarten; “Sharing everything; playing fair; putting things back where you found them; cleaning up your own mess; don’t take things that are not yours; say you are sorry when you hurt someone; and when you go out into the world, stay alert, hold hands, and stick together!”
    I believe this is the first key; having a childlike faith, a childlike attitude, a teachable spirit, and a humility that understands that we need each other. This, we might say is the “seed.”
    The next key I want to look at is the key of “unity.” In Matthew 18:20 Jesus says “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
     The word “agree” means “to make harmony”. In the kingdom of God there must be unity in order to receive the fullness of the blessings and benefits.  In the Godhead there is no division. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not only “one” they are in perfect unity. They have different roles and responsibilities, but they have one purpose, one goal, one unified concern. In Ephesians 4:3 Paul picks up on this same thing when he says “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
    We will never see the total power and authority of the Holy Spirit in our lives, in our homes, in our church unless there is unity and a sense of oneness. Disunity destroys the witness and the evangelism of the church. God’s power is also diminished to the degree that there is disunity. In a real sense, the power of God is “bound”…and not “loosed.” Let’s look at Mark 3:21-25 –
“When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”
    Notice that Jesus speaks of a “kingdom” and a “home” and you could add a “church”, a “business”, a government, even a nation. And, notice also that he did not say it “might not stand” he said it cannot stand!” The key of unity works both ways – as much as disunity locks up or binds God’s power and authority…unity will loose or release God’s power! The power of unity is so great that at the tower of Babel God himself said that nothing would be impossible to those who “unite” – who “agree” – who have the same “purpose and goals.”
    The final statement is this; “If the kingdom of God is within you, then the key of “childlike faith” and the key of “unity” must begin where?  IN YOU!
How many Kingdom keys or principles do you think you can find? Whenever you come across what you think is a principle you should highlight it somehow. (Example – “You reap what you sow”) Do you think that is a principle of the Kingdom?

 “No one can see the Kingdom of God – unless he is born again!”
John 3:3

    From the time I first read this scripture there were two things that stood out to me. Jesus says that “no one can see” the Kingdom and then he says “no one may enter” the Kingdom…unless he is “born again.” Obviously both of these statements are true. Once again to be born again is a prerequisite for both.

    We know that we must be born again according to John 3:3-18 and according to John 14:6 Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I always like to say “The truth is that Jesus is the only way to life.” So, the only way we can “enter” the Kingdom of God is through believing in Jesus Christ as the only Son of the Father.
    However, to “see” the Kingdom of God is a little more involved. The word “see” really has three dimensions or levels; the first of which is Knowledge - which equals Information. The second is Understanding - which equals Comprehension. The third level is Wisdom - which equals Application.
    Here is how this works in a classroom or study situation; whether it is reading a book – such as the Bible – or hearing a sermon or teaching; everyone will come away with some information or knowledge. Some will come away with under-standing or comprehension of what was read or taught. But only a few; like those who really are seeking, and those who honestly want to know and understand; only a few will actually gain wisdom through application.
    The born again scripture is a perfect example of this. When the gospel is read or preached or taught, some come away with information; some come away with an understanding, but it doesn’t change anything; and a few come away with new life because they accept and apply the Gospel to their lives and are forever changed!
    Let me take this a step further; People who only have knowledge or information are forever “frustrated.” Why? Because frustration equals no understanding of the knowledge they have or how to apply it!
    In Luke 8:9-10 it says “His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.”
    Also in Mark 4:10-12 – “When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”
    The multitudes did not want understanding; they wanted knowledge that does not cost anything. “In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Other-wise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13:14-15)
    The Parables of the hidden treasure and the Pearl of great value in Matthew 13:44-46 tell us in each case the person sold everything they had in order to gain the treasure and the pearl because the Kingdom of God is “one thing” of great value that contains everything we need.
    As we will find out, Kingdom keys or principles are for understanding and making wise decisions concerning all areas of life. Are you ready to “see” the Bible as never before? Look with “kingdom” eyes!

“Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God” -Matthew 6:33

    We might compare the Kingdom of God to a tulip bulb. If you hold a tulip bulb in your hand, you hold a tulip. The tulip is hidden inside the bulb. But, you cannot find it by cutting the bulb apart. You must plant it and allow it to grow. In the same way, God planted the seed of His Kingdom in the earth of human history. As you trace this seed from its root to its flowering, I hope you will see how this is all part of God’s purpose. His purpose in creation; His purpose in mankind; His purpose in setting apart a man Abraham; His purpose in setting apart a nation Israel; His purpose in sending his Son Jesus; His purpose in Christ’s return to reign for 1000 years; and His purpose for eternity. The Kingdom has always been His purpose, and if you “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” everything else in life will make sense!

