SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Straight talk about the Kingdom (vs 18-22)
• illustration #1: like a mustard seed (vs 19).
• illustration #2: like yeast (vs 21).
(2). Straight talk about salvation (vs 23-33).
• Entrance to the Kingdom is not automatic (vs 23-24).
• Entrance to the Kingdom is a struggle (vs 24)
• Entrance to the Kingdom is surprising (vs 25-30).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• The story is told of a little Jimmy who came home from school;
• And asked his parents ‘the’ question they all dread to hear;
• “Dad, where did I come from?”
• Dad in his wisdom replied; “Good question, go ask your mother!”
• So off he went to find his mother;
• When he found her he said: “Mum, where did I come from?”
• She replied; “Good question, go ask your father!”
• Jimmy replied; “I’ve asked him and he sent me to you!!
• Mum sits Jimmy down and starts to explain the story of the ‘birds and the bees’ etc;
• After she has explained the facts of life to little Jimmy.
• Jimmy’s eyes got wider and wider, his mouth falls further and further open.
• When she had finished she asked Jimmy; “Does that help?”
• He replied; “No really, my friend Mikey says he is from Portsmouth. Where did I come from?”
• TRANSITION: Sometimes you have to know what is behind the question being asked;
• In order to understand the question in the first place.
• And the same is true regarding the questions asked in our passage.
• But I want you to notice,
• That to each question, Jesus gives a straight answer.
Ill:
• Research has confirmed that politicians are smooth talkers.
• A study found they evade answering tough questions during debates,
• By addressing similar, though not identical, questions.
• TRANSITION: Well not Jesus,
• Notice in this passage, Jesus gives us straight answers.
(1). Straight talk about the kingdom (vs 18-22)
• A subject every first century Jew was interested in was the ‘Kingdom of God’.
• Don’t forget that the Jewish people were a people under Roman rule/oppression.
• And like any oppressed people they desperately wanted their freedom;
• They believed that the freedom they were eager to experience;
• Would ultimately come when the Messiah came.
• He would overthrow their enemies and set up his kingdom – i.e. ‘Kingdom of God’.
So the theme of this first section is the ‘Kingdom of God’:
• Jesus asks his listeners two questions:
• First: “What is the Kingdom of God like?”
• Second: “What shall I compare it to?”
Pause for a moment to understand that expression ‘Kingdom of God’:
• Christians believe that the ‘Kingdom of God’ is not a physical place on earth,
• You cannot find it on a map or go visit it for your holidays.
• The ‘Kingdom of God’ is a broad idea, in simple terms:
• The ‘Kingdom of God’ is the domain over which God reigns as King.
• So wherever God is ‘in charge’, that’s where his kingdom is.
In simplistic terms think of it in three ways past/present/future;
PAST:
• In the Old Testament the Kingdom of God was;
• God ruling in the midst of his people the Jews.
• ill: If you know the history of the Jewish people,
• At first the Jews people never had a physical king ruling over them,
• They had leaders and Judges but no king,
• God was the nations king and this made them unique among all the nations.
• But sadly they rejected him by asking for an earthly king,
• And they chose King Saul as their first king, so they could be like other nations.
• (1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 4-20).
• So in the past/the Old Testament, the Kingdom of God was;
• Whenever God was ruling in the midst of his people the Jews
PRESENT:
• I would suggest the Kingdom of God today,
• Is God ruling in the lives of true believers, that is Christians.
• ill: Jesus taught John chapter 18 verse 36: “His kingdom was not of this world”.
• So it is not a physical place such as the United Kingdom.
• ill: Jesus also taught Luke chapter 17 verse 21: “The kingdom of God is within you”.
• I would suggest he means within his followers.
• Those indwelt by his Spirit.
• When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ,
• He becomes not just their saviour but also their Lord, their King reining in their lives.
• He is not just Jesus or Jesus Christ, but the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Lord in the lives of his people,
• That is the Kingdom of God for you and me today.
FUTURE:
• Jesus also spoke of a future Kingdom e.g. Lord’s prayer – “Your kingdom come”.
• The Bible teaches of Christ returning and setting up;
• A literal future kingdom on planet earth for a time period of 1,000yrs.
• (Revelation chapter 20 verses 1-6.)
• Sometimes in the teaching of Jesus he is referring to this future event,
• When he will set up his earthly kingdom.
• TRANSITION: So that outline may help - past/present/future;
• For now let’s look at what Jesus says regarding ‘the kingdom’
In talking about the ‘Kingdom of God’ to his hearers:
• Jesus uses two illustrations (vs 18 & 20);
• Notice these illustrations that have nothing to do with great empires (i.e. earthly domains),
• Rather they are focussed in everyday objects.
