#The Riches He Has Placed in His Saints" Pt. 2

[gracedman]

January 17 ~ "The Riches He Has Placed in His Saints" Pt. 2

As I was thinking about how to approach this subject and continue where I left off yesterday, my heart was quickened by a story I had heard about a conquest of a European castle in the days of knights and besieging cities. It seems that there was a castle that was renown for it amazing treasure and wealth as well as its fortifications. It had repeatedly outlasted all attempts to conquer and seize it. Finally one particular army refused to give up and surrounded the fortress and pressed to force the fortress to submit. The castle ran out of food and other resources, but not the will to fight. They refused to surrender. One the day before the conquerors felt confident of their victory, they made a startling offer. In the morning before the final battle, they would allow all the women to leave the castle. A certain drawbridge was to be lowered and all the women would be permitted to leave. Each woman would be permitted to take anything they could carry in their hands or on their backs and nothing more. The woman could carry away with them anything they could bring to the end of the long drawbridge.

 At the campfires of the expectant victors there was joy and merriment that night. Tomorrow they would be able to finally take this stubbornly resistant castle and plunder its treasures. There was also a great deal of speculation as to what the woman might bring out with them. Some thought they would carry gold or silver. Others thought no, certainly the woman would bring dresses and personal items. This talk went on through the night and wagers were made and bets were placed. All around the speculation about what these women might carry with them as they fled from the trouble of the day. The night passed. The time specified for the drawbridge lowering came and down it went and the women came out. The queen came first and all the ladies following them. Everyone at the end of the drawbridge peered ahead to see what the women were carrying. And to a tee, each lady was carrying something on their backs. At first, it was not apparent what exactly it was they were struggling to bring with them. But as they reached the end of the bridge, it became very clear. Each woman had carried her own husband out and nothing else. The conquering army was so stunned by the nobility of the action that they laid down their arms and allowed the couples to return to their castle unmolested. Each woman had chosen that above everything else in their castle, the thing they could not leave behind was the man they loved.

 When the bible says that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, it is also saying that God wouldn't destroy this fallen planet without taking from it as many of the people in it as he can. He desires to bring us all into his fold or under his care. He freely gave his most precious treasure, his only son, so that he could save as many as would believe on his son's redemptive work. And his son is this most precious treasure that was given for us that now God, the Father, places and brings to maturity in us. The Lord Jesus Christ himself. Paul said this again and again in his epistles:

  Colossians 1:24–29 (ESV)

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.    

 What makes other believers valuable and worthy of our time and highest esteem?  They have within them, an inheritance and a treasure of extreme value; Christ himself is in them. His spirit within us as believers brings us into the spiritual riches, wealth and great value that God places on us. All of heaven worships Christ at his throne; Satan and his demon armies tremble at the mention of his name; And he lives inside of each and every believer. Each and every believer shares in who Christ is and in what he has done. Every believer in Christ shares in the honor and glory bestowed upon him in his ascension and exaltation. When he was crucified, we were partakers of his crucifixion. When he was buried, we were too. When he was resurrected, we share in it. When he ascended, and was seated at the right hand of the Father, we were as well. When he was glorified, it guaranteed that we would be too. Many may not come to maturity in Christ here on the earth, but one day we will see this happen in our lives:

  Jude 24–25 (ESV)

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

 How and why does this happen? That we should be presented unblemished and faultless before the Father by an enthusiastic and joyful Christ? It is because of the riches of his son that have been placed into our lives at salvation and developed in us by faith responses to grace opportunities. No wonder Paul said this of us:

  1 Corinthians 1:30 (ESV)

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

 All of our spiritual chromosomes which mark us as being in Christ are given to us from his very nature. With a past completed action, Christ has blessed us with them all. They are a part of the blessing which has been given to each and every believer in Christ at the precise moment of our Salvation:

  Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

 Lord Jesus, we thank you for the indescribable blessing of having Christ dwell and being formed in us. Who are we that we should become the objects of such a superb intention and value? Yet you have made it so and are developing this capacity within each of us. Give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation knowledge to honor that work in our lives and in the lives of other believers as well. Amen!!!  

[pastorcowboy]

Matthew series: week 30

Matthew series: Two sides of the Cross Pt.2

                        Matthew 27:45-66 (and he breathed his last)

I must resist looking at the other gospels. We should try and focus on what Matthew is trying to say. Yet, the story of Jesus death is seen clearer with all four gospels combined. Regardless, I will try hard to stick to Matthew. We have to think like a first century Jew. Almost everything in Jesus death scene is Jewish in nature. A Jewish child would have known certain verses in the Bible. Matthew goes there to perk their attention.