    God has always wanted a Kingdom on Earth. He created a perfect kingdom place (the garden of Eden) which was the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. He created mankind to serve in His Kingdom –to “rule and reign over the Earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28) and to fellowship with Him. Sin interrupted God’s plan, but in the end, He will fulfill His purpose as we will see.
    The Kingdom of God is what we call a “Theocracy.” In a Democracy, the word “Democratic” comes from two Greek words; “demos” which means (people) and “kratos” which means (power). It means the power resides in the people. This is where we get our Democratic government which is “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”  Theocratic also comes from two Greek words; “Theos” meaning (God) and “kratos” again meaning (power). The power however, resides in God! It is God’s Kingdom. As such, the Bible gives us four possible references concerning this Kingdom;
* There is the Kingdom of God that is in the “heavenly realm.” It is an invisible realm that is all around us as in the story of  Elisha, his servant, and the armies all around them. (2 Kings 6:14-16) Or, in the story where the angel was delayed in answering Daniel’s request. (Daniel 1:1-20) Another reference is Ephesians 6:12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
* There is the Kingdom of God within us…(if God rules) (Luke 17:20 NKJ)
* There is the Kingdom of God to come on this earth, the millennial reign of Christ for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:1-6)
* There is the Eternal Kingdom of God that follows into eternity. (Revelation 21 – 22:6)
    After Jesus told the parable of the Sower the disciples came up to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" Jesus’ reply is interesting, and three of the gospel writers include it in their accounts: Matthew 13:11- He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.” Mark 4:11 - He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables” (This tells me that the Parables have something to do with the Kingdom of God.) Luke 8:10 - He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.”
    In John 3 Jesus told Nicodemus that “unless you are born again, you cannot “enter” the Kingdom of God”…and again he said “unless you are born again, you cannot “see” the Kingdom of God”. So, the prerequisite to getting in – is to be born again. The prerequisite to being able to “see” or understand –is to be born again. In 1 Corinthians 2:13-15 the Apostle Paul explains it this way; “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit”.
    The subject of the Kingdom of God was spoken about by Jesus on numerous occasions, and it obviously has great importance. Jesus described his teaching and preaching as a message about the Kingdom of God (Luke 4:43; 8:1). Jesus taught his disciples that they were to pray that God’s Kingdom would come (Luke 11:2). Jesus instructed his disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:2), and many of the parables were illustrations used to instruct us regarding what the Kingdom of God is “like”. The epistles of the New Testament also mention the Kingdom of God often. The apostles wrote about inheriting the Kingdom of God and the coming of the Kingdom of God. But, the Epistle letters are written to show us what we, as kingdom people, ought to be doing and how we ought to be acting as we prepare for the coming Kingdom. So, it is in the gospels that we really get a better understanding of the concept of the Kingdom of God.      
    So just what is the Kingdom of God? That is no easy question to answer because the term is used broadly, so any definition will really fall short in some respects. Nevertheless, I would define the Kingdom of God as “the manifestation of God’s authority, power, and purposes, whether in a person or a place”.  Let’s clarify this with an illustration; Many years ago, England was the world’s political superpower. She had colonies, which she ruled politically, all over the world. Collectively, England’s rule and these colonies were referred to as the "United Kingdom." It was called a Kingdom because that is where England exercised her authority and power, and purposes.
    In Matthew 4:23 and 9:35 we read that “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
    From these verses we can see that Jesus not only had a distinct message, the good news of the Kingdom, but also that He had a distinct ministry which illustrated that message, in healing every disease and sickness. Everything Jesus did supported everything Jesus said….and it all had to do with the authority, power, and purpose of God.
    When Jesus first spoke those words in the Temple from Isaiah that the “Spirit of the Lord is on me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,” He was letting the kingdom of this world know that the time had come for God to take back what was His!  I wish I had time to say more, but let me close where I began; “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” and all of life from beginning to end will make sense.

A Look at the Church – 4

    A few years ago, a group of youth pastors got together and created what became known as “The Great Denver Boat Race”. To participate in the race, each group had to follow three simple rules:

1. Each group had to select two people to ride in the boat.

2.^. Boats had to be powered by human energy only.

