I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. My Purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life
(John 10:9-10).
As you read this blog today just as Christ proclaimed He is the gate. I want you to imagine Christ as the Door and the Kingdom of God as you coming through that door to live a fulfilled life. Amen?
Imagine for a moment that you own a shoe store that specializes in expensive, elegant, stylish, and fashionable shoes of the highest quality. You have invested a couple of million dollars to build an elegant and beautiful store and have spent thousands more to obtain the highest quality inventory of shoes available. Your desire is to reach the highest possible number of people with the news of the excellent shoes they can find in your store. What would you do? You would advertise, of course. Advertising is a form of preaching; you are spreading the “gospel”—the “good news” about the shoes you have for sale.
Suppose your advertisement ran like this: "Hello. I want to invite you to visit us at Sole's Shoe Store, where you will find only the finest footwear for the entire family. I am confident that you will fall in love with our store, and particularly our door. We have a beautiful door made of solid oak overlaid with gold and fixed with sterling silver hinges. An elegant window of mirrored and beveled glass is set into the top half of the door. The door is eight feet high and six feet wide, a truly awesome and magnificent door. I am telling you, friends, that you don’t want to miss this door. It will mesmerize you. You simply will not believe the beauty of our door until you see it. Come on down. We are looking to see you soon!"
How many shoes do you think you would sell with an ad like that? How many customers would you draw into your store? You might get a crowd of curious people who come to look at your door and then walk away chuckling and shaking their heads, but you won’t make much money. The object of advertising is to get customers through the door and into the store where they can see the merchandise you have available for them to buy.
It is the same with the Kingdom of God. If we get stuck at the "door", we will never experience the fullness of the Kingdom that the Father has prepared for us.
According to John 10:10 We will not have fulfilled all that the Lord desires for us until we move fully inside the door and make available to ourselves all that the Kingdom has to offer us. Only then can we begin to fulfill all the potential God has placed inside us., Jesus died for us, but He died to obtain something for us: entrance into the Kingdom of His Father. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The life He gives us is the life of the fullness of His Kingdom, a Kingdom that has everything we could ever need or want, a Kingdom of overabundant and inexhaustible supply.
(John 10:9-10).
As you read this blog today just as Christ proclaimed He is the gate. I want you to imagine Christ as the Door and the Kingdom of God as you coming through that door to live a fulfilled life. Amen?
Imagine for a moment that you own a shoe store that specializes in expensive, elegant, stylish, and fashionable shoes of the highest quality. You have invested a couple of million dollars to build an elegant and beautiful store and have spent thousands more to obtain the highest quality inventory of shoes available. Your desire is to reach the highest possible number of people with the news of the excellent shoes they can find in your store. What would you do? You would advertise, of course. Advertising is a form of preaching; you are spreading the “gospel”—the “good news” about the shoes you have for sale.
Suppose your advertisement ran like this: "Hello. I want to invite you to visit us at Sole's Shoe Store, where you will find only the finest footwear for the entire family. I am confident that you will fall in love with our store, and particularly our door. We have a beautiful door made of solid oak overlaid with gold and fixed with sterling silver hinges. An elegant window of mirrored and beveled glass is set into the top half of the door. The door is eight feet high and six feet wide, a truly awesome and magnificent door. I am telling you, friends, that you don’t want to miss this door. It will mesmerize you. You simply will not believe the beauty of our door until you see it. Come on down. We are looking to see you soon!"
How many shoes do you think you would sell with an ad like that? How many customers would you draw into your store? You might get a crowd of curious people who come to look at your door and then walk away chuckling and shaking their heads, but you won’t make much money. The object of advertising is to get customers through the door and into the store where they can see the merchandise you have available for them to buy.
It is the same with the Kingdom of God. If we get stuck at the "door", we will never experience the fullness of the Kingdom that the Father has prepared for us.
