Wednesday, October 31, 2007

A Kingdom of Faith

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. (Matthew 8:5-13)
This account of Jesus healing the centurion’s servant has many things to teach us, about healing, about authority, about the dynamics of faith. But is also has something very important to teach us about the kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

First, notice that this man who came to Jesus was a Roman soldier. In fact, he was a commander over many Roman soldiers. In other words, he was not of Israel, not of those who were given promise of the divine kingdom. However, he was a man who recognized and understood authority. More than that, he was a man who understood faith, and he put his faith in Jesus. In fact, Jesus described it as “great faith,” greater than any He had found in Israel. And that is the remarkable thing: though this man was not of Israel, he had greater faith than those who were of Israel.

That leads to the second important point. After commending this Roman centurion for his great faith, Jesus immediately uses it to make a powerful declaration about the kingdom of heaven: “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” The kingdom of heaven will include those who will come from the east and west, that is, those who are not of Israel. They will “sit down” (the Greek word means to recline at table, as at a banquet) with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In other words, they will have an equal share in the kingdom.

Then Jesus adds this surprising statement: “But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The “sons of the kingdom” refers to those who by natural birth belong to those to whom the kingdom was promised. However, when the promise is not received by faith it has no power. As the author of Hebrews notes concerning those Israelites who were delivered in the Exodus, but later died in the wilderness instead of entering into the Promised Land, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Then he applies it to the unbelieving Jews of his own day: “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).

The “sons of the kingdom” thought that the kingdom of heaven automatically belonged to them because of who they were, that they were of Israel. But the surprising turnabout is that, although many non-Israelites will enter into the kingdom, there will also be many Israelites who will be cast out.

The difference is all about faith. Those who, like the Roman centurion, recognize the authority of King Jesus and believe in Him, regardless of their ethnicity, will be received into full fellowship in His kingdom. Those who do not believe, but who reject the King, will have no place in His kingdom. For the kingdom of heaven is not received by rights of natural birth, but by faith.

The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is a kingdom of faith.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Stability of Heaven on Earth

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. (Matthew 7:24-27)
Jesus ends His sermon with these words. They bear a striking similarity to statements made by rabbis in ancient Jewish commentaries. These quotes, for instance, which are cited in Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary:
Rabbi Eleasar said, “The man whose knowledge exceeds his works, to whom is he like? He is like a tree which had many branches, and only a few roots; and, when the stormy winds came, it was plucked up and eradicated. But he whose good works are greater than his knowledge, to what is he like? He is like a tree which had few branches, and many roots; so that all the winds of heaven could not move it from its place.” (Pirke Aboth)

Elisha, the son of Abuja, said, “The man who studies much in the law, and maintains good works, is like to a man who built a house, laying stones at the foundation, and building brick upon them; and, though many waters come against it, they cannot move it from its place. But the man who studies much in the law, and does not maintain good works, is like to a man who, in building his house, put brick at the foundation, and laid stones upon them, so that even gentle waters shall overthrow that house.” (Aboth Rab. Nath)
These rabbis spoke in generic terms; they were good as far as they went, but they did no carry their own weight. However, Jesus spoke with a specificity and sense of authority about His own words, “these sayings of Mine.” It was so pronounced that the people were amazed. There was no dithering or babbling to His words. They just carried great power.
And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29)
The difference, then, between foolishness and wisdom, between shifting sand and a solid foundation, is as simple as the difference between hearing and doing whatever Jesus says. The kingdom of Heaven on Earth is His kingdom, and He is its rightful authority.

It is only as we hear and do what Jesus says that we will find stability. The difference may not be apparent at first. A house built on sand may look very much like a house built on rock — until the storms come and the floodwaters rise. The pressures of life reveal the stability of the foundation.

A life built on hypocrisy, pride, an unexamined heart, stinginess, a critical spirit, worry and fear, and trusting in anything other than God will buckle and fall. But a life established on the foundation of a pure and honest heart, undivided, free of vengeance, full of love and forgiveness, tuned to the heart of the Father and His priorities, and full of faith — all that Jesus taught — will be able to weather any storm. For the kingdom of Heaven on Earth is a kingdom of stability and strength.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Catching Up and Filling In

For those who have been following our series through what is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and are waiting for the next sections, here are blogs I have posted in the past on those sections.
We appreciate very much all those who subscribe to receive The Faith Log by email, and that some are even using these little faith-building articles as part of their devotional time (and we do like to hear from you). We will be continuing to study the theme of The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, particularly in the book of Matthew.