Illustration #1: Like a mustard seed (vs 19).
18Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?
19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."
• “Small as a mustard seed” was a common expression.
• It was used to describe something minute, something miniscule.
Ill:
• A mustard seed was so small it can easily get lost in your hand.
• It would take 20,000 mustard seeds to weigh just one ounce.
• The seeds came from the mustard plant which had very bright, brilliant yellow flowers;
• And this plant can grow to be over 9 feet tall.
• It can grow big and strong enough;
• That a tiny bird could choose to build its nest in its branches.
Notice:
• Jesus does not give an interpretation to these parables;
• Maybe they were so obvious his hearers fully understood what he meant.
• Or maybe like a time bomb;
• They would have to wait for a later time when the truth would explode in their minds.
Application:
• Jesus did not give an explanation but preachers often will;
• In suggest he was telling his hearers that God’s kingdom,
• Begins as something insignificant.
• But like that seed, the Kingdom is alive;
• And although it starts small, it grows and it grows and it grows!
Ill:
• That’s true the church of Jesus Christ – his kingdom, where he reigns.
• Jesus started with only 12 men, and one of them was a fake.
• That’s a pretty small seed.
• Yet today there are over 2.18 billion Christians in the world.
• Who claim to follow Jesus Christ.
• It started as something small and insignificant;
• But today all around the world that seed has grown and continues to grow!
Illustration #2: Like yeast (vs 21).
20Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough."
• In his second illustration;
• Jesus moves out of the garden and into the kitchen.
Ill:
• In New Testament times it was the woman who made the bread,
• And because bread was cheap, it was a staple food,
• And she would have to make it everyday
• And to make bread she would use yeast to make it.
• Note: Now the yeast she would use;
• Was not like the dry yeast we tend to use today,
• Rather it was a very small lump of dough taken from the previous days bread dough.
• She would take that lump of dough and kneed it in to the new flour mixture;
• And eventually that yeast would permeate and influence the entire batch.
• Because like a mustard seed, yeast is also “alive.”
Quote: One yeast web site. says,
• “In yeast, there are thousands of living, plant-like micro-organisms.
• When activated by warm liquid, and fed by sugar or starch,
• The yeast releases tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.
• This gas is what makes the dough rise and achieve its light texture after baking.”
Yeast acts as a catalyst to change the nature of the bread dough.
• And it only takes a tiny bit of yeast to affect the entire lump of dough.
• And that is exactly the point Jesus is making.
• Unlike the kingdoms of the world;
• That grow by external force, by great military power.
• The Kingdom of God’s reign works internally.
• It penetrates our lives like yeast permeates dough.
Application:
• This parable is a reminder;
• That the kingdom of God is a living catalyst that starts to change our lives.
• In other words:
• You cannot have a true encounter with God and stay the same.
• Yeast will not allow the dough to remain the same;
• And Christ living his life in us will not allow us to remain the same!
Ill:
• I bumped into Matt Hill’s father last week,
• Matt was a member here at DRC for a number of years.
• And we obviously talked about matt and what he has been up to,
• His dad said; “Incredible how he has changed, a real transformation”
• And of course that is what Jesus Christ has done for him,
• He arrived here one Sunday morning homeless and split up from his wife,
• He was an alcoholic and had literally got just the clothes he stood up in.
• When he came to faith, the changes started to come,
• Over the next few years he found somewhere to live,
• He found employment (I’ll be honest I never thought he would get himself a job),
• He has even moved out of the area with his work,
• He is part of a local Church in Plymouth,
• And is also in a steady relationship with his girlfriend,
• And last week I had a form through the post;
• Asking if I would give him a reference to volunteer work at IvyBridge Youth For Christ.
• His grain of yeast was a simple prayer and a promise as he committed his life to Christ,
• And that yeast has grown and grown bringing change into his life.
• TRANSITION: Now for someone like Matt it is easier to see change in their lives,
• Than perhaps for most of us who our friends and family might describe us as:
• “Fairly respectable and good people”
• And although the outward change might not be so dramatic as Matt’s,
• There should still be signs of change and we should still have the desire to change.
• Tough Question: Are you still growing/changing?
• Answer: Only you know the answer!
Quote: The poet wrote:
“I think my soul is a tame old duck,
Dabbling around in barnyard muck.
Fat and lazy with useless wings,
But sometimes when the North wind sings,
And the wild ones hurtle overhead,
It remembers something lost and dead.
