Kingdom Wisdom

00:00:00 Speaker 1: But seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew six thirty three. Heavenly Father, we come before you with hearts full of gratitude for your endless love and faithfulness. We thank you for the promise found in Matthew six thirty three, reminding us to seek first your kingdom and righteousness, knowing that all we need will be provided. Help us to trust in your ways above our own. Surrendering our desires and plans to align with your divine will transform our hearts, Lord, so that our first priority is always to seek your kingdom and righteousness. Grant us strength to live out this verse daily, relying on your guidance and provision. Empower us to bring glimmers of heaven wherever we go, reflecting your love, grace, and peace to those around us. May our lives be a testament to your goodness, drawing others closer to you. We ask this in the precious name of Jesus, trusting in your promises and rejoicing in your unfailing love. Amen, Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast. Remain here to be swept away in another gospel inspired story. If you've enjoyed this podcast, don't miss out on more. Follow on whatever platform you listen to. The region of Galilee was energetically bustling with stories of jesus ministry. Crowds from all the surrounding cities began to track him and the Disciples movements and would gather at the first sign they were stopping. To the disciples surprise, they had made their way into the heart of town, mostly unnoticed by Jesus' new fans. 00:02:30 Speaker 2: Ah, finally we'll be able to eat. 00:02:33 Speaker 3: What do you mean finally? I just watched you eat the last of the drive figs. 00:02:38 Speaker 2: Sure, but that's just fruit. Don't count as a real meal. Plus, that was over an hour ago. 00:02:43 Speaker 1: Jesus led the Disciples to a small house nestled away off a busy street. He turned back to the Disciples as James and John continued to squabble. 00:02:54 Speaker 2: We have been blessed by a family friend to stay with them for the day, so please be on your best behavior and don't worry John, She's a great cook. 00:03:05 Speaker 1: Jesus strode up to the wooden door, neatly tucked under the straw thatched roof. He rapped on the door gently. It's wide open at an angle. Standing on the threshold was a young man named Seth. He straddled the line between boyhood and adulthood. 00:03:25 Speaker 4: Jesus, Oh, it's great to see you. 00:03:29 Speaker 2: Shaloam, my, my. You're quite a young man, now, aren't you. 00:03:34 Speaker 1: Jesus ruffled his hair. Seth greeted Jesus with a fond embrace as he shouted over his shoulder. 00:03:41 Speaker 5: Emma, Emma, Jesus is here, Oh Jesus, look how you've grown. 00:03:47 Speaker 2: Please please come in, Come in, shaloam Eliza, I was just saying the same to your boy here. Soon enough, he'll be taller than one of the giants of Canaan. 00:03:57 Speaker 5: I certainly hope not. Wearely have enough to feed him as it is. Speaking of food, you all must be so hungry. I've prepared enough for everyone. Come sit. 00:04:08 Speaker 1: Eliza led Jesus and the disciples to the kitchen. An old wooden table riven with cracks and splinters, sat in the center of the room. Spread across it were plates full of dried figs and dates, freshly baked rosemary bread broth to dip it in cinnamon, cakes and cups of wine. John's stomach growled loud enough for everyone to hear. Then they heard a low rumble. John looked around at his friends. 00:04:42 Speaker 4: I promise you that second sound was it from me. 00:04:45 Speaker 3: He's not lying. There's a crowd forming outside. They say they've come to hear from Jesus. 00:04:52 Speaker 1: Peter was peering through an opening in the window curtains. Dozens of people were pressing together outside, pounding at the door. Evidently they were becoming rowdier the longer Jesus didn't appear before them. Eliza's face dropped. 00:05:10 Speaker 5: I'm so sorry, Jesus. We did everything we could to keep your visit secret. I don't know who could have known that would have spread the news. 00:05:17 Speaker 2: It's all right, Eliza, nobody blames you. But unfortunately it seems like we won't be able to stay for lunch. 00:05:24 Speaker 1: John's face dropped this time. 00:05:26 Speaker 4: We understand, but are you sure you're going to be safe. Our front door is going to burst open. Just imagine what they might do to you. 00:05:36 Speaker 3: Here. 00:05:37 Speaker 4: We can sneak you out back if we're fast. It leads straight out of town to the lake. 00:05:42 Speaker 2: There does seem to be a better platform to speak than your house and less likely of a threat to your property. 00:05:48 Speaker 1: Dust trickled down from the ceiling as the pounding at the door increased. 00:05:52 Speaker 2: Once we're out, you can alert the crowds of our getaway plan. Hopefully that will get them to leave you alone. 