For those who would like to receive The Faith Log by email, you can sign up here (there is no cost).

The LORD bless you in every way.

Walking barefoot,

Jeff & Suzanne Doles



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Treasure in the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
Jesus is not just talking about what you do with your disposable income, the money left over after you have paid all your bills. He’s not making an appeal at offering time (though that is how many preachers use this verse). No, He is doing something far more reaching; something radical, in fact. He is getting down to the root of how we live our lives — our priorities and the things we value.

“STOP laying up for yourselves treasures on earth” (that is the force of His statement). There is to be no more of it — at all. Why? Because it does not last. It is easily corrupted and fades away quickly, and in the end, we will find that we have been robbed.

The Greek word for “treasure” is thesauros. The Septuagint, which is a very early Greek translation of the Old Testament, uses thesauros to translate the Hebrew word for “storehouse.” Jesus is literally saying, “Stop storing up for yourselves storehouses on earth.”

Now, it is also important to notice what Jesus is not saying. He is not telling us to stop laying up treasure for ourselves, for He goes on to say, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” He wants us to have storehouses, and God promises to “command the blessing” on the storehouses of those who honor Him and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:8). Rather, it is the purpose of our storehouses that needs to change. We need to start operating in the purpose of the kingdom heaven, the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven. It requires everything we are and have, but it brings great reward, as Jesus shows us in this brief parable:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44)
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, a storehouse full of wonderful things. But notice where it is hidden: “in a field,” that is, on earth. This treasury is from heaven, but it is on earth.

“Laying up treasure” all comes down to the heart, for “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The priorities of your life and the things you value will be reflected in everything you do and all you have. Will they reveal the corruptions of earth, or the glories of the kingdom of heaven on earth?

Store up your treasures in the kingdom of heaven, and it will be a blessing on earth.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Authentic Fasting

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:16-18)
When the hypocrites were fasting, they really wanted to look like they were fasting. For them, that was the whole point. If they could have gotten away with looking like they were fasting without actually having to fast, for them that would have been ideal.

At the beginning of His sermon, Jesus spoke comfort to those who mourn, that is, those who are grieved by sin and injustice. Fasting is a natural counterpart to mourning. He also declared blessing on those who hunger and thirst for righteousness — they shall be filled. That is the kind of fast that God rewards:
Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.”
(Isaiah 58:6-9)
This is not a fast of sad countenances and facial contortions. It is not religious theater, a "Pious Playhouse" production. It is a fast that begins in the heart. When we fast to become more mindful of God’s priorities, so that we may better hear His voice, it honors God, and God honors it.

It is not hard to look like you are fasting, when you actually are. The real trick is to look like you are not, and that will help you keep your motives clear.

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires authentic fasting — the hunger and thirst for righteousness.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Authentic Prayer Requires a Forgiving Heart

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)
The prayer model Jesus gave His disciples said, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Now He gives the matter special attention. I believe this is because unwillingness to forgive is one of the most powerful hindrances to prayer. Eugene Peterson, in The Message, gives his commentary on this passage: “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others.”

Jesus also addresses unforgiveness in another place, in the same context where He teaches the disciples about mountain-moving prayer and faith:
Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. (Mark 11:22-25)
As powerful and effective prayer and faith are, even to the moving of mountains, if we do not forgive others, we are not in a position for God to hear us. When we do not forgive others, we are still in unrepentance and not yet ready to receive forgiveness. But when we do forgive others, we are better able to hear the Father’s heart and pray in agreement with it. For His desire is to forgive, and when we pray in agreement with His will, we can know that He hears us, and knowing that He hears us, we can know that we will receive whatever we ask (1 John 5:14-15).

