Jesus’ Kingdom

We cannot, therefore, complete our study of Eschatology without addressing directly our main premise.

The study of eschatology is the study of the Kingdom.

Another way to express this is to say that to define one’s eschatology is to define the Kingdom, or vice versa.

It may not seem immediately obvious why a dissertation on Jesus’ Sermon and parables should have a place in a book on Eschatology, but sometimes, the answer we are searching for is hidden in the most obvious place.

Sometimes, we can spend a lifetime searching to define something that a greater authority already has.

To Define the Kingdom

There really is only one question in this regards that needs to be answered. Good for us, we can pull the text for our question directly from Scripture.

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?

Luke 13:18

Sometimes, it really is that simple.

To help differentiate, there are a few things Jesus did not say. He did not say What is the Kingdom like now as opposed to the future. He did not say, What is this phase of the Kingdom like. He did not say What is this non-Kingdom dispensation like before the Kingdom comes. He did not say, What does this Kingdom resemble before the real Kingdom comes.

No, this, along with Mark 1:15, is unmistakable in its meaning and intent. You have to purposefully disregard Jesus’ own words regarding this to come to any other conclusion. As Jesus was who He said He was, and by virtue of the Old Testament prophecies themselves, Jesus is the authoritative interpreter of the Kingdom and its promises. Jesus first said the Kingdom itself wash”here”. And, here is in context with that, and in the same authority. This is how He now defines His Kingdom.

As usual, we could save ourselves hours, even years of tiresome study if we would just believe the Bible. So, what did Jesus say the Kingdom was like?

It is like a mustard seed which, when planted, grew into the largest of garden trees. What else is it like? It is like a little bit of leaven which a woman hid in some dough until the whole thing was leavened.

Understanding the Parables

To understand the Kingdom, you must be born again, which means you must have faith. Faith is what pleases God.

It follows, then, that a mere carnal interpretation of the parables can widely miss the mark, and, you can be sure that any interpretation that is wholly materialistic has failed to grasp the Kingdom.

That said, there are a number of wrong interpretations of the Kingdom Parables. While this is a direct statement, it is also carefully considered. With some things, we see the possibility of layers of understanding on a given text. When it comes to the Parables, however, certain contemporary interpretations which are seen to be gaining ground must be recognized as not complementary, but contradictory to the original intent of the parables.

As such, any explanation of the Parables of the Kingdom as a description of the church through history, and that they might represent the Kingdom as something negative are absolutely and completely false because they contradict the true nature of the Kingdom, which is pure, and the true intent of the parables, which is faith. This will be seen more as we go.

So, if the Gospel of the Kingdom is about faith, it is about the sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3). How is the Kingdom of God like a mustard seed planted?

Well, consider the Gospel message. We know that the seed is the Word of the Kingdom, Jesus Christ. When anyone receives that Word, confessing with their mouths, they are born again of that incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 3:9). This faith then grows (2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 10:15), and we progress from being mere babes in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1) to being mature (Hebrews 6:1). This is the reality of the New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) within the believer, and it is the life of God lived through our lives (Galatians 2:20).

But, again, it is the seed of Truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Jesus said that the verdict against men was that light came into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees (hypocrisy, Luke 12:1), and the yeast of Herod (lawlessness). The destructive power of both of these is in the lie. One the one hand, there were those who claimed to be righteous, but were as much sinners as the rest. On the other, there were those who lived without the law. Both of these were not the truth, as witnessed in the heart. But, truth, when it sees its true condition, if we truly love it, we are forced to fall on our face before God, cry out in repentance, and seek His mercy. Jesus said that the publican who did thus went away justified, while the Publican who held his nose in the air and said, “Thank-you God that I’m not like that sinner”, his sin remained.

The Mysteries of the Kingdom

Imagine Jesus’ position. As Paul wrote that the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit, for they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14), so Jesus was the only man baptized in the Holy Spirit for the duration of His ministry. While John the Baptist prophesied that He would baptize people in the Spirit, He did not baptize a single person until after His resurrection.

But, as with all of the things that Jesus taught, He was revealing things of the Kingdom of God that had been witnessed throughout the Old Testament in the Bible. That is, whenever God’s miraculous power was demonstrated in the Earth, and whenever Israel or someone experienced a divine deliverance from God at any time, it was always the operation the Kingdom of God.

