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#1185. Forcefully enter the Kingdom (11/11/24)

Community Church Putney Sermons

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  1. #1185. Forcefully enter the Kingdom (11/11/24)

  2. Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series.

  3. Today, from Luke 16:16, we reflect on how we have to be ‘forceful’ - that is radically repentant - to enter the Kingdom of God.

    Luke 16:16

  4. To watch this devotional, select the link below

  5. https://youtu.be/FKxggxYrwxs

  6. ‘“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.”’ (Luke 16:16)

    Luke 16:16

  7. 1. We are in a new era

  8. Jesus is speaking of how we have passed over into the New Covenant era. John (The Baptist) was the last prophet of the Old Covenant era. His ministry was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. After the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus we are in a new era of history - The New Covenant era before the return of Jesus.

  9. 2. We have a new mission and message

  10. In this Last Days period before the return of Christ, we have a new mission and message. Our new message is summarised as ‘the good news of the Kingdom of God is being preached’. Every Christian and the church of God is to be engaged in the mission to invite everyone to enter The Kingdom of God. The ‘good news’ is that people can freely enter the Kingdom by receiving the King - by receiving Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

  11. 3. We have to be forceful to enter!

  12. Jesus ends this text by describing how people are forcing their way into the Kingdom? This seems a strange thing to say. Can we really force our way into the Kingdom of God? What does this mean? The interpretation is debated, but it seems to me that it means something like: to enter the Kingdom of God requires radical (forceful) repentance and faith. Entering the Kingdom is a death to our old lives and the acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

  13. For example, in the previous section running from 16:1-15, Jesus used The Parable of the Shrewd Manager to teach us about a radical new relationship with money and resources. To enter the Kingdom requires radical and forceful repentance and faith which includes all aspects of life. Those who enter the Kingdom have a radical new approach to money, marriage and mercy, all themes that this chapter teaches about. The kind of radical and forceful discipleship that we’re talking about is well presented in these words:

  14. ‘Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.’ (Colossians 3:5-6)

    Colossians 3:5–6

  15. Let’s pray together

  16. “Lord Jesus, I hear you calling me to racial discipleship. Let your Kingdom come and will be done in my life. Reveal to me where I need to be forceful with sin and my fleshly attitudes. Amen”