Calling The Big and Small of It

Calling

The Big and Small of It

 

As little children we were given illustrations to

Understand the difference between big and small

Remember pictures like the little kitten and the big lion

Or, the little mouse and the big elephant

Our world is full of big and small

As children, we like to imagine things so big we cannot comprehend them

And things so small we cannot see them

As adults we are still trying to understand “The Big and the Small”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that big things and little things matter

Nothing you and I do is insignificant

You are called to the Biggest Calling and to the Smallest Work

Don’t let your mind become overwhelmed

And don’t think the smallest work is not important

Righteousness is one size that fits all  

And that is the Big and Small of it

The Big and Small of It

As little children, we were given illustrations to

understand the difference between big and small.

Remember pictures like…

 The little kitten and the big lion

Or, the little mouse and the big elephant.

Our world is full of big and small.

As children, we like to imagine things…

So big we cannot comprehend them

And things so small we cannot see them.

As adults we are still trying to

understand “The Big and the Small”.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that

big things and little things matter.

The big thing in Matthew 5:17-20

 is the Kingdom of Heaven.

WOW!   How big is that?

How large is the territory…

 The realm of the Kingdom God

the Father and the Son Jesus Christ?

The Gran Telescopio Canarias is by far

the largest telescope on earth and measures

34 feet (or 409 inches) across!

Its home is in the Canary Islands of Spain.

The design and development of this telescope

took more than 1,000 people from over 100

companies more than a decade to complete.

Yet, this amazing telescope cannot

tell us how big the heavens are.

The small thing Jesus talks

about in Matthew 5…

 Is the smallest letter, in fact

not even a stroke of a pen.

I have a leather bound Bible

that is about 1”x1”x.75”.

This is not the Bible for the elderly.

You can imagine how small the smallest letter is.

Jesus is saying in Matthew 5…

 Both the big and the small

are VERY IMPORTANT.

You and I are called to serve God.

We are servants of the Kingdom

of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. 

This Kingdom is not only big in the physical size…

 But big in the since of time.

Which makes our short lives a very

small part of the big Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus tells us the smallest part of the law of the

Kingdom, what may seem to be insignificant

because of size is of big important.

  

In verse 20, Jesus brings us into this comparison…

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses

 that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,

you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Our “righteousness” must be greater than

the teachers and the teaching of the law.

If we want to enter the big Kingdom of Heaven…

 Our righteousness matters.

Righteousness…

 A great definition

is right standing with God.

 Righteousness is doing the right thing.

God knows all the right things…

 And He wrote those things down so we

can do the right things and be blessed.

Little things do make big differences.

Little wrong choices and right

choices make big changes.

You and I are called to serve in this big Kingdom of God,

we cannot be involved in anything bigger in life.

There are a lot of big

organizations in the world…

But none come close to the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

What an honor to serve in this Kingdom.

This Kingdom has lots of needs because God

welcomes unrighteous, undeserving people into it.

They are welcomed because Jesus loved them so

much He paid the price for their unrighteousness…

Unrighteousness that hurt themselves and others.

The Kingdom is a place for healing and restoration.

We are called to a lifelong service to the

Kingdom, its King and its people.

We are also called to invite others

to meet our friend and King, Jesus.

We can show others the wonderful Kingdom…

 But nothing is more important than meeting

and becoming a friend of the King.

Jesus said…

“This is how you should pray.”

Ask yourself the question…

 How often is that?

How often do you pray and

how often should you pray?

Paul in 1Thessaloians 5:17 said…

 We are to “Pray without ceasing”.

So when we pray we are to pray…

 "'Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

 your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

Everything you and I do effects

 the Kingdom of Heaven.

God is calling each one of

us to bring Heaven to earth…

First in our own life, then to others.

If the smallest letter on the law

of the Kingdom is a big deal…

 Than so is every breath you breathe,

your talk and every little sound you make.

Every sound of your life makes a difference.

God cares about how that sound affects you and others.

Jesus once took some little or small children and said…

I tell you the truth, anyone who will

not receive the kingdom of God like

a little child will never enter it."

Mark 10:15

Don’t over complicate the small or the big.

Jesus said the righteous generally

don’t know the impact they are doing…

As they feed the hungry, cloth the needy,

and visit the sick and imprisoned.

 Matthew 25

You and I can never…

 With the biggest telescope

or the greatest microscope…

 Fully see or comprehend the big and the

small of the Kingdom God and His Word.

 

But we need to comprehend.

 We are called to serve in the big Kingdom and

every utterance we make, every action we take, matters. 

So whether you are standing in front of

10,000 people or a 2 year old child…

 What you say and what you do matters.

Nothing you and I do is insignificant.

You are called to the Biggest

Calling and to the Smallest Work.

Don’t let your mind become overwhelmed

and don’t think the smallest work is not important.

Righteousness is one size that fits all…

  

And that is the Big and Small of it.

Scripture Reading

Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.