3. Each group had to build it’s own boat completely out of milk cartons.

    Once enough milk cartons were collected, and the boat design was agreed upon, the building process began. The designs were as varied as you can imagine. The cartons were stapled and glued together in many different shapes.
    On the day of the race, more than twenty pickup trucks carrying the boats backed up to the shore’s edge. The boats were carefully lifted out and placed in the water. By the time of the race, the shore was lined with hundreds of spectators…as well as T.V. crews.
    The goal of the race was to reach the center of the lake, go around a buoy and return to the finish line. The starter’s pistol sounded and the boats were off! Some boats never made it ten feet. Others fell apart half-way to the buoy. Milk cartons were floating everywhere! Only a few boats made it to the buoy, and of the twenty, only one made it to the finish line with all it’s milk cartons intact.
    This is an interesting example of what often happens with churches. Like the boats, they all have their own shape and design; they all look like they “could go all the way!” They start out good, but not all churches are healthy. Many fall apart. Others struggle to stay afloat. Some experience growth, while others do not.
    The key to winning the Great Denver Boat Race was in using the right glue. Only one boat, the winning boat, used “water-proof” glue.  The real key to church growth is the glue of the common bond of the love of Christ. It is through him and for him that we do all things!
    If the church was a football game; what quarter is it? What down is it? How many yards are there to go? Who’s got the ball? Are we on the offense or defense? Where have we come from? Where are we now? Where are we going?  Here’s the thing; the answer to all these questions will determine the play we call!
    I once asked my church board the question; “What is a small church?” The first answer I got was a natural one, “It’s a church where there are not too many people.” However, that is a relative answer. To one person 50 is small, to another 100 may be small. Compared to some of the “mega” churches even 500 may be considered small. My reply was “How many are too many?”
    Another answer was; “It’s a church where the same people do the same things all the time”. The same people have always served on the board, taught Sunday school, or usher every Sunday. But, then, it has been said that in any size church about 10% of the people do 100% of the work.
    Still another answer was that a small church is like a family. Everyone knows everyone, and it’s a very “relational” church. It was also said that small churches have limited opportunities in ministry, as far as things like a large choir or Christmas and Easter Cantatas, and youth groups, and so on.
    While all these things may be true of a church “small” in numbers, to me a small church is a church that “thinks small” and has a survival mentality concerning their “little church”.  A small church is a church that is content with celebrating the past; getting by in the present; with no vision for the future. And, unless “Pastor Super-star” comes along or God performs some kind of miracle, it will always be a “small” church.
    One thing I have learned is that the church leadership is the “mind” and the “heartbeat” of any church. God’s Word says that the “body is made up of many parts”…and you could say that the leadership in the church are really the vital organs!  What the leadership feels, and how they think, will determine how they lead. How they lead will determine the path of the church. That does not mean that the leadership necessarily has to desire to become large or “mega” … they just have to stop thinking “small”. Just like the vital organs in the physical body, the leadership must work in harmony to keep the body healthy. The ultimate goal of the vital organs is LIFE! The same is true for the leadership in the church. The church (whatever its size) will grow as God causes it to grow. And, I also believe there is no such thing as a “small” church in God’s eyes.

A Look at the Church - 3

Look with me for a moment at a day in the life of Moses; a day that would change his life forever, a day when he became the steward of the vision of God….Exodus 3:1-12…

    “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
    When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
    “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
    The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
    But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
    And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
    Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
    God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
    Moses came to the realization of three things in this passage that we as the Church need to come to today if we are to become stewards of God’s vision….

A) - Moses realized that He was Called - Moses is invited to become a part of the plan and vision of God for His people. God could have done this without Moses but He invites Moses to be a part of the action. In a wonderful moment God calls Moses to become the voice of God to Pharaoh and to his people.

    I believe that you and I take the idea of being the church too lightly. We are a people called by God. 1 Peter 2:9 says “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.¨…We are the Church, a people called out of darkness and into His wonderful light. We live with purpose; we walk with direction; we stand in promise; because we have been called by God. We like Moses have been invited to be a part of the plan and purpose of God in the world.

B) - Moses was Appointed - Moses had a job to do. He hemmed and hawed about it but finally accepted. God had called him and He appointed to Moses a task. Moses would dedicate the rest of his life to the accomplish-ment of that task. He set himself to the purpose and plan of God. God has called us to a task as well. Moses had His burning bush but we have the fire of the Holy Spirit! 

    Our vision as a church of called people is #1. To provide a place and an atmosphere for people to meet the living Christ. ( And, to do it with excellence! ) #2. To train and support believers in carrying the ministry of Christ into the world. In short it’s called spiritual growth. (“He gave some to be…to equip God’s people…”) This vision is summed up in three primary tasks to which we have been called: First, is Reaching Up - As a church we have been called to be Great Commandment Centered. Jesus great commandment to the church is that YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.¨ We are called to reach up to the living God in worship, in devotion, and in love. We are called to reach up to Him for power, strength, direction, and hope. And, we are called to live, love, and minister with Christ as the center of all that we do. As we do this we become a place where people meet the living Christ because when they are here they can’t help but meet Him. When our hearts are so engaged with Christ, people will be drawn to Him simply by walking into this place! That’s what is meant when we say a church is “alive”! Second, is - Reaching Out - As a church we are called to reach outside of our own experience, to reach outside our own limitations, and grow into the people that God has called us to be. Spiritual Growth is at the heart of who and what we are. The church is called to be a place of training and support, so that people can become all that God has called them to be. That includes helping people discover their spiritual gifts and how those gifts can be used within the ministry of the church. (“As each one does it’s part”) Third, is Reaching People - As a church we believe that we are called to be Great Commission Driven - Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”. We are not called to the task of building a big church or having the most programs, or even being the most talented... and put on the biggest show! We are called to build the kingdom of God. We are called to the task of changing lives. Christianity is about changed and transformed lives. It’s about finding peace in this life and about finding life in Christ for eternity when it’s over. Three words stand out in the Great Commission - “GO, MAKE, and TEACH”. We are to go into the world sharing the love of God in such a compelling way that people become believers; and then teach them about living life in the fullness of the Spirit of God as disciples. Nowhere in my Bible does it say “if they come”…!