What we find Jesus then doing is answering the most pertinent question of all:

How do you get God to do that stuff on your behalf?

It is in this context, that Jesus told His disciples the following:

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Matthew 13:11

And, again, He said,

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 13:35

These mysteries of the Kingdom are not some esoteric teaching about how the Kingdom would come, progress, and so forth. God is not interested in that. These mysteries are the very mysteries that have been hidden regarding the Kingdom. They are the principles by which the Kingdom has always operated, and always will. They are, if you will, mysteries hidden in plain sight, often overlooked by men, and discarded.

These, too, are the mustard seed of Luke 13:18. These are the kernels of truth, the seed of love, (that is, “Love on God’s terms”, as the world does not know love), and they are precisely the teachings of how Jesus lived in the Kingdom. He was what He taught. Not only are they the reason behind His miracles, but they are also the reason God raised Him from the dead, because He lived by them! They are the government of the Kingdom, and the right order of it’s institution.

This littlest of seeds, once planted, becomes the largest of all garden plants. This littlest thing called love, not the thing they sing about on the radio and in public arena, but real, actual, fervent affection. Love looks like this, because this is who God is.

But, the thing about the parables is, you need faith to see them, and to enter into them (John 3:3, 5). Moreover, you cannot understand these parables, truly, unless you have faith, even when they are explained. What the parables are, then, are the best way to conceal the truth to those who don’t have true spiritual faith, while at the same time revealing them to those who do. The plain fact is, as examine Jesus’ teachings, anytime someone is truly teaching faith, whether they see it or not, they usually fall back to one of the principles that Jesus taught in His parables. As Paul wrote, we explain spiritual realities with spirit-taught words, comparing spiritual to spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:13).

The Man of Faith in the Beatitudes

So, consider the Sermon on the Mount, specifically, the Beatitudes. These are the picture of the man in the Kingdom. You have to understand, Jesus wrote these parables as a man filled with the Holy Spirit, to people who weren’t. These are the primary introduction to the life of faith, and living by the Holy Spirit, to those who could not yet do so. There is evidence that the Apostles walked in a measure of Christ’s authority and anointing, much as deputies to a sheriff, but even they lacked the fullness of their own measure of the Kingdom.

So, Jesus explains the man of perfect faith as being Most Happy. The word “Blessed” in the beatitudes is really the word “happy” with the prefix for “macro” on it. Hugely happy, super happy, largely happy, however you want to put it. We choose “Most Happy”. But, the word is not “blessed”, really, as that would be a different word in Greek.

But, Jesus gets “first things first”. “Most Happy” is the beginning of each of these Beatitudes, and this is the end product. By putting it first, Jesus presents the most important element at the beginning. A believer in faith does not have to suffer through any trial, so long as they are walking with the Lord, because of these eight (plus one) sayings.

Attitude is everything, and when we are truly in perfect faith, and are hence “Most Happy”, the emotional warfare breaks off. The “battle at the gate”, as it were, becomes a celebration, and the things that wear down the feet of the saints become our triumphal procession. When we truly see through the eyes of faith, we through out the doubt and despair that would keep us there, and we embrace with full arms both the condition and the consequence.

But, the next thing is the condition. Poor in Spirit, Mourning, Meekness, Pure in Heart. These are a few of them. Some of these are desirable, and some of these are not, but quite often, each of them can be unpleasant at times. And, that is the issue. This is the heart of God here. God knows that these things are difficult, and that they are uncomfortable. But, that leads us to the next part of each of these.

The third part of each of these phrases is the word “for”, or “because”. The Most Happy is a result of what is about to come. Therefore, the man who is in any of these conditions is “Most Happy” for a specific reason. Most Happy are the poor in Spirit, because of something. This means, it is not something worked up, an effort on our part, or any other thing. It is merely the result of believing that it is true. As one popular preacher said, faith comes as soon as the light does.

