It’s (The Kingdom of God) also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money. After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner. The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner. The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent. The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.’Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.
-Matthew 25: 14-30
Here we find out more about the Kingdom Life in the parable of talents as it is often referred to.
So today I read my favorite story dealing with Jesus and fruit.
18 Early the next morning Jesus was returning to the city. He was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree alongside the road, he approached it anticipating a breakfast of figs. When he got to the tree, there was nothing but fig leaves. He said, “No more figs from this tree—ever!” The fig tree withered on the spot, a dry stick. 20 The disciples saw it happen. They rubbed their eyes, saying, “Did we really see this? A leafy tree one minute, a dry stick the next?” 21 But Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God, you’ll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you’ll tell, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it will jump. 22 Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.”
Matthew 21:18-22
As I read this passage I began to question in my mind what exactly does it mean to embrace the kingdom life. As we read the passage it is but the first step of three to do miracles/ great things like Jesus did!
Read more…
30 “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse. Matthew 12:30
I just love this verse it so simple and raw. Matthew is so right though if we are not on God’s side fighting the war we are making matters worse, we are not adding to the kingdom, serving the kingdom. We are choosing to go against God and His Kingdom when we decide not be with Him…
Fighting on God’s side…
“When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family.22 There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. 23 It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.” Matthew 10:21-23
This is such a challenging verse to me about evangelism and how serious it really is. It shows how at work or anywhere I cant just be some guy giving vanilla answers or cliches to present the message of Christ but raw and unedited. I love in the middle of the verse the irony that Jesus states you offer so much love but hate will be given back in return. Ah… thats hard isnt it? To love people, to truly want them to know Christ, to pray for them, to encourage and love them but in return they say your God is fake, your life is fake blah blah blah etc. But Jesus says DONT CAVE IN! We must become survivors… sweet I am not in it for success but to survive.