Authentic prayer requires a forgiving heart.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

The Prayer of Heaven on Earth

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Jesus teaches us to pray, not to be seen of men, as the hypocrites do, nor with magic and manipulation, like the heathen, but simply, directly, secretly and from the heart. This is the kind of prayer that honors God and opens heaven. It is the kind that the Father regards and rewards.

“In this manner, therefore, pray.” Jesus gives us a model prayer. It is not to be prayed merely by rote, but with understanding and faith. It is a way of praying that checks our motives and calibrates our hearts, lining us up with the heart of God. The lines are simple, yet profound, and serve as a springboard for meditation and a profitable devotional life. As one spiritual director told his charge, when asked how to pray, “Pray the Lord’s Prayer, but take an hour to do it.”

This way is generally known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” but is sometimes regarded as “The Disciples’ Prayer” because it is how Jesus taught His disciples to pray. But I call it “The Prayer of Heaven on Earth” because it is about the kingdom of heaven being manifested in the here and now.
  • Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. This kind of prayer seeks, not our own glory, but that of our heavenly Father. It is about His unique greatness and goodness being made known, God revealing Himself on earth.
  • Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The kingdom of God is the kingdom of heaven. It is His rule and reign, His will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
  • Give us this day our daily bread. “Daily bread” is literally the “bread of the coming day,” the bread of tomorrow. In the context of the coming kingdom, it is speaking of the provision of that day when God’s reign is fully revealed on earth. In the meantime, we can receive that provision as we need it.
  • And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. This is a revealer of hearts, both that of God as well as our own. We are forgiven by our Father in heaven, but He also requires us to forgive our brother on earth. This may well be our hardest task, and Jesus will have more to say about it.
  • And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Jesus came to destroy the devil and all his works (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8). “Temptation” is a test or trial. God promises that there is no temptation or trial that will be too great for us, but that He will always gives us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). This prayer lays hold of that escape, and the victory Jesus has won for us over the evil one.
  • For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Here again, it is God’s kingdom, God’s power and God’s glory in view, on earth as it is in heaven.
Jesus straightens out our priorities and motivations by teaching us how to pray for the kingdom of heaven to manifest on earth.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Authentic Prayer

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:5-6)
Jesus was not banning public prayer meetings; He was putting a check on the motives of the heart. It we are doing it to be seen by men, to show off our devotion, we are simply play-acting, hypocrites. The satisfaction it brings, if any, will quickly evaporate, and we will have nothing left to show for it. James pegged it pretty well: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

God has no regard for prayer that arises from the actor’s repertoire; He is looking for prayer that comes from the secret place of the heart. That is the place where we are most able to be ourselves, to be open and honest before God and pour ourselves out to Him. Authentic prayer is about personal relationship, not public performance.
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:7-8)
The Greek word for “heathen” is ethnikoi and refers to the Gentiles, the nations, the pagans, who had no covenant with God. “Vain repetitions” speaks of babbling, spouting meaningless words, without thought—and without faith. Pagan prayers regularly piled up many words and names for their deities, hoping to get divine attention. But the idea that such mindless multiplication of prayers and words was effective had also begun to slip into Jewish devotional practice.

Regardless of how many times they are repeated, words without faith do nothing to please God. “For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus said that we shall have to give account for every idle word at the day of judgment (Matthew 12:36). As Martin Luther wisely put it, “The fewer words, the better prayer.” But let them be faith-filled words. These are the kind of prayers God answers.

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires authentic prayer.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Authentic Charity

Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. (Matthew 6:2-4)
The Greek word for “charitable deed” here is the word for “alms.” It speaks of compassion and beneficence. The purpose is to help the poor, not to receive the applause of men. The Bible says that “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He [the LORD] will pay back what he has given” (Proverbs 19:17). When the Lord pays back, it is with great blessing. But if we do our alms in order to be seen by others, their acclaim will be all we have — and they have a very short attention span. We will have reaped what we have sown, and there will be no reward from God.

Two Bible accounts show a dramatic contrast in motivations and their rewards. The first is the story of the widow’s mites:
Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:41-44)
This woman gave with no fanfare. It was only two mites, smaller than a penny and worth even less; it would not even make a sound as it fell into the box. But Jesus knew something about this widow and her gift—it was all she had. Others gave out of their abundance; she gave out of her lack, but also out of great faith. The synagogue crowd did not notice, but the Father did, and He has rewarded her ever since. We do not have her name, but we know her as the woman who humbly gave all she had.

