Scripture: Luke 15: 1-7 & 8-10
Goal: exploring mysteries of God’s earthly kingdom
Title: God's Kingdom celebrates every soul that is saved
Issue
God’s Kingdom mysteries are revealed in Jesus’ parables... so, we are weaving a tapestry of His parables. One parable describes planting seed in a field and simply going to bed. The kingdom mystery revealed here... is once you and I plant a faith-seed with any lost soul, God takes over responsibility for growing the seed to maturity.
The parable of Wheat and Tares... illustrates how wheat and tares cannot be distinguished until their fruit is visible at the harvest. Once they can be distinguished, the tares are bundled and burned. In a second kingdom mystery... Jesus reveals how people having excessive worldly interests must coexist among people with kingdom interests... until they can be safely separated.
This parable also reveals why wheat and tares cannot be safely separated until the harvest because their roots grow together. So, a third kingdom mystery reveals the harvest is when Christ returns to judge every soul... when people overly focused on worldly interests will finally be separated to the everlasting fire... prepared for the devil and his angels; while we repentant sinners inherit God’s heavenly kingdom. So, lets continue weaving our tapestry of kingdom mysteries recorded by the gospel writers.
Scripture
Today, Jesus sets the stage for two parables by describing people who presume themselves righteous (scribes, Pharisees... and perhaps some people we know). These self-righteous souls complain about Jesus and His disciples socializing with people that they consider unworthy. Using familiar objects like sheep and coins, Jesus reveals the importance assigned to every soul currently lost to God’s heavenly kingdom.
In the Lost Sheep parable... although counter-intuitive, a shepherd should leave his herd unattended because the reward of saving one lost sheep is worth the risk in losing even more sheep while he is searching. This parable emphasizes acceptable risk... by leaving 99 sheep alone in the wilderness... where lions, tigers, bears are lurking. Here in God’s earthly kingdom... the risk for those who plant faith-seeds... is being ridiculed by people overly distracted with worldly interests. As our tapestry grows, recall from His sermon on the mount, Jesus gives His blessed assurance to anyone who is ridiculed or persecuted for righteousness’ sake, assuring the kingdom of heaven is their inheritance. [Matt 5: 11] So, will any of us accept the risk of ridicule today... in return for tomorrow’s heavenly kingdom?
In the Lost Coin parable... I Can Only Imagine misplacing 10% of what I have to live on. Where the Lost Sheep parable emphasized risk, the Lost Coin parable emphasizes unceasing effort. Even though much of our effort is ridiculed by those who are lost, notice the person in this parable does not give up, and continuously searches... until the object of value, a coin, is found. The object of value to God... is every soul lost to the heavenly kingdom. And our unceasing effort to grow God’s kingdom should not be discouraged... either by personal ridicule or the lack of visible success.
The kingdom mystery in both parables... is how saved souls bring joy to heaven. I say to you, there is joy among all God’s angels... over one sinner who repents.” Or similarily, I say to you that there will be more joy in heaven... over one sinner who repents... than over ninety-nine justified persons who need no repentance.
This message of joy over every sinner who repents is so important... Jesus repeats it in two parables. When a lost soul is saved, I Can Only Imagine how those who ridiculed you and I for sharing our faith-seeds will sing praises from on high... for you and everyone they ridiculed!
Applying Scripture
So, does the importance that Jesus attaches to saving people we care about from the everlasting fire... apply in our Munsonville lives? Recalling from the New Covenant... that God relinquished dominion over every human soul to Jesus, let’s weave into our tapestry... a few more scriptures directly related concerning today’s kingdom mystery.
Jesus says in John’s gospel... the will of My Father is that of all He has given Me, I should lose nothing. [John 6:39] And likewise, Luke asserts: The Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who are lost to God’s kingdom. [Luke 19:10] And Matthew’s gospel says it is not God’s angels, but we saved sinners... who are commissioned to continue Jesus’ earthly mission of seeking and saving lost souls. [Matt 28:19]
Excessive attention to worldly interests have eternal consequences. People we care about dearly... are betting their eternal soul... that the consequence is not consequential... despite many scriptures to the contrary. The question is whether redeemed sinners like you and me will risk the ridicule and extend the effort to save people we hold dear... from the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. If we accept the risk... we have Jesus’ assurance of our glorious inheritance, plus there will be joy in heaven over every faith seed you and I plant.
Looking forward, it makes me wonder about the seating plan for the heavenly banquet. I Can Only Imagine the seating will be determined by the number of faith-seeds planted by we who are invited to the “great heavenly banquet” ... a consideration for next week.
