Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / The Powerful Parable of The Mustard Seed | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

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The Powerful Parable of The Mustard Seed | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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Mark chapter 4 together, please. I know you agree with me when I
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say that. It's an honor to open God's word
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and it is a wonderful blessing to sing God's word, right?
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And we sang God's word. So clearly, I mean we had like
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five sermons already but now we come to the scripture, the
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scripture that has been ordained for us this afternoon and I
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asked you to point your finger there at verse 34 a moment.
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As we will deal with another parable.
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If you were here last week, you know that we explored a unique
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Parable, that is exclusively found in the gospel of Mark.
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And our hearts were prayerfully strengthened.
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As we understood that Parable provided Insight regarding our
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function and God's responsibility when it comes to
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the kingdom of God, growing and advancing in our world and
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surely it was a relief for these early disciples when they
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understood and learn from their master that it was God's word
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with its automatic power that has the sole ability to
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transform the life. That is received the truth into
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their hearts. It is in no need of human
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Ingenuity to produce results. There is nothing that we can add
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to the power of the spirit behind the truth of sacred
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scripture, that would help it produce.
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What only God can produce and whatever encouragement these
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disciples felt in that moment will only increase.
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Now, it's about to intensify because the Lord is about to
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reveal yet another glorious promise.
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Elected to the advancement of his purposes, from generation to
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generation. But before you and I look at
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this Parable, that holds that promise you have to understand
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that these disciples did not say yes to the call of Jesus Christ
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in a day like ours. They did not choose to follow
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the lord, when it was generally and culturally acceptable to be
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a Christian, did it? They didn't say yes to following
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Jesus. When there are tens of thousands
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of churches that were already planted across the nation's.
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There were no Bible schools. There are no private Christian
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schools. There are no libraries filled
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with gospel themed books. There are no conferences, every
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single year there is none of that.
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And sure they had the Son of God, living and standing and
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breathing before them. But they have not yet
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comprehended the extent of his mission and his message and how
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expensive it would be. They didn't have the full
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confidence yet and you can imagine how and why specially
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when around them is that growing?
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Contention and conflict and resistance from the religious
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leaders and the differing opinions of the masses.
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Where is this all heading to? What is this going to lead to
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what is this going to? Ultimately guarantee?
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And what the Lord is going to do, now is not just show them as
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he did last week. The capability of God's word, he
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is now going to stamp on their hearts, the confidence that they
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need to realize that the movement that they joined has a
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glorious end, as a glorious finish, has a glorious outcome.
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And we read it here in verse 30 of Mark 4.
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And he said, with what can we compare?
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The kingdom of God or what? Parable shall we use for it?
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It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sewn on the
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ground is the smallest of all the seeds on Earth yet when it
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is, sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the other garden
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plants and puts out large branches.
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So that the birds of the air can make nest in its shade.
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With many such Parables, he spoke the word to them as they
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were Were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without
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a parable, but privately to his own disciples.
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He explained everything in this Parable.
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You and I are going to Drought, incredible, insights, that will
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bless your faith as you. I hope and pray have also said,
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yes to the call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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I pray that as you sit here this afternoon, you are a true
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disciple and a true servant of the Living God And how we're
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going to understand these insights is by putting them
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under three headings and the headings are very simple to
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remember. Number one, we will look at the
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smallness of the seed, the smallness of the seed.
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From there, we will look at the success of the seed.
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And finally, we will look at the suggestion of the seed.
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The smallness of the seed is found here in verse 30 and 31.
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We realize that Jesus mentioned something that he has mentioned
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before and it's something you've probably read over and over
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again, but I wondered this afternoon if you have ever stop
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to ask the question, what is that?
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What does that really mean? What I'm referring to is this,
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the kingdom of God Jesus love to preach about the kingdom of God.
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Jesus love to explain components and realities around the kingdom
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of God. But I wonder if Believers know
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what the kingdom of God. Really is Is it the church?
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Or is it something else? Is it literal or is it
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spiritual? Is it present or is it future?
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What is the kingdom of God? And I think a good place to
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start as a simple definition. What is a kingdom and it's not
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complicated a kingdom as any place.
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Any region, any territory, any country that is governed by a
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king that is ruled by a monarch. That is overruled by.
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A ruler in this capacity. And when Jesus says about the
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kingdom of God and explains about it, what he's essentially
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saying is, there is a government that has been, that will be and
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forever, will be ruled by the almighty, the kingdom of God.
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And when you understand that, the kingdom of God is just that,
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then you kind of just make the equation from there.
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Because you and I understand that from the beginning of this
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book, we see that our God is, in fact, the king of all Kings.
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He is the Creator and sustainer of all things.
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Everything in this universe is under his Under his authority.
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And if that is the case, then maybe we make this simple
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answer, then the kingdom of God, surely must mean that everything
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belongs to him and the universe is the kingdom of God because
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he's the king over all the universe.
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And that may seem like a quick relief to this apparent mystery.
