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THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT # 18

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NO WORRIES IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

lion and lamb“25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:25-34.

The word “therefore,” connects this section to the former. It is an illustration of what He has just said, and an assurance that all their needs will be cared for. Peter wondered what they would have as a result of forsaking everything to follow Him. Jesus answers. “27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Matthew 19:27-30.
It is obvious that the above has nothing to do with the church. We have no such promises. Our citizenship and dwelling is in heaven. The context is the Kingdom of God on earth. The “regeneration” is speaking of the natural and supernatural changes that will transpire at the Second Advent. As we have said rapidly, the church of this dispensation is not the subject of Matthew’s gospel.
Their job will be in the new government as Judges. (28). They need not worry about jobs, retirement, food or clothing. All their need will be met. There is nothing to spiritualize in the text. All is literal. The Kingdom of God from heaven will be established on earth Jerusalem will be the seat of universal government. Israel will possess her promised land, and from there spread the gospel of the Kingdom throughout the whole earth. Matthew 28:19-20 will be their marching orders, and Mark 16:14-20 will be their power.

THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT #17

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lion and lamb

 

HOARDING MONEY, AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

“19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:19-24.

 

The purpose of the book of Matthew is to present the King and the Kingdom to the nation of Israel. That the Day of the Lord would precede the Kingdom is taught throughout the Old Testament prophets. The act of hoarding money, at that time, will be futile. The idea in this text is not that Christians should give all their money to the church. Thus, laying up treasures in heaven.

The Lord is warning them, that they could not seek wealth and serve Him. The reason was, the pursuit of wealth, indicated they did not believe the Kingdom of Heaven was “at hand.” This was the sin of Ananias, and Sapphira his wife. Acts 5:1. Their withholding the money, showed that they did not believe the Kingdom was at hand.

The one thing that should be uppermost in their mind, was that they stay focused on the Kingdom of Heaven. It would be possible for them to get sidetracked and forget the need to endure and remain faithful, if they were to enter the Kingdom. This is the meaning of the “single eye.” “48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 24:48-51.   

The Lord had promised, and demonstrated His ability to feed and care for them. Thus, their attitude toward money and earthly possessions was a testimony to their faith, or the lack thereof. The love for, and the “laying up of money” would keep them out of the Kingdom of Heaven.

In this church age, one may be rich and still serve the lord. However, Paul warns all believers about living for wealth. To do so, makes the heart grow cold toward the Lord. “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” 1 Timothy 6:17.

There will be no need to seek wealth in the Tribulation. Also, we have no idea what the monetary system will be in the Kingdom. The book of James it also a Tribulation book, and addresses that time.  “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.” James 5:1 .

 

 

 

 

THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT # 16

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PRAYER AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

 lion and lamb

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11  Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:5-15.

The subject is prayer. The scope is the Kingdom of Heaven. The structure suggest the time is just preceding, or within the Tribulation prior to the Second Advent.  

Prayer should not be a public spectacle. Jesus is fully aware that those who make the most noise about pray, aren’t really communing with God, but are seeking the attention and admiration of men. So, don’t play at prayer to appear spiritual.

Most prayer should be secret and private. It is interesting that we prefer to have a “prayer partner,” or a prayer group. If one is conscious of the difference between group prayer, and private prayer, he will find that private prayer is most difficult. The seductive reason, is that in private prayer, there is no one to impress. You will be transparent, because it is just God and you. Private and secret prayer is the most pleasing to God, and gets the greater reward.

Prayer should not be repetitious. There is nothing as pathetic and absurd as the Roman Catholic Rosary. The playing beads, and the repetition goes completely against Scripture. Jesus said, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do…”  This kind of praying is a sign of heathenism. It is against the teachings of Jesus, and is insane. The very idea that the more “hail Mary’s” one says, the less time he will spend in Purgatory, is a doctrine of devils. The doctrine of Purgatory is also a doctrine of devils.

Prayers need not be long. If you need to have long prayers, have it in your closet.  Some churches think there is special merit in having “all night prayer meetings,” and then making sure everyone in the church knows about it. If you really believe in the value of all night prayer, how many time have you done it alone? My guess is, none, and if you have, by all means, don’t tell anyone. We get a little wary of those pastors and evangelist who must tell us how many chapters they read today, and how many hours they prayed. My advice is SHUT UP, and save your rewards.

Prayer is not a reminder to God. If we would keep in mind that God knows our needs better than any of us. He knows what is best for us, and He knows that we need to go through the testing for obedience. So, don’t try to remind God of your situation. He knows. Thank Him, and ask Him to help you avail yourself of the grace He has already provided. The truth is, we don’t know what is best for us; God does.

