Matthew
Only One Life Leader
When Sandy and I go to Florida for the winter
And needs arise back in Ohio while we are gone
Our children, natural and by marriage, have always responded with joy
When I have needed them to take care of something for me while gone
I am glad that they are willing to take care of the need
But more than the need being meet, I am blessed beyond words
To see they take joy in serving me as their father
This is what our Father in heaven desires
Our Father in heaven wants to see, we take joy in serving Him
It is giving back because we appreciate not only who He is, Our Father,
But what He has done for us as our Father
Remember Jesus “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” Hebrews 12:2
That is love for the Father
He is the one and “Only Life Giver”
And Jesus His Son is the Only One Life Leader
Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
Only One Life Leader
The Kingdom of Heaven is very unique and different
than the nations or kingdoms on earth, because…
The Kingdom of Heaven is a family kingdom.
The Kingdom of Heaven is all about a “Father”.
Only one Father.
There are not many dads in Heaven
only one Dad or Father.
People in Heaven are not recognized by their ethnicity.
Your birth of where or by who
holds no value in Heaven.
What does matter is…
“Have you been conceived by the Holy Spirit?”
Your flesh and blood are not important.
It is amazing to see what a little sperm and egg can become.
It is hard to look at anyone and think
they came from a little sperm and egg.
As amazing as the conception of an egg and sperm,
there is a limit to life.
Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruling religious leader,
that the Kingdom of Heaven cannot even be seen
unless you are born again.
Jesus makes very clear two different birth origins.
The one is of the flesh,
all born of the flesh have a father.
There are many fathers.
All natural fathers have a DNA that leads to one father,
Adam, the first man who was made by God.
He was formed from the dust of the earth
and at the end of life returns to the dust of the earth.
Jesus also describes a second birth...
A birth of water and Spirit.
Some explain the birth of water as…
The natural birth, but it could refer to water baptism.
Water baptism is described as a point in time
when a believer goes down into the water.
Standing in the water, the “believer”
(saved by faith) is publicly stating…
They have died to the life of the flesh,
referred to as the old sinful nature.
Going down under the water…
The person buries the old sinful nature.
Coming up out of the water…
The person is declaring a new way of life,
The old is buried
making way for the new life to come.
Jesus demonstrated this when
He said to John the Baptist…
“I must be baptized”.
And when Jesus came up out of the water,
the Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove.
God seeks those who are weary
of the burden of living this life of flesh
and it’s desires that leads to sin and death.
God looks for the repentant heart
that wants a change.
When God finds such a repentant person…
Whose “faith” is focused on the only Life-Giver,
He imparts His Spirit.
For “without faith it is impossible to please God”.
When we crucify ourselves to death
(life by our standard)…
God impregnates the believer with His Spirit.
It is at this point, God becomes that believers “Father”.
The believer becomes part of the Family of God.
This is why Jesus says…
And do not call anyone on earth 'father,'
for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Matthew 23:9
For you have only one Master and you are all brothers.
Matthew 23:8
In heaven, there are only Children of God.
Therefore, Jesus says we look at each other as brothers.
No other fathers, no other masters.
Jesus says…
The Kingdom has one Father and one Master or Teacher.
The Teacher is the Christ, Messiah, who is Jesus.
Positions in heaven are not a goal to achieve.
In the Kingdom of Heaven,
we see others with the same Father
making us family, brothers and sisters.
We see greatness comes on the merit system.
Greatness comes by “Humility and Serving”,
In this life, we place on pedestals people
with achievements…
Educational, social, economic achievements, etc.
It is hard not to envy those
who have more in this life than us.
And there is a place where we should be
provoked by those living Godly.
There is a place to honor and respect.
But when we place on a pedestal anyone or anything
we worship, we have created an idol.
In the Kingdom of Heaven,
there is only “One life leader”.
Jesus Christ is our only teacher.
Jesus teaches the way to the Father.
There is only One God and Father.
And we, who are born again, are family of One Father.
Who lives by humility and service.
Don’t be like the people of this world
who place value on titles and positions.
Put all your value on your Father
in Heaven and pleasing Him.
And let His Son Jesus Christ teach you how
to be His sons and daughters.
When Sandy and I go to Florida for the winter
and needs arise back in Ohio while we are gone….
Our children, natural and by marriage,
have always responded with joy…
When I have needed them to take care
of something for me while gone.
I am glad that they are willing to take care
of the need, but more than the need being meet…
I am blessed beyond words to see they take joy
in serving me as their father.
This is what our Father in heaven desires.
Our Father in heaven wants to see,
we take joy in serving Him.
It is giving back because…
We appreciate not only who He is, Our Father,
but what He has done for us as our Father.
Remember Jesus…
“for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross”
Hebrews 12:2
That is love for the Father.
He is the one and “Only Life Giver”.
And Jesus His Son is the Only One Life Leader.
Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life
no one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
This is why His Children worship Him and no other.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 23:5-12 The Message
5 Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. 6 They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, 7 preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.'
8 "Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. 9 Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven. 10 And don't let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them — Christ.
11 "Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. 12 If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
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