According to John 10:10 We will not have fulfilled all that the Lord desires for us until we move fully inside the door and make available to ourselves all that the Kingdom has to offer us. Only then can we begin to fulfill all the potential God has placed inside us., Jesus died for us, but He died to obtain something for us: entrance into the Kingdom of His Father. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The life He gives us is the life of the fullness of His Kingdom, a Kingdom that has everything we could ever need or want, a Kingdom of overabundant and inexhaustible supply.
"The Kingdom of God has come to earth. Let all who will, repent and enter in." (Matthew 4:17)
"And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.”
(Matthew 4:23)
The question I’ve had over the last three years now is why did Jesus preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and we don’t hear the church preaching that message?
Somewhere along the way, the Church has lost this focus. Rarely will we hear the message of the Kingdom being preached in our churches.
It is really quite unfair to tell the world about Jesus Christ and how He is the gate. And not tell the world what the benefits of coming through the gate are. In other words, talking about Him, without telling the world about life on the other side of the door. It won’t make sense. For Christians, we get it already. It makes sense. But to a Lost world it does not.
If we move forward and tell the world about the Kingdom, that’s another matter. When we tell them of a domain where there is life, hope, peace, joy, and the power to rise above daily problems and difficulties right now, and live successfully and victoriously right now, they will say, “Hey, I can relate to that! I can understand that. As the Church we must complete the message of Christ by focusing on the Kingdom of God, which was the heart of the words of Jesus.
Let’s face it, life is hard and full of suffering and pain. We live in a world of great anxiety. Terrorism, wars and rumors of wars, economic collapse, political confusion, unemployment, divorce, setbacks and disappointments—people need good news. The Kingdom of God is that good news. It is the lost message of Jesus that needs to be resurrected in our times.
Ask yourself a question.
Why would little children run up to Jesus? Why would rich and poor alike follow Him? Why would more than 5,000 people hang out with Him for three days, enduring hunger just to see and hear Him? Why would men, women, and children leave their farms and fishing boats, shops, homes, and villages just to sit at His feet? Why would they suspend their livelihood for a time to rush out to the countryside when they heard He was nearby?
It was not just what He could do. It was because they loved what He had to say. It was because He told them about citizenship in a Kingdom that would give them a better life and greater future than they would ever find in any of the Kingdoms of men.
In addition, Jesus modeled the very message that He preached and it drew men and women from every part of life. This is a great challenge to us in our times. The message that we preach must be the message that we live.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God that we are called to preach and share as believers must be carefully defined so that there is no confusion. The “gospel” is not the message itself but rather a description of the message. We were commissioned by Jesus to preach the message of the Kingdom of God, and that message is described as good news for everyone who hears its message.
Jesus never told us to go and simply preach any “gospel.” There are many kinds of good news we could talk about. When the Bible says he preached the gospel it was followed by the gospel of the Kingdom.
Jesus taught also. An example of his teaching is the sermon on the mount and when he used parables. But when he preached. He preached the Kingdom.
Matthew 24: 14 says to preach the gospel of the Kingdom so then the end will come. Dare I say to any watchmen, that if you are looking to expedite his return for the church let’s make sure we understand the kingdom message he preached and preach it also amen?
When Jesus began His public ministry, His first recorded words were, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 4:17). With those words, Jesus set the standard and the model for us to follow.
Jesus proclaimed the good news that the Kingdom of God had come to earth once again. That was His Gospel he shared with the masses in fact the only people who he told he was going to die on the cross (and they didn’t even understand it at the time) were his disciples. And candidly, when you study the Bible the disciples thought Jesus was going to establish his kingdom on earth during their time, while alive, and they would reign and rule Rome and the rest of the world with him. Remember in Matthew 20 when James and John’s mother asked Jesus if her sons could sit on His right and left hand in his Kingdom. This wasn’t when they died and went to heaven saints. They were not just following Jesus because all of the miracles. They truly believed they would rule with Him, that he was going to establish his earthly royal kingdom in their present day. After all, all he talked about was a Kingdom.
