The Kingdom grow till the Harvest
Matt. 6:33 seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.. What are we seeking?
We have learned up till now that the Kingdom of God is like a seed. That means the kingdom of God must be grown in us! Right?
Eph 4:11-16
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Three stages of growth. Mk 4:14-21
Mark 4:26-29
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how. 28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come. (KJV)
· the blade - The time of total dependency
- The time of innocence - babyhood
· the ear - The time of independence - the time of the Law - teenager
This is the time where the shell looks like it has fruit in it, but when you open it up you see that it is empty. This is the time where appearances are so important to us. Where we compare ourselves all the time with the others. Teenagers are always trying to prove that they are grown up. This is the time that all law looks bad.
· the full corn in the ear - The time of interdependence
- the time of faith and grace - adult
The proof is to be able to do what is right without being told what to do! Taking responsibility for your life and others without control from the outside. The Laws are written on your hearts!
Matt 5:17-20
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (KJV)
Rom 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
THE LAW?
What does it mean to fulfil the law?
Gal 5:14
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Well then all is OK. I love my neighbor as myself.
James 2:14-26
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Tithing? Biblical? New Testament? Just a shadow?
· I believe that it is old testament! Your right! I believe that we don’t have to do that anymore! Your right and wrong! Fulfil the righteousness of the law without the law!
· And 10%? If 10% is the shadow, what is the real?
· Get behind your commitments and be faithful! In this day we have churchs, teachers, etc.. and we also have the responsibility of God’s people and the poor. How we meet those needs are the ways we are to be faithful in our giving. 10% was only so that there would be food in God’s house(I assume also to have a house to put the food in) Whatever has been done away with no longer has to be supported!
1 Tim 5:8-9 +16-18
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,
16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
· BUT Jerry we have the social system today! Do you? You better look again!
I have always dreamed of a body free from selfishness, a body like in the book of acts when the church started, a body of people so attached to each other that we could trust one another till the end. I believe the last days are dangerous times because of self-Love!
· Love demands that I give a portion to my wife, children, church, God, poor, responsibilities, teachers of the word, etc.. Where will I get it all? God! As we become faithful stewards of what we do have he will make sure we have more. (Matt 25, parable of the talents)
· We have learned to give to get something for ourselves, God is teaching us to give to become someone. The harvest is WHO you become, individually and corporately.
· immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come
- the return of Jesus!
The harvest of what? The Body of Christ in the earth!
· What would you do if you suddenly inherited 100 million krone?
· What would you do for your family? Church? Those you love?
· If you are not doing it now with the seeds that God has given you, you will not do it with 100 million. Those kinds of dreams and hopes are planted and grown!
The seed?
Gal 3:16
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
The ear?
Rom 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The fruit?
Gal 4:19
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (KJV)
· The bible says that you reap what you sow. BUT you also only sow what you want to reap! We seek the seeds to get the harvest that we want!
· What seeds are you planting, tells what you really want to receive!
· Oh God make me hungry for the right things! How many of you have prayed that? Ie.. we all sit down and eat a meal together, on the table is all kinds of wonderful things to eat. You choose to eat the things that you first see and then you see other things that are your favourites, and then desert will come too.
· Do we want hunger or room in our stomachs for more? We have the hunger, the problem we are satisfied! WE need to empty out some of what we have to make room for the new. (The Romans)
This chapter in Matt.6, talks about not being able to serve two Gods at the same time. That says the same thing, we cannot(dunamai) serve two masters. You have not been created that way.
Before we came to Christ we were the fruit of the seed of Adam. The seeds of destruction were in us. We were born with them in us from being the fruit of fallen man. Every fruit will bear seed producing after it’s kind. God had to plant a new tree, a new race, with a new seed.