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But we have some problems. If we just leave it at that, we
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have some problems because you were with us in Mark chapter 1,
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where you not and do you not read what Jesus said there in
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verse 14 and 15 out of his own lips?
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Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee.
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Proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, the time is
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fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe
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in the gospel, right? From the gate, we are introduced
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to in the gospel of Mark about the kingdom of God, the kingdom
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of God, history has known many kingdoms that have risen and
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Fallen, but God's word is concern about and Center on one.
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Reality the kingdom of God, but if the kingdom of God is King
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ruling over things, and we know that God rules over all things.
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Then how is it that Jesus had? Come on the scene and say, well,
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it is at hand. It is at hand, which is a way of
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saying it is closed, it is near. It is ready to introduce itself.
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How do we marry those two things?
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When we have so many Old Testament descriptions and
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declarations that, we have a king in heaven.
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We sang it. He does observe and manage and
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control and determine all things.
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Only for the Son of God to come and say it is at hand.
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It is at hand. Surely the concept of the
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kingdom of God is much more complex.
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And we would like it to be, but if you just pay attention a
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little bit longer, you'll realize that it's, it's pretty
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clear when we understand the kingdom of God, we know that it
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undoubtedly is defined by the fact that our God rules over
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every sphere and Arena of life. But when you come to the New
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Testament, you realize that the kingdom of God is more
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specifically, the rule of God through.
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Appointed Messiah. Through his appointed Messiah,
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it speaks of the era. When the Lord Jesus Christ, the
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son of God Son of David promised one comes and breaks into our
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world establishes, a physical throne and Will from their
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govern everything. Everything from the nation's to
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Nature itself in all the details in between So, very simple
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definition of the kingdom of God is the rule of God, the reign of
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God exercise, by the son of God. And this is why we can believe
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that. Yes, there always was he King.
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But the kingdom of God coming and arriving through the sun is
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as more manifested in the fact that it will be Jesus who will
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rule and reign. and perhaps you're sitting there wondering,
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well that makes a little bit more sense, but how do we
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reconcile that understanding with different parts in the New
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Testament where Jesus says something along the lines of The
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kingdom of God, is in the midst of you.
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The kingdom of God, is in the midst of You, Luke 17:21.
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He told that to the group of Pharisees who are wondering,
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when is this whole thing happening?
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Are you, are you the one that was supposed to be waiting?
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For if you're supposedly the king that the prophet spoke of
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in the psalmist wrote about then, where's your kingdom?
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And Jesus looks at me, says, in the midst of you, Well, is it at
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hand? Is that are arriving?
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Is it here? How do we make sense of this?
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And here's how we saw that. Jesus could say, the kingdom is
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in the midst of you because the king of the kingdom was in the
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midst of them, I'm here. Yeah.
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The kingdom is in the midst of you and Jesus through his
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authority over disease and demons his Deliverance.
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His power were glimpses were flares Ours were Sparks of the
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glory of God and the authority and the Dominion of God, that
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showed the people. There is something happening
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here. And so, yes.
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The kingdom of God was at hand. And yes, Jesus could say, at one
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point in his ministry, it is in the midst of you, but there are
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still other things that are not clicking yet, not connecting
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fully. Because there are other Parables
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where Jesus alludes to a future aspect of the Kingdom.
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There is a kingdom to come and through Parables and even direct
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teaching, and even answering the questions of the disciples and
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acts one. Will you now restore the Kingdom
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of Israel? And the Lord graciously
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impatiently says that's not for you to figure out.
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That's not for you to understand the specific time or the hour,
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just go preach the gospel, I will Empower you, with my Holy
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Spirit, it will come, it will happen.
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And we even see that in the Lord's Prayer, when the Lord
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instructs his disciples pray, this may, your kingdom come
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well, I thought it was in the midst already so is it?
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There is a not there and here's how we can solve all of this
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dilemma. The kingdom of God was in the
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midst of them. Because Jesus, the King was in
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the midst of them. And when Jesus arrived on the
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scene, he inaugurated the kingdom, he set it into motion,
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he came and he pressed start. But he did not fully manifest it
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and through his ministry. He did not yet complete it.
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But you and I understand that as Jesus did inaugurate it with his
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first coming, it will be consummated when he returns.
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And so the kingdom of God will know its full manifestation at
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the consummation of the age when the Lord will indeed.
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Yes, come again. And when he comes he will plant
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the flag and the banner of his name on every Hilltop.
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And he will for a thousand years with absolute unmatched
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unchallenged Authority. Prove the kingdom of God, that
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is the final stage that we are awaiting.
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And so, it is a present, and not yet understanding of the kingdom
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of God. But if that is the case, then
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you and I the church, how does that fit into all of this?
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Are we the kingdom of God? Is Jesus teaching the kingdom of
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God as a synonymous term for the local church sprinkled across
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the globe. The Church of Jesus Christ is
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not the kingdom of God, though. She is an expression of it.