00:05:58 Speaker 1: Jesus and the disciples sucked out a small opening in the back of the house. John nabbed a raisin cake, which was probably dropped when James nudged him on the shoulder. They could hear the crowds chattering as they stepped into the empty back alley. Seth shouted to the crowd about jesus departure. The crowd groaned. Jesus led the disciples down the dirt path and made haste to the lake. 00:06:28 Speaker 6: Are you in pain after walking, running, or even just standing. It's not your feet, it's your shoes. This summer, switched to Gediphi shoes with patentive Verso shock technology, which aligns your body, provides superior shock absorption and trampoline like energy return. Gediphi offers souls and styles for any activity, plus two free orthotics. Whether you're an athlete, a busy parent, or always on the go, Gediphi Shoes deliver the comfort and versatility your fee crave. Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to unparalleled support this summer. Enjoy a special summer offer visit gediphi dot com and get twenty dollars off your order of one hundred dollars or more with code Pray. Experience the miracle of ultimate comfort with Gediphi shoes. Visit g d e f y dot com today. 00:07:28 Speaker 3: The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it becomes an unstoppable force. This is the Jesus Podcast I'm Ethan with pray dot Com. Today we continue through our mini series on Jesus, disrupting the status quo and showing us a new way to live. This series showcase is Jesus's teachings and his passion, and we will learn about God's heart for people and his kingdom. Today we're diving into a story inspired by Matthew Chapter thirteen, where Jesus teaches us about the Kingdom of God through a series of parables. These parables are more than just simple stories, their windows into the upside down nature of Christ's kingdom, a kingdom that operates on principles that often run contrary to the ways of the world. 00:08:19 Speaker 1: Jesus and his companions had just reached the lake when they saw the crowds spilling out of the city. Jesus turned and looked over the Sea of Galilee. The serene waters lapped the edge of the shore. A few paces away was a boat. Jesus had asked the disciples to prepare before they ventured into town. 00:08:42 Speaker 3: The crowd was. 00:08:43 Speaker 1: Almost upon them. It had nearly doubled in size by the time they had left the house. 00:08:49 Speaker 2: It looks like I do friends had brought some friends of their own quickly into the boat. Unless any of your fans of being overrun. 00:08:56 Speaker 1: The disciples shook their heads and threw their bags over the side of the boat. They assisted Jesus before climbing in themselves. Peter, Andrew, James, and John placed their hands on the weathered sides of the boat and thrust it into the water. Once they were a few yards out, Jesus commanded the disciples to stop the boat. The oar splashed into the water. The disciples groaned as they pulled hard against the rushing water. Philip cast over a large basalt stone tied with a rope to anchor the boat in place, and made a large thud as it hit the water surface. The crowd gathered along the shore. They shouted out to the boat and begged Jesus to teach them. 00:09:47 Speaker 2: Listen to me this day, and I shall teach you of the Kingdom of God. 00:09:53 Speaker 1: Jesus' boys echoed across the surface of the lake. The people began to take seats at the water edge. 00:10:01 Speaker 3: Listen. 00:10:02 Speaker 2: A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some fell along the path as he was scattering the seed, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on the rocky places where they did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow, but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered because they had not grown deep roots. Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not produce any grain. And yet other seeded fell on good fertile soil. It came up heartily and produced a bountiful crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times. Whoever has ears to hear let him hear. 00:10:53 Speaker 1: The crowds remained silent as Jesus taught. He shared with the many parables the sun sat low in the sky. He sent them home before it sat and asked the disciples to prepare to carry on their voyage. Now that they were alone with Jesus, the disciples asked him about the parables. They often struggled to understand the riddles Jesus shared, but knew better than to raise any questions while he was teaching. Jesus was happy to elucidate for the sake of their understanding. 00:11:28 Speaker 3: Teacher, why do you address the crowds and parables? Wouldn't it be better if you taught them plainly? Honestly? Even we walk away confused. 00:11:38 Speaker 1: At times, Jesus chuckled at the sincerity of Thomas's honesty. 