    (C) Moses was Anointed - When Moses was called he was also anointed for the task at hand. We also have been anointed for the task. We are empowered by God. Through signs and wonders God worked to empower Moses to bring the most powerful government of the earth to its knees. A man, who considered himself a living god, finally came to submit to the one true God. God has empowered us to be His witnesses in the world around us…our community. It is only through His power that the strongholds that fill the lives of people in your comm-unity will be torn down. We must pray for our community, and pray for our families and friends, and most of all, we must GO and bring them in! ( invite them! )
    Jesus said to his disciples - “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, (home town) and in all Judea ( home state ) and Samaria, (home country) and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (world). Even as the apostles were empowered for the early church, that enabling power is now ours through the Holy Spirit of God.
    When we are obedient to the vision of God, we will be blessed by God.  Moses walked in the provision and blessing of God. From the parting of the Red Sea to the provision of Manna for food, to the Divine guidance of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, God provided for Moses and His people, and He will provide for us!

D) Moses was effective for God. Moses led his people out, not by his own ability but in fact, despite it. Effec-tive does not mean big. Just because a church is large does not mean it is effective. Many of the largest churches in our country are drawing great crowds and they are not necessarily highly effective churches. Effective also does not mean wealthy, or prosperous…Churches can sit on tons of money literally tens of thousands of dollars in the bank all saved for a rainy day…but they are not necessarily effective churches. Effective means that lives are changed, eternity is impacted, and the kingdom expanded as a result of living in the calling of God with the vision of God.  Proverbs 29:18 says; “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

    God has called us, God has appointed us, and He has anointed us, and enabled and empowered us to do the work.

A Look at the Church - 2

    John Maxwell defines vision in a three-fold manner; "The ability to see---which he describes as “awareness”…The ability to believe---described as “attitude”... And, the ability to do---which is of course, “action or application.” Vision is the ability to see beyond the surface of human potential. It is not what we are but what God desires we become. Vision is a mental picture of a desired future.

    However, there are many “Vision Killers” - some of which are Complacency; Criticism; Laziness; Lack of Commitment; and, Traditionalism…“If you always do, what you have always done, you will always get what you always got!”
    God has a dream for His Church.—a dream that will surprise us and delight us. God’s dream, God’s vision, will be so compelling that we will be drawn to it and we will want to sacrifice for it. It will be a contagious dream; not only will we be drawn to it, but people in our community will be drawn to it as well.
    God wants to accomplish something through us that will help build His kingdom. Imagine that: God wants to accomplish something through us! Have you ever held tightly to that truth? You are not here by accident. Years ago some Christians didn’t take a wrong turn and end up ( here ) when they really wanted to go ( there ).  No, God wanted your congregation there in your community because God wants to accomplish something through you! You are there because God wants you there! More than that, God has a dream - a purpose for your particular church…a dream and a purpose that has not yet been fulfilled! It is a contagious dream, and if you catch that dream, and do your best to live that dream, God will do more through you and your church than you could ever imagine! There’s only one problem! You have to find out what that dream is!
    Rick Warren says, “A great commitment to the great commission will build a great church.” Listen; Great-ness in a church has nothing to do with size of congregation, but everything to do with the people having a great commitment to it’s vision… (repeat that)
    Very few churches ever ask themselves why they exist in a particular time and place. Very few congregations ever seek after God’s will for their church. That’s why there are so few contagious congregations. You and I both know that there are hundreds of status quo congregations, but very few contagious congregations. In my experience the characteristic that distinguishes the two has to do with vision. Churches that latch onto God’s unique vision or dream for them, and then really give themselves to accomplishing that dream are contagious!
    But someone might say, “Why do we need to know God’s dream for our future? What’s wrong with the way things are now?” Lovett Weems  President of St. Paul School of Theology says, “We must always be about the business of the discernment of God’s vision for the future and can never become content with the status quo.”     
    Let me remind you of what happened when Paul and company arrived at Troas - which is the background for the church and for the Book of Philippians; - found in Acts 16:6…“Paul and his companions traveled through-out the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the prov-ince of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
    This scripture lays out four characteristics of what I call contagious visions. To help us remember these characteristics, I’ve fashioned them to begin with the letter ‘C,’ …I’m just going bullet point these four characteristics and move very quickly through them… First –
* The vision was clear—there was no question about what God wanted them to do. “Come over to Macedonia…” (vs 9)
* The vision was compelling –it was a call to meet specific, compelling needs and opportunities…“and help us.” (vs 9).
* The vision was consistent with Paul’s prior calling to make disciples—( the mission of the church )…and ( preach to the Gentiles.) He says, “being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them…” (vs 10) Note: If the vision is to change the carpet, it’s not a vision…it’s a maintenance issue.
* The vision will require change—they had to cross the sea. You cannot stay where you are and do God’s will.