Now think of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10). Others in their young Christian community were selling properties and laying the proceeds to the apostle’s feet. This was not a requirement; it was purely voluntary. Ananias and Sapphira did not have to sell any of their possessions but were free to do with them as they wished. But they wanted the admiration of the people around them, so they decided to sell a property and pretend that they were bringing all the gain to the apostles, when in fact they were holding some of it back. Again, they were free to keep any or all of the money, but they wanted to have the glory of the crowd for giving it all. So, they faked it. They were hypokrites, stage-players in a little theater of their own devising. And for a few very brief moments, they enjoyed the spotlight. But when they were soon found out, things did not end well for them. We do know their names, and for almost two thousand years they have served as a warning to hypocrites and glory-hounds.

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires authentic charity.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Monday, October 22, 2007

The Kingdom of Authentic Living

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)
The earliest Greek manuscripts do not have the word for “charitable deeds” here, but the word for “righteousness.” That is why the NASB translates this as “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them.” The word for “to be seen,” is an interesting on in this context. It is the verb theaomai. As a noun form, it is theatron, which is where we get the English word “theatre.”

This verse serves as an introduction for the next three sections regarding the acts of charity, prayer and fasting. In each section, Jesus warns us not to be like the “hypocrites.” The Greek word is hypokrites and literally refers to actors, those who pretend, play a part, and wear a mask. The venue for actors, of course, is the theatre, where they can be put on display to “wow” the audience.

Jesus is speaking to the motivations of the heart. Giving alms, prayer and fasting were basic acts of Jewish piety, and were to be encouraged. But they were not ends in themselves, and were not to be performed with great outward display, but simply and sincerely, from the heart.

For those who wanted to make a show of their piety, to be seen by men for their deeds, such display would be all the reward they would receive — empty and fleeting fame. There would be no reward for them with God, who does not look only at the outward appearance, but upon the heart.

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires authentic living.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Friday, October 19, 2007

A Heart That Freely Loves

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)
In the previous section Jesus talked about the payback of justice; in this section He talks about the payback of love. But just as in the previous section He called for a heart that goes beyond trading of injury with penalty, in this section He calls for a heart that goes beyond love as a tit for tat proposition.

The commandment to love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18) says nothing about hating your enemy; that was incorrectly inferred from the text by rabbinical tradition. Jesus blasts that out of the water by teaching us to love even our enemies, to bless even those who curse us, to do good even to those who hate us, and pray even for those who spitefully use us. This is the way of our Father in heaven, and therefore the way of the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Fallen human nature always desires to reciprocate; to hate those who hate us, curse those who curse us, persecute those who persecute us. And it is relatively easy to love those who love us, bless those who bless us and do good to those who do good to us. But Jesus teaches us to put away the scorecard — our job is not to go around evening things up. He calls us instead to do something radically different, out of balance, and even unfair — to love those who are our enemies.

This is the way of our Father in heaven, who graciously allows the blessings of sunshine and rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. For God is love, and it is the nature of love to given and to serve. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). It is the way of perfection, that is, of coming in maturity and completeness, fulfilling the purpose of the Father in bringing us into His family.

The way of the kingdom of heaven on earth is a heart that freely loves.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

A Heart Free of Vengeance

You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. (Matthew 5:38-42)
The Law of Moses allowed, in cases of injury or loss, for a penalty to be applied in proportion to the injury or loss (see Exodus 21:23-25). For example, a man who lost an eye because of the unjust action of another had a right to receive amends or compensation for the loss of that eye, but not in excess of that eye. Or, a man who similarly lost a tooth had a right to be compensated for the loss of that tooth, but not as if he had lost a mouthful of teeth. This principle, known as lex talionis (the “law of retaliation”), is the basis for the modern tort system, in which a person may sue to be compensated for wrongful loss or damage.