00:11:43 Speaker 2: Thomas, the secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you. But those who do not follow me explicitly but sit on the edge are blind. I teach them in parables, so that, as the prophet Isaiah said, they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, ever hearing but never understanding. Otherwise they may turn and be forgiven. If I were to teach plainly, many would walk away from the truth in their blindness. The beauty of the parables is the curiosity with which it draws people in. 00:12:18 Speaker 3: We must be honest, then, teacher, We're all curious about the meaning of the parable of the farmer. 00:12:24 Speaker 2: Don't you understand this parable? If you can see the meaning of this, then how will you understand any parable. 00:12:31 Speaker 1: The disciples look sheepish. They cast their eyes on the wooden deck of the boat, not wanting to bear the weight of disappointing Jesus. 00:12:40 Speaker 2: For your sakes, I will explain it. Listen closely to my words. The farmer sows the seed. This is the word of God. Some people are like the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, the accuser comes and takes away the world that was sown in them, for it is not found good ground to grow. Others are like rocky places. They will hear the word and at once receive it with joy, but their hearts do not allow it to grow rute, so their joy will only last a short time. They quickly fall away when trouble or persecution comes, because of their belief and obedience to this world. Still others are like the thorns. They hear the word and receive it. But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things of this world, come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 00:13:47 Speaker 1: The disciples shifted awkwardly in place, wondering if any of them would find themselves like these types of hearers of the word. But they noted that Jesus's face no longer looked satisfied. He looked at them with contentment. 00:14:04 Speaker 2: But there are those whose hearts are like the good soil. They hear the word and gladly accept it, And because they allow it to take root, they will grow strong and produce a bountiful crop, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times what was sown. What does the crop signify? Let me ask you this, James. Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Or do you put it on its stand? 00:14:34 Speaker 3: We all understand, of course, otherwise the light would have no use. 00:14:39 Speaker 2: Yes, that is exactly my point. You who have seen what was hidden must share it. And what you have learned that was once concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. You must speak these truths to anyone who is willing to listen, Otherwise your hearing will have been in vain. For the one who glad he receives and shares the word of God, my Father would bless him with more understanding. But for the one who rejects his word, whatever he does will ultimately fade away with him. 00:15:14 Speaker 1: The waves gently rocked the docile boat. Night was setting in. On another night, the motion would have lulled them to sleep, But tonight they were too intrigued. With Jesus teaching on the mystery of the kingdom, the teacher, what must we do to be bountiful? How can we prepare ourselves for the harvest? 00:15:35 Speaker 2: Practical Peter is always let me describe the kingdom this way. Imagine a man who scatters seed on the ground night and day, whether he's asleep or awake. The seed sprouts and gross, yet he does not know how. It is the soil that produces gray in all by itself. First the stalk will shoot up, then the head, until finally the full kernel is revealed in the head. And once the grain is ripe, he takes the sickle to it. Because the time of the harvest has come. 00:16:12 Speaker 1: The more Jesus spoke, the more questions they had. 00:16:17 Speaker 3: Please tell us more, What will it be like when the Kingdom of God is here? Whatever you share we will gladly receive. 00:16:26 Speaker 1: For anyone else. This would have sounded like lip servers, but Philip's tone demonstrated his genuine heart. His words encouraged Jesus. 00:16:36 Speaker 2: What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like? Or what parable shall we use to describe it? Ah, I've got it. What can you tell me about of mustard seed? Ah, You'd be hard pressed to find a seed smaller. I can tell you that much. One time a man tried to pay his taxes in dried mustard seeds, and they spilled everywhere, And I could still find them in my clothes to this day. Ah. Right, you are, Matthieu. They are tiny. The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, so tiny you might miss it if you weren't careful. Yet, when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants in the garden. But be warmed unpruned, it will grow branches so big that the birds can perch in its shade. 00:17:25 Speaker 1: Their minds immediately thought of the birds plucking seeds from the ground. In his first parable, they continued to ask questions, eagerly taking in his responses. When with the crowds, Jesus would continue teaching God's word using parables, but when he was with his disciples, he would explain everything to them. Jesus knew God's coming kingdom was different than any of them had expected. Everything he taught seemed to turn their preconceived notions upside down. The prideful leaders would turn their noses up at him, the curious common people would press in. But only time would tell who would truly receive the Kingdom of God in its fullness. 