Overview of Jesus Teaching Gods Kingdom, and How to Enter It Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord...

Overview of Jesus’ TeachingGod’s Kingdom, and How to Enter It

Not everyone who says to me “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants” Mt 7:21

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Two Main Themes:

1. God’s Kingdom 2. How to Enter it

The Kingdom of God was Jesus’ main focus

94 verses

2 verses

basilea=Kingdom ekklēsia=assembly, community, eg church

How did Jesus refer to a good eternal outcome?

Eternal life 19

Enter Kingdom 15

Saved 17

savedeternally

17

saved from something

else 18

sōzō = save

Therefore it is more specific to look at what Jesus said about “eternal life” and “entering the Kingdom” than what he said about “saved”

1. God’s Kingdom

Kingdom = “a state or government with a king or queen as its head”

Kingdom prophecies (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah etc):

• Ruled by God and a King – a “son of David”, the “Anointed One/Messiah/Christ”

• Israel-based: throne in Zion, Jerusalem; Israel delivered and victorious.

• World-ruling: the King defeats and judges the nations and rules over all the nations, forever

• Glorious: peaceful, prosperous, healthy, righteous, God’s glory visible. The poor protected and fed with abundance, those who mourn comforted, everyone righteous.

1. God’s Kingdom (aka “kingdom of God”, “kingdom of heaven”)

Not well appreciated by the Jews:

• The Kingdom is open only to the righteous (“unless your actions are more righteous than the Pharisees’, you will never enter the Kingdom” Mt 5:20; Only the righteous will be welcomed into the kingdom Mt 25:31-46; Mt 13:43 (like sun)“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near” Mt 4:17)

• Its origins are spiritual, not from this world.(“my kingdom does not come from this world” Jn 18:36)

Not well appreciated by Gentiles:

• God wanted to establish the Kingdom in the first century Lk 1:32-33 Mt 23:37-39

• The Jews rejected the Kingdom (mostly) and so it was taken away from them Mt 21:43, and instead they suffered the destruction of 70 AD and 1900 years of punishment and exile Lk 19:44 Lk 21:20-24 W

• The Kingdom will come again (fully) at Jesus’ return Lk 21:31

• It will be a physical kingdom on earth when fully completed; what we have now (30 AD - 2012 AD) is only a very small part of the Kingdom

Not well appreciated by Gentiles:

2. How to Enter it

How to Enter the Kingdom

• “Enter the kingdom” = “eternal life”Eg judgment of the nations Mt 25:31-46: the righteous inherit the Kingdom v34 and go to eternal life v46, whereas “the cursed” get neither.Eg a man asked Jesus about “inheriting eternal life” and Jesus talked about how hard it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom Mt 19:23-24

• ‘How to enter the Kingdom’ is all of Jesus’ behavioural teachings Mt 7:21-27

• All Jesus’ behavioural teachings are based on the Law (but his teachings don’t include certain sections of the Law, see later talk)

How to Enter the KingdomJesus’ behavioural teachings fall in two main categories:

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

as yourself

Individualised

LOVE GOD with all your heart &

mind & soul & strength

(relating to God) (relating to others)

LOVE GOD

Lord and Master

Trust andBelieve

Worship

Pray

Fast

Do this (righteous) Not this (sin)

Love God with all my heart+Give up everything else“Follow me” (or via HS today)

No love for GodPretend to love GodKeep my life, things, family

Serve and obey God only Serve & obey other mastersServe self (food, clothes, etc)

Trust and believe God and Jesus (implies action)

Unbelief, doubt GodFear other thingsTest God

Worship God in spirit and in truth

Insult God (blasphemy)

Sincerely, succinctly, with faith, persevering, in private

To oneself, for show, babbling

Discreetly, for God to see To impress others


LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

as yourself

Individualised




LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Needy

Low status

Women/opposite sex

Parents

Powerful

Hostile

Love neighbour as myselfDo for others as I’d like them to do for me

Hate my enemiesIgnore my neighbours

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Needy

Low status

Women/opposite sex

Parents

Powerful

Hostile



Kind & generous to the needy (poor, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, prison, homeless)

Ignore the needy

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Needy

Low status

Women/opposite sex

Parents

Powerful

Hostile



Take a low place myself(Help & serve them)

Take a higher place, exercise authority, be lord over them, look down on them, lay heavy burdens on them

Kind & generous to needy (poor, hungry, thirsty, unclothed, sick, prison, homeless)