That is the outward working of the law, but here Jesus is going beyond what is required to address the inward attitude of the heart. His comments must be understood in this context. For example, when He tells us not to resist an evil person, He is not saying that we should never defend ourselves or our families against harm, and He is certainly not suggesting that a community or state should ever accept evil. Nor is He teaching that we should not oppose sin, moral evil or the devil. Rather, the “evil person” is the one who has wrongfully injured us — we are not to take it upon ourselves to exact vengeance.

“Turn to him the other [cheek] also,” does not mean that we should not seek to get ourselves out of abusive situations, or that we must endlessly put up with insult. Rather, we should not be easily provoked, but patient in endurance, slow to anger. In context, it means that we should not be quick to take the offender to court.

“If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.” Don’t be quick to sue someone else. But what if someone wants to sue you? Seek a better solution. Ligation often brings our anger and bitterness in people. It is better to settle with your opponent, even at a loss, rather than lose your joy, peace of mind, and the perspective of love.

Notice that there is a subtle shift here. The Law allows for retaliation; Jesus teaches that we should be more ready to give beyond what is required than to extract all that is allowed. "Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” As Matthew Henry commented about this passage, “The law of retaliation must be made consistent with the law of love.” Paul catches the spirit of this well:
Do not repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17)

Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath [i.e., let God take care of it]; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)
More will be accomplished by love than by litigation, and by a generous spirit than by a heart full of vengeance.

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires a generous heart that is free of vengeance.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Honesty in the Heart

Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.” But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No.” For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37)
This section has do with the Third Commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7); and the Ninth, “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16).

It was commonly understood that vows made to God and oaths made in the name of the Lord could not be broken. But another understanding had also developed that one could swear by lesser things, such as by heaven, or earth, or Jerusalem, or the Temple, or the altar, and such oaths were not as binding. We see examples of this toward the end of Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus rebukes the Scribes and Pharisees for this very practice.
Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.” Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

And, “Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.” Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. (Matthew 23:16-22)
In both places, Jesus makes the point that if you swear by whatever belongs to God, you are swearing by God Himself, so the oaths are just as binding, and whoever breaks them will be just as guilty. One cannot swear even by one’s own head without swearing by God, for we cannot naturally make one hair on our head turn black or white — that is a function of aging, and therefore in God’s hands.

Jesus does away completely with the system of false swearing and making oaths on supposedly lesser things. It was never really anything more than a tactic to leave room for a lie when the truth became too inconvenient. So here again was the attempt to keep the commandments outwardly, but not with the whole heart.

Jesus’ solution is simple: Let your yes be yes and your no be no. In other words, give an honest answer. Say what you mean and mean what you say. That will not only fulfill the commandment, but also God’s purpose in the commandment. It is the only honest way; anything more than that comes from the evil one, who is the “father of lies” (John 8:44).

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires honesty in the heart.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Faithfulness in the Heart

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
Now Jesus is dealing with the Seventh Commandment. In the divine purpose it is about more than simply refraining from the physical act of adultery; it is about faithfulness in the heart. The heart is not only the center of the emotions, but also of the intellect and the will. That is why Jesus speaks of intent: “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her.” The problem is not that stray thoughts slip through, but that they are entertained. As someone has said, you cannot stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair. When a man or woman looks with intent and gives way to lust, they have broken the commandment of God, committing adultery in their heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)
The Greek word for “offend” is skandalizo and refers to that which would ensnare you or become a stumbling block that causes you to fall into sin. Jesus is not counseling that one should literally gouge out his eye or cut off his hand. The eye and the hand do not act independently of the heart; to remove them would not solve anything. The point is that one must be diligent to deal with the problem at the root, however painful it may be. We must deal with the heart and its affections, and that is often the more difficult thing to do, which goes to show how much we need God.
Furthermore it has been said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32)
There was a school of Rabbinic thought which allowed a man to divorce his wife for virtually any reason at all. In Jesus’ eyes, that was no better than committing adultery, for there is no love or commitment in that, no faithfulness of the heart. That is always what God is looking for — the faithful disposition of the heart.

The kingdom of heaven on earth requires faithfulness in the heart.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Monday, October 15, 2007

The Kingdom of the Heart

In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus deals with the kingdom of the heart. He comes, not to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them (v. 17-81). Even the “least” of the commandments are important to God (v. 19) — I believe that is because they reveal the heart. The righteousness required by the kingdom of heaven is one that must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees (v. 20). It is more than external acts; it requires the whole heart set on God.

