Luke 8:4-15, is where Jesus explains “the kingdom of God”, as God’s word going out to four different types of soil or our different stages of Christian growth; from a defiant, hard, stubborn mentality, rocky or less hard and stubborn, thorny or a gentle rose with a few thorns, on to good or to a gentle, humble, mature Christian, a mature member of Christ’s body, the church.
Luke 8:16-18, is where Jesus explains “the kingdom of God”; the difference in secret or concealed light, or pretending to be right with God, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and open, bright, eliminating light, or an open, revealing, close, intimate relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit—a mature Christian, a legal, mature, member of Christ’s body, the church, those who have the Holy Spirit witness of Romans 8:12-17 and 1 John 5:9-13, and unquestionably know they are God’s legal child, His legal heir, and Christ’s legal joint heir.
Luke 17:20-37, is where Jesus explains “the kingdom of God”; how severe the satanic attacks against His (Christ’s), body, the church, will be in the last days, trying to draw immature and mature Christians away from God’s word, the truth (John 8:31-36; 14:6), that emboldens (Proverbs 28:1), us to stand firm, unshaken, in Holy Spirit peaceful assurance that both King Jesus and His kingdom reside within us, and it is forever settled in us—we follow no other.
Acts 14:21-27, is where Paul and Barnabas left Derbe, traveled and preaching the gospel, appointing church elders, and encouraging Christians, members of Christ’s body, the church; encouraging them to remain loyal to Christ Jesus, with strong faith in Him, that we must through many tribulations (persecutions, problems, traumas), enter “the kingdom of God”, for hard storms make us change our ways, so Christ becomes our Completeness (Colossians 2:8-10).
Mark 4:1-32, is where Jesus explains “the kingdom of God’s” mystery of how God’s word, openly coming out of our pure heart (John 7:37-39), changes us from defiantly hard all the way to salvation, Holy Spirit baptism, and into Christian maturity (Ephesians 4:1-24; 1 Corinthians 13:11-13), and he uses similar parables as does Luke to explain “the kingdom of God”.
Matthew 13:1-52 and 25:1-30, however, is Jesus explaining “the kingdom of heaven”, with both wheat and tares growing together, wise and foolish virgins waiting on Christ, the Groom, to come for His body-bride-church, for us to be with Him (John 14:1-11), at “the marriage of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7-9), where only those who have the Holy Spirit witness of Romans 8:12-17 and 1 John 5:9-13, will be ready, with an ample supply of oil for light (Psalm 119:105).
With understanding of all the above, Matthew 11:1-30, is where Jesus explains “the kingdom of heaven”, with John the Baptist (Baptizer), in verses 1-11, representing the mature Christians, with “many tribulations” (Acts 14:22), compared, in verses 12-19, to Christians witnessing to God-haters that refuse to be changed by God’s word, yet verse 12 says, they persecute by tribulations, the church, by the abuse of power by which they bully the church.
But “the kingdom of heaven”, a mixture of good and bad people, forget Matthew 16:16-19, where Jesus gave His promise to build His church, His body, His bride that will prevail (prevent/overpower), the satanic forces, preventing and overpowering all their weapons formed against Christ’s body, the church, His bride (Isaiah 54:17), so confess and obey Matthew 11:27-30, and let Christ, who Ephesians 2:13-14, says is our Peace, by our Peace continuously.
Jim Nabors