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She is an expression of the kingdom of God.
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Not the full definition of the kingdom of God.
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And so, how do we make sense of that?
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Well, we are like what a country would be when it has an embassy
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in it. An embassy being a foreign
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representation of a different country establish and place in a
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different land. And that is exactly what you
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are. You're not just somebody who
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comes to sit on a Pew every Sunday.
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No, no, no. You are an ambassador of Jesus
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Christ, and you have a citizenship in heaven.
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And Christ though there is a future aspect.
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The Final Phase of his kingdom. Manifesting in our world, he
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still rules in heaven today with absolute Authority Dominion,
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wisdom, glory, and power. And he governs the hearts of
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those who have accepted him as the king of their lives. and
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they submit their lives, joyfully under his law, the law
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of his kingdom, which is continually in operation And
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what we do, our purpose here in this world as ambassadors, who
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are a part of this institution that represents the kingdom.
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This Embassy, we try to recruit others.
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And we tried to show others that this King that we represent, he
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purchased a Heavenly citizenship, for you with his
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blood, would you accept it? Would you accept it?
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And we demonstrate to the World As We submit to his law and Obey
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him and worship and day-to-day, we exemplify to the world.
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What it's like to live under this Kingdom, and what it's like
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to have this King as our King, And that it would stir Hearts
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prayerfully to say. I want that King.
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I want that King to be my king, and I want to be among the
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number when his kingdom fully and finally comes.
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So you see you and I hear as the church, we have a very important
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role to play. we have a very we are, we are rolling out the
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carpet, so to speak for the king and the kingdom to fully come
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And we have a duty, we have a duty to represent It Well by the
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help of the holy spirit. That is how you.
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And I understand the kingdom of God on this side of the cross.
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That is not how these disciples understood at this point of
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their development in the school of Christ, the kingdom of God,
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you know, how they understood it.
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They had selective reading just like many of the Jews of that
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day. They were waiting for.
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You know, this. Well, a David like figure who
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would arise from the tribe of Judah.
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And with swift military strength and power would cancel.
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All oppression would restore the nation of Israel and it would be
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the triumphant Light of the Nations were all other nations
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would come and receive from and and receive some kind of
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guidance from the Lord who would sit upon that mouth.
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And that's what they're waiting for.
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They're waiting for something that is unmistakable.
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Overwhelming and lightning fast. And you read that when Jesus
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talks to those disciples on the road to Emmaus, you get an idea
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of how even some like Christians today, they did not fathom the
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and they could not accept the idea of a messiah of a king of
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the anointed, what suffering and dying.
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How do we merge? Those two things, there's a
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kingdom coming, how can he die? How can a subject himself to
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other authority and other power? How can he be overwhelmed?
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He's the one who's supposed to overwhelm.
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And so this is what they're looking for an up to this point.
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This Man from Nazareth, who's doing these amazing signs and
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wonders, they're convinced this has to be him.
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This is a, this is the one that the prophets spoke of this is
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the one that we've studied ever since we were children, surely
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this is him. They've at least believe that
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much. And as now they stand before
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their teacher, the teacher of teachers the Glorious King,
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telling them about the kingdom of God.
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Finally he says, what shall we compare the kingdom to, to what
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Parable should we point to and there the disciples waiting?
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And understanding in their own Hearts.
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Yeah. What is it going to be like?
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Tell us. It's like a mustard seed.
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Like a, what? You can imagine them looking at
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one another. Did he just say what we thought?
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He said. Like a mustard seed.
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The kingdom is like a mustard seed and to emphasize the point.
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Yeah, like the Mustard Seed, the smallest seed.
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Of all the Earth. now, as a side note, people like to jump on
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that to try to discredit the inerrancy of the Bible by saying
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there are smaller seeds than mustard seeds that you can find
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understandable, nobody's debating that and we're not here
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trying to Claim that Jesus is making a scientific statement
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about agriculture. That's not what the Lord is
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doing. We know that Jesus used the
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Mustard Seed in another place in, Matthew 17:20, when he
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talked about a quality of faith, that is like what a mustard
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seed. And so, he's speaking with an
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expression that must have been familiar in his day.
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It was a proverbial expression. It was hyperbolic muster seeds,
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were commonly used in Israel and there were, if not the smallest
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seed used in that land. And it was just part of their
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expression. When you wanted to refer to
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something or compare something with the smallness of its size.
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And so Jesus is just borrowing, something that was common to the
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day and using it and applying it in his own teachings.
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He's a wonderful teacher. ER he's relevant in that
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regards. So again, we're not we're not
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here trying to say that Jesus making accurate descriptions of
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seeds and plants, he's just making a point.
