I’m back. Sorry for the break. I had a great little vacation with the family in Crossville, TN last week, but our apartment did not have internet access. I hope you kept up with your reading even if you weren’t able to discuss it here. Let’s get back into the swing of things here.

Matthew 13 has a collection of kingdom parables. Of course, there is the parable of the sower. But then there are five parables, which all set forth similes about the kingdom.

1. The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
2. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.
3. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.
4. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of a fine pearl.
5. The kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net which gathers every kind of fish.

The first and last parables seem to make the same point. Not everyone who is “in the kingdom” is of the kingdom. Satan, sadly, influences some who have entered the kingdom and on the day of judgment, they will be sifted out and cast into the torment of fire. This encourages us to make sure we are not submitting to the influence of the Satan and simply thinking “going to church” means all that other stuff we do doesn’t matter.

The second parable of the mustard seed is pretty easily understood. The kingdom of heaven began extremely small, but it would grow to be huge. That is exactly what happened. Prior to pentecost, the seed for the kingdom was only 120. But on Pentecost, it immediately grew to about 3000 (still not a very large number in comparison to the world population). In time, however it grew and grew and grew. Multitudes and multitudes entered. This all happened despite constant warring against Christ’s kingdom.

It is the other two parables that give me a bit of trouble. I know that may sound odd because they seem so easy to grasp. On the surface, most just view them as repetitions of the same point. The kingdom is worth so much we should sell everything. But these connected parables always give me some trouble. The parable of the hidden treasure I get. The man, seeing the field and finding the hidden treasure sold everything he had because that was the purchase price of the land. However, upon gaining the land, he actually had something more valuable than all his earlier possessions. That is the kingdom of heaven. We should be willing to give up everything because when we gain Christ’s kingdom, we gain it all.

Perhaps the parable to the pearl of great price is making the same point and I’m just thinking too hard. But this parable always causes me a problem because once the guy gets the pearl, the only way it will be of any real benefit to him is to sell it again. Otherwise he has a very costly trinket and that is it. Some suggest this is because he knew he could turn around and sell it again for even more than he paid. I guess that might be right, but then that leaves us buying the kingdom and selling it to get the value. Maybe I’m over analyzing, but, I just don’t think this is the point.

A brother once pointed out to me a major difference in these two parables. In the parable of the treasure, the kingdom is compared to the treasure. However, in the parable of the pearl, the kingdom is not compared to the pearl but to the merchant. When that very simple point was made, the parable suddenly was turned on its head. The parable of the treasure is about how I should value the kingdom. The parable of the pearl, however, is making the opposite point.

The kingdom is a merchant in search of valuable pearls. The picture is about Christ and his looking for the lost sheep. We are the pearl. Christ, in His kingdom, valued us so much He gave up everything to purchase us. He gave up the glories of heaven, the fellowship with the Father and then even gave up His life so I might be in His kingdom. WOW! How powerful is that.

If Jesus and His kingdom valued me that much, how much more should I value Jesus and His kingdom? It truly is a treasure. I guess it’s time for me to start selling things.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Despite what our Premillennial friends like Tim LaHaye, Jack Van Impe and Hal Lindsey tell us, the kingdom of Christ is now. We aren’t waiting for it to be established at the end of time. It was established on Pentecost in Acts 2. Interestingly enough, Premillennialists tell us at Christ’s return the kingdom will be established. However, Paul tells us something different. 

In I Corinthians 15:23-24, Paul explains that at the resurrection of Christ’s people the end takes place. That is when Jesus hands His kingdom back to the Father. Premillennialists tell us that when the resurrection occurs it is not the end, but the beginning of the kingdom. They tell us there will be 7 years of tribulation and then 1000 years of Christ’s kingdom.

Somehow, LaHaye, Impe, Lindsey and others press 1007 years between vs. 23 and vs. 24. I’m not sure where they get it, other than just that is the way they have to do it to make sure their doctrine is still taught. So much for taking every verse literally unless absurd. What I have found that mantra means is “Take every verse literally unless doing so demonstrates Premillennialism is wrong.”

The kingdom is here and now, if you wait until the end to get into it, there is no second chance (Kirk Cameron movies notwithstanding). There is no adventure awaiting us if we ignore Jesus until He returns. After that, there is only the certainty of judgment. Get into Christ’s kingdom now. When He returns, we will be resurrected and handed over to God, the rest will be judged (cf. II Thessalonians 1:8-10).

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Paul was about to be flogged. However, at the seeming last possible moments, he uttered the magic words. “Um, guys, are  you sure you want to do this? I’m a Roman citizen.”

This piqued the tribune’s curiosity. “How much did you pay to get in?”

Okay, so I’m taking a little poetic license here. What I really want to hone in on is the fact that the tribune paid his way into the Roman kingdom. That makes me think of Matthew 5:3–”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

Suddenly, that statement means a good bit more to me. And I see it as an even greater shock. The people to whom Jesus spoke lived in a kingdom that took money to enter. They could all become Romans and throw off the yoke of their slave status if they just paid money to get in like the tribune.

That, however, is not how the kingdom of God works. God’s kingdom doesn’t go to those who can pay enough money. God’s kingdom goes to those who are humble enough to admit their poverty in spirit and quit trying to pay their way in. Only those who recognize how little they have to offer and simply come to Jesus asking for mercy knowing that is their only way in get Jesus’ kingdom.

Paul was able to say he was born into the Roman kingdom. But the only way into Christ’s kingdom is to be reborn by humbly submitting to Jesus (John 3:3, 5; Mark 16:16).

Keep the faith today and keep reading.

ELC