The Overcomers Who Follow the Lamb

 Revelation 4-5

The Heavenly Court Scene of the Triumphant Lamb

Around AD 95, the Christian church, a unique and unconventional religion, was still at its sprouting season in the Roman Empire. The Roman regime and the society as a whole joined effort in persecuting the Church, and they, by all means, sought to destroy this emerging faith. Christians were under cruel persecution, and the Church underwent an unsettled and bleak situation. The book of Revelation was then written against this backdrop.

The book of Revelation recorded that the heaven was open, and God enabled the apostle John to see visions, and John was instructed to write letters to the churches in Asia Minor to tell them about these visions.

On one hand, Revelation displays the person and work of a “victorious Christ.” And on this account, it inspires the faithful saints who suffer for their faith, and though they have to give up their lives, they nevertheless, must keep their faith and follow the Lamb that was slain so as to be the overcomers.

We will reflect upon the victorious Christ as part of the subject of Christology, so as to receive some insights for our today’s context.

First, the victorious Christ is the Lord of the Church (Chapters 1-3）

Revelation 1:13-16 says, “and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”

The son of Man, Christ, stood “among” the lampstands (v13). The “golden lampstands” were symbol of the glorious testimony of the Church. “Christ Stood Among” talks about Christ’s control over His own Church.

No matter how terrible and miserable the state the Church can fall into, the victorious Christ shall be standing there all the whiles, giving His providence and protection over the Church, because He is the Lord of the Church. His presence is with the Church.

By then the Church was severely persecuted by the Roman regime and its peoples, and it went through times of pain and uncertainties. However, Christ, the Head of the Church, was with the Church, protecting over her.

Revelation 2:1-2 says, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.”

Christ “walked among” the seven golden lampstands (Rev 2:1). Our Lord not merely stood among the golden lampstands, but He walked among them. “Walked” means that He was inspecting, overseeing, checking, commending, rebuking, reminding, disciplining and protecting, and His purpose was that the Church would fulfil God’s redemptive plan of the world.

Christ held seven stars in His right hand (2:1). “Seven stars” refers to the Church leaders, and they were mastered by Christ. We can see that Christ is fully in charge of the future and destiny of His Church, and the Church shall be victorious because of Him.

Thank God that the Church had indeed, finally overcome her countless days of troubles, and with Christ’s preservation, the Church lasts until this day, and Christianity even grows to be the largest religion in the world. God’s faithfulness and grace are indeed wonderful!

If we come to realize this, we can rest assured by entrusting our whole being unto this faithful and powerful God, and follow the Lamb, serving and loving Him faithfully. By doing so, we shall become the overcomers, and we will not be beaten down by all adversities.

Second, the Victorious Church is the Lord of the Universe (Chapters 4-18）

The phrase “I saw” appeared 4 times from chapter 4 to chapter 5. As a summary, the apostle John saw the vision of Christ, the Lamb who was once slain, but was resurrected. He is the Lord of victory, and moreover, He is the glorious Lord of the universe.

Now the world is still controlled by God. Christ has started His final war with the evil forces since the day He died on the Cross. The God of creation of all things wanted to continue His salvation plan.

The apostle John let us see the heavenly scene first before contrasting it with what was happening on earth, so that we will not be fearful by the bleak hours on earth, and we will not lose hope because of the uncertainties of the days.

Jesus Christ is the Lamb that was slain, and He shed His blood as a ransom for the sin of the world. He is now gathering us, and bringing us into His Kingdom, that we can be the priests, and mediator through whom God blesses His people, and we shall rule and reign with Him in future.  Owing to this, all believers shall praise God and adore Him!

Now we the believers may be despised and ridiculed, and we may suffer all kinds of hardship because of our faith, and we are also vulnerable to pandemic, but we shall rule over the whole earth in future. When we are aware of the future glory that lies before us, we receive strength to face our current hardships.

Moreover, there shall be a day in future where Christ shall pour out His “wrath of the Lamb” (6:16) on this sinful and corrupted world, but His mighty arms shall save His own people.

Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Those who do not revere God, and who are boastful of their unbelief towards God will come to realize their mistakes. On that day, they shall encounter God’s wrath. Those who reject God shall not be able to run away from His wrath!

But those who belong to Christ shall receive their rewards and not punishment. All the disasters, pains and sorrows of the believers shall pass, and they shall not weep over these.

The victory of Christ reaches its climate on Revelation 17:14. “They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

Are you following this Lamb of God who was slain and trust Him faithfully? Do you belong to Christ? If you do, you need not be fearful of the end time disasters, for you will surely be victorious!