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I'm making a point that they would have understood and I'm
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sure it's startle them when they understood that the kingdom of
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God with all its glory and might and majesty and strength is like
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a mustard seed, how can it be? Christ is making the simple
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point. My kingdom may seem
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inconsequential. It may seem insignificant it may
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seem overlooked. It may seem so vulnerable that
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it can be crushed in a moment, but I want you to understand
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something, it's going to grow. And it's going to grow, not just
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to be among other things, it will be the greatest and it will
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cause other kingdoms and all governments to sit in the shadow
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of my authority. This is how their understand,
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this is what he's trying to say. And this is extremely valuable
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for the disciples to here. Because they're just a group of
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12. And already, they're hearing the
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grumblings and the Rumblings and the plots of this thing being
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eradicated before it even starts.
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And the Lord wants to assure them prophetically.
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It's going to start small my boys.
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Listen up here. My future Apostles.
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It doesn't seem impressive today but just wait.
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And it will be beyond your life, but just trust my words that
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from generation to generation, my kingdom is only going to
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increase in this world. so, they're hearing this and
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hopefully they're understanding this and I wonder what went
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through their minds. We're not told we can't say
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dogmatically, but I wonder if they had enough understanding of
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the Old Testament. If one particular text came in
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mind, this is a text that came to my mind, when seeing and
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understanding what Jesus meant here.
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And it's found in Zechariah Chapter 4 and I would invite you
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to turn there for a moment. And the prophet Zechariah What's
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Happening Here is this generation of the nation of
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Israel has returned from Exile Babylon.
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Was used by God as an instrument of judgment to remove the nation
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of Israel. At least the tribe of Judah.
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The southern Kingdom away from their land, and to plant them in
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a foreign place, and he's chastising them, but he promised
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them restoration, you will come back and finally, they get, they
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did, they arrive back and now they're trying to restore all
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that was brought to Rubble. Now the knez I brought
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everything down to fine powder including the house of God, the
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temple of God. And so here they are trying to
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build everything back again and try to go back to normal and
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hopefully try to restore the glory that they lost because of
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their sin. And they're discouraged.
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This generation is dejected. They're discouraged, primarily
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because as they laid the foundation of the temple again,
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they felt like this is not what it was.
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Like when Solomon was here, this is not what it was.
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Like, what after Solomon did, what is this?
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What? And they despised it.
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They had contempt in their hearts toward it.
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It was the work of their hands and they knew that they receive
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God's favor again and permission again to restore everything that
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was lost. But the it's just not the same.
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It's not what we hoped for. It's the Lord speaks to his
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prophet and he speaks to this generation.
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And he says, in verse 8 of Zechariah, 4 and the word of the
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Lord came to me saying the hands of zerubbabel have laid, the
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foundation of this house, his hands shall also complete it.
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Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.
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Verse 10, for whoever has despised the day of small things
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shall rejoice. And shall see the Plumb line in
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the hand of zerubbabel. Whoever has despised the day of
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small, things shall rejoice. That's how God referred to that
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season in the life of these people.
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The day of small things. When the efforts don't seem to
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be effective. When the fruit seems to take too
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long to produce when the hopes and dreams and prayers seem to
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be delayed and nothing seems to move forward, nothing seems to
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expand. Nothing seems to grow it.
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Just just like a slab of concrete that nothing is added
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on. And this prophecy is the Lord,
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telling them you're going to rejoice.
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This is not the end of it. This is just the beginning of it
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and you can't see the end from the beginning like I can't.
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So you have to trust what I'm saying.
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It will be completed, something will come out of this.
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And you know what, I take from this I was looking at verse 10
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specifically and it reveals to me and it reveals I hope to you
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that it is man it is man who is prone to despise small things
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but not God. God didn't say and God didn't
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Express a shared contempt of the humble beginnings of the nation
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of Israel. He didn't say and we who have
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despised the day of small things.
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We shall rejoice. He doesn't include himself, he
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is the encourager. He's the one who is outside of
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their dejection and is trying to infuse them with the faith.
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The faith to believe that this is just the beginning.
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And there are so much more in store.
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And so it is man who tends to be unimpressed with what is before
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them and to think to themselves is this it You and I listen,
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this is not going to help those who are not serious about seeing
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the kingdom of God events, but it will help.
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Those who are eager to see the kingdom of God Advanced.
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We are so often tempted to write off.
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And to give up and to turn our backs on the very efforts of our
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own hands, though. It is for the glory of God and
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all the while through this verse, you have to understand
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our Lord has a completely different perspective on the
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whole thing, a completely different perspective.
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The reason why we tend to look down on the thing that we want
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to do for the glory of God. It's because as I said earlier,
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God sees the end from the beginning you don't and neither
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do I. So all the Lord is asking for
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through this prophecy is Faith. Believe it and understand that
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your investment is not in vain. Your investment is not in vain.
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And this generation hopefully would have understood that.
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I want you to see who our God is more in this.
27:27
In this regard, I want you to turn to Romans 15 verse 5 and
27:31
look at this title that the holy spirit gives to the father and
27:35
understand that it is so important for you and I to grass
27:37
for ourselves. Romans, 15 5.