First, we have 3 o’clock in the day. Some say Jesus died around six pm. Yet, the scriptures point to 3 pm. I have read that the sacrifice was usually offered in the afternoon. It’s by no mistake that Jesus died later in the day. Second, we have Elijah. Everyone and their dog thought Elijah would return with the Messiah. These days we are looking for the two witnesses talked about in Revelation. I believe that Jesus told them that the hour, day, or time is only known by God. We put as much stock in tradition as the Jewish community did in the 1st century.

Jesus did say that Elijah would return. He also hinted that John was Elijah. Those interpretations get a little muddled. Today, scholars are divided bigtime on when, where, and how Jesus will return. Basically, Christians are split into three camps. There is pre-tribulation meaning Jesus will come before God judges the earth, mid tribulation is during the end. While post tribulation is after those Revelation events. Either way, Matthews readers were looking for the Messiah along those lines too.

Matthew 27:45 “From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.”

Numbers 28:4 “Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight.”

Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.”

Remember that I said at the end of the last lesson that Matthew ends chapter 27 in silence. Why do I say that? Basically, the tomb has a stone rolled over it like the closing of a door. I can imagine the light filtering in on the linen covered body of Jesus. I have been in that area and there are tombs everywhere. I do mean everywhere. They we different sizes. Most of them had alcoves that just fit a body snug. Meaning that tombs were not that big. So, the rolling of the stone would cut off light and sound from the outside world. Jesus lay in darkness and silence.

Back to Matthew. Why is he showing us all this scenery? Isn’t it all about Jesus? It comes back to the 1st century readers. They are Jewish. They know their Bible. Matthew has spent 27 chapters preparing them for the return of the Christ. A case for Jesus, that he is that long-awaited Messiah.

That said, we have this rock over the tomb. Some at the cross talked about Elijah coming back. A few people mocked Jesus to save himself. Then we have the chief priests asking Pilate to seal the tomb. Why all this talk? Because they believed it. There was the off chance they were wrong. Wrong about God? I think wrong about Jesus. I don’t think it ever occurred to them that they were killing the messiah of God. They thought Jesus was the false messiah of the evil one. Everything in the verses below was woven into the fabric of Jewish belief. A belief that their bones would rise to be taken back to be with God. Resurrection was not out of their vocabulary.

Matthew 27:63 ““Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’”

Matthew 22:32 “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

Exodus 3:15 “God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' "This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

Genesis 50:25 “And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."

See what is missing. The women were at the cross. They were at the tomb with Jesus body. Eventually they return to find Jesus missing at the gravesite. Mary, mother of Jesus was there at the cross. I just realized that the mother of two disciples John and James was there. Mary mangelin was there. Pilate has to deal with Jesus a third time. Twice with Pilate in the Luke account. This mysterious man Joseph of Arimathea is mentioned. Simon of Cyrene. Some dead Saints rose from the dead. Seems nobody is concerned about that. Yet, all within this we have no mention of the disciples. Keep this as a sticky note on your brain. Matthew will deal with the disciples and Jesus in the next chapter. Here in chapter 27 we are to focus on witnesses of death and burial.

Matthew 27:55 “Many women were there, watching from a distance.”

Jerimiah 29:23 “because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness," declares the LORD.'”

Read Matthew 27 again. Look up these verses. You might recognize some of the themes. Jerimiah 29, Revelation 11.

1.       Let’s take a quick look at the Temple. In Matthew 24, Jesus is talking with his disciples about the temple being torn down. Later Jesus is accused of saying those words. Obviously, someone heard Jesus talking to his disciples, or someone reported it to them. It’s fascinating that a man asked me once if I believed that the church is a building. He was a church planting leader. He believed that the church is people and not a building. Yet, he builds churches. Here is a key to this temple talk. I was rejected by that man because of how I wanted to build a church community. Jesus was rejected because of how he wanted to build the church. Jesus said, first, I must break it down.

The people under the cross were yelling at Jesus for saying the temple will be destroyed. They did not realize that Jesus was talking about himself. However, Jesus was also talking about an event that would take place 37 years later. Think about it. Jesus mentioned that he must die and rise again. That Jonah is the only story he related. The example of the fig tree too. Israel must be crushed to make a better Israel. Then temple must die to make a better temple (church).