Third, the Victorious Christ is the Lord of New Heaven and Earth (Chapters 19-22)

God has chosen the Israelites to be His holy people since the Old Testament, and He has built His holy city, Jerusalem, on the Holy Land. God has established there His holy temple, because He desires to meet with His people there.

Sadly, the Israelites were stubborn and rebellious, and hence God’s salvation plan was not fully realized. The holy temple was torn down by the Babylonian army in 586BC, and the people of Judah was taken captive to Babylon. Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild their holy temple when Babylon was destroyed by the Persians.

In AD70, came the time of Roman colonization of the Holy Land. Titus, the Roman general cracked down on the Jews’ rebellion in Jerusalem. He led the army to tear down the temple, and since then the Israelites did not have the temple anymore. They were exiled and dispersed all over the world.

After the second world war, in 1947, the Jews restored to their nation in the Holy Land, but they have yet to rebuild their temple until this day.

When Christ was on earth, He prophesized that the temple shall be destroyed again. He emphasized that the real temple is not a building that is visible. Jesus said those who truly worship the Father, will worship Him in the Spirit and in Truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks (John 4:23). Which means, believers in Jesus who would be led by the Holy Spirit, are in fact worshipping God.

Besides, Paul also emphasized that the “body, heart and spirit” of man is the “holy temple” that God dwells through His Holy Spirit (John 4:23; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19).

However, God wanting to dwell with his people is his unchanging concern. God has pre-destined his Bride – the Church to enter the “new heaven and new earth”, and that the kingdom of the world will become “the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah” (11:15).

In this respect, we find four “new” things in the Bible, and they all refer to God’s four creation and deliverance: “new man”, “new song”, “new thing”, “new heaven and new earth”. The first three things are prepared for the last.

The Church is God’s “new creation”, who is created and saved in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 3:10), and this “new creation” praises God daily with a “new song” (Psalm 33:3, 96:1; 98:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9), for the Lord has accomplished the “new thing” for us (Isaiah 42:9, 43:19), and He shall lead us personally into His “new heaven and new earth” in future (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22; Revelation 21:1) – It is God’s eternal Kingdom, a greater new Garden of Eden.

There and then, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation21: 4-5)

Jesus comforts us with this promise, in John 14:1-4, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Yes Lord, Jesus. We know the way, that is to follow the Lamb closely, and we wait expectantly for your return!

Conclusion

If we look around the world today, we will see that it is changing constantly. All around us seems to be restless and helpless. If we look at the division in today’s Christian churches, the coldness of our faith, the rise of heresies and liberalism replacing the traditional Christian values, our fears and sorrows will increase.

This feelings of uneasiness and worries are like what the Christians who faced persecution in the Roman Empire felt, and it is something that makes our hearts shudder and tremble too.

However, the victorious Christ will speak across the air, “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” （Revelation 22：12）“I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”（Revelation 22:16b）

May the promise of God’s reign not only stabilize our hearts, but strengthen and lift up our hands that are hung down and our legs that lose strength, that we shall wait patiently for His triumphant return, and we shall rejoice over His salvation for all peoples and all nations, and we shall lift up our heads in the presence of the unparallel manifestation. We shall share the eternal blessedness with the victorious Christ!

Jesus promised that, “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21）Christ is the victorious Lord, and it is a destined fact. We are destined to be victorious in His victory, for He has told us specifically, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” （Romans 8:37）We cannot but respond with “Come, Lord Jesus.” （Revelation 22:20）

Take It to the Lord in Prayer

 Matthew 15:21-28

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

Jesus and His disciples came to the region of Tyre and Sidon, and it was a region where the Gentiles resided. A Canaanite woman came to seek for the help of Jesus, and she cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

The Canaanite woman’s daughter was possessed by a demon, and she suffered terribly. The Gospel of Mark once described concretely how a boy suffered greatly when he was possessed by demon: That evil spirit often seized him and threw him into the water and fire, and he would foam at the mouth and became rigid, etc. (Mark 9:17-27)

The greatest heart desire of this woman was to see her daughter breaking free from being tortured by the devil. However, she was a Canaanite, and Canaanites were bitter enemies of the Jews. Yet this woman was willing to humble herself, and address Jesus as her “Lord”. She praised Him for His kingly identity, that He was “the Son of David.”