27:56
I pray that you would never forget this reference about our
27:59
God, May the god of endurance and encouragement, Grant you to
28:04
live in such harmony with one another in accordance with
28:06
Christ. Jesus, May the god of
28:11
encouragement. God is a god of encouragement.
28:19
Do you understand that? That is exactly what he was
28:22
doing. Through Zechariah, to those
28:24
people who return to their land, he wanted to encourage them as
28:29
they were serving him. He didn't criticize them.
28:35
He didn't agree with them. He didn't fuel their
28:39
disappointment. He wanted to fuel their faith.
28:47
And if God is a god of encouragement, again for the
28:49
person who is serving the lord and perhaps you are a little
28:54
just a little even or even more than a little disappointed
28:59
wondering if this is worth it ready to quit on serving God and
29:03
the particular place that he has put, you understand what I'm
29:06
saying? The thoughts that come into your
29:08
mind that caused you to despise the work of the Lord that cause
29:13
you to unnecessarily criticize your faithfulness.
29:17
When and whether or not you are truly a servant of God.
29:21
Because here, if you're truly a servant of God, this should have
29:23
happened by. Now, if those thoughts come
29:25
crashing in, or haunt you at night understand this, it's not
29:29
God, Because he's the god of encouragement.
29:34
He looks at his people serving and he says, keep going.
29:38
This will be completed. You will rejoice.
29:43
Yeah, you may so tears and night but you will in the morning reap
29:47
a harvest. Believe it.
29:51
Keep moving forward. Keep pressing on.
29:55
Keep discipling. Keep raising.
29:57
Keep teaching, keep praying, keep studying.
30:00
Keep witnessing Don't despise. It don't estimate with your
30:06
limited view. Don't calculate your results and
30:10
equate it to your Effectiveness. He's the god of encouragement.
30:14
So I know one thing. Right?
30:16
I know one thing that as I am endeavoring to please my god,
30:20
when those things come rushing into my heart, you really cut
30:24
out for this. Is this really, really what you
30:28
thought would happen, more should have had, whatever the
30:30
case may be. I know one thing in that moment,
30:33
according to Romans 14:5, my God is a god of encouragement.
30:39
He doesn't make me less excited about serving him.
30:43
He doesn't make me less filled with faith as I'm serving him.
30:49
Oh, so then you can understand and put all those thoughts away
30:52
and realize that is not my king. Because he's the god of
30:57
encouragement. And he's the god of
31:01
encouragement and we are his people, then let's be a people
31:03
of encouragement. And let's look at one another
31:06
and encourage each other in the faith, more and more for his
31:08
glory. And that is something that you
31:11
and I have to see under the reality of the smallness of the
31:14
seed. Do not despise the day of small
31:16
things that was true for the nation of Israel.
31:19
Then it was true for the disciples in Mark chapter 4 and
31:22
is true for you. And I today the smallness of the
31:25
seed, the success of this feed, whatever startled Hearts they
31:29
had in that moment it would have been conned by the next point
31:31
that Jesus was about to make in the next verse he tells them and
31:35
yet when it is sown it grows up, it grows up.
31:40
Becoming larger than all the garden plants and puts out large
31:43
branches. So that the birds of the air can
31:45
make nest in its shade, these disciples had no reason to fear
31:52
after that truth. There's no reason to be
31:55
concerned, they had now ultimate confidence in realizing that
31:59
they are part of a movement, that would not be shaken.
32:04
It's not going to fail. You are part of a establishment
32:09
that will Encompass the globe. And I want you to think about
32:15
that. The fact that you and I are
32:16
sitting here in 2023 in Chicago Illinois.
32:21
Worshipping week after week. All started with a band of men
32:26
in the countryside of Judea, scratching their heads.
32:30
And trying to wonder how how is the kingdom of God?
32:33
Like a mustard seed? And that incredible.
32:39
And we're just one piece of The Grandmaster piece of the kingdom
32:42
of God advancing across this world.
32:47
And we see here that this ministry that began in Galilee,
32:49
would one day, take over everything as Jesus predicted.
32:52
But here are some controversy, you like controversy.
32:56
There's some controversy around this, Parable saying what it
32:59
seems so simple and clear. Yes.
33:02
But it has to deal with Jesus words here at the last part of
33:05
verse 32. He says, so that the birds of
33:09
the air can make nest in its shade, What's the big deal?
33:16
Do you remember when Jesus shared the parallel to soar?
33:20
There is the first soil that he mentioned.
33:22
And with that soil, he mentioned the invasion of what birds These
33:29
birds came and they plucked up the seed from the surface of
33:32
that hardened path. And when you're there, a mark
33:35
for look at verse 13. Jesus gives the interpretation
33:38
of what the birds are. And these are the ones along the
33:42
path when the word is sown, when they hear Satan.
33:48
Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sewn
33:52
in them. Now here's why that's important.