And cocks a wary, bewildered eye,
And makes a feeble attempt to fly.
It’s fairly content with the state it’s in,
BUT IT ISN’T THE DUCK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.”
• TRANSITION: Most of us are not the ducks we should be.
• That is, we’re not the Christians we should be!
• We need to battle that spirit of laziness and apathy and Christ continue to change us.
(2). Straight talk about salvation (vs 23-33).
• The next question in this section;
• Is asked not by Jesus, but by a person in the crowd.
• Verses 23:
• “Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"”
Notice:
• The reply of Jesus in verse 24:
• He does not directly answer the question that was asked.
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,
because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to”.
• The questioner had asked ‘how many will be saved?’
• But in his answer Jesus addresses ‘how to be saved.’
• The question asked was “How many?”
• The answer od Jesus is “How to”
• The questioner had asked a vague question about and unknown number;
• But Jesus addresses his answer to him personally i.e. verse 24 “I tell you…”
• Jesus turns a vague theological question; ‘how many will be saved?’
• And turns it into a personal challenge: ‘telling you….how to be saved.’
(a). Entrance to the Kingdom is not automatic (vs 23-24).
• Let’s look at the question asked:
• Verse 23: "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
ILL:
• The Pharisees (religious/political leaders) believed and taught that,
• Quote: "All Israel has a share in the age to come".
• In other words they believed that being born Jewish was enough to save you.
• The Pharisees made much of the fact;
• That they were the children of Abraham in the physical sense.
• And they taught that those who were of physical seed i.e. Descendants of Abraham,
• Had automatic rights into the kingdom of God.
• For a Gentile (Non-Jew) to know God:
• He had to be first converted to Judaism (i.e. go through a process of becoming a Jew)
• But for anyone born a Jew that was not a problem,
• Because, "All Israel has a share in the age to come".
Quote from Pharisaic writings:
"Abraham sits at the gates of Gehenna (Hell),
To snatch any Israelite consigned there to".
• In other words: If by mistake a Jew was assigned to hell:
• No worries Abraham waits there at the gates to snatch him away.
• Because, "All Israel has a share in the age to come".
The Person in verse 23 who asked the question:
• Obviously had picked up from Jesus that he did not teach this nor believe this;
• And so he asks for clarification.
• Jesus answers the question;
• But not with a ‘How many’ but rather a ‘How to’ enter the kingdom.
Ill:
• Asking the children in my Sunday School class,
• "If I sold my house and my car, and all my possessions;
• Then gave all my money to the church, would I get into Heaven?"
• All the children all answered; “No!”
• "How about if I cleaned the church every day,
• Kept it in perfect condition by keeping everything neat and tidy,
• Would I get into Heaven"? Again, the answer was "NO"!”
• “Well," Continued the teacher, "then how can I get to Heaven?"
• In the back of the room, a 5 yr. old boy shouted out, "You gotta be dead"!”
Jesus answer the man’s question directly about how many will go to heaven,
• By placing the focus not on others (‘how many’)
• But on the individual (vs 24: “Make every effort” vs 24: “I tell you”).
• Jesus’ response in the next few verses;
• Would make the questioner and all the people present think about their own destiny.
Verse 24
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'”
• Rather than taking heaven for granted,
• We should be “making every effort to enter in.” (Verse 24)
• Jesus implied that such an attitude was seriously wrong and dangerous;
• Because “many will try to enter (heaven) and will not be able to.”
Tough Question:
• Is there anyone here tonight with that same attitude.
• Thinking I was born in UK and so I will get into heaven.
• Or I have always been a good person, I will get into heaven.
• Or I………… (Problem is “I – I –I”)
• If that describes you, then listen and learn;
• There is no place for ‘I’ in a person being saved – it is all about Christ!
• What you are unable to do;
• Jesus Christ has perfectly done through his sinless life & death on the cross.
Quote: “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee”;
“Not the labours of my hands
can fulfil thy law's demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Saviour, or I die.”
(b). Entrance to the Kingdom is a struggle (vs 24).
• Verse 24: Jesus tells people to “make every effort to enter through the narrow door”
• Verse 24: Jesus tells people they should “strive through the narrow door”.
Ill:
• The word that is translated as “make every effort” (NIV) or “strive” (KJV)
• Is a word that was usually used to describe the mindset of:
• An athlete in a contest or to describe a soldier in a war.
• Both are committed to their cause!
• Jesus is saying that he requires that same kind of determination and commitment to him!
• He is the way and there is no other!