    Receiving a vision—a contagious dream—from God is the first step to a harvest of blessing. God gave him a vision—a contagious dream—about taking the good news of Jesus Christ to Macedonia. No one had taken the good news of Jesus to Macedonia. Paul and his friends would be the first. It was CORRIE TEN BOOM who once said; “When we are obedient, God guides our steps and our stops.”

    When David Livingston was a missionary in Africa, a missionary society sent him this message: “Are there passable roads where you are? We have three young men who will come if there are?” Livingston replied: “I do not want men who will come only if there are passable roads; I want men who will come if there are no roads at all.”  He wanted those who were willing to get out of their comfort zone and allow God to work through them to fulfill His vision for them!
    Vision will take you to God. Vision sets the course. Without vision we spin our wheels. A good quote says “We must be on the way to somewhere or we will go nowhere.”

A Look at the Church
For a few days I want to post some church evaluation and vision teachings that I have used in the past that are still relevant today.

     In Ephesians 4:15, Paul says; "speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the head, that is Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does it's work." Paul is not talking about a specific “program”, but he is speaking about natural development and natural growth. This is how God designed the church to work and grow. With Christ as the center of everything; each church using its own people working together; to promote growth. There is an underlying sense that this is a natural process.

    Let see if I can put this scripture into my own words to kind of explain what is in my head:

“From Christ who is the head” - (the true leader, the center, the hub of all things…not the pastor or the board)

“the whole body” - (Young and Old, alike)

“joined and held together by every supporting part” - (Individual ministries and activities of the church )

“grows and builds itself up in love” - (Without love, we are nothing! There is no room for selfish interests or agendas)

“as each” - (person), (committee), (ministry), (department)

“does it’s work” – (not attempt to do someone else’s work, or tell them how to do their work, but does their part to focus on their own work.) I should add that there is always room for suggestions and new ideas when they fit the overall mission and purpose of the church.

    There is a good quote that goes like this: “There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done!”

    First of all, I have come to the conclusion that there are four things that we must do in order to fulfill God’s vision for His church:  Always first, and most important, we need to look up – pray and listen.  If we truly seek God’s agenda and not our own, He will show us what that is. I also believe that it begins with (Believing God) If we truly believe that God is who He says He is, and that God can do what He says He can do, then we ought to be expecting God to do great and mighty and powerful and even miraculous things in the midst of His church!  If we don’t really believe that, we won’t really expect much…and if we don’t expect God to do much of anything, then what will God do? (Nothing)
     Second, we have to look within.  We have to discover our individual and our corporate unique gifts, passions, and abilities.  Before anyone volunteers to serve in any area, they ought to ask themselves if they are gifted in that area, or if they have a passion for that ministry, and, if they have the ability to have vision and foresight for the future?       
    Third, we need to look around. Take a good hard look at the church and ask yourself - “What needs to be changed in order to make this happen?”  Is it a major problem?  What then?  It may seem major to us…but not to God.
    Fourth, we need to look ahead.  What is the future of the church? Where do you want to be next year? What will it take to get there?  Where do you want to be within 5 years?  What will it take to get there?  Someone once said; “We can rejoice in the past; we live in the present; and we must always be looking to the future!”

“When He Reigns, It Pours”
Part - 2

    There were two seas that dominated the land of Jesus, the land where he was born and grew up, the land in which he lived and ministered, the land which some today call Israel, and others call Palestine. One of these two great bodies of water, filled with fresh water, fed by the head-waters of the Jordan River at Caesarea Philippi, was the center of much of Jesus’ activity during his ministry. It was a scene of sometimes tranquil, sometimes fierce beauty; for the length of its almost thirteen miles, fish abound in its waters, both in numbers and in kinds. As a result, from before the time of Christ to the present day, the boats of fishermen have dotted its surface and shoreline, giving birth to cities, like Capernaum and Bethsaida, that were haven and home to Jesus and his closest disciples…the fishermen; Peter, James and John. It is encircled by pebbled shores and rolling green slopes; trees huddle along its shores and sink their roots deep into the refreshment at water’s edge; the surrounding countryside is a patchwork of teeming cities and valuable farmland. At the southern tip of this sea, the Jordan River, having passed through the Sea of Galilee, continues its southerly trek through the land in which Jesus lived.
    Seventy miles south, after winding like a snake through the countryside, the Jordan empties into the other sea. This second sea Jesus knew boasted none of the characteristics of its northern counterpart. It receives water every day from the Jordan River, water that has collected mineral substances from the soil of the area, such as the chlorides of sodium, magnesium, and calcium. There these substances stay, for, unlike the Sea of Galilee to the north, this sea has no outlet… it receives but does not give… As a result, the water there is about four times as salty as the ocean; The water is bitter to the taste, and un-drinkable. In this southern sea can be found barely a trace of life; no fish, not even shellfish or coral are found beneath its surface. The landscape all around is unoccupied, it is a desert: a dry, rocky, wilderness.
    The dry, burnt look of the shoreline, the sometimes over-powering heat of the region, the lingering stench of sulfur, the apparent lack of life in and around the sea all combine to make its name—“The Dead Sea”— a fitting description.