33:56
Because when Jesus gave the parable of the sower, he
34:00
corrected and rebuked, his disciples who didn't understand,
34:03
and he says, how then will you understand all the other
34:06
parables? Which tells me that in the
34:09
parable of the sower, is our keys to interpret future
34:13
Parables. And this one's not too future
34:16
from what he just said in the parable of the sower, it's very
34:18
near its in the same context. What are you saying?
34:22
Here's what I'm saying that you have some who would interpret
34:24
this in the following way, if the birds and the parable, The
34:29
Source signify Satan's activity, And surely, you must mean the
34:37
same here in the parable of the mustard seed.
34:43
The idea is that as the church enlarges and gains more ground,
34:47
over the generations, the infiltration of Satan, and his
34:51
emissaries, will also emerge. They will.
34:59
Lodge in the midst of Christendom, the Lord here is
35:03
what some would believe. The Lord here is predicting that
35:06
there will be with the growth of my kingdom and my church.
35:12
Servants of unrighteousness, clothed, in righteousness,
35:15
supposed righteousness, fake righteousness, a facade
35:18
righteousness, and will be in the midst of my people with a
35:22
destructive purpose. So it's almost like a warning.
35:28
Yes, the seed is going to grow and become this wonderfully
35:31
large Plant. But with it will attract Satan's
35:36
assaults. And his attempt to pervert.
35:41
And to pollute my kingdom. Some have a problem with that
35:47
interpretation. And the one that I just gave is
35:51
not the popular one. What you have others who would
35:55
say as well? Okay, I understand that, but the
35:58
way Jesus shares about the parable of the Mustard Seed, the
36:01
way his languages, implies that the birds coming in is a good
36:05
thing, right? So we read that the, the plant
36:08
will grow. And then he says, so that the
36:10
birds of the air can make nests in the branches, so that a
36:14
desired outcome, the birds should be coming.
36:17
In fact, the kingdom is growing, the tree is going in order for
36:20
the birds to be able to find a home.
36:25
And again, you can't fully understand the new without the
36:29
old, and these men had some grass of the Old Testament and
36:33
surely the word of God in flesh has perfect understanding of his
36:38
own word. And so, could it be that a text
36:42
like Ezekiel 17:23 is what the Lord is alluding to when it says
36:49
here about a prophecy about the Kingdom on the mountain height
36:53
of Israel. Well, I plant it that I'm a bare
36:58
branches and produce fruit and become a Noble Cedar and under.
37:04
It will dwell every kind of bird in the shade of its branches.
37:09
Birds of every sort will nest. I can tell you one thing about
37:14
the birds and Ezekiel 17, not talking about demons.
37:18
What is he talking about? Gentile inclusion.
37:23
Every kind of bird every sort will Nest.
37:28
Once I plant my kingdom on this mountain and it has its full
37:31
expression made known. Could it be that Jesus is
37:35
referring to the same thing? That these birds will come.
37:41
And they will find stability. They will find shade, they will
37:44
find peace. They will find security under
37:47
the kingdom that has ruled and reigned by Jesus Christ himself.
37:51
It's not just confined to the Jews.
37:53
Now, it's now open to the nation's now and the nation's
37:56
income and say he's also my king, the son of David is also
38:00
my master, my Lord, my king, Regardless of what point you
38:06
hold to, even if it's to the former one, that I just
38:07
explained even of those birds are unwelcomed things.
38:13
The end result is still the same of Jesus.
38:15
Parable. These birds that come and Lodge
38:18
in the branches. They're not like the parable,
38:20
the sore, where they actually are succeeding and removing some
38:24
kind of influence. Now, they're just sitting there,
38:27
they're sitting there and the tree is still a tree.
38:30
The plant is still fully grown. Nothing could throw it that and
38:33
that's exactly the point. So wherever you say well I hold
38:35
to that I hold to that realize that what Jesus is declaring is
38:39
still the same. His kingdom will come.
38:43
Regardless of the pushback of Satan, regardless of all, the
38:46
armies that will come on that day of Armageddon and raised
38:50
their fists, in their weapons. To the heavens Christ will come
38:53
with one breath and deal with them.
38:56
He'll deal with them. The success is inevitable.
39:00
It's clear. It's obvious.
39:03
And now we come to the suggestion of the seed.
39:06
What does this mean for us? I know this is more of a
39:10
teaching than preaching. I know that you were learning
39:12
things in terms of definition, and Theological implications,
39:14
and all that. But what does that mean for you?
39:19
How does understanding the past of the kingdom of God?
39:22
The beginnings of the kingdom of God and that's continuous
39:24
progress and evolution. How does that help me?
39:28
Now, do I just hold on and wait and just trust that it's going
39:31
to happen? Yeah, sure.
39:33
It helped the disciples who were starting out the pioneers of the
39:36
movement. You can understand how this
39:37
Parable would have been a sigh of relief.
39:40
Okay, good, we're headed in the right direction.
39:42
Our Lord never lies promise that this will be good.