I have mentioned the curtain. That dividing line between God and common people in the temple was ominous. Jesus to many, is either God or a person. He either died or rose from the grave. Two sides of a curtain. One side lets you in and the other keeps you out of the presence of God. A seed dies and then it grows. Pain comes and a movement starts. The temple was destroyed several times in history if you include the original Tent of Meeting. Jesus death and the temples destruction in 70 A.D. are by no mistake.

Matthew 27:51 “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split”

Matthew 24:2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.””

2 Kings 25:9 “And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great man's house, burnt he with fire.”

2.       There were so many people in and around the cross. This was the time of the Passover. Thousands of people came to Jerusalem. After the festival people went home. In the meantime, the crowds did not leave all at once. The religious rulers tried to slide Jesus death under the radar. They wanted to have him crucified after the Passover festival. Partly because it was a religious time (don’t offend God). Secondly, the people loved Jesus. It might have gone the wrong way. So, they waited.

That means Simon of Cyrene was there. He was one of the masses still in Jerusalem. Clearly, some people had heard what Jesus had said about the temple. They had heard him claiming to be the Christ. How often did Jesus ask people to be quiet about that? The triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey meant something. I bet the clearing of the temple meant something too. The crowds, religious rulers, and women friends of Jesus waited at the foot of the cross. Waiting for the messiah to rise up. Instead Jesus died right before their eyes.

I want to mention Joseph of Arimathea briefly. Much has been written on him. yet, much is speculation. The Bible does have a few double incidents. One is a prostitute crying at the feet of Jesus. Another is Mary washing Jesus feet with her tears. The same scene? Earlier we have a rich young ruler talking to Jesus in private. In chapter 27 we have a prominent rich man named   Joseph who wants to honor Jesus body. Same man? I don’t like speculation because it leads down false claims. Yet, Matthew repeats things for a reason far too many times to just ignore the comparisons.

Matthew 27:37 “Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”

Judges 8:16 “He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them.”

3.       Have you ever tried to get out of a lie? Sometimes you can and sometimes you cannot. How about getting out of a dinner or homework. Avoiding things seems to be hard work. So, here we have Pilate the governor. He hears about Jesus. His wife hears about Jesus. I bet everyone wanted a piece of the miracle man. The teacher and prophet. I suspect Pilate wanted to avoid Jesus. Jesus meant trouble between Rome and the community.

In those days. A governor was replaced often. A small rebellion would look badly on the man assigned to keep the peace. It’s the middle of the night. A crowd of religious rulers come with a bound troublemaker named Jesus. I’m betting they woke up Pilate. Then he realizes who it is. I bet he became stressed in an instant. Pilate wanted nothing to do with this mess. He tries to let Jesus go but the crowds wanted none of it. His wife pleaded with him to let Jesus Go. Pilate tried to offer another option to the crowds. Yet, they refused, wanting Jesus to be crucified publicly. Won’t this just go away?

So, Pilate washes his hands of the matter. It’s all over and forgotten. Then comes another knock on the door at night. Can’t a man get any sleep? It’s Joseph of Arimathea. I could hear him saying to his wife “what does he want?” Then Joseph asks for the body of Jesus. Right, of course. Pilate just wanted this to end and grants the request. Then there is another knock at the door a few days later. It’s the religious rulers. They want an armed guard at the grave of Jesus. Poor Pilate. Washing his hands of a problem did not work.

Matthew 27:62 “The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.”

Isaiah 66:4 “So I will choose their punishments and will bring on them what they dread Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen and they did evil in My sight And chose that in which I did not delight."”

4.       Let’s talk about three days. So much has been written to unravel the three days. Why was Jesus buried for three days? Is there any significance to it? Basically, it goes like this. A Jewish person traditionally was buried soon after they died. Jesus is special because people generally did not die the first day on a cross. Joseph of Arimathea did it quickly. The women perfumed Jesus quickly. Jesus life was silenced quickly and quietly by the religious rulers.

There was nothing special about Jesus death. Crosses were common. A quick burial was common. His placement in a cave is extremely common. Yet, I feel three things are going on with this common death. One, is that Jesus died. There is nothing to dispute he did not die. People have said he did not die, but the Bible says he did. Secondly, Prophesy is fulfilled. The religious rulers knew their Bible. They were scared of Jesus. What if this man was God? They knew Hosea 6. They knew that resurrection was possible. They were in the promised land. So, they wanted a guard posted. Matthew points out that the Pharisees were there and not the Sadducees. Why? Because the Pharisees believed in the resurrection. Someone did not want Jesus to rise from the dead.