In the balance of chapter 5, Jesus digs deeper and shows that mere outward obedience to the Law is not enough. The sections are introduced with this formula: “You have heard that it was said … But I say to you …” He applies it first to the Sixth Commandment.

Murder in the heart
You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.” But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:21-22)
The Pharisees kept the Sixth Commandment by refraining from physically murdering others. But the purpose of God goes deeper, as Jesus shows: If one is angry with his brother without cause, he is leaving himself open to divine judgment; even more so when, in his anger, he calls his brother unjust names (words are very important in the economy of God, for He created the world by His words). It is good that the angry man does not actually kill his brother, but the root of the unjust anger in his heart must be dealt with.

Jesus presses the matter even further:
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:23-26)
Jesus is still dealing with the divine implications of the Sixth Commandment. His point is that harmonious relationships among brothers is more important even than acts of worship. It is better to first go and be reconciled with each other, and then bring our gifts to God. The adversarial relationship in a court case provides another example: It is better to settle disputes quickly, instead of “killing” each other in court.

Murder begins in the heart, and we have many ways we unjustly “kill” each other. These must all be resolved if we are going to experience the kingdom of heaven on earth, for at the deepest level, it is a kingdom of the heart.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Greatness in the Kingdom

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19-20)
In the previous verses, we saw that all the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the one by whom the commandments are given the proper understanding and purpose. In the natural, we are often inclined to weight the commandments of God from the greatest to the least — even the Pharisees did this. But all of God’s commandments are important to God, and so they should be to us.

But I believe that the real distinction Jesus is making is not between greater and lesser acts, but between outward acts and inward disposition. That is, it is about the matters of the heart. It is not only the outward actions of obedience that matter; God also looks upon the inward man — the obedience of the heart (as we will see in Matthew 5:21-48). This may seem like a lesser thing to some, but if we ignore it or treat it lightly, we will be disqualified for greatness in the kingdom of heaven.

We need a righteousness that goes beyond the righteousness of the Pharisees; we need a righteousness of the heart. When we obey God with the whole heart, we will stand among the greatest in His kingdom.

Greatness in the kingdom of heaven on earth is a matter of the heart.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Announcing the Kingdom of God

Sometimes the Gospel writers use different events in the life of Jesus to indicate the same idea to the reader. I think Luke 4 uses the jubilee announcement of Jesus’ ministry to perform the same function Matthew 5 does with the Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew, after being baptized by John in the Jordan and emerging unscathed from the Temptation in the wilderness, Jesus begins His ministry preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Matthew calls is “the gospel of the kingdom” (v. 23).

Then as the multitudes gather, He begins with the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The Sermon on the Mount is about the kingdom of heaven, and in verse 17, Jesus speaks of the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

In Luke, after Jesus is baptized and then tempted in the wilderness, He begins His ministry by preaching in the synagogues. On one particular Sabbath, His text was Isaiah 61, a reference to Jubilee as a foreshadowing of the coming of Messiah and His kingdom.
And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21)
Here is good news for the poor in spirit, healing and comfort for the brokenhearted and those who mourn, liberty for the captives and all who are oppressed, and the time of God’s favor and righteousness to be manifest on earth as in heaven. Jesus’ commentary is that this Scripture is now being fulfilled, and everyone understands Him to mean that it is fulfilled in Him.

Mark’s fast-paced Gospel presents the same message, short and sweet: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15)

In all three Gospels, there is fulfillment. The time is fulfilled; the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled; the Jubilee is fulfilled. They all speak of the kingdom, the rule and reign of God; they all are fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah; and they all find their ultimate fulfillment on earth — the will of God being done as it is in heaven.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Friday, October 12, 2007

The Certainty of Heaven on Earth

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Matthew 5:17-18)
Jesus came announcing that the kingdom of heaven was now at hand (Matthew 5:17). By healing the afflicted and setting the captives free from demon oppression, He demonstrated the authority and power of the kingdom on earth (Matthew 4:23-24).

