Parables of the Kingdom

Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash

Glory to God!

These past weeks we have been looking at what it means to live the Kingdom life and yesterday Richard shared a message entitled, Kingdom Love. Looking at Matthew 13, we noted how Jesus explains the Kingdom using 7 parables:

1. The parable of the sower and the seed. 13:3-9; 18-23
2. The parable of the wheat and the weeds. 13:24-29; 37-43
3. The parable of the mustard seed. 13:31,32
4. The parable of the yeast and the dough. 13:33
5. The parable of the hidden treasure. 13:44
6. The parable of the fine pearl. 13:45,46
7. The parable of the fishing net and the fish. 13:47-50

As we went through each of the parables, Richard showed us how one can interpret each parable from God's perspective and man's perspective. From God's perspective:

1. God sows His Word that we are to receive and understand in order to produce a crop.
2. God sows the good seed into the world, the sons of the Kingdom.
3. God sows His Son as the least in the Kingdom of heaven to produce a tree of life.
4. God sows His Son to influence the world with the knowledge of God and His love.
5. God sacrifices His Son to purchase us as His treasure.
6. God sacrifices His Son to purchase us as His fine pearl.
7. God will sort out those who belong to Him and His Kingdom and those who do not.

From man's perspective:

1. We are to share the good news of the Kingdom and God's Word.
2. We are to live as Sons of the Kingdom in this world.
3. We are to humble ourselves and die to ourselves to gain Christ and His Kingdom.
4. We are to influence the world with the Kingdom.
5. We are to sell all to purchase the Kingdom and live the Kingdom life.
6. We are to sell all to possess the Kingdom and live the Kingdom life.
7. We are to remain in Christ and be found to be "good fish" when Jesus comes again.

Richard then showed us very practically how we can understand the Kingdom and live the Kingdom life by recognising that God is love and that everything in and about God's Kingdom is rooted in His agape love (see 1 Jn 4:7-11). Looking at the parables from the perspective of God's love we noted the following:

1. We are to share the good news of God's unconditional love and allow the truth of His love to be rooted and established in our lives so that we produce the fruit of His love.
2. We are to live lives of love as sons of the Kingdom of God.
3. We are to lay down our lives for one another to produce a tree of love that people can find rest in as they encounter and experience Christ's love.
4. We are to influence the world and the Church with God's love.
5. We are to "sell everything" to possess God's love and live in it.
6. We are to "sell everything" to purchase this love that is like a fine pearl.
7. We are to remain in God's love to be found in Him when He sorts out those who belong to Him and those who do not.

 Love was sown, so that love is grown.

We praise God for His revelation to us and for teaching us what it means to live the Kingdom life.

Notices

29.08 - KLF Prayer Meeting at 19:30 at Leipziger Str.60
01.09 - Welcome Coffee from 15:00 - 17:00 at Leipziger Str.60
23.09 - 17:00 Special KLF Church Family meeting after regular church meeting