Finally, we have Jesus predictions. They had all heard them. The temple being torn down. The sign of Jonah. The Son of man must die and be raised to life. One side of the cross is killing the God man. The other side of the cross was preparing him to rise from the dead. A Jewish burial was preparing them to rise one day by preserving the body. A guard and stone were there to keep the body in. So, they thought…

Matthew 27:64 “So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

Hosea 6:2 “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.”

1 Corinthians 15:4 “That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

What it means?

There are two sides to the cross. Matthew has spent 27 chapters showing us two sides. The one side is the witness. We witness Jesus ministry. We hear his words. We listen to his teachings and parables. Some saw his miracles and actions. I bet the disciples saw many things. I know his mother did too. People saw him die. Then we have the other side. Many people tried to make sure the body was gone. Some buried it. Others wanted him to stay buried. This whole time there is Jesus heading to and from a cross. Seemingly between life and death.

               What it means is that people tried to contain the uncontainable. They wanted Jesus to be silent. They wanted him to make no claims. He was arrested. beaten, and crucified to make him silent. All that time they wanted him to admit what he claimed. Then on the other side they wanted the body to remain dead. People wanted the silence to remain. From the religious rulers to Pilate, they wanted it to be over. Things needed to be normal in a volatile Roman rule.

               There is a saying that the Spirit will stand. How does a spirit stand? Do we pray on our knees or standing up? Is God in heaven or in everything? How do you contain a divine being? Rosa Parks set off a movement by being arrested. Joseph Mandela set off a movement by being arrested. Jesus set off a movement by being arrested. Can you see a movement? Containing the Spirit of God is ridicules.

Matthew 27:50 “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.”

John 12:24 “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

[beboldinthetruth-blog]

What is the Gospel? Pt 2

In Part 1 we saw that Jesus was commissioned by the Father to announce a gospel of salvation, which encompassed the kingdom of God, along with ‘the things concerning himself’ (revealing the Father, providing reconciliation etc).

In this study we will focus on the gospel of the kingdom of God and in a future study concentrate on ‘the things concerning Jesus Christ’.

In order to properly understand the gospel message that Jesus was preaching we need to have some appreciation of the importance and context of certain events in the Hebrew scriptures, which are constantly used as reference points. The people of Jesus’ day knew the import of these and needed no explanation, however in this day and age we need this background context explaining.

As an example, why is Abraham referenced 73 times in the New Testament scriptures by most of the writers, and how is that relevant to us today? For instance Jesus himself said ‘Abraham looked forward to his day’ (John 8:56), Paul said ‘Abraham is father of us all’ (Romans 4:16-17), ‘the gospel was preached to Abraham’ (Galatians 3:8) and also ‘God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you’ (Galatians 3:29).

Did Paul describe the whole ministry of Jesus as a confirmation of “the promises made to the patriarchs” ?

Romans 15:8 ESV For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

So first of all we will get a little background before looking at the gospel message itself.

Did Yahweh start working with Abraham (Abram, before his name change) by instructing him to leave his native land and to go where He would lead him, and He would bless him and make him to be a blessing to the whole population of the earth?

Genesis 12:1-4 WEB Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great. You will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. In you will all of the families of the earth be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran

Did Yahweh promise by covenant to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants?

Genesis 13: 14-15 WEB Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever.

Genesis 15:18 WEB In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:

Genesis 17:7-8 WEB I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you.8 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”

Psalms 105:7-15 WEB He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth. 8 He has remembered his covenant forever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations, 9 The covenant which he made with Abraham, His oath to Isaac, 10 And confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute; To Israel for an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance;” 12 When they were but a few men in number, Yes, very few, and sojourners in it. 13 They went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. 14 He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes, 15 “Don’t touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.”

Did God reiterate His ongoing covenant promise of the land to Abraham’s descendants long after his death – some six times in Psalms 37

Psalms 37:9 WEB For evildoers shall be cut off, But those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land.

Psalms 37:11 WEB But the humble shall inherit the land, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

(Remember Christ’s sermon on the mount “the meek will inherit the land (or earth)” Matthew 5:5)

Psalms 37:18 WEB Yahweh knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

Psalms 37:22 WEB For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

Psalms 37:29 WEB The righteous shall inherit the land, And live in it forever.

