Saturday, April 23, 2022

Intro to "Entering the Kingdom" (Matt. 13:44-46)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/23/2022 10:29 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                            Focus:  Intro to “Entering the Kingdom”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                              Reference:  Matthew 13:44-46

 

            Message of the verses:  44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

 

            45  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46  and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

 

            Before we look at the introduction to these verses I have to say that while I was listening to the sermons that go along with each of these parables I realized exactly how it was that the Lord saved me which I will explain as we go through these two parables.  All I can say is that it was very exciting to me to hear how it happened as far as seeing it in the first of these two parables.

 

            MacArthur writes the following as he begins his introduction to these parables:  “In the first four of the eight kingdom parables in Matthew 13, Jesus focuses on men’s various responses to God’s kingdom, on its present coexistence with Satan’s kingdom, and on its power and influence in the world.

 

            “A basic question that would naturally have arisen in the minds of Jesus’ hearers was, ‘How does one become a part of God’s kingdom?’  ‘Are people simply born into it, like they are born into citizenship of their country?’  they wondered.  ‘Or is it like being a Jew?  Are we, as Jews automatically citizens of the kingdom because we are descendants of Abraham, or must we do something else?’

 

            “In this third couplet of parables, the Lord teaches about appropriating the salvation and thereby becoming a citizen of God’s kingdom and a member of His family.”

 

            I hope that this is all very exciting for you, as perhaps you are reading this Spiritual Diary and are not really sure that you are a part of the true kingdom of God, yet wish to be a part of it, but perhaps you don’t know how.  The truth is that we are all children of Adam, and we all have Adam’s sin nature which makes us sinners.  We sin because we are born sinners, and sin has caused us to be separated from God.  The best news or as the meaning of the gospel, the good news is that God sent His One and only Son to planet earth to take our place on the cross so we can become true children of God and have a right relationship with Him.  Jesus died for both our sin nature and the sins we commit on a daily basis.  Realizing that we are all sinners then one must confess that to the Lord and thank Him for dying for you and invite Him into your life to be your Lord and Savior.  Truly believing this will change your eternal home from hell to heaven.

 

4/23/2022 10:45 AM

 

           

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