    I mention these two seas as a parable this morning: one is a scene of beauty, a center of commerce, whose shores and depths teem with life; the other is quite the opposite; its shores are barren, the atmosphere is harsh, and its bitter waters cannot sustain life nor quench thirst. The Sea of Galilee is a blessing…the Dead Sea is not.
    In my last message, I spoke of the blessing of God to Abraham: “I will make you a blessing, and all nations shall be blessed through you.” I spoke also of the various ways and dimensions through which God chooses to bless…and when we think of blessings, we always seem to equate it with prosperity. However, the blessings of God go far beyond monetary and material things to the real reason and purpose for God’s blessing…and that is to turn people’s hearts toward Him. So it is that God’s plan has always been that through Abraham, through Christ His Son, and through you and I – the church – the blessings of God would flow out to the entire world. The key word being “through”…we are to be channels of God’s blessings in whatever form they may take; in whatever capacity He gives us.
    The list of examples is endless, but let’s thinks about the most obvious; If we are blessed with wealth, we can use it to buy whatever we need, want, or desire, and even store up things we don’t need and don’t use. Or, we can be channels of God’s blessing and use it to help others find and know God and the truth of the Gospel. We can use it to support missions and missionaries all over the world. We can use it to support and keep our local church alive.    
    Our blessing may be knowledge and we can help teach and advise those who do not know. Maybe it’s a talent or a gift that we can use to lead others to the love, and mercy and grace of God… Whatever the blessing, God wants to us to pass it on so other lives can be transformed and brought to a knowledge of God’s abundant life through Christ Jesus.
    The blessing of Christ is God’s ultimate blessing; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”! It’s not just a concept or a theory, it is truth. The Apostle Paul, filled with the joy of this greatest blessing of life through Christ, declared “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
    Christ came to bring healing and forgiveness to a world that had not heard from God in nearly 400 years. It is spoken of in Romans 4:7 – “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account”.
    God chose to pour out His greatest blessing through Christ as Paul says in Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Jesus was the channel of God’s blessing to the world. Every blessing we have should draw us closer to God through Christ. We don’t use Christ to get God’s blessings, we use God’s blessing to exalt and bring others to Him.
    Let me give you just another way in which we are blessed; Jesus said to his disciples, “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and blessed are your ears because they hear.” I am blessed and many of you are blessed because we have been given spiritual understanding and the wisdom of God’s Word. In the Parable of the Sower he said “the man who hears the word and understands it produces a crop yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”
    In the Parable of the Talents we are admonished to use what we are given wisely in order to bring an increase of blessing.  In the story of the sheep and the goats, Jesus said “Come, you who are blessed by my Father”…Why were they blessed?...Because as Jesus said: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was sick and you looked after me.”…Why are they blessed? Because they were using whatever blessing – gift - or talent they had been given to bless others… “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed!”
    As Christ prepared to return to the Father in Luke 24:50, it says “When he had led them to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them!” The blessing of the Lord is never to be taken lightly, nor is it to be wasted on ourselves. If the disciples had not allowed the blessings of Christ to flow through them, we would not be here today. We are the product of God’s blessing through someone who allowed themselves to be channels of those blessings to build a church in order to worship God; to reach others for His glory! If we truly feel blessed, can we do anything less?  May all who have gone before us find us faithful! If He reigns, it pours! 

“When He Reigns, It Pours”
Proverbs 11:24-25

    Back in the Book of Genesis chapter 12:2and 3 God promised Abraham a blessing so powerful that it would impact all the nations of the earth. And, God also said that through Abraham and his seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. (It is interesting to note that in Galatians 3:16 Christ is referred to as the “seed of Abraham”)…So, through Abraham, and ultimately through Christ, the blessings of God would flow out to all the world; especially and ultimately the blessing of salvation.

