HOUSE CHURCH- Kingdom within you!
Jesus gives much of His time trying to define “the kingdom of God” or “the kingdom of Heaven.” He uses some of his most elaborate metaphors to try to explain what this kingdom is and why it is so important.
• Hidden treasure (Matt. 13:44)
• The Pearl of Great Price (Matt. 13: 45-56)
• A mustard seed (Luke 13:21)
• The seeds of a sower (Matthew 13: 3-9)
• Leaven (Luke 13: 18-19)
• A field of wheat and tares (Matt. 13: 24-29)
• A fisherman’s net (Matthew 13: 47-50)
• Ten Virgins, five of them foolish (Matthew 25: 1-14)What’s the common thread weaved ever so discreetly that ties everyone of these parables together? What’s the coherent picture? I believe our answer is found in Luke 17:20-21. In this passage a few Jewish leaders approach Jesus with a question about the kingdom and its arrival. They wanted to know when it was coming. Jesus responds by saying you won’t be able to observe the Kingdom’s arrival. People won’t be able to say, There it is, or here it comes because THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU! This is the key to understanding all the kingdom parables!
Like a mustard seed, the kingdom of God within us is mostly undetectable as it first makes its home in our hearts. Many often overlook its significance because it can hide below the radar of emotions. Like leaven, it works unseen until it permeates every area of a life, raising whatever it comes in contact with, like fish, wheat and tares, and wise and foolish virgins, it exists side by side with its opposites.
Recently I found myself praying a strange prayer. The words just came out of my mouth one morning as I was covering our pastors. I prayed that the Lord would give them the ability to move in there realms of influence in “stealth mode”. In other words, undetectable while on mission not to bring unwanted attention while they’re releasing and building the kingdom in volatile areas. You see, this is much like the leaven that Jesus spoke of. It works unseen in “stealth mode” so to speak until it permeates a life, a mission field, or any areas we’re called to!
Do you recognize the kingdom at work with you? Do recognize it in others? Is your life set on building the kingdom on earth?
It is a buried treasure and a pearl of great price that we can have whenever we decide to look for it, give up everything we own for it, nourish it, work to build it, and share it with the world.
What is Jesus telling us? There is no waiting! The Kingdom is already here, within us! The kingdom of God is available to us… we’re not waiting to arrive at its destination one day! Nothing is keeping us away from it. What, then, are we waiting for?
QUESTIONS:
1. Review & discuss the scriptures listed above on the kingdom.
2. Do you recognize the kingdom at work with you? Do you recognize it in others? Explain
3. In what way has the Lord called you to build the Kingdom? Family? Community? Church? What specific mission field? Have you faced opposition? How can we pray for one another?