It’s no wonder Peter denied him or Thomas ran away and no longer believed until he felt the holes in his hands. Have you ever lived in this life and thought things were going to go one way and everything was turned completely upside down. Things didn’t go as you expected to or planed for them to go and when they didn’t you threw in the towel. You gave up. You quit on God for a time. That’s what happen to the disciples. When they thought Jesus was coming to setup his Kingdom on earth. So I caution you now, if His own disciples who talked with him, lived with him, ate with him, misunderstood what his message was all about then my request of you is simple.
I beg you not to read this blog from a place of knowing. Come to this text and these scriptures shared from a place of curiosity. I think this is why we don’t see the church preach on the kingdom because it’s mired in obscurity that only the Holy Spirit can provide clarity.
So what was Jesus telling people saints?
Matthew 13 tells us
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”
(Matthew 13:10-11)
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
(Matthew 13:13)
Talking to his disciples Jesus says
"For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
(Matthew 13:17)
Let us not miss this Kingdom message as the Pharisee and Sadducees; the righteous and religious folks did. Amen?
What’s the kingdom message then men. That God’s Kingdom has come on earth and anyone who would come and desire to be reunited in spirit and fellowship with Him can be restored to their full position and rights as children of God and citizens of His Kingdom. That we can regain what Adam lost. We can once again assume the place of dominion authority that God intended for us from the beginning. The reason the disciples got the keys to the kingdom to know and understand things that some of us still don’t know and understand today. They gave up everything to follow him. What have you given up to not just come to the door. But enter through the door today?
Let me be clear, teaching about Jesus Christ is a vital and essential part of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, because He is our way into the Kingdom.
God’s original purpose was to extend His heavenly rule to earth through his us as His creation. His desire was that our physical earthly realm would reflect His spiritual heavenly realm. But the fall of man happen. So God sent his only begotten Son to die for us so that who ever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Because the Kingdom of Heaven on earth was God’s original intent, even though the fall happened, his purpose for earth never changed. What Jesus did, through His death, burial, and resurrection was help re-establish that purpose to come forth once more.
A dark and weary world, hopeless and despairing, awaits—and desperately needs to hear—the good news of the Kingdom of God. By preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to all, we prepare the way for the return of Christ. That is our mission, our assignment as the Body of Christ. If we do not preach it, who will?
"And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.”
(Matthew 4:23)
The question I’ve had over the last three years now is why did Jesus preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and we don’t hear the church preaching that message?
Somewhere along the way, the Church has lost this focus. Rarely will we hear the message of the Kingdom being preached in our churches.
It is really quite unfair to tell the world about Jesus Christ and how He is the gate. And not tell the world what the benefits of coming through the gate are. In other words, talking about Him, without telling the world about life on the other side of the door. It won’t make sense. For Christians, we get it already. It makes sense. But to a Lost world it does not.
If we move forward and tell the world about the Kingdom, that’s another matter. When we tell them of a domain where there is life, hope, peace, joy, and the power to rise above daily problems and difficulties right now, and live successfully and victoriously right now, they will say, “Hey, I can relate to that! I can understand that. As the Church we must complete the message of Christ by focusing on the Kingdom of God, which was the heart of the words of Jesus.
Let’s face it, life is hard and full of suffering and pain. We live in a world of great anxiety. Terrorism, wars and rumors of wars, economic collapse, political confusion, unemployment, divorce, setbacks and disappointments—people need good news. The Kingdom of God is that good news. It is the lost message of Jesus that needs to be resurrected in our times.
Ask yourself a question.
Why would little children run up to Jesus? Why would rich and poor alike follow Him? Why would more than 5,000 people hang out with Him for three days, enduring hunger just to see and hear Him? Why would men, women, and children leave their farms and fishing boats, shops, homes, and villages just to sit at His feet? Why would they suspend their livelihood for a time to rush out to the countryside when they heard He was nearby?
It was not just what He could do. It was because they loved what He had to say. It was because He told them about citizenship in a Kingdom that would give them a better life and greater future than they would ever find in any of the Kingdoms of men.