As the heirs of salvation... please stand and boldly sing Blessed Assurance UMH 369
Chapel by the Lake
Rev. Bill Taylor
Goal: exploring mysteries of God’s earthly kingdom
Title: God's Kingdom celebrates every soul that is saved
Issue
God’s Kingdom mysteries are revealed in Jesus’ parables... so, we are weaving a tapestry of His parables. One parable describes planting seed in a field and simply going to bed. The kingdom mystery revealed here... is once you and I plant a faith-seed with any lost soul, God takes over responsibility for growing the seed to maturity.
The parable of Wheat and Tares... illustrates how wheat and tares cannot be distinguished until their fruit is visible at the harvest. Once they can be distinguished, the tares are bundled and burned. In a second kingdom mystery... Jesus reveals how people having excessive worldly interests must coexist among people with kingdom interests... until they can be safely separated.
This parable also reveals why wheat and tares cannot be safely separated until the harvest because their roots grow together. So, a third kingdom mystery reveals the harvest is when Christ returns to judge every soul... when people overly focused on worldly interests will finally be separated to the everlasting fire... prepared for the devil and his angels; while we repentant sinners inherit God’s heavenly kingdom. So, lets continue weaving our tapestry of kingdom mysteries recorded by the gospel writers.
Scripture
Today, Jesus sets the stage for two parables by describing people who presume themselves righteous (scribes, Pharisees... and perhaps some people we know). These self-righteous souls complain about Jesus and His disciples socializing with people that they consider unworthy. Using familiar objects like sheep and coins, Jesus reveals the importance assigned to every soul currently lost to God’s heavenly kingdom.
In the Lost Sheep parable... although counter-intuitive, a shepherd should leave his herd unattended because the reward of saving one lost sheep is worth the risk in losing even more sheep while he is searching. This parable emphasizes acceptable risk... by leaving 99 sheep alone in the wilderness... where lions, tigers, bears are lurking. Here in God’s earthly kingdom... the risk for those who plant faith-seeds... is being ridiculed by people overly distracted with worldly interests. As our tapestry grows, recall from His sermon on the mount, Jesus gives His blessed assurance to anyone who is ridiculed or persecuted for righteousness’ sake, assuring the kingdom of heaven is their inheritance. [Matt 5: 11] So, will any of us accept the risk of ridicule today... in return for tomorrow’s heavenly kingdom?
In the Lost Coin parable... I Can Only Imagine misplacing 10% of what I have to live on. Where the Lost Sheep parable emphasized risk, the Lost Coin parable emphasizes unceasing effort. Even though much of our effort is ridiculed by those who are lost, notice the person in this parable does not give up, and continuously searches... until the object of value, a coin, is found. The object of value to God... is every soul lost to the heavenly kingdom. And our unceasing effort to grow God’s kingdom should not be discouraged... either by personal ridicule or the lack of visible success.
The kingdom mystery in both parables... is how saved souls bring joy to heaven. I say to you, there is joy among all God’s angels... over one sinner who repents.” Or similarily, I say to you that there will be more joy in heaven... over one sinner who repents... than over ninety-nine justified persons who need no repentance.
This message of joy over every sinner who repents is so important... Jesus repeats it in two parables. When a lost soul is saved, I Can Only Imagine how those who ridiculed you and I for sharing our faith-seeds will sing praises from on high... for you and everyone they ridiculed!
Applying Scripture
So, does the importance that Jesus attaches to saving people we care about from the everlasting fire... apply in our Munsonville lives? Recalling from the New Covenant... that God relinquished dominion over every human soul to Jesus, let’s weave into our tapestry... a few more scriptures directly related concerning today’s kingdom mystery.
Jesus says in John’s gospel... the will of My Father is that of all He has given Me, I should lose nothing. [John 6:39] And likewise, Luke asserts: The Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who are lost to God’s kingdom. [Luke 19:10] And Matthew’s gospel says it is not God’s angels, but we saved sinners... who are commissioned to continue Jesus’ earthly mission of seeking and saving lost souls. [Matt 28:19]
Excessive attention to worldly interests have eternal consequences. People we care about dearly... are betting their eternal soul... that the consequence is not consequential... despite many scriptures to the contrary. The question is whether redeemed sinners like you and me will risk the ridicule and extend the effort to save people we hold dear... from the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. If we accept the risk... we have Jesus’ assurance of our glorious inheritance, plus there will be joy in heaven over every faith seed you and I plant.
Looking forward, it makes me wonder about the seating plan for the heavenly banquet. I Can Only Imagine the seating will be determined by the number of faith-seeds planted by we who are invited to the “great heavenly banquet” ... a consideration for next week.
As the heirs of salvation... please stand and boldly sing Blessed Assurance UMH 369
Chapel by the Lake
Rev. Bill Taylor