31. Wala ka sa Lolo ko. The kingdom of God has been given to him.
23 September 2020
A dromedary camel passing through the eye of a needle.
“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24
Matthew 21
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”
Matthew 19
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Johann Vogel: Meditationes emblematicae de restaurata pace Germaniae, 1649.
Unknown author • Public domain
The Parable of the Tenants
Matthew 21
37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’
39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
The Parable of the Two Sons
Matthew 21
31 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
Matthew 19
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Pardon me, I have to refer to several verses to present a good understanding of what is the kingdom of God.
The Parable of the Tenants. The Lord Jesus was indignant of the self-righteous attitude of religious leaders and their contempt towards His teachings.
The Parable of the Two Sons. Jesus was indignant of the religious leaders' demeaning regard for tax collectors and prostitutes.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God. The rich young man chose his earthly riches over the kingdom of God. Jesus' response to the astonished disciples, with God all things are possible.
Christ and the Rich Young Ruler" by Heinrich Hofmann
Heinrich Hofmann • Public domain
Continuation. The Rich and the kingdom of God.
Matthew 19
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The kingdom of God and how one's attitude should be. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
Matthew 6
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Treasures in Heaven.
Matthew 6
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Again. You cannot serve both God and money. That's how the Lord Jesus put it. It's the choice between the kingdom of God on one side and the love of money on the opposite side.
Please note it's not money itself, it's to serve money. In other words, it's the love of money.
1 Timothy 6
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Hebrews 13
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
It is said, some people use other people to get money. Instead, people should use their money to bless other people and bring them to the kingdom of God. Money should be used to serve God. That's money, and talents should be used for the glory of God.
Here's a replay from Matthew 19.
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The matter is that money will not be able to buy everything. Below, it's not about the person, for this man is a philanthropist.
On March 14, 1932, George Eastman died by suicide with a single gunshot through the heart. His suicide note read, "To my friends, my work is done – Why wait? GE."
George Eastman, the very rich man with the success of Eastman Kodak, suffered from depression due to his pain, reduced ability to function, and also since he had witnessed his mother's suffering from pain.
Another man by the name David Livingstone who as a medical doctor could have lived comfortably in his native Scotland, after 16 years of service in Africa, came home with one of his arms useless as a result of a lion's attack and suffered 27 bouts of jungle fever.
At Livingstone's death, they found his body kneel-bent in prayer by his bed, beside him a small, well-worn New Testament opened to Matthew 28, with notation beside verse 20 "The Word of a Gentleman." (Heroes, Harold J. Sala, pages 20 - 22)
Matthew 28
20 And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
As for me, I have decided to follow Jesus and he has given me the kingdom of God. There is no turning back.
“If you want to follow Jesus because He’ll fix your marriage, if you want to follow Jesus because He’ll give you a better life, that’s idolatry. Follow Christ for the sake of Christ; He is worthy!”
— Paul Washer
Indeed, my children's children will someday say, wala ka sa Lolo ko, the kingdom of God has been given to him.
My Dear Friend, I pray that the message I have conveyed has made sense, and for the Holy Spirit to make possible that what is impossible with men. Amen.
If you have been blessed by this message, I am requesting you to kindly share it with family and friends whom you believe will be blessed as well.
Maraming salamat.
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