Kingdom is like - a net

2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

2 cor 5

Philippians 3:20 NIV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Matthew 13:47–50 NIV

47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Here is the last parable in a series of parables that Jesus told. The Kingdom of God is like a net that was let down into the lake, it caught all kinds of fish. We have to understand that in the world there are all kinds of different people. Some good and some bad.

Large net - Drag net. not a small net - not a play butterfly net. but a large net that has the capacity to gather all.

Matthew 4:19 NIV

19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Gatherers - Fishers of men. Our message is one that is both attractive and offensive.

The message of the Kingdom

Matthew 3:2 NIV

2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Matthew 3:1–2 NIV

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Mat 3:1

Matthew 4:17 NIV

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

The Gospel message of the kingdom is for all.

Romans 3:23 NIV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

All have sinned all are in need, all require salvation. No exclusions or exemptions. All need Jesus.

All have grace offered to them.

Titus 2:11 NIV

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

God’s desire is that none will perish.

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The importance of the message is seen in the parable of the net. There is a day when all will have to an account. A separation righteous from wicked.

This parable is talking about the end of the age, when there will be a great in gathering of people. Just as with the parable of the wheat and tares which we looked at a few weeks ago there is a time of major harvest. When the end of the age will come.

Be sure that there is a time of harvest coming, a time of the great ingathering where all mankind will be judged according to their relationship with God and the deeds done.

As we saw last week we are to be in the world and not of the world, yet there is a time coming when there will be a great separation between the righteous and the wicked.

John 14:1–7 NIV

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

The net of the Kingdom or the hook of the world.

Habakkuk’s 2nd complaint.

Habakkuk 1:12–17 NIV

12 Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? 14 You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler. 15 The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad. 16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food. 17 Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?

habakkuk 1:12-

hab 2:

Habakkuk 2:1 NIV

1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Our message is important because today the reaper is busy harvesting.

Just after Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well He says this.

John 4:34–38 NIV

34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

john 4:34-

Make the message plain - easy to understand.

Habakkuk 2:2–3 NIV

2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

hab 2:1-3

Understand that at the appointed time - the right time - it will come

Romans 5:6 NIV

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

The Message is important

The Message is for all

The Message is a message of Grace

Beware of the Hook of the world

Make the message clear and plain

At the right time revelation comes