Nothing in Jesus’ words or acts should be taken as setting aside or breaking anything in the Law or Prophets. Quite the opposite, for Jesus was announcing that He is the fulfillment of all that is required by the Law and foretold by the Prophets. The focus of the Old Testament promises is on the coming of Messiah and the establishment of God’s kingdom. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, anointed by God to rule and reign — to be King — over His people. His anointing is to set the people free from bondage and affliction, to remove burdens and destroy yokes.

Jesus is the promised King and Messiah who assures us that everything God has promised will be fulfilled, on earth as well as in heaven. It has already begun.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

The Sermon of Heaven on Earth

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them. (Matthew 5:1-2)
The traditional designation for the teaching Jesus presented in Matthew 5-7 is “The Sermon on the Mount.” As I study it, I see that it is about the kingdom of heaven breaking into the earth.

In Matthew 4, after Jesus passed the test in the wilderness, completely blasting away the deceptions of the devil, He began His ministry, starting in Galilee. His message was simple: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). “And Jesus went about all Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

As His fame grew throughout the region, multitudes gathered, bringing people who had various sicknesses, diseases and afflictions, the demon-possessed, the epileptics and the paralytics—and Jesus healed them all, demonstrating that the kingdom of heaven was truly present on earth.

Seeing the multitudes, Jesus began to elaborate about the kingdom, beginning with what is known as the beatitudes. This is not a short course in ethics, a checklist of do’s and don’ts, as some might suppose. Book-ended by the declaration of the kingdom of heaven (verses 3 and 10), it is a pronouncement of blessing on all to whom it has come.
  • The kingdom belongs to those who are poor in spirit, who trust in God alone (v. 3).
  • The kingdom brings comfort, encouragement and hope for those who mourn over sin and its consequences (v. 4).
  • The meek, who are not proud and arrogant but live humbly before God, inherit the earth from our Father in heaven. For the kingdom of God is not for heaven only, but also for earth (v. 5).
  • The kingdom brings fullness and satisfaction for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for it is how God’s rightness is being revealed (v. 6).
  • The kingdom brings mercy to those who allow mercy to flow through their lives to others (v. 7).
  • Those who are pure in heart (whose hearts are not divided, but are established in faith and set on God) shall see God, for it is His kingdom (v. 8).
  • In this kingdom, those who promote peace and goodwill are called the sons of God, for they have the wisdom from above (James 3:17) and show the character of God (v. 9).
  • The kingdom belongs to those who are persecuted for the sake of God’s way of doing and being right (v. 10). For we overcome the evil one by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony, and we love Him more than our own lives (Revelation 12:11).
In Matthew 5-7, Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom, that the kingdom of heaven is now here. I call it “The Sermon of Heaven on Earth.”



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Shining With the Light of Heaven

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Jesus calls us the “light of the world.” That is a powerful declaration, for a number of reasons.

  • God is light. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
  • God is the Father of Lights. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
  • Light overcomes the darkness. “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:5).
  • Jesus is the Light of the World. “The true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9)
  • Darkness is passing away. “Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8).
  • God has delivered us from darkness. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13).
  • God has caused the true light to shine in us. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
  • God has made us light in the Lord. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are the light of the world. We shine with the light that comes from the Father through the Son. It is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God seen in the face of Jesus Christ. This light is for all the world. Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus gave this command to His disciples:
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:15-18)
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
Jesus, Light of the World, authorizes us to take His light into all the world. He even supplies us with the power to overcome the darkness and shine for Him. He does not intend for us to be hidden away, but to be set up on a lampstand, and as a city on a hill, so that every one can benefit from our light and give glory to our Father in heaven. For the light is His, and heaven is where it comes from.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The Salt of the Earth and the Flavor of Heaven

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13)
The “Sermon on the Mount” is about the kingdom of heaven — the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven. In this verse, Jesus tells all His disciples that we are the “salt of the earth.”

Salt was very important back in Biblical times (still is today). It was used as a seasoning, a preservative, and is a vital requirement of the human body. It was in integral part of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament (Leviticus 2:13) and was the symbol of unbreakable covenant. Here, Jesus is focusing on salt as a flavoring.