    God’s Word has a lot to say about the blessings of God. The power of God’s blessing can be a transform-ing power that is to flow through the life of a believer in many different dimensions. According to Acts 3:26 – the blessings of God are intended to turn people’s hearts from sinful ways and turn them back to God. We could say that the central purpose of God’s many blessings are to show him to the world, and turn their hearts back to him.
    Along with our scripture text for today, there are some other associated blessings I don’t want you to miss out on: First, Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” While this is not necessarily a message on Tithing, God certainly blesses us when we let his financial blessings flow through us.
    Here is another from Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I’ve chosen to sum up that principle this morning by taking some liberty with the Morton Salt slogan “When it rains, it pours”, and changing it to “When He reigns, it pours.”
    Flip Wilson was a popular comedian several years ago, some of you are old enough to remember him, but one of his characters was a Preacher at the "What’s Happening Now Church." In a skit that he did  He’d yell: "IF THIS CHURCH IS GOING TO SERVE GOD IT’S GOT TO GET DOWN ON ITS KNEES AND CRAWL!!!" And the congregation would yell back "Make it crawl preacher, make it crawl!...And then he would yell: "AND ONCE THIS CHURCH HAS LEARNED TO CRAWL, IT’S GOT TO GET UP ON ITS FEET AND WALK!!!" And the congregation would yell back "Make it walk preacher, make it walk."… Then he would say: AND ONCE THIS CHURCH HAS LEARNED TO WALK IT’S GOT BEGIN TO LEARN TO RUN!!!" And they would yell, "Make it run, preacher, make it run!"…Then he would say, "AND IN ORDER TO RUN, ITS GOT REACH DEEP DOWN INTO POCKETS AND LEARN TO GIVE!!!" And after a pause, and the people would say "Make it crawl preacher, make it crawl!"
    The blessing of God is not intended to make us materially rich. In fact, material things have a way of hindering God’s blessing! While he has promised to provide our needs, our hearts must be set on Him and His Kingdom; “Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
    I could mention many ways in which we feel blessed by God…and they all are true blessings…but, I think one of the most important and fulfilling dimensions of God’s blessings is when we are “channels” of God’s blessing. The blessings of God in our lives, whatever we have received from God in our lives, be it financial, relationships, love, grace, they must flow through us to reach people and show them God…and when we are channels of those blessings, God will turn their hearts toward Him.  When we think of the many ways we have been blessed, we ought to ask ourselves if we have just received those blessings and held on to them for ourselves…or have we had opportunity to be a “channel” and shared that blessing with someone in need?
    I want to give you just five quick areas of our lives where I feel we can all become greater channels of blessing: I believe that God can take these areas and pour out so much blessing upon them that they will have an impact on our families, our community, and even our world, in a powerful way that has eternal results.
    The first area that we don’t usually think of as a blessing is prayer. We never think of saying “I feel bless-ed today because I can be a channel of God’s blessing on those for whom I am praying”. The power of prayer is incredible! If we could see the blessings that are unleashed through prayer, we would all become prayer warriors!  The next time you pray for someone, don’t just ask God to fill their need… ask God to release his blessings upon them, that they might turn to Him.
    Second, God wants us to be channels of Love. We receive God’s unconditional love, through Jesus Christ, we ought to let the love of God flow through us. The Word says that “we love because He first loved us.” Because God is love, he certainly has an infinite supply to pour into us so we can pour into others. I have said this before and it bears repeating; “If you are not going to love people – all people – unconditionally…then don’t tell them God does!”  It’s the most negative form of evangelism there is.
    Third, what about being a channel of God’s forgiveness? We ought to say that “I feel blessed today because I am forgiven…I have received God’s undeserved forgiveness.” It’s called Grace. The Lord, in fact, commands us to forgive others with the same kind of forgiveness we have received, and, He says, if we don’t forgive others then he won’t forgive us; that’s a sobering thought. Forgiveness is a blessing that must be passed on…
    Forth, just as God’s Word is a blessing to our lives, so our words can be a blessing in the lives of others. We can never underestimate the power of words. Words can bless, encourage, help, lift up and build up, but they can also have the opposite effect. Think about the fact that the hearts of people can be turned toward God because of our words…and they can also be turn away because of our words. If we want to be channels of God’s blessing, we must choose our words wisely and carefully.
    Finally, of course, we can be channels of all the blessings God has given us through our actions and deeds. Using our talents, gifts, time, resources, or whatever we have, to be channels of blessing to people in need. In the Church Doxology we sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow”…Do we really believe that? I have to ask myself – “Am I living that?”
    Our scripture says “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” We have often heard that we are God’s hands and feet, we are God’s eyes and ears and God’s heart to the world… As we bless those around us, God pours his blessings back in an abundant supply. Proverbs 28:20 says “A faithful man will abound with blessings.”
    Captain Levy, a believer from Philadelphia, was once asked how he could give so much to the Lord’s work and still possess great wealth. The Captain replied, "Oh, as I shovel it out, He shovels it in, and the Lord has a bigger shovel."
    You can’t put a price tag on the satisfaction you get when you make someone’s life a little bit better. So, if you really feel blessed this morning – Pass it on!

“A Love That Gives”

1 John 2:9-11 and I John 3:16-19

    I want to begin today by explaining the difference between “pity” and “compassion”.  Pity looks at the television screen and says; “Oh, those poor people” and feels sorry for them, and goes on with life… Compassion however, looks at the television screen with tear filled eyes, and says “I must do something to help!” Often we are not physically able to be there and provide personal help, but there are ways we can help. Compassion will surpass sympathy and do whatever it can!  Number one of course, we can pray. We can pray for God to somehow give wisdom as to providing for the needs of those affected. For those who are able, we can also provide by giving to those organizations like the Red Cross and others who provide disaster relief.  We may feel that we can’t do much, if anything personally or on an individual basis, but maybe there is something we can do together, as a church, as the body of Christ.