Obviously, she had crossed the racial and religious boundary and trusted Jesus sincerely. She believed deeply in her heart that Jesus was able to set her daughter free from the possession of the devils. Would Jesus extend His help to this Canaanite woman who was a bitter enemy of the Jews?

Cried Out to God in Troubles

The woman humbled herself before Jesus in a public place, and she cried out in front of the crowd, and said, “Lord, have mercy on me!”

“Lord, have mercy on me!” was the prayer that frequently appeared in Psalm (Psalm 6:2; 9:14; 31:9; 56:1; 86:3). The Psalmist cried out to the Lord for help whenever they were pursued by their enemies, or trapped in any predicaments, for they knew that the Lord would rescue them out of their troubles.

“Lord, have mercy on me and be gracious to me!” Her cry expressed her trust in the Lord, knowing that there was no difficulty that was too big that the Lord was unable to solve it. This mother believed that Jesus would surely be able to cast out the evil spirit from her daughter.

The Lord is our ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) Even if we face some fierce devils or vicious enemies, the Lord is able to rescue. Therefore, no matter how difficult our situation is, we need to know that our Lord is greater than our situation.

Even if our situation seemed to be hopeless, let us not forget that we still have hope, that we have our God who is able to help. Never shall we forsake God and seek help from other people or in other places. We should cling on tightly to the Lord and cried out to Him, “Be gracious to me! Have mercy on me, Lord!”

Seek God Unceasingly and Do not Give Up

Jesus heard the cry of this woman, but He kept silent! The woman did not give up when she encountered Jesus’ silence. She kept following Jesus and His disciples and kept crying out to them.

The disciples felt deeply annoyed, so they came to Jesus and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” The disciples obviously did not have compassion on this woman, nor did they even realize her need.

Today, we also often focus on our agenda, which could be some spiritual things, that we neglect the real needs of those who are around us. It is true especially when we are prejudice against those who are in need, or we foresee that attending to them will bring us many troubles. Hence, we pretend we do not see their needs.

We should not be fed up with such situation but grasp the opportunity to convey to others the goodness and kindness of God’s messages, and extend them our hands in order to help them. We need to be careful to not reject those who are different from us.

To our surprise, Jesus answered the disciples, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

The Lord Jesus remained silent all the way, and He finally replied at this moment. It seemed that Jesus turned down the Canaanite woman because she was not an Israelite.

Jesus actually meant that the Heavenly Father had sent Him to first work among the Jews, and to enable the Jews to accept Him as the Messiah. After that they were to be the ones who would spread the good news of salvation to the world.

Jesus did not intentionally refuse to help this Canaanite woman. We notice that Jesus served the Gentiles in other places too. Jesus said these words just to test her faith, or He wanted to use this opportunity to teach us the lesson of faith – that all people are able to receive the salvation of the Lord by faith. Hence, he spoke those words.

The Canaanite woman did not give up when she encountered Jesus’ silence, instead she followed Him and cried out continually. She was persistent in asking even in the face of rejection by the Lord Jesus. She believed that Jesus would definitely be able to cast the demon out of her daughter. Hence, she persevered in the midst of all difficulties and sought for opportunities. Eventually, she anyhow managed to came before Jesus and said, “Lord, help me!” (v25)

Now, we might have prayed for a very long time over a specific request, but God have not answered us, and even rejected our request. The apostle Paul had such a kind of experience too.

Paul had a thorn in his flesh (which might be a sickness), whereby he was greatly afflicted. He once asked God thrice to take it away, but the Lord refused to answer his prayer. His weakness was still there in his body, but he had thus experienced the grace of God, which was sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Sometimes we are disillusioned and feel disappointed at God when we cry out to Him and received only His silence or rejection. There might even be voices that tempt us to forget about trusting in God.

Whatever it may be, we need to have faith in God, and insist on praying to Him and waiting for Him to extend His helping hands. God has His beautiful plan, and He has His perfect timing to answer our prayers.

Humble Ourselves to Ask from God Boldly

Jesus finally answered the woman personally, and he said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” （v 26）

Jews usually described the Gentile as “dogs”, and they perceive these pagans as unclean as dogs who are not entitled to God’s blessings. Jesus used this word not to demean her, but to reflect the contempt that Jews had towards the Gentiles, and to show her later that He was different in His attitude towards her.

It is interesting to note that the dog that Jesus referred to was indeed a “puppy, pet” in Greek, and it indicated that the young daughter of the woman was deeply loved by her master, except that the children of the master had their priority taken.