The last part of these is the consequence, and these are always good. It is because (part three) of these things that “Most Happy” comes. In fact, if you want to experience faith, simply meditate on the consequence, the promise, this fourth part. Theirs is the Kingdom. Meditate on that. The kingdom can belong to me. The moment faith comes, happiness does. The moment that happiness disappears, so did faith, and you have now identified our hurdle, “unbelief”. Simply return to the promise, and stay there, and it will come.

An Eight Pearl Necklace

So, imagine if you had the secret to how to get God to both be fully pleased with your life as well as to get God to show up on your behalf whenever you needed Him. We all know He’s there, but why does He come in some situations and seems silent on others? These are the mysteries of the Kingdom, and these eight beatitudes are exactly that. Look, and see!

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

You can be normally happy all day long, but when you run out of yourself, you can be exuberantly, and extra joy-ful! Because all of God’s government, provision, miracles, angelic, visitations, revelation, instruction, guidance, breakthrough, signs, and wonders belong to you right then. Now, don’t mis-understand. It isn’t in how showy or impressive it is to your flesh, it is what is needed at the time. But, the breakthrough is always greater than the need, just like with five loaves and two fish, they fed the whole crowd, and then had twelve baskets left over.

Paul put this beatitude this way.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

According to Paul, it was in the place that he was the weakest where God’s power rested upon Himself. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Paul learned this. Today, it’s preached in many different way. When you’re at the end of your rope, hold on, because God’s coming! Ridiculous warfare means a ridiculous breakthrough. You can’t have a great miracle without a great need. You can’t raise the dead unless someone dies!

What was Paul doing? He was preaching the beatitudes. Paul did a pretty good job of quoting Jesus. Most gladly will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. This is simply Matthew 5:3, from a man who lived it by experience.

The plain fact is, when we realize that He’s there, we can walk through the fire, and not be harmed, but only at the point of complete dependence upon Him. Why does God show up for some people in certain situations? Because they need Him to! They didn’t seek poverty of Spirit, or put God to the test, but as they were serving, things came up. And, that is when God came through. And, Paul learned to recognize this and take pleasure and glory in it.

But, we might ask? Is all that suffering worth it? All the hardship, for what? For the glory. For the Kingdom. For the resting of His presence.

All of these beatitudes are about His Kingdom, but it is specifically this first and the eighth that specifically promise the present tense ownership of the Kingdom. If you want the manifest power of God, there are only two ways here how to get it. And, if you don’t like poverty of Spirit, just wait until we get to v10.

Mourning

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

These other beatitudes are all the promise of something that will come, but not presently. This doesn’t change the effect, however.

Many have tried to qualify this beatitude, to diminish which types of mourning are affected. Mourning for sin, mourning for this or that. I see no reason to, Biblically. In fact, it only lessens it. The simple fact is, we have to experience mourning. Grief, Jesus bore at the cross, and we can simply by faith hand it over to Him. But, mourning takes something from us.

What if we didn’t have to lose any speed in our mourning process? Why would that be? Just think about it. You will be comforted.

Consider the greatest fulfillment of this of all. Jesus, before the cross, said that His disciples would mourn. Why would they mourn? Because He was being taken away from them. Through death, through ascending to the Father. But, what was the result of Him going away? God had to comfort their suffering eventually, and He had to do it in a way that was greater than their loss. So, He sent the Comforter!

Really, for the person in faith, it does not matter what the loss that is causing the mourning. Do you know that if you meditate on the fact that you will be comforted, right there in the midst of it, it will break the grief right off of you. Yes, you will still mourn, but the comfort coming will be greater than it. It takes the sting right out of it. The pain of death is taken away. Just stay there in that spot. Let yourself mourn. It’s important. And, take up the charge of Scripture. Mourn with those who mourn, knowing that there too, you will likewise receive comfort.

Meekness

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

Meekness is not asserting your own will and forcing your own way. It is not pushing to the front for recognition and to be in the limelight. Meekness is willing to be patient and not attempt to get its own thing.

So, the obvious question comes in, because it must, What about mine? Most Happy am I when I am meek, because I will receive the things of the Earth.

Consider Hannah. She was without child, and could only mouth a silent prayer to God in the temple. Eli, the priest, actually thought she was drunk, but she was in bitter distress. Yet, she did not force her way with her husband. She did not rule over the other wife of her husband who was having children. She was meek, gentle, and pure. And, through her, because she remained meek, God brought through her one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, Samuel, of whom it was said that not a word of his mouth fell to the ground.

