March 14, 2021

How Do People Find the Kingdom of God?

Anthony Gammage – Matthew 13:44-52

Sermon Quotes

Irwyn Ince, The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity, and the Church at its Best
“To Jesus the kingdom exists [where] not merely God is supreme, for that is true at all times and under all circumstances, but where God supernaturally carries through his supremacy against all opposing powers and brings [people] to the willing recognition of the same.”

Matthew 13:44–52
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.  So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

The brutal fact is this…the average person living in a Western county increasing has nothing to live for. He or she has little family, few friends, no neighborhood, no community and certainly no Christ. He or she exists mostly as a ritual of economic activity. A number on a balance sheet.

When we treasure the kingdom, it makes a difference in our course of life. We seek out and meditate on God’s truth. We make time to pray and give thanks to our King. We will live by Gospel standards by seeking to become more patient, gentle, forgiving, and merciful. We are willing to make sacrifices to practice our conviction that the kingdom is our supreme treasure.
-Dan Doriani