In addition, Jesus modeled the very message that He preached and it drew men and women from every part of life. This is a great challenge to us in our times. The message that we preach must be the message that we live.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God that we are called to preach and share as believers must be carefully defined so that there is no confusion. The “gospel” is not the message itself but rather a description of the message. We were commissioned by Jesus to preach the message of the Kingdom of God, and that message is described as good news for everyone who hears its message.
Jesus never told us to go and simply preach any “gospel.” There are many kinds of good news we could talk about. When the Bible says he preached the gospel it was followed by the gospel of the Kingdom.
Jesus taught also. An example of his teaching is the sermon on the mount and when he used parables. But when he preached. He preached the Kingdom.
Matthew 24: 14 says to preach the gospel of the Kingdom so then the end will come. Dare I say to any watchmen, that if you are looking to expedite his return for the church let’s make sure we understand the kingdom message he preached and preach it also amen?
When Jesus began His public ministry, His first recorded words were, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 4:17). With those words, Jesus set the standard and the model for us to follow.
Jesus proclaimed the good news that the Kingdom of God had come to earth once again. That was His Gospel he shared with the masses in fact the only people who he told he was going to die on the cross (and they didn’t even understand it at the time) were his disciples. And candidly, when you study the Bible the disciples thought Jesus was going to establish his kingdom on earth during their time, while alive, and they would reign and rule Rome and the rest of the world with him. Remember in Matthew 20 when James and John’s mother asked Jesus if her sons could sit on His right and left hand in his Kingdom. This wasn’t when they died and went to heaven saints. They were not just following Jesus because all of the miracles. They truly believed they would rule with Him, that he was going to establish his earthly royal kingdom in their present day. After all, all he talked about was a Kingdom.
It’s no wonder Peter denied him or Thomas ran away and no longer believed until he felt the holes in his hands. Have you ever lived in this life and thought things were going to go one way and everything was turned completely upside down. Things didn’t go as you expected to or planed for them to go and when they didn’t you threw in the towel. You gave up. You quit on God for a time. That’s what happen to the disciples. When they thought Jesus was coming to setup his Kingdom on earth. So I caution you now, if His own disciples who talked with him, lived with him, ate with him, misunderstood what his message was all about then my request of you is simple.
I beg you not to read this blog from a place of knowing. Come to this text and these scriptures shared from a place of curiosity. I think this is why we don’t see the church preach on the kingdom because it’s mired in obscurity that only the Holy Spirit can provide clarity.
So what was Jesus telling people saints?
Matthew 13 tells us
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”
(Matthew 13:10-11)
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
(Matthew 13:13)
Talking to his disciples Jesus says
"For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
(Matthew 13:17)
Let us not miss this Kingdom message as the Pharisee and Sadducees; the righteous and religious folks did. Amen?
What’s the kingdom message then men. That God’s Kingdom has come on earth and anyone who would come and desire to be reunited in spirit and fellowship with Him can be restored to their full position and rights as children of God and citizens of His Kingdom. That we can regain what Adam lost. We can once again assume the place of dominion authority that God intended for us from the beginning. The reason the disciples got the keys to the kingdom to know and understand things that some of us still don’t know and understand today. They gave up everything to follow him. What have you given up to not just come to the door. But enter through the door today?
Let me be clear, teaching about Jesus Christ is a vital and essential part of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, because He is our way into the Kingdom.
God’s original purpose was to extend His heavenly rule to earth through his us as His creation. His desire was that our physical earthly realm would reflect His spiritual heavenly realm. But the fall of man happen. So God sent his only begotten Son to die for us so that who ever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Because the Kingdom of Heaven on earth was God’s original intent, even though the fall happened, his purpose for earth never changed. What Jesus did, through His death, burial, and resurrection was help re-establish that purpose to come forth once more.
A dark and weary world, hopeless and despairing, awaits—and desperately needs to hear—the good news of the Kingdom of God. By preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to all, we prepare the way for the return of Christ. That is our mission, our assignment as the Body of Christ. If we do not preach it, who will?
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