Meekness is its own reward in the Kingdom. God likes meekness, and He will see to it that you do, indeed, receive what is yours, if you’re willing to do it His way and wait. And, like the comfort, the reward is that much better because you did. You lack the bitter envy and jealousy, the contention, and, most of all, you lack the pit in your stomach of knowing how many people you had to step on along the way.

Meekness answers itself, because you will inherit the things of the Earth. Whether it is in ministry, or children, or any other realm, if you want to receive the things of this life with a pure heart, then practice meekness. And, when things aren’t looking like they’re going your way, again, meditate on the reward. I shall inherit the Earth.

Sadly, this is applied by some to some future millennium period. This may also be the case, but they do miss the point. I consider a certain well-known faith preacher. In listening to his testimonies, he spoke several times of how he wouldn’t even let a member of a neighboring church join his own congregation, because he knew that the other church needed their tithe. He purposefully took a back-seat in the eyes of man, because he endeavored to only follow the way of love, and resulted in one of the largest faith-legacies of recent history, as a teacher, prophet, and evangelist. He literally inherited the Earth. Not just in some future day, but in this age, and in the age to come, one hundred fold, and, of course, with them, persecutions (Mark 10:30).

Hunger

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

One of the distressing things about desiring after God and wanting to see a change in the world for His Kingdom and His glory is wondering if it will ever come. Don’t wonder anymore, it’s just doubt. Jesus said, they will be filled.

Suppose someone got hungry enough for the whole world, or even the universe, to see an outbreaking of His glory and His majesty. To have that hunger would be one of the most unpleasant things imaginable. The loss of focus on other things, the constant agony over the wait and lack of apparent fruitful result, the hope deferred that maketh one sick.

Remember the promise. Jesus paid the price for the whole world simply by being obedient to be sent to the nation of Israel. He wasn’t a world-wide evangelist, only a “local” one, if you will. But, His hunger was satisfied.

The word actually means “gorged”, filled to the full. Let your hunger foment. Don’t stop it. Don’t let people talk you out of it. It will make you miserable. It will ruin your life. It will take you over and make you do wild things.

And. You. Shall. Be. Filled.

Mercy

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

As I see it, even Jesus needed mercy. The night before, in the garden, Jesus let His disciples sleep because their bodies simply couldn’t handle the strain. And, the next day, carrying His cross, His couldn’t either. It is speculation, but I would imagine there might have been a few people who either died on the way to be crucified, or who were simply flogged to death right there on the spot. But, as Jesus showed mercy, He was shown it in return.

When we think about the cost of mercy (there’s always a cost, isn’t there), we remember the words of James.

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

James 2:13

Purity

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

Purity is something we should pursue, but it isn’t always pleasant. We have to do without a whole lot of things, and rightly so, because they are vile (Psalm 101:1-4 says a lot about this). But, we shall have the best. Everyone else might have their sailboats, their houses, their careers, but I’ll take what Isaiah had.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Isaiah 6:1-3

I like to think that Jesus accomplished each of these in His passion. Yet in this one, at first, it might have seemed the opposite, crying, “My God, My God! Why have thou forsaken me!” But, a few days later, in fulfillment of Daniel 7:13, Jesus was the one like the Son of Man who approached the Ancient of Days. In his purity, so pure He coudln’t let Mary touch him in the garden until he had ascended, He saw God in His human flesh. God Almighty, literal, fully, without limit. He saw God.

Peacemakers

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9

Many have speculated about what a peacemaker is, but sometimes it is best demonstrated by its fruits.

When Jesus died, He fulfilled this beatitude as well. On his dying, the guard at His feet said exactly this, surely this man was the Son of God, when he saw how He died (Mark 15:39).

I don’t think attempting to limit these is what God has in mind. He is willing to apply these to any people who is willing to believe on Him. But, when people want honor, and recognition, and to be spoken well of, let it always be in the role of a peacemaker, and let them call us children of God.

Persecuted

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10

Persecuted for righteousness sake, I like to say, not for stupid.

