Kingdom Entrance - Jan 26, 2020

Kingdom Entrance

 Text: Mark 3:31-4:12 (vs 11)

Thesis: Only those who in faith, sincerely seek Jesus will be allowed in the Kingdom of God.

1. Jesus spoke to a very large crowd who held various understandings on how get into the Kingdom of God. (vs.1-2)
2. Jesus had just recently been questioned about his family and Jesus made a profound declaration, "Who are my mother and my brothers? "he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (vs 33-35)
3. Jesus realized that in this large crowd there were people who sincerely wanted to know Him and believed he was from God while others were just gawkers and where there because of the excitement and entertainment value of Jesus.
4. Jesus’ suspicions about the crowd were confirmed at His trial. Some continued to love Jesus while the masses yelled, “Crucify him!”
5. Jesus’ first word to the crowd was “listen” (vs3) and his final words to the crowd was “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (vs 9).
6. It was Jesus’ heart desire that the crowd would accept Him and His teachings.
7. In between vs. 3-9 Jesus tells a parable that describes the various responses that the crowd will have towards him and what he has taught concerning himself. (next week’s sermon will break the 4 groups down)
8. Jesus wants all people to “listen” with a sincere heart so they will put their faith in Him.
9. Only those who sincerely seek Jesus will be allowed in the Kingdom of God.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD” Jeremiah 29: 13-14)

2. Jesus explains later that there were some in the crowd to just get a free meal and not for Him.

Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (John 6:26-27)

3. Don’t chase after the (freebees) blessing of Jesus, Chase after Jesus.

 

III. Jesus later, is approached by his disciples and other sincere supporters with a question because they are confused. (vs 10-12)

1. However, Jesus doesn’t answer their question immediately but addresses the major issue that has been on his mind related to “Kingdom Entrance”.

“He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, "'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'" (11-12)

1. God desires a relationship with every person, but God will not be mocked.

• Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows’ (Gal.6:7 NIV)
• Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” (Gal. 6:7 NLT)

2. God is not only “love”, but God is “Just”.
3. We can only come to God on His terms-a sincere heart of faith (see thesis), and through His eternal provision-Jesus Christ.

• For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• Peter preached, Jesus is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:11-12)

 Jesus said, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.”