If the story were to stop at verse 26, then the result would look as if Jesus had rejected the request of this mother, and that he was racist. However, the story continued to take a twist!

In fact, Jesus’ silence and rejection were His tests to this mother, so that she would continue to ask boldly, and her great faith would then be revealed. The story line went on winding through high peaks and finally, the end was something opposite to our expectation: Jesus fulfilled the heart desire of this mother.

Jesus told the woman, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” She replied, “Yes, it is, Lord. Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” （v 27）

The Canaanite woman did not argue with Jesus, she would rather be seen as a dog. For she had come to understand, that as a gentile, she was not able to receive the grace that the Israelites had received. She accepted this fact humbly. She humbled herself in order that Jesus may heal her daughter.

Today, are we willing to humble ourselves for the sake that others could be benefited or blessed? This kind of humility which is altruistic, of which Christ has demonstrated. We are called to imitate Christ, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as man, humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

If all of us have this attitude in doing ministries – put first the benefit of others, all the conflicts and disagreements would be resolved easily, and our ministries will advance tremendously, since we march on in unison.

Nevertheless, this Canaanite woman also believed that Jesus was full of grace and mercy, and hence, she replied wittingly, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

As long as the Lord was willing to show mercy for her to receive a little bit of grace, she would be fully satisfied. This mother was not deterred from approaching the Lord because of her racial identity. She believed that God would show mercy towards those gentiles who were willing to put their trust in Him.

In reality, the family of Rahab, the prostitute in the city of Jericho, was saved. And Naaman, the Aramean general was healed of his leprosy. All these are examples of God’s mercy shown towards the Gentiles.

To our surprise, Jesus praised her and granted her heart desire, saying to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (v28)

The Jews thought that only they were qualified to receive God’s blessings, but they refused to acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah and they had thus lost their salvation in God. Many Gentiles acknowledge and receive Jesus as their Savior and they have received their salvation. This is indeed something ironic!

God is merciful and gracious. Though we were once sinners and we could not approach Him directly, the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood and cleansed all our sins, and He had removed those hindrances that separate men from God, so that nothing can stop us from coming before God and seeking His help through Jesus.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) This is a precious promise. God is faithful, and He has already promised that we can ask of Him. We just need to ask boldly and confidently. May God strengthen our faith.

Conclusion

The Canaanite woman trusted the One, and this resulted in her unwavering faith amid difficult circumstances. Though she faced many trials, she did not give up her trust in the Lord. She humbled herself and continued calling out to Jesus boldly, in order that her daughters could be heal from demon-possessed.

May we who have suffered from the rampant widespread of pandemic and who live under the uncertainties of the days to come, to have the great faith she had in trusting the Lord, and to come before his throne of the grace in prayer! By doing so, we will not only have our wishes fulfilled by the Lord, but our spiritual lives will become mature and resilient eventually.

The Value of the Kingdom

 

Matthew 6:33-34; 13:44-46

Introduction

Matthew 13:44-46, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Christ’s salvation is so costly that man cannot afford to purchase even a little of it by himself. This salvation is so costly because it requires Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died on the cross and shed His blood on behalf of sinners. It is a free grace given to us. Whoever receives Jesus’ salvation has a share in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus speaks about a parable, telling us that to inherit the kingdom of Heaven is like to receive an invaluable treasure. What is this tremendous value of the kingdom of Heaven? Let’s see some of them:

An Eternal and Abundant Life

Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Christ’s salvation that gives us abundant life, surpasses all earthly treasures. Many people are confused over “richness” and “abundance”. Money does make a man rich, but it does not make him abundant. Richness is about financial and material wealth, but abundance is all about relational, sentimental, and spiritual wealth.

A rich man buys and sells to earn profit, but an abundant man gives and receives for lasting satisfaction. A rich man possesses whatever things money can purchase, but an abundant man possesses things that money cannot buy. Richness is stored in one’s bank while abundance lies in one’s heart. A rich man is never satisfied whereas an abundant man is contented with what he has.

Actually, worldly wealth is deceitful.

Matthew 13:22 says, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”

However, abundance in Christ is glorious.

Romans 9:23 says, “What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—”

Ephesians 3:16 says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”

Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

God’s grace is abundant. It is because of the abundant grace of God that our sins can be forgiven through the precious blood of His beloved Son.

Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”

The abundant grace of God is revealed in the kindness that is given to us through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:7 says, “in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

The riches of His grace are also expressed in the inheritance of the saints.

Ephesians 1:18 says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”

He even shows His kindness, forbearance and patience towards the rebellious and the stiff-necked.