This beatitude is pure enough proof that these are not all things to be sought after. We do not pursue persecution, but, generally, we don’t have to stick our head up too far some days to find some. Just open your mouth, be a bold enough witness, and someone will surely find something you say offensive. Let them, it’s a part of the process.

But, look at this. As with them all, Most Happy is the one who is persecuted, because the breakthrough they need belongs to them right then. The miracles they want to see manifest. The revelatory gifting they are seeking.

People shun persecution, mostly because it hurts. But, it will never hurt more than the Kingdom feels good.

We have a choice to make, here. We can either live at our current level, and be happy in it. Or, we can recognize that God is calling, and that He will never be out-done. Persecutions will come, and we can simply do what He leads, but when it does come, we need never back down from it. We can accelerate into our trials, instead of shying up to them. We can know that on the other side is greater anointing, greater grace, and greater breakthrough.

Of course, as I said, this isn’t persecuted for our own mistakes. We must, must, must, do it God’s way, stay humble, and keep our spirits from being provoked (Psalm 106:33, the Israelites provoked Moses’ spirit, so he spoke inadvisably with his lips). But, if we do, we can confidently stand, even in the bitterest of onslaught, because Greater is He that is in me that He that is in the world.

Just know it. Keep the promise in focus, and believe.

Persecution II

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 10:11-12

And, having done all to stand, stand fast therefore. And, remember, we are not living for this life anyway. You will never be out done, ever out give, or ever out surrender to God. God will not be mocked, for good or for ill, and you will reap what you sow.

So, having done everything else, rejoice! Jump around and be exceedingly happy, just like Jesus was when he saw satan fall from heaven like lightning at the preaching of his men.

Remember, the secret to the maximum joy is God and His Kingdom.

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Psalm 45:7

The Parables of the Kingdom

So, if the Beatitudes are really so good, what of His Parables?

Consider a few thoughts on these, and what they say.

The Four Soils (Matthew 13:3-9)

The image is of progressive depth of receiving the Word.
The goal is productivity, a harvest of righteousness
The harvest of preaching the message of the Kingdom, preaching Christ, does not depend so much on the Word as it does upon the Soil. Good preaching is noble, but it is bringing people to Christ that matters.
The path represents people trodden down, with lives so compacted they cannot receive
The stony ground represents people with hurts, pains, and other things within their hearts that is not pliable soil to produce grain.
The thorns represent people with good enough soil to grow, but all the life is used up by other things.
Only the good soil produces a harvest, but it is still the soil that determines the yield, not the seed.
Preach the Word, let Jesus be their King.

The Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30)

There is both the real and genuine side-by-side.
It is not always the most productive thing to separate them. Heresy should still be confronted, of course.
There is not actually any “mixture” here. The wheat is 100% wheat, and the weeds are 100% weeds. However, not everything done in the name of the “church” is actually the Church. Some of it is simply weed-seed.
God will sort them out at the end.

The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32)

Like in Luke, it is the smallest of teachings, the Holy Spirit. Living by the Spirit, living by the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God. Living by the Kingdom. It is truth, it is honesty, it is transparency, and it is simplicity of heart and of love.
It does not push to make its own way, but it simply grows in an honest heart, free from bitterness, unforgiveness, and ungodly anger and strife.
This Spirit within grows greater than all others, including Nebuchadnezzar’s “tree” of Daniel 3.

The Leaven (Matthew 13:33)

Sin is an active, invisible agent working from within to change the whole.
The picture is properly the work of the Holy Spirit within a believer, a body, or the church of a city.
As leaven was a type for sin in the Old Covenant, it represented the invisible, active demonic realm. Sin, when left unchecked, would infect an entire community, even like mold would. Certain sins required death or excommunication, simply because of the demonic spirits associated with these crimes.
While we are to keep out the yeast of malice and wickedness, Jesus said the Holy Spirit was also a leaven, a spirit, that would come inside and change us from one thing to another thing.
Leaven is, indeed, forbidden in most of the sacrifices of the Old Testament, as it was used as a picture for the demonic component of sin within a body. However, it was required in two sacrifices: Pentecost and the Fellowship offering. This represents the “new leaven” of the Kingdom, the Holy Spirit who came and lives in our churches.
There is no mixed metaphor here. Just as Jesus said they must eat His flesh and drink His blood, the offense to the Jewish mindset was intentional.
At no place is the Kingdom ever construed of as evil. Rather, when we see evil called the Kingdom, it is merely a matter of teaching from the Wheat and the Tares instead. That which is evil is not the Kingdom, even though it lives right beside the real. The question is, can you tell the difference?

The Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44)

The message of the parable is not about the cost, but of the worth.
This compares to the Beatitudes, in that the consequence is always greater than the condition.
The idea is that the man could easily buy back 100 times what he had previous owned, if he would want to. This is not “sacrifice”, in the proper perspective, it is a good business deal.
The condition of the man losing everything is joy!
The man’s wisdom always seems like foolishness to everyone but him, because he alone knows about the treasure.
The man is willing to do absolutely anything, make a fool of himself, because he sees the value of the reward.
This is the picture of faith. The man sees the real worth of something in the spiritual dimension, and is willing to sacrifice whatever he needs to of his own life to obtain it.
Since the Kingdom works on the principle of a seed, and this is faith, we understand that everything in the Kingdom will work on this principle. As the whole of the Kingdom is contained within the germ of the Kingdom, the whole of the mustard seed is contained within that one kernel. But, when it grows, it produces the whole thing.
So, faith, when fully appreciated, grows and produces the entirety of the Kingdom. Everything you saw Jesus operate in came from this single principle of faith. From the miracles, deliverances, the prophecies, words of knowledge, communion with the Father. Everything. It was all contained within faith.
The principle is about revelation. Only the man with the vision can buy the field. Buying the field without seeing the treasure is just as worthless as not buying it in the first place, because, unless you know it’s there, you cannot benefit. Simply acting out the outward activities of those with faith will never produce heaven’s results.
True faith is spelled S-I-G-H-T, not R-I-S-K. The man saw something and faith knew what it was. The man believed, and, should he waver, he only needs to sneak another peek at the field to know it’s worth it. That man would be willing to sell his mother’s dinner-ware for $50 and his new plasma screen TV for $20 if it could net him that field.
There Gospel is good news. This man lost everything, but gained something better.
We must lose many things of the natural, our pride, our self-respect many times, our good standing before men, our wordly influence, all for the sake of obtaining the treasure. But, it’s worth it.
The only difference there is between the Christian and the fool is the treasure. The Christian has found life, in whatever form, be it salvation, prophecy, healing, deliverance, preaching, evangelism, teaching, pastoring, or simply following after God. He gladly loses all to pursue that. The religious fool sacrifices everything because it seems like a good idea. He’s dumb. He gets nothing. Don’t do that.
The Kingdom is always about vision. Be led by vision. Be drawn forward by vision. What you see, find, whether it be with your spirits eye, or the eye of your heart, once you know it’s true, pursue with all of your heart. You will never be sorry.

The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46)

Like the treasure, but he found what he was looking for. The man with the field found what he wasn’t looking for.
The key in both is that the man recognizes the worth of the Kingdom, and is willing to part with the things he presently has.
The Kingdom is of such supreme value. Some search endlessly for it. If you ever do find some piece of the Kingdom, take my advice. Don’t wait around and think you’ll get another chance. Be like the man who saw the Pearl. His whole life came down to that one moment. Will you grab a hold, or will you second guess, and think about what you have to lose? No, jump in with all you have, possess the Lord with all your soul!

The Dragnet (Matthew 13:47-50)

In the end, there’s good fish and bad fish.
Keep the good, throw out the bad. It’s what God will do.

Having Understood

Jesus concluded these parables, asking them if they understood. They agreed that they did. They understood, because they had faith, and saw how it operated. They understood, because they had been walking through with faith already, and now had been instructed on the operation of it.

A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40

Consider that! Perhaps what we have been missing all this time has been sitting right there in plain sight. Being fully trained in the ways of the Kingdom!

When you think about it, this is exactly what we need. We need God’s kind of faith. We don’t need to mush around the outer fringes, hoping that somehow, we might bump into a bit more of the Kingdom. No, if it doesn’t come by these principles, it is not the Kingdom. As the whole mustard tree is contained within the seed, so the whole of the growth of the Kingdom is contained within this little principle–Faith!

