Introduction:
* No Kingdom ⟹ No people, no peace, no prosperity.
* It is therefore of paramount importance that a kingdom must be protected.
* Yet history tells us no human kingdom survives.
* Foreign invasion or civil war destroys kingdoms.
* Yet, our Lord Jesus has given us a Kingdom (of heaven) that will last forever.
* Though this Kingdom is unseen, it is forcefully advancing right here today.
* We have to see the value of this Kingdom and witness its expansion.
Read <Mt 13:31-35>
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
* The Kingdom of Heaven is unseen in the fallen world, its magnitude not perceived by human mind. Yet, it influences everything under heaven.
* Jesus is the King of the Kingdom and he brought this kingdom with him to this earth when he incarnated.
* Yet, how it grows and expands is a great mystery!
Mustard Seed growing to become the largest tree in the garden
* Small and Insignificant
* E.g. Jesus and the Apostles
* It cannot be expanded through human hands, but only those who acknowledged Jesus as Lord.
* Confirm: How religions of Rome Era have all vanished but Christianity prevails.
* Confirm: How the Christianity extend its branches over legal system, political system, music, science and technology, etc.
* Confirm: How worldly kingdom fell? E.g. Babylon.
* Confirm: How Christianity prevailed?
* “… on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” <Mt 16:18>
Parable of the yeast mixed into large amount of flour
* The workings of the Kingdom of heaven is not in the obvious. Its hidden!
* Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world”. <Jn 18:36>.
* Yet, it could happen suddenly before we even realized it.
* Confirm: Do we felt left behind in this world? That’s a deception!
* The truly wise will invest their all in the kingdom of God.
Two simple applications:
1) Be involved in its expansion and live a committed church life.
2) Do not be discouraged if we are really doing a good work for the Lord.
* Believe in the principle of “accumulated blessing”.
