KING JESUS: A JOURNEY THROUGH MATTHEW'S GOSPEL (PT 16)

Introduction
Jesus often spoke in parables. Throughout his teachings, Jesus frequently delved into discussions about the kingdom of God, using parables. Now, what exactly are parables, you might ask? Well, they're like little nuggets of wisdom wrapped up in simple, everyday stories. Think of them as Jesus' way of painting vivid pictures to convey deep spiritual truths, religious principles, or moral lessons.
 
Instead of hitting people with heavy theological jargon, Jesus opted for a more down-to-earth approach. He'd tell stories about farmers sowing seeds, lost coins, or wayward sons—this is stuff everyone could relate to. And in these ordinary stories, he'd unravel the mysteries of God's kingdom and shed light on the nature of God Himself.
 
Why did Jesus choose this storytelling method? Because he knew that to truly grasp the profound truths he was sharing, people needed something tangible, something they could wrap their minds around. So, he'd draw parallels from everyday life, using familiar experiences to unlock the secrets of the divine and that brings us to this morning’s text.
 
Matthew 13:31 – 50
Vs 31: Jesus describes the Kingdom of God as a mustard seed: “Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
 In this, Jesus shows that the Kingdom of God is continually growing.  He also likens the Kingdom to leaven (13:33), a treasure hidden in a field (13:44), a merchant searching for fine pearls (13:45), and a net in the sea (13:47 – 50).  In other words, Jesus is saying the kingdom of heaven is an expanding kingdom of great worth and value to God.  In this passage the word kingdom is translated from the Greek word Basileia which means an area or district ruled by a king, royal power, kingship, the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah. The word is used in the N.T. to refer to the reign of the Messiah.  So, what does mean when he talks about the Kingdom of God? The Bible does imply that the Kingdom of God is a present spiritual reality fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.  He is the King but has not yet, set up his eternal kingdom.  The king has come, he is supreme, he is sovereign, however, He has not fully established his true kingdom here on earth, thus it is also a future kingdom.    
 
 The kingdom is present through Jesus Christ (through his physical appearance on this earth, and through his indwelling Spirit in the believer) and it is future in the second coming which ushers in his messianic reign for all eternity.  
 
Luke 17:20 – 21: “One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘When will the Kingdom of God come?’ Jesus replied, ‘The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.’” In this conversation Jesus was saying that He is the fulfillment of the kingdom, in fact, the kingdom was standing before the Pharisees in the flesh, and they did not recognize it.
 
Thus if the the kingdom is present through Jesus then it is also present in his body (the Church) as it is important and valuable in every aspect to God.  So much so that He sent His Son to be the perfect sacrifice so that all who believe in Him can access His Kingdom both now and for all eternity, and this kingdom you and I are a part of, we help expand it for God’s glory.   The simple truth is that wherever Jesus is present, there the Kingdom is present.
 
Vs. 41 – 43: “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
The kingdom is not merely a present, personal reality but also a future, historical event. It is fulfilled in Christ's return with his angels to gather his elect from the four winds and establish his visible throne upon the earth.   This kingdom will be a time of eternal refreshing restitution, and we will live in the continual presence of Jesus Christ.  This is the great hope for the believer but a looming and terrifying time for anyone who does not believe. 
 
 Luke 1:31 – 33: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” The Angel Gabriel tells Mary that her son, Jesus, would establish this kingdom, and it will be a never-ending kingdom with Christ reigning as the king.   It will be a place where we eat and drink at the table of Christ and sit on thrones. 
 
John 18:36: “Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.’” Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, (governed or established in the world) but it is certainly present in the world.  The future kingdom will be ushered in by the imminent return of Jesus Christ at His second coming.  What a glorious day this will be! 
           
So, who are the beneficiaries of this kingdom?  To begin it should be noted that there is only one way to be part of the kingdom of God and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. 
 
2 Peter 1:5 – 11:  Those who pursue God and commit to living their lives for his glory and honor (through Christ) will be part of his kingdom. 
 
Eph. 5:5: On the other hand, the one who rejects Christ will have no inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven, “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” .  
 
Matthew 5:3 Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs” The poor in spirit are those who recognize their need and dependency on God.  They understand that their life is missing something and that something is God.  
 
Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”  Jesus affirms that those who are persecuted for his righteousness’ sake will also be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.  A big welcome mat will be set out for the men and women who are so committed to Christ that they are beaten, tortured and even killed for their faith in Christ.  
 
Matthew 18:3 – 4 Jesus says, “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” Thus, the kingdom of God is reserved for the converted and those who have faith in Christ like a child.   This childlike faith is like a child who is dependent on his parents we so must have this same dependency on God.  
 
Lastly, what is our response to the Kingdom of God?  This can be answered with three simple words, “Seek, Pray, and Prepare”.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
 
  My primary job is to seek FIRST God’s kingdom.  Our perspective in life is not merely temporal nor are my concerns just of or for this world; they are for those things from above.  Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
 
We are also to pray for God’s kingdom to come.  This world is not our permanent home but God has placed us in the world to shine the light of Christ, and we are part of God’s kingdom here on earth and eventually our eternal residence.  We are sojourners in this worldly kingdom but we yearn for the eternal Kingdom of God with Christ as our King.  I pray for this and I look forward to the day when I take up residency in heaven and live with my God for all eternity.  However, since we are here on this earth, we also have the responsibility to tell others about this kingdom and pray for our loved ones, friends, co-workers and family so they too may enter the kingdom of God on that glorious day.    
 
Lastly, we should prepare for the kingdom of God.  Revelation 1:7 says, “Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!” There will be a second coming of Jesus Christ and we must be ready.  When Jesus does return, He will not come as the humble servant who is giving His life for the flock; instead, He will come as the triumphant King who judges the world, and he will establish His kingdom here on earth.  We must be prepared because we do not know when this day will be.  Jesus says in Matthew 24:44; “This is why you are also to be ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  For believers, this is the day we anticipate.  For an unregenerate man, this will be a horrible and terrifying day that will end with weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
 
As I conclude, I admit that I have merely scratched the surface regarding the kingdom of God. There is so much more than what I have presented to you today. I would encourage you to get a concordance, look up all the passages on the kingdom of God or heaven, and have your own personal study on this topic. It is both fascinating and mind-boggling.
 
We all have jobs to do. First, we need to set priorities as believers by seeking God’s kingdom in our lives. We should also pray for His kingdom to come because this is our eternal bliss and destiny. However, until that day, we must abide in the kingdom here on earth and prepare for the eternal kingdom by diligently proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that desperately needs hope, and this hope is only found in seeking Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. 
 

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