If we are the salt of the earth, then what is the flavor? The kingdom of heaven. Jesus announced that His kingdom was now “at hand,” that is, now present in the world (Matthew 4:17). He went about “preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23). He not only preached the kingdom, he demonstrated its power to bring healing, wholeness and freedom. He brought the flavor of the kingdom — the flavor of heaven.

Jesus calls us the salt of the earth. Our job is to bring the flavor of heaven to the world, to manifest the kingdom of heaven on earth in all we do and say. We bring the teaching, the works, and the life of Jesus Christ to the world through the preaching of the gospel. It is only through faith and obedience to Him that we retain our saltiness and bring forth the savor of heaven.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Seek the Kingdom, Find Everything

Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
The whole world scrambles for food, clothing and shelter. The Gentiles, because they do not have a covenant with God, must do for themselves, which often leads to worry, fear, and even anger.

Jesus teaches a different priority for those who have covenant with God: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. He is not telling us just to put it on our “to do” list. He is not even telling us to put it at the top of the list, as if we are to seek the kingdom of God first and then seek after the other things. No, He is saying that there is only one priority — the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When we seek that, everything else will be added to us.

God always deals with His people on the basis of covenant, and the essence of covenant is exchange: We give Him all we are and have, and He gives us all He is and has. In other words, it means that when we belong to God, He will always take care of us. In the Old Testament, God made covenant with Abraham, and confirmed it with Isaac and Jacob. It was a covenant to bless, not only Abraham and his descendants, but also all the nations of the earth. In the New Testament, we see that this covenant is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is called the “Seed” of Abraham (Galatians 3:16).
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13-14)
Not only that, but the Lord Jesus is Himself the mediator of a new and better covenant, instituted in His own blood (Hebrews 8:6; Luke 22:20). Nothing is left out of it.

What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness? The kingdom of God is His rule and reign; it is His will being done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). God’s righteousness, as the Amplified Bible notes, is “His way of doing and being right.” Seeking is about giving ourselves totally over to God, looking for His rule and reign and in everything, and obeying it. It is doing things God’s way, which is the right way and will always bring the right results.

When we make the kingdom of God our one and only priority, we will not have to seek after anything else; it will all be included. It will all be taken care of, because it has already been provided for in His will. In his old commentary on Matthew 6:33, Adam Clarke illustrates it this way:
This was a very common saying among the Jews: “Seek that, to which other things are necessarily connected.” “A king said to his particular friend, ‘Ask what thou wilt, and I will give it unto thee.’ He thought within himself, ‘If I ask to be made a general I shall readily obtain it. I will ask something to which all these things shall be added:’ he therefore said, ‘Give me thy daughter to wife.’ This he did knowing that all the dignities of the kingdom should be added unto this gift.”
You might say it’s a “package deal.”

Our job — first, last and always — is to seek the rule and reign of God, and His way of doing things, in everything. All else shall be added to us.



The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew

by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

The Table Surrounded by Favor

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
(Psalm 5:11-12)
The favor of the Lord is His delight, the pleasure He has in those who are His; there is nothing He withholds from them. The righteous are those who are in right standing with God, who love His name and trust in Him; there is nothing they withhold from Him. They are under His protection and surrounded by His favor; it is like a shield that takes care of them on all sides. It is cause for great joy, and David describes it in three ways.
  • Rejoice. The Hebrew word is samach. It means to be bright and lighthearted. It arises when you put your trust in the Lord.
  • Shout for Joy. The Hebrew word is ranan and means to creak, to sing, to shout. It is seeing that God really does protect and provide for you.
  • Be joyful. The Hebrew is awlats. It means to exult, even to jump for joy. It is realizing that His blessing and favor is without bounds. The manifestation of His love for us stirs up our love for Him.
Notice the progression as we enter deeper into the wonder of His favor. It goes from lightheartedness, which may be quiet and still, to loud and animated joy — creaking, singing, shouting, dancing and jumping for joy.

All such rejoicing is appropriate at the Table of the Lord, where we ponder the mystery that we are made the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). The bread and the cup show us the body given and the blood shed on our account, revealing the rich favor God has toward us. For “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Enter into the depths of joy at the Table of the Lord, the Table Surrounded by Favor.