39:48
And I'll just, I'll just give you one one practical
39:51
application and understanding that you are part of the kingdom
39:55
of God. And it's in Hebrews 12 and we
39:59
read here in verse 28. Therefore, let us be grateful
40:13
for receiving a kingdom. That cannot be shaken.
40:19
And thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with
40:22
reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.
40:31
I hope you wouldn't disagree with me.
40:32
If I said that generally speaking people yearn.
40:38
To be a part of something. That will enhance their quality
40:43
of life. and that's why these guys on YouTube that Are like
40:51
entrepreneurs and motivational speakers that's why they're so
40:55
viral and attractive because people want to enhance their
40:59
quality of life, and they're willing to make great
41:02
Investments. Whether that be in personal
41:05
discipline, or some kind of plan or idea, that might most
41:09
promised them a future of stability and solidity.
41:15
And you see that in many ways, some of you have left a country
41:20
that had an oppressive regime to be here in America because you
41:24
saw that there was a Promise of Greater freedom and opportunity.
41:30
And you have people young people who are willing to make great
41:35
sacrifices and take great risk. In order to start something
41:39
whether it's a business or an idea or invents something in
41:41
order to promise them a more prosperous future.
41:47
People are making Investments all the time.
41:49
In fact, that's, that's really what life is.
41:51
Unless there's something drastically wrong with your.
41:54
You've reached a place of such destitution that you don't even
41:57
care. People are constantly trying,
41:59
that's why you go to school. That's why you get a job.
42:02
That's why you work out. That's why you try to stay on
42:05
that diet is because you want to see something come out of an
42:09
investment. That would ultimately profit
42:11
you. And as good as that might be and
42:17
as healthy as that might be understand.
42:19
And, you know, this that there are risk in any investment And
42:23
any investment that you make even if it's good and it's not
42:26
necessarily evil, it's still a risk.
42:30
And yeah, you try to measure your Roi or return on investment
42:33
and what's the best place that can minimize those risks.
42:35
But there are still risks Even if you go to the gym, you can
42:39
hurt yourself, whatever the case may be.
42:44
And here's the thing in the past 3 years, If the church has
42:49
learned anything. The world, I can see has
42:52
understood it, but at the church has learned anything.
42:54
It is this Everything can be shaken.
43:01
Even this wonderful country. With its glorious Constitution,
43:06
right? And the American dream.
43:09
Oh how quick the American dream can become a nightmare.
43:13
Everything can be shaken. And as Jesus, that even gives,
43:17
even if you didn't make an investment, even if somebody
43:19
handed you something and put it in your hand, did he not say
43:24
that moth can destroy it? They not say that rust.
43:27
Can he wrote it? Didn't that?
43:28
Say that a thief can come in and break it.
43:31
And take it profit from it. Yeah, we come to Hebrews 12 and
43:38
we realize That in a world that is marked by a people, a
43:45
Humanity ever since the beginning that longed for
43:47
purpose and hope and to do anything that they can to ensure
43:50
a greater purpose and A Lasting Hope.
43:55
You and I have been given something that is unshakable.
44:00
Unshakeable. Untouchable.
44:04
Immovable. Guaranteed success.
44:13
It will not be taken from us. By foreign enemies, it will not
44:19
erode after centuries. It will not be usurped, it will
44:25
not be dominated by anything nor will it be even stunted by the
44:31
failures of its followers? We are told that this kingdom is
44:36
invincible. Invincible.
44:42
Meaning you will be on the good side.
44:47
You will be on the profitable side when King Jesus comes back
44:52
and you will know unending. Joy, unending, peace.
44:56
True Prosperity. Fullness of Love, fullness of
45:00
strength and vigor ultimate happiness and blessing.
45:04
That does not have an expiration date on it.
45:10
That is a promise and here's the best part, you didn't earn it.
45:14
You didn't work for it. You didn't get a loan.
45:18
Nor did you try to impress The King, The King with his blood
45:23
gave it? And we're told here in Hebrews
45:26
12 wide that we have received this Kingdom, it's a gift, it's
45:32
a gift, you know, you look at the book of Acts and you see how
45:36
and different occurrences, Paul's Roman citizenship really
45:39
came to help him. Really came to help him.
45:43
And I always looked at that and I and I thought, yeah, there's
45:45
some practical teachings there of how if you are in a place
45:49
where a nation or region that does offer you some kind of
45:51
freedom take advantage of it for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
45:55
Yes, you point to a secular law if it's going to help you
45:59
advance and sustain and proclaim the gospel but I thought came to
46:04
my mind. How much more should we be able
46:08
to realize the great joy and security?
46:11
We have with our Heavenly citizenship?
46:13
I know you don't see it now because you're still not a life
46:16
where you have to make natural Investments.
46:19
But it's really going to come in handy when the king comes and he
46:21
says, where are my citizens? And you can say I'm yours, I
46:27
have my citizenship and it's stamped with the blood of Jesus
46:30
Christ, and you will not sit on the judgement floor.
46:35
You will sit and Rule and reign with him.
46:40
So what do we do with that knowledge?