Ignore the needy

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Needy

Women/opp

Parents

Powerful

Hostile



Kind & generous to needy (poor, hungry, thirsty, unclothed, sick, prison, homeless)

Ignore the needy

Low status Take a low place myself(Help & serve them)


Love (female) neighbours; accept women as equals; single for Kingdom, or lasting marriage

Lust, immorality, adultery, divorce(Oppress or subordinate women)

Honour parents (≠ obey) (Dishonour parents)

Take a low place myself(Help & serve them)


Love enemies, pray for, bless them, forgive, be reconciled, generous to thieves, non-violent, win over privately/publicly, rebuke

Judge, condemn, hate, anger, fight, retaliate, murder

A neighbour may be in more than one category

FemalePowerful

Hostile

A neighbour may be in different categories at different times

HostileNeedy(sick)

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Possessions

Truth

Openness

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

Possessions

Truth

Openness

Give, lend Save up, greedy, steal, keep possessions

Tell truth all the time Lie, deceive, defraud, take oaths/swear

Let good deeds “shine”, speak out

Hide evil deeds;do things for others’ praise


LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

as yourself

Individualised




INDIVIDUALISED / AS DIRECTED

Spiritual ministry:Speaking about Jesus, preaching, baptizing, miracles, teaching others

Rest

As directed by Jesus (usually after discipling++)

Now as directed by HS

Allow others to do it

Didn’t want some people speaking; win ‘converts’ to become double sons of destruction;teach ‘rules of men’

Rest when HS says to Use sabbath as excuse to neglect the needy

Some instructions weren’t universal; Jesus wanted some people to do them at some times, but not for others to do them at other times. (Debatable to some extent)

Conclusions

• Jesus’ teachings are mostly about (1) the Kingdom of God and (2) how to enter it (behavioural teachings)

• Jesus’ behavioural teachings are based on the Law (Love God & Love Neighbour), but don’t include all of the Law (see later talk).

• Jesus’ behavioural teachings are about doing righteous actions instead of the corresponding sinful actions in that area of life.

About the Kingdom, or how to enter the Kingdom?

“Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”” Mt 4:17


“Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”” Mt 4:17

The KingdomHow to enterthe Kingdom


A1. “He [Jesus] will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Lk 1:32-33


A1. “He [Jesus] will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Lk 1:32-33

The Kingdom


B1. He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.

Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” Mt 13:31-32


B1. He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.

Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” Mt 13:31-32

The Kingdom


A2. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your actions are more righteous than the Pharisees’ and the teachers’ of the law, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Mt 5:17-20


A2. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your actions are more righteous than the Pharisees’ and the teachers’ of the law, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Mt 5:17-20

How to enterthe Kingdom


B2. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Mt 13:45-46


B2. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Mt 13:45-46

The Kingdom



A3. In Mt 5-6 Jesus gave two chapters of teaching on anger, murder, reconciliation, adultery, lust, divorce, keeping your word, not retaliating, being kind to enemies, giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, not saving, serving God and trusting him for necessities, and not judging others; and then he concluded:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers (lit. workers of lawlessness) !’

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” Mt 7:21-27




“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” Mt 7:21-27





“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” Mt 7:21-27How not to enter

the Kingdom



B3. When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Mt 25:31-46


B3. When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I needed clothes and you clothed me,I was sick & you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Mt 25:31-46

The Kingdom


How not to enter the Kingdom


A4. Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil (lit. do lawlessness). They 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 the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Mt 13:36-43


B4. “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. ‘Lord! Lord!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Mt 25:1-13


B4. “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. ‘Lord! Lord!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Mt 25:1-13



The Kingdom

• Does the Holy Spirit want to say anything to you about Jesus’ teachings?

Listen to the Holy SpiritHS

• Did the Holy Spirit say anything to you?

• Are there any new or useful concepts in this topic?

• Do you have any queries or sticking points in your mind?

• Are there any topics which you hadn’t thought of as being something Jesus taught?

• Are there any which you can’t imagine how they could work out in practice?

Questions?

• Headline of Jesus’ message (“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”)

• Repent = metanoeō = lit. “change of mind” → change of ways, from wrong to right ways

• Doesn’t necessarily have to involve remorse, confessions to others, sense of guilt, shame, apologies etc

• Does involve a change of behaviour, which requires:

• Understanding of sin and righteousness

• A plan/action to do it differently

Eg 1993

Repent

?

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