00:18:21 Speaker 3: Let's begin with the parable of the sower. In this parable, Jesus describes a farmer scattering seeds on different types of soil. Some seeds fall on the path and are eaten by birds. Some fall on rocky ground and spring up quickly only to wither, Some fall among thorns and are choked out, And finally some fall on good soil and produce a crop. At first glance, this might seem like a straightforward lesson in agriculture, but as we dig deeper, we realize Jesus is describing the different ways people respond to the message of the Kingdom. The seed is the word of God, and the different soils represent the condition of our hearts. And what's fascinating here is that Jesus is showing us that his kingdom is not about instant results or guaranteed success. Instead, it's about the potential for growth in those who are receptive. The Kingdom of God isn't imposed by force. It's planted gently and must take root in good soil to flourish. In many ways, this is upside down compared to how we often think about power and influence in the world. Success is measured by immediate results, by how quickly we can climb the latter, but in Christ's Kingdom, the focus is on the condition of our hearts and the long term fruitfulness of our lives. As one scholar puts it, the seed of the Kingdom is available to all, but its growth depends on the soil in which it's planted. Next, Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed. He says, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it becomes a tree large enough for birds to perch in its branches. Here, Jesus flip the script on what we might expect. The Kingdom doesn't start with a grand announcement or an overwhelming display of power. Instead, it begins in the smallest, most humble way, like a mustard seed. It's a reminder that God's Kingdom doesn't conform to the world's expectations of greatness. In the eyes of the world, the Kingdom of God may seem insignificant, easy to overlook or even dismiss, But Jesus teaches us that the Kingdom's growth is inevitable and its impact is far reaching. It may start small, but it grows into something that provides shelter and blessing to many. This is a beautiful picture of how God's work in our lives and in the world often begins in small, seemingly insignificant ways, but it grows and transforms everything it touches. Jesus continues with the parable of the hidden treasure and the parable of the costly pearl. In these parables, he compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a treasure hidden in a field and to a merchant in search of fine pearls. In both stories. When the treasure or pearl is found, the finder is willing to sell everything they have to possess it. These parables show us that the Kingdom of God is of incomparable value. When we truly understand the worth of the Kingdom, we'll see that nothing else compares. It's worth any sacrifice because it's the greatest treasure we could ever possess. Again, this is upside down from the world's perspective. The world tells us to hold on to what we have to accumulate wealth, status, and security. But Jesus teaches us that the Kingdom of God is worth more than all of these things combined. The joy of being part of God's kingdom, of living under his rule and experiencing his love is worth giving up everything else. So what does all of this mean for us today? It means that as followers of Christ, we are called to live in a way that often looks upside down to the world and a world that values power, success and material wealth. We are called to value humility, faithfulness, and spiritual riches. Jesus teaches us that his kingdom is not about outward appearances or worldly success. It's about the transformation that happens within us, the deep rooted change that takes place when we allow His word to take root in our hearts. It's about recognizing the true value of the Kingdom and being willing to give up everything else to follow Christ. This upside down nature of the Kingdom is a challenge for us. It asks us to reevaluate our priorities, to examine where our hearts are, and to consider what we truly treasure. Are we allowing the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches to choke out God's word in our lives? Or are we cultivating good soil ready to receive and nurture the seed of the Kingdom. As we reflect on these parables, let's ask ourselves, how can we live more fully in the reality of God's Kingdom. How can we let go of the things that hold us back and embrace the upside down values of Christ's Kingdom. How can we sow seeds of faith, hope, and love in the world around us, trusting that even the smallest acts of faithfulness will bear fruit in God's timing.