Key scripture - Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owners servants came to him and said, Sir, didnt you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from? ‘An enemy did this, he replied. The servants asked him, Do you want us to go and pull them up? No, he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn. (Matthew 13:24-30). People look at the world and ask: Cant an all-powerful God do something about the poverty, crime, and suffering? Wouldnt an all-loving God want to? The answer to these questions is two fold: First, theres opposition. Satan (the word means Adversary) is a spiritual being, a fallen angel, who opposed Gods rule and in so doing ushered sin into the world. And Jesus said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (Luke 10:18). Also, sin is at the root of every misery the world has ever suffered. So we need to Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is a deceiver and he is evil. God is not evil and He does not tempt us with evil. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. (James 1:13). Second, though God could have instantly destroyed Satan and sinners (thats all of us), He decided to take the long way round, quelling the worlds rebellion not by brute force but by the power of divine love. That strategy requires restraint. It takes patience. It means justice in a final sense has to be delayed. It means evil is played out so that love can draw as many people as possible into the net of the Kingdom. To say it another way, the weeds and the wheat are allowed to grow up together until the worlds last day. In Second Peter it states, But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:8-10). On that day Jesus will no longer hide Himself but will step boldly into history, not veiling His power, but appearing in all His brilliance as King of kings and Lord of lords, judging the world with His justice and establishing His reign on the earth. As we wait for the Kings return, lets spread the kingdom by sharing the good news, feeding the hungry, serving the poor, and loosening the bonds of the oppressed. Also, let us allow the values of the kingdom to shine forth in us by the way we think and act and pray. Then, anticipating that final day of the Lord, let us bow down and worship, proclaiming Jesus as our King and Lord forever. For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10b-12). Pray this - Father, Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, Whose perfect obedience ushered in the Kingdom of heaven. For the last two thousand years, Gods Kingdom has continued to spread through every nation, tribe, people, and language, as men and women accept Christs rule. You are the God Who watches over the whole earth and Who will one day come in glory to usher in an eternal kingdom of peace and righteousness. HALLELUJAH!! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 10:33:38 +0000
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