A model prayer. This prayer is an example of what He has been teaching on prayer. It shows a simple, and intelligent prayer. The first point is that the prayer should be directed to a holy God whose throne is in heaven. There is not mention of Mary, the Saints, or the use of idols. They are to go directly to their Father who is in heaven.

The next request is for the Kingdom of Heaven to come. This is one more proof that this prayer is not for the church, or any church that might think itself to be the Kingdom.  The church is not seeking the Kingdom of Heaven, it is waiting the sound of the trumpet, and the rapture.

 When the Kingdom does come, God’s will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is no doubt, as I have said previously, this entire text is for the Jewish remnant within the Tribulation, or just prior to it. This is not a matter of thanking God for bread, they will be in such tribulation, that it will be necessary to pray for it daily. Many Jews will die of starvation, as well as by the sword.

There is the request for God to forgive them of their debts, as they forgive those who were indebted to them. The Jewish nation, as a whole, had become very wicked and selfish. They robbed and extorted from their brethren in every way possible. There is no record in Scripture where they ever observed the Year of jubilee. (Leviticus 25.). One condition of their forgiveness is that the release others of their debts.

The request in verse 31 is a prayer to be delivered from the wrath of their enemies. The evil, may be the Beast, or Antichrist. The word “temptation,” has to do with testing. Israel’s time in the wilderness was call “temptation.” “Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” Psalm 95:8. The testing of Abraham was called a “temptation.” (Genes 22:1.) Whatever the temptation may be, they are requesting that God deliver them. No doubt is will include the mark coming mark of the Beast. None are able to buy or sell except that which has his mark (Rev 13:17). Daily bread must be miraculously “given,” if those who use this prayer are to be kept alive.

The conclusion of the prayer is as its beginning. God is given glory and praise. The kingdom is His, the power is His and the glory is His, and He will shortly regain it all.

Thus, this model prayer, shows the correct method of prayer. It is not a prayer intended for the Christian to pray, but there is some application for all time.

It is interesting that the command in verse 14-15 have to do with forgiving others. If they wanted forgiveness, they must first forgive others their trespasses. The difference for the Christian is that he is to forgive because he has been forgiven. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.

 

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT #15

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THE HUMILITY IN OFFERINGS AT THE TEMPLE

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“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:1-4.

 

The hypocrites were the Scribes and Pharisees. All their works they did to be seen of men. They loved titles and attention. The Lord is reminding the Apostles to keep their motives in check. If their deeds were for the praise of men, then they already had their full reward.

There is some debate as what the sounding of the “trumpet” really means. Some say the brass receptacle had a trumpet-like opening, and the hypocrites cast their coins so they would hit the metal and make a sound. This would draw attention to themselves. Dake’s Bible note says it was a literal trumpet to call the poor. Regardless, the lesson is clear.

The idiom, to not let the left hand know what the right is doing, simply means to take no thought of drawing attention to ones charity. Their heavenly Father knows, and can see, and He will reward them openly.

This advice is applicable to all dispensations. If we seek the praise of men, we will not have the praise of God. We are not told what that reward will be, but it will not be done in secret. Their Father will reward them openly. 

THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT # 14

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THE TREATMENT OF ENEMIES IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

 lion and lamb

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:38-48.

I believe the scene here is for the Jews in the Tribulation, the prelude to the Kingdome of Heaven. We must also rid ourselves of the belief that everyone on earth will love the King and the Jews in the Kingdom. Many within the Kingdom will have wicked hearts, and hate the theocratic rule of the King. Keep in mind that He and His disciples must rule with a “rod of iron.” (Psa.2; Rev. 2:27; 19:15). Although most of the above text is dealing with the tribulation period, some of it will exist on earth during the time of the Kingdom. It is those circumstances the Lord is instructing them how to deal with their enemies.

Under the Old Testament Law, one was to pay for his crime according his own actions. But Jesus is above the law, and makes changes for that future time spoken of above. He did a similar example at His first advent in the case of the woman taken is adultery. The Law demanded that she die.

The Lord is instructing those who will be in the Tribulation and the Kingdom not to take personal revenge. They are to be passive under personal insults, and go the extra mile. They are to overcome evil with kindness and hospitality. He is the Law giver, and He has the power to alter, or modify as He pleases.

The disciples are to demonstrate love, not just to their Jewish brothers, but to all peoples. God demonstrates His goodness every day. They are be like their Father in heaven. If they follow the above example, they are demonstrating the attributes of their Heavenly Father.