• So don’t let anyone side-track you!
Note:
• The word "narrow" is a Greek word that meant ‘restrictive’.
• Jesus taught that there are restrictions on who will go to heaven.
• Not everybody who wants to go to heaven will go;
• Entrance to heaven is restricted.
Ill:
• Jim has recently been out to Bologna (/b?'lo?nj?), Italy,
• To see his eldest daughter perform in concert.
• Now if we all had gone we would if we had a ticket be allowed in the concert venue.
• But Jim can go into the V.I.P. area and even backstage,
• We would have restricted access.
• Whereas Jim because of his relationship to his daughter would have unrestricted access.
• TRANSITION: Jesus said the Kingdom of God is a restricted area:
• Not everyone will be going there,
• Only those in a relationship with him.
• Only those who come on God’s terms and those terms are narrow (restrictive),
• Will be allowed in.
(c). Entrance to the Kingdom is surprising (vs 25-27).
25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
26"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'
27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'
Question: Why do we have doors?
Answer: A door exists to divide, to separate,
• To demarcate those who are in, those who are out,
• Those who are family, those who are foe,
• Those who are welcome, those who are unwelcome.
• Just as your home has a door, so the kingdom home of God has a door.
• And Jesus says that God dwells on one side and we on the other.
• Holiness on one side, unholiness on the other.
• Life on one side, death on the other.
• And that there is a door of division, separation, demarcation between us and God.
• It is a narrow door. It is a small door.
• Jesus says it is a door that few find and fewer still pass through by faith.
Verses 26&27 are very sobering verses:
• To paraphrase them;
• Just attending the right Church, singing the right songs;
• Believing the right creed and seeming to be part of the family – is not enough!
• Notice that twice Jesus warns his hearers (and also us):
• Verse 25: 'I don't know you or where you come from’.'
• And he repeats in verse 27, “I do not know you... away from me"
• Heaven will be full of surprises;
• People we assumed to be there may not be,
• And others we did not expect to see will be there!
• And the only difference between the two will be those who passed through the door,
• And those who did not!
Ill:
• In many TV adverts that sell certain products you will hear the announcer say,
• “Act now-this is a limited time offer.”
• That, in essence, is what Jesus is saying to people today.
• You need to make a decision in your response to Jesus quickly;
• Because when that door to the kingdom (heaven) will soon be shut;
• And it will not be reopened (ill: Noah & the Ark)
• There will be no more opportunities.
• You may knock and plead but it will be to no avail.
Notice: That future day will be as terrible as it sounds! (vs 28-30):
28"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.
29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
These particular verses were spoken especially to people.
• Who were confident that they would be in heaven;
• Because they were descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• Jesus says that those who reject him;
• Will not be in the kingdom of God no matter the family relationships,
• No matter what good deeds you did or even what you did in his name.
• Heaven is not a reward for a good life,
• Heaven is a destination for those who put there trust in Christ and Christ alone!
Notice: Another surprise (vs 29) - the same time many others from many nations
• i.e. the Gentiles who were not expected to be in heaven will be in heaven.
• This is people like us that is being referred to in verse 29 where Jesus says,
“People will come from the east and west, and north and south to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God."
In Conclusion:
• The message of Jesus is not politically correct;
• He spoke of a narrow door. And therefore Christianity is an exclusive religion.
• There is no salvation apart from Jesus.
• There is no forgiveness of sin apart from Jesus.
• There is no eternal life apart from Jesus.
• The path to salvation, the door of salvation, it is, in fact, narrow.
• In that regard, it is exclusive. There is no hope for sinners other than Jesus Christ.
But Christianity is also the most inclusive.
• All are welcome to pass through the narrow door.
• Young or old, rich or poor, black or white, the wise and the strugglers,
• All are welcome!
• TRANSITION:
• Now you folk have already made the application,
• You are one step ahead!
• Tonight you can enter through that narrow door, you can be IN Christ:
• Because Jesus said; “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved”
• (John chapter 10 verse 9)
• And if you have yet to enter through that door,
• If you have yet to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, then do so now.
• I often say it’s as easy as A.B.C.
• A = Admit – I am a sinner by nature and by practice.
• And I know my sin is an offence to a holy God.
• B = Believe – that Jesus bore your sins when he died on the cross.
• Put your faith and trust in him and his finished work and not your good works.
• C = Consider – am I willing to make Jesus Christ Lord of my life,
• Am I will to repent, turn from living for self and start to live for him?
• D = Do – will you do that now as I lead you in a short prayer of commitment to Christ.
• Let’s pray.
