Luke 13:18-21 (NIV)
18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”
20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Human kingdoms can appear and
rapidly.
A story that illustrates this truth.
Because human life is short,
rulers want to move rapidly.
But God’s
works much differently than human kingdoms do.
God’s
is his direct rule over humanity.
- Jesus came to
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He 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.” —Luke 1:30-33
- His message was that God’s kingdom was near.
- His message was that God’s kingdom was near.
“Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” —Mark 1:14b-15
- His disciples’s Message was that God’s Kingdom is Coming
“They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” —Acts 28:23
- Jesus will
“Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father….” —1 Corinthians 15:23b-26
God’s kingdom started
but will become large (vv. 18-19).
God’s kingdom grows
but steadily and pervasively (vv. 20-21).
Big Idea: Be patient and faithful until God’s kingdom comes.
Every time a person becomes a Christian, God’s kingdom
a little bit.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” —Matthew 24:14
So trust Christ
to join his kingdom if you haven’t become a Christian yet.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 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. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief…. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation…” —2 Peter 3:8-10, 13-15a
If you are a Christian, be
while we wait for Christ to return and establish his kingdom.
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” —James 5:7-9
If you are a Christian, be
while we wait for Christ to return and establish his kingdom.
“The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” —Luke 12:42-44