Then, having isolated this faith, you realize that this faith is the Word of the Kingdom. Speak faith, preach faith, live faith, breathe faith. Have nothing to do with anything that is not faith. Insist on faith. Search for faith. Pursue and acquire faith. Wrestle with God if you have to, but have faith!

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Luke 18:8b

Do not let anyone dissuade you from faith, or talk you out or away from it. Tell them, politely, that you see something they do not, and keep going after faith.

Insist on faith in your life, in your home, in your church, and in your friends. Let faith be the main motivator for what you do on Sunday, and every day. Let faith come alive, and simply do what’s in the book.

Find out what faith feels like (Luke 5:30). Find out what it smells like. Find out what it tastes like. Dream about faith. Meditate about faith. Let faith take you over and possess your soul.

Have faith in faith! God talked about it in His Word, and we believe in His Word, so we can have faith in that. Find out the passages of faith. Find out where the faith was when miracles happened. Find out which Beatitude moved God’s heart so that He delighted to show Mercy.

Probe the inner workings of the mind of God. Use your faith to fathom all mysteries (1 Corinthians 13:2, of course, have love too while you’re at it, but you can do both, cant you?).

Do you understand these things? Yes, but not as well as I’m gonna. Yes, but I’m gonna keep growing in it until I arrive. Who ever said you shouldn’t ever arrive? When will it ever be enough?

The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters.

Matthew 10:24-25a

It is enough to be like Him.

Old Treasures As Well As New (Matthew 13:52)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

What does it mean for a teacher of the law to be instructed in the ways of the Kingdom? It means for someone who knew the Old Testament thoroughly to come into the knowledge of Faith, as described above.

Paul was such a man, who knew well the things of the Law. And, when He learned Jesus, the results were books like Romans, Hebrews, and the like. He was able to bring from the storehouse of the Word of God the many deep and hidden mysteries and treasures that God had well hidden therein, and He brought them out, in the administration of the revelation he had been given, so that those old treasures, along with the new ones he was daily receiving from the Lord, were all brought out of his storehouse.

It stands to reason, then, that one could merely be instructed in the ways of faith, without the understanding of the Old Testament. This is all well and good, and life, but it is clear that it is in the better to have them both. So, Bible training we see to be important, but let us not miss the point here and only be trained in it. Let us learn faith, and the Kingdom, and seek it first and always.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Conclusion

When we are faced with conflicts about the nature of the Kingdom, it really all comes back down to Jesus. He said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

We are not so much interested in scholarly debate as simply being right. And, if it takes the wisdom of a child to enter the Kingdom, oh God, please, let us be first.

These are the simple sayings of Jesus, and He was the authority. As a friend once put it, concerning the interpretation some have of the leaven of Matthew 13:33 being somehow evil, he said, “It takes seminary to learn some things like that.”

Unfortunately, he’s right. Too many people go and become great teachers of the law of the New Testament, but find very little Kingdom.

The Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The man who sold everything did so in joy, and so is every sacrifice in the Kingdom. Stop listening to your flesh, and believe the Spirit, and you’ll do fine.

But, in the midst of all our theological debate, all our scholarly efforts, all our learning, and so forth, if we’ve missed the heart of this message, Paul said we are a clanging gone and a tinkling cymbal. Utterly worthless, devoid of love.

When we look back to Mark 1:15, “the Kingdom is here”, and we look forward through the teachings of Jesus, there is only one conclusion: The Kingdom is Here.

And, what is this Kingdom like, and to what shall I compare it to?

I don’t care what your Israelology is, what your dispensationalism thinks, or how your interpretation of the Millennium will be spelled out, if you have missed Jesus at His Words, you have missed the Kingdom, period.

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Acts 1:6

This cry of the apostles can be ours, yet today. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may all who love her prosper (Psalm 122:6). But, their question was when this Kingdom, this Matthew 13 kind of faith, the same faith that moves mountains in Mark 11:23-24 and Lazarus from the grave in John 11:43, would be given to National Israel.

This hasn’t happened, but we think it’s about to.

Let us pray that all of Israel would turn to, and be awakened to the love of the Bridegroom.

Let us pray, also, that we would be more and more as well.

Amen.