Kingdom of God – Page 2

Matthew 26:26-29 – Jesus Will Meet Us There

Do you watch “The Chosen” television show yet? The scene depicted in our reading is played out in Season 5, episode 6. How do I know? I just watched this episode in preparation for our Youth Group viewing this week. The Chosen is a great depiction of the life of Jesus. It’s exciting to hear all about how many lives are being changed by God for those watching that series. You can watch it for free in The Chosen app.

The setting was in an upper room. Jesus was gathered with his dearest friends and followers for the Passover meal. This would be Jesus’ last meal with them. Jesus knew what was coming, but the disciples did not fully understand. All these thousands of years later, we still do not fully understand what had to happen with Jesus or the Kingdom of God, where Jesus will again meet us. Continue reading “Matthew 26:26-29 – Jesus Will Meet Us There”

Romans 6:1-11 – Die With Christ

Read Romans 6:1-11

Here’s a clue. “Seeking the Kingdom of God” may not lead us to a particular place. King Jesus rules in our hearts now, just like He will in our eternal home in heaven. These verses talk a lot about dying with Christ and being united to him. It’s a lot to try and grasp.

Paul addresses the Roman church here full of many new Christians following Jesus and hungry to know more. The whole book of Romans is helpful for new believers, while it still challenges long-time believers. Paul wants to set his audience up for success as Christ followers. Continue reading “Romans 6:1-11 – Die With Christ”

Matthew 6:25-34 – Above All Else

Read Matthew 6:25-34

Our final theme, “Seeking God’s Kingdom,” explores Bible texts describing what God’s Kingdom is. Where do we look, and how do we know when we’ve found it? Simply stated, the Kingdom of God is where we find God sitting on his throne. Often referred to as “heaven,” God’s kingdom is where King Jesus rules, and everyone who believes is welcome.

Jesus commands us to seek His Kingdom rather than get distracted by all the wrong things. We can all identify with what it means to worry and how, in times of crisis, we are often stuck in a spiral of worry and dread. Jesus knows how lost we can get when our thoughts run rampant, chasing after “what-ifs” and worst-case scenarios. Even the most devout of believers can fall prey to the evil one’s schemes to distract us with worry or concerns of the day. Continue reading “Matthew 6:25-34 – Above All Else”

Matthew 6:33 – The Kingdom of God

^“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33)

Every time I read this verse, the old worship song composed by Karen Lafferty, “Seek Ye First,” plays in my head. Join me in listening here to a recording by Maranatha! Music. We need an arsenal of Bible verses at our disposal for those times when worry creeps in to dampen our joy. This verse is one of those places we can escape.

Context (Matthew 6:24-34): This text comes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount when Jesus shared so much wisdom we can only stand amazed. Here, Jesus talks about worry, knowing that people tend to obsess when things are unknown. Our memory verse is the solution we can cling to when those worries crowd our heads and hearts. Continue reading “Matthew 6:33 – The Kingdom of God”

Matthew 3:1-12 – Prepare the Way

Read Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist was an interesting fellow who took his job very seriously. Not many of us can claim that the prophet Isaiah spoke about us. John’s purpose in life was planned by God for many years. He was to prepare the way for Jesus first coming. What an honor!

Do you ever wonder who God is planning to use to prepare the way for Jesus’ second coming? You might want to look in the mirror. While we’ll find out one day if God has in mind just one individual to stand out like John did with his less than “normal” ways. For now, we can be sure God is counting on us to welcome people into his family by introduction and our loving example. Continue reading “Matthew 3:1-12 – Prepare the Way”