46:42
Do we Rejoice then know Hebrew says Rejoice now and give God
46:48
worship and give him all aah and let your praise be reverential
46:53
and let it not just be Sunday morning where you tried to sing,
46:56
let it be something that you do throughout your week.
46:58
As you are an ambassador of this Kingdom.
47:01
That's the point. That's what we take from this.
47:04
That's what we're supposed to do.
47:06
Realize that it's coming. He predicted it and so far.
47:10
After 2000 years. Can I tell you something?
47:12
He's been, right? If he's been right.
47:15
The past 2000 years, I can guarantee you he's going to be
47:18
right for the next Thousand Years.
47:21
And so understand that the suggestion of the see, the
47:24
parable of the mustard seed, is this, you who are his citizens?
47:29
We're ship worship your king now, love him now, crown him
47:35
with praises now. So that when he comes to really
47:39
be crowned you'll be ready and not ashamed, not ashamed.
47:44
I have not been a citizen of your kingdom Faithfully.
47:47
Oh Lord, please forgive me. No, no, we've been waiting for
47:50
you King. Jesus.
47:51
We believed you. When we heard about your Parable
47:54
there in Mark, chapter 4 that indeed, your kingdom would come
47:57
to full fruition. And we've been anticipating,
47:59
Eating your arrival. Come now and have your rest Rule
48:03
and Reign forever. You are worthy.
48:05
You are worthy. You are worthy.
48:07
And let me tell you this, if you don't believe Jesus king, he's
48:10
going to be king anyway, because it's one Pastor said it, when
48:16
Jesus comes one of the things that he will most likely do.
48:22
Is arrive and look at the scale of the Horizon of our world.
48:26
Take out those righteous pierced hands and say mine mine.
48:31
Mine mine and you can't stop him.
48:37
No one will be able to stop him so I invite you on the Sunday
48:41
afternoon. I don't know if you expected
48:43
more of a pep talk, but I invite you this Sunday, afternoon to
48:47
Bow, your knee to King Jesus. He is Lord, he died.
48:53
He was buried. And he rose from the grave and
48:55
he, he will come again. And we are told there by 2nd
48:59
Peter that he waits patiently, he waits patiently to break the
49:06
Skies open and calm. Because once he comes, there is
49:09
no chance to reverse this thing. There's no Second Chance.
49:12
In fact, once he comes its final, his kingdom will be
49:15
established. It will grow.
49:17
It will take over. But the reason why he has been
49:20
waiting, these past two thousand years is because he wants your
49:23
heart. My son, give me your heart.
49:28
My son, my daughter. I want you to realize that I
49:32
created you my image but you are not truly a child of God, like
49:36
the popular opinion might say, until you receive the Son of God
49:39
as your savior and Lord. Are you ready?
49:46
Are you ready for his arrival? if you think that this world is
49:50
permanent just take a little history lesson and realize that
49:53
no matter how great empires have been, they have all Fallen and
49:57
no matter how wonderful America has been.
50:02
And prayerfully will continue to be.
50:05
America is not the kingdom of God.
50:11
The kingdom of God will have America.
50:13
And every, everything, every Other Nation for that matter.
50:16
And the only thing that will matter is whether or not you
50:19
have received the king before the King has come, Repent and
50:24
believe. Put your trust in the savior's
50:29
blood before it's too late, seek Him from mercy and he will give
50:35
it seek Him for forgiveness and if it's truly from the heart,
50:39
you will be forgiven. Not just forgiving the holy
50:43
spirit of God will seal you and he will put that citizenship as
50:47
been purchased by the blood of Christ in the safest place
50:50
possible. Where is that the faithfulness
50:52
of God? He will not reject you, he will
50:56
not push you away, he will not cancel you.
51:00
Like that temple in Zechariah what was started.
51:04
He will complete low. We thank you for this word.
51:09
And we ask, oh God, that the mustard seed, with all of its
51:13
truths would renew our faith and our worship and the reality of
51:18
the kingdom of God. You reign?
51:25
You have always rained. But we anticipate the reign of
51:30
the Messiah. Fulfilling the prophecies made
51:35
to David. We ask Lord of there's even one
51:42
who is not confident about their status in your kingdom.
51:46
That today would be the turning point and for those who are who
51:50
have given their hearts to you, we ask Lord, that worship would
51:53
be renewed. That what was said, would really
51:58
make an impact on how we view Our lives, our investments in
52:01
this world. And when all things might shake,
52:04
and if they do crumble, if they do, fail us to be able to know
52:08
that we have something that cannot be taken its
52:11
imperishable. It's a reserved.
52:14
It's all waiting and we will know it and it will be kept
52:18
forever. This is our joy, and we sing to
52:20
you. Oh, Lord, help us to see beyond
52:23
this life. Help us to see into the future
52:26
and really realize what this means.
52:28
It may you receive the necessary Glory.
52:30
As a result in Jesus name. Amen, let's Stand Together.