Psalms 37:34 WEB Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, And he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

In our previous study ‘What kind of Messiah did the people expect?’ we looked into various Messianic scriptures which promised a descendant of Abraham, through Isaac, Jacob and David would come as the Messiah, son of Yahweh God, king to rule over the land – even all the nations, the whole earth – ruling on the throne of David, over the kingdom of God on earth. (Please take time to review that study again in ‘Category – Jesus’ and ‘Archive – May 2017’).

When Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, the people were familiar with the covenant promises of ‘the land’, the Messiah on the throne of David, and a restoration of the kingdom.However, there were a few things that had to be explained and clarified to fully understand the good news message he was bringing from God. It would be realised properly at his second coming.

Did Paul clarify that the covenant promises made to Abraham were also made to Christ as his offspring/descendent? Christ is the heir!

Galatians 3:16 WEB Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn’t say, “To seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “To your seed,” which is Christ.

The good news for us is in verse 29

Galatians 3:29 WEB If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.

If we are Christ’s we are Abraham’s offspring too – we are heirs too, we inherit according to the promise, with Christ. We inherit the kingdom, the land, the earth.

To recap, what did Jesus come preaching? Mark 1:14-15 NASB Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

What did Jesus say the meek would inherit?

Matthew 5:5 NRSV “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Did Paul confirm this in his letter to the Romans?

Romans 4:13 NRSV For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

Did Paul point out that the saints will judge (rule) the world?

1 Corinthians 6:2 NRSV Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

2 Timothy 2:12 NRSV if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;

Did Jesus say he was to rule the kingdom and his followers would rule with him?

Matthew 19:28 NRSV Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 22:28-30 NRSV “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; 29 and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

In the book of Revelation, where did John say we would reign? On earth?

Revelation 5:10 NRSV you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.”

Did James also confirm this good news that we can be heirs of the kingdom?

James 2:5 NRSV Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

Jesus preached many parables about inheriting the kingdom, for example:

Matthew 25:34 CJB “Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.

Matthew 21:38 CJB But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, `This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’

Jesus was telling the people (and us today) that at his return to earth (his second coming) he will usher in the kingdom of God, and be given rulership over the whole earth, administering Yahweh God’s government. And that his true followers, those who believe him, repent and accept God’s gracious offer, can be forgiven, reconciled to our Father God and share the rule of this earth in righteousness with Jesus Messiah, son of God.

This can be our inheritance along with Jesus, the first born of many brethren (Romans 8:29).

This worldwide Messianic rule is the fulfilment of the covenant promises made by Yahweh to Abraham – who will himself be a part of this Kingdom of God when he is resurrected at Christ’s return (I Thessalonians . 4:13-17, I Corinthians. 15:23, 50-52).

Paul says that Christ confirmed the promises given to the patriarchs:

Romans 15:8 NRSV For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

Does Daniel 7:27 paint a wonderful picture of this kingdom of God on earth?

Daniel 7:27 WEB The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole the sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Please review Psalms 2:2-9, Psalms 45:2-7, Psalms 72:9-14, Isaiah 9:6-7 & Isaiah 11:1-16 for further descriptions of the kingdom of God on earth under the rulership of Jesus Messiah.

And yet Jesus made an amazing statement in Mark chapter 4 just after he had told the parable of the sower – quoting Isaiah 6:9-10 – he said that many would not see, hear or understand, for if they did they would repent (turn to God) and He would forgive them:

Mark 4:10-12 NRSV When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12 in order that “they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’ “

In the parable of the sower in Mark 4:3-20, Jesus is explaining how important comprehending or not comprehending the ‘word’ (the gospel message) is, and how Satan hates it and will snatch it away if he possibly can:

Mark 4:15 NRSV These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.

We saw earlier that Jesus said it was necessary to repent and believe the message regarding the kingdom of God:

Mark 1:14-15 NRSV Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

So we must pay attention, listen and believe what Jesus taught, if we want to enter into the kingdom at his return.

Summary We have seen that Jesus came preaching the good news message from Yahweh God regarding the setting up of God’s government on earth, under his rulership as Messiah King, at his return. That we who believe and are saved can have a part in this kingdom of God, as co-inheritors with Messiah – this is Yahweh fulfilling His covenant promises to Abraham and the patriarchs from the Hebrew scriptures. This is marvellous news of a wonderful future in a perfect world, according to our Father’s perfect plan.

This isn’t the complete message though, there remains the all important aspects of how we are saved, reconciled to our Father God and made ready to inherit this kingdom – so great a salvation (Hebrews 2:3). These things we will study next time in Part 3.