When
Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he
said, "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!
And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east
and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the
Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will
be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth." Matthew
8:10-12
Memory Scripture of the Week:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13 [Focus on a phrase each day.]
May your Kingdom come soon. Anyone who believes in an afterlife
has a curiosity as to what it will be like. In this passage from Matthew 8 Jesus
was talking to a Roman soldier who was requesting that Jesus heal his sick
servant. That Roman soldier’s faith amazed Jesus. Gentiles will be at a feast
in Heaven! What a great promise! Heaven! And Food! My two favorite things! I am
looking forward to sitting down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…and millions of
others for a Banquet with the King.
But
he replied, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other
towns, too, because that is why I was sent." Luke 4:43
He
replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of
God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be
fulfilled: 'When they look, they won't really see. When they hear, they won't
understand.' Luke 8:10
Jesus revealed to His disciples the reason He came to earth—that
He needed to tell others about the Kingdom of God. He often used parables as
examples of the Kingdom. Yet even Jesus’ disciples asked Him about the end
times and to explain more about the Kingdom of God.
"Teacher," they asked, "when will all
this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take
place?" He replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come
in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and saying, 'The time has come!' But
don't believe them. And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic.
Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won't follow
immediately." ... "But before all this occurs, there will be a time
of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you
will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. But
this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. ... "And when you see
Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its
destruction has arrived. Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in
Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the
city. For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the
Scriptures will be fulfilled. ... "And there will be strange signs in the
sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil,
perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at
what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be
shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and
great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for
your salvation is near!" Luke 21:7-9, 12-13, 20-22, 25-28
The Pharisees
questioned Jesus about the Kingdom of God, too.
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will
the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be
detected by visible signs. You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's
over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you." Luke 17:20-21
People are still
searching for when and where but Jesus told those Pharisees…and
us… that The Kingdom of God is among us. Wherever Jesus is…that is the Kingdom
of God. We don’t have to wait. Is Jesus with you now? Look up…look
within. Jesus is the key.
Prayer ~ Lord, open our eyes and hearts to what You would have
each of us to know and share as we wait eagerly for Your Kingdom to come…soon. Continue
to bless and guide us as we seek to know You more.
Daily Bible Reading: Job 17-20
© 2019 Text and Photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights
reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation
(NLT) unless otherwise noted.
www.blueletterbible.org/dailyreading
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