Straight Talk For Saints And Sinners

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.