Living In The Kingdom 22 Series

Living In The Kingdom 22

Scripture: Matthew 7:15-27; 24:4-5; Second Timothy 3:5

This is the final message of my series, “Living in the Kingdom.” As I shared with you at the very beginning of this series, Jesus gave this sermon to those who were choosing to align themselves with His kingdom. This decision came with great responsibility as the requirements for being a part of His kingdom stretched much farther than just saying the words and then acting like you were saved. Jesus opened His sermon by differentiating between someone living in His kingdom versus those living in the world. He talked about how our hearts must be changed in order for us to live in His kingdom and, once we belong to Him, we should be shining lights in a very dark world. He was the first to address how issues of life are generated from what lies within the heart and that’s why everything about our Christian walk comes down to what is now in our hearts. After addressing the heart, Jesus transitions to discussing how we should interact with one another. He talks about marriage, taking oaths, going the extra mile and loving our enemies. All of these things are to be done because our hearts are aligned with Him.

In chapter six He continues the message by focusing on how we interact with God. God is to be seen as a righteous Father versus a God waiting to pounce on those who mess up. Jesus says that the things we do for others should not be done for the praise of men, but for God. He taught us how to pray in secret and gave us examples of the words that would open a dialogue with the Father. He talks about our forgiving others because when we do so God will forgive us. He also talks about fasting and the way it should be done that would please God. Finally, He talks about our laying of treasures in heaven, not being able to serve two masters and not worrying because our heavenly Father will provide for our needs. While chapter five focuses on our being a part of the kingdom and what that looks like to others, chapter six focuses on our relationship with God and what that means.

When we enter chapter seven, the message becomes very serious. Up until this point the things that Jesus said sounded pretty beneficial for the one choosing to accept Him – blessings because of a heavenly Father Who provides for us. All we have to do is follow His instruction. For some hearers this possibly sounded like a basic act and results model - if you act a certain way the results will follow regardless of what was truly in your heart. However, in chapter seven Jesus explains that those who think this way will not make it into His kingdom. He opens with a command that we not judge others because with that measurement God will judge us. Then He tells us to seek God – to ask, seek and knock. This requires a desire to interact with God. Jesus begins to close His sermon by explaining that there are two gates, one that is very narrow, which few people will find, and one that is very wide – the one many will find. The narrow gate leads to heaven while the wide gate leads to the lake of fire. And with that Jesus closes His sermon with the words found in Matthew 7:15-27:

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17. So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20. So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven will enter. 22. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23. And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ 24. Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:15-27)