MULTIPLY: Expanding the Kingdom
Matthew 13:31-35
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS EXPANDING
“Jesus began his ministry with the 12 garden-variety men. Nobodies. Most were from the Galilee fishing docks. Overall, Jesus had a couple of middle management professionals, a political agitator, and a turncoat tax collector; there was no one in the lot to get excited about. Yet, within a hundred years, tens of thousands of disciples of Jesus were located
in the Roman Empire.”—(Shane Bishop, That’s Good News)
“Therefore,
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” —Matthew 28:19 (NLT)
“‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my
, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” —Acts 1:8 (NLT)
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS TRANSFORMATIONAL
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a
life has begun!” —2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
“And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” —Romans 5:5 (NLT)
“because God’s love has been
out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit … .” —Romans 5:5 (NIV)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” —1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can
others the of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” —1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)
“Every Christian–as he explores the historical record of Scripture and tradition and comes to a deep, abiding faith–experiences that Christ is the risen one and that he is therefore the eternally living one. It is a deep, life-changing experience. No true Christian can keep it hidden as a personal matter. For such an encounter with the living God cries out to be
–like the light that shines, like the yeast that leavens the whole mass of dough.” —Pope John Paul II (NLT)