Romans 2:4 says, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Worldly powers are unstable, and they shall fail and collapse, and their riches are temporal. The sudden outbreak of plagues has dampened the world economy.

However, the Kingdom of God is transcendent and unshakeable, and it is eternal. Money, possession and materials cannot last forever, but the salvation of Christ becomes more secured and reliable as the days go by, and it lasts to eternity.

The merchant in this story knows the value of this pearl, likewise we the believers, ought to know perfectly the value of Christ’s salvation. The Kingdom of Heaven is one such crucial and valuable treasure that we should and must obtain in this world. Money and fame are just some external stuffs.

To have a share in the Kingdom of Heaven also means one has received:

An Eternal and Glorious Body

We experience physical changes when we grow older. Our physical body ages and we shall die one day. Our body is like a car. As times go by, its engine, tyres and other accessories inside it wear out eventually and until we cannot find any replacement for it.

The older we become, the more our body needs to have rest and recuperation. Although the advancement of medical science has helped prolong human lifespan, and beauticians can conceal marks of aging on human bodies, but these cannot stop completely or reverse the aging process.

Eventually, our wrinkles shall increase, knees getting weaker, our vigor decline, and we lose our physical fitness. We shall also lose our hair, teeth, energy and memory. Our health shall deteriorate, our muscles shall grow flabby, and our physical height shall shrink. Our body eventually will deteriorate, decay and die.

James 4:14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

The Bible says that it is only the blood of Christ that is able to make people break free from their empty and perishable way of life.

1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”

And, only the living and eternal Word of God makes us able to be reborn, and to grow vigorously like the incorruptible seeds.

1 Peter 1:23 says, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Therefore, in Christ we wait expectantly with hope, that one day we shall resurrect from our death, and we shall receive our heavenly body, which is imperishable, glorious, strong and immortal.

1 Corinthians 15:42-43 says, “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;”

1 Corinthians 15:51-55 says, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory, O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?”

To have a share in the Kingdom of God means that one shall also receive:

An Eternal Dwelling of Peace and Rest

Man is created in the image and likeness of God. However, after mankind has sinned, sins permeate every sphere of human’s life, be it physical, emotion, culture or society, etc., and none is without its impact and all are under its influence.

Sin corrupts not only man’s morality, but relationships in their families, neighborhoods and societies as well. Such corruption has caused a degradation to human beings, that men become senseless and without feelings like animals, that they seek only to devour and destroy one another.

In Jude 10 it says, “Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.”

Man lost his innocence after sin came into this world. Sinners are stiff-necked, wicked and cunning. The human society is full of greed, ambition, self-conceit, adultery, violence, wars, terrorism, etc.

How deep indeed will man fall into their pits? They will turn as rotten as they can and even that, they will not repent. No confinement or punishment has ever curbed men from sinning.

The theologians call it a “total depravity of man” for a complete corruption after man sinned against God, and it includes corruptions of physical body (1 Corinthians 3:17), good work (1 Corinthians 15:33) as well as deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22).

This world is imperfect and there is always pain, sorrow, suffering, sadness and disappointment. Even good things are to have their end one day, and all good things shall come to its end.  However, the Bible tells us that there shall be the coming of a new heaven and a new earth.

Revelation 21:1-4, “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”

Conclusion and Application

God promises abundant lives, glorified bodies and eternal rest in His presence for the people of the Kingdom of Heaven. All things on earth become so insignificant when compared to the Kingdom of Heaven. This Kingdom of Heaven has already come to our midst when we submit to God’s rule, but will not be consummated until the return of Christ.

Christ has spoken through these parables, and his call supersedes all things in our lives. His call is worthy of all our obedience and submission. May the Spirit enlighten us to comprehend this value of the Kingdom, so that we will respond by happily go and sell off all we have in order to be part of the Kingdom.

Today, let’s put down all things in this world, be it gains or losses; good reputation or lowliness; wealth or hardships; and seek only for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and the reign of God in our lives.

All that has been done by God in Christ and our following Christ are far more valuable than what we ever have or even our other pursuits.

Matthew 6:33-34 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The Kingdom of Heaven has already come in our midst now. Our Lord reigns! So, let us live our Kingdom life joyously, regardless of the circumstances and challenges we are facing. Don’t let worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making us unfruitful.”

While in prison, Paul said this to the Philippians 4:4-9, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. “

The world will see our fruits and come to comprehend the value of the Kingdom, and that they shall also receive the salvation of Jesus!