    Well, let’s get to our message for today; Once again, I am looking at John’s letter of assurance. This is not a letter of condemnation or judgment, but rather a letter in which John gives us a list of things or ways in which we can point “inward” and KNOW that if these things are manifesting themselves in our lives, then we can be assured that we are a child of God; that we are born again; a part of the family of God, the body of Christ. If these things are not there in our lives, then John says we have a problem.
    Brotherly love, as the title of this message suggests, is a love that gives.  The command for God’s people to love each other has been around since the Jewish Old Testament Law. Leviticus 19:18 says, "’Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
Jesus’ command is for us to love each other in the way we saw him love us by going to the cross, and that’s what made this command new when he told his friends at the last supper to "love each other, just as I have loved you." …it is a sacrificial love…a love that puts others and their needs first.  In John 13:34—Jesus said again; "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Then he repeats it again in John 15:12—“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” 
    The terms “love” and “hate” are not necessarily emotions or feelings as much as attitudes… Just as “light and darkness” are not places but rather actions that reflect our spiritual growth.  The love we have for one another and for our neighbors is a love that expresses itself in our actions and attitudes, not our feelings. In fact, we are to love others whether we FEEL like it or not. Some people are easier to love than others…I heard one preacher say  “Some Christians are like porcupines…they’ve got a few good points, but they’re hard to get close to!”
    What does John mean here by hate? -- "He who hates his brother…" The dictionary tells us that hate is "a feeling of extreme hostility or extreme dislike of another." That suffices as far as the definition. We know well this feeling, this dislike, this aversion to someone, a sense of extreme hostility toward another. Yet, you and I need to understand that it can be expressed in two different ways.  It can be active, in that we indulge in malicious talk or injurious actions toward another. We can strike them, or beat them,  throw our garbage over their fence, or mistreat them in some way. We can attack them; we can slander them behind their back. All of these are active expressions of hate, and perhaps most of us think of hate only in this sense. But hate can also be expressed passively and still be hate. It can be expressed by indifference, by coldness, by isolation, by exclusion, and unconcern for others.
    If you claim you are a child of God and yet “hate” any man - in John’s sense of the word - because of his face, his place, or his race, you are walking in the darkness…and, may need to check your walk. Sure it’s easy loving my wife, and loving my friends, but loving people I find irritating, people who I think are weird, or loving people who just grate me the wrong way...that takes God’s love. That’s why the word John chooses here is the Greek word “agape”, which describes God’s kind of love, the kind of love that’s given freely and generously, regardless of the worthiness of the object.  C. S. Lewis was right when he wrote in Mere Christ-ianity that “we spend too much time worrying about whether we really love our neighbor or not, when we should just act as if we do, and as we pray for them and do loving things, love will happen.”  When we give way to feelings and attitudes of hatred that John describes, we harden our own heart.
    Our love for one another is our badge of identity as Christians.  John is telling us the love we have is the badge that identifies us. When a police officer comes to your door, they will identify themselves by showing you their badge…when we claim to be saved, the badge people will see is the love - or lack there of - we have in our lives.  If we cannot love other Christians…those of God’s family, how are we going to love others who need to be in the family?
    Agape love is a love that gives. “For God so loved the world that He gave…His only Son”…The love motivates the action.  John says “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, (pity is not enough)…“That’s too bad” or “I feel so sorry for you” won’t cut it! But love with “actions and truth”… true compassion. We need to put hands and feet on our words if we are walking with our brother.
    “Here then is the assurance” says John, if we see someone in need…(and remember there are many types of needs)  and we have the ability or the capability to help, even in the smallest way, and yet are not stirred by compassion to take action, how can we set our hearts at rest?
    In Matthew 25:40 Jesus said; “Whatever you did for the least of these my brothers, you did for me”… The point is that we did something out of love, agape’ love, which tells us that we are not only walking in the light, but that we are truly walking with our brother.
    Finally, look at chapter 4 verses 7-12 …
I don’t know how you would interpret that, but to me it says “If God’s love stops here with me, it is income-plete!  God’s love is made complete when it flows through me and out to others! It’s a love that gives.  It gives of it’s time; it gives of its money; it gives of its talents and abilities; it serves without thought of reward.
    But, there is a flip side to this coin; when we are willing to give, there must be a willingness to receive!  We could say; “What good is it if we see a brother in need and we are willing to help, but he is not willing to receive? How many times do you suppose God has asked that question?  He is so willing to freely give of everything He has…all His love, all his peace, all His joy, all His wisdom…and the abundant life that He desires for us to live; but, we are unwilling to receive it.  What is stopping you from doing that today?