The Surprising Focus of Jesus’ Most Frequent Teaching Discovering the Heart of Christ’s Teachings on the Kingdom of God. November 7th, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

 

The Surprising Focus of Jesus’ Most Frequent Teaching

Discovering the Heart of Christ’s Teachings on the Kingdom of God.

November 7th, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

When we think of Jesus’ teachings, many of us might recall His words on loving others, helping the poor, or even managing money wisely. In fact, Jesus did speak about money frequently, mentioning it in nearly one-third of His parables. However, money wasn’t His central message. Instead, the focal point of Jesus’ teachings was something even more profound and transformative: the Kingdom of God.

Throughout the Gospels, the Kingdom of God is referenced over 80 times. It was the theme Jesus returned to repeatedly, from His early ministry in Galilee to His final days in Jerusalem. This focus on the Kingdom not only revealed His purpose but also underscored what He desires for His followers to understand and live out. Understanding the Kingdom message of Jesus opens our hearts to a life that looks beyond earthly pursuits and centers on eternal realities.

The Kingdom of God: Central to Jesus' Mission

Jesus' first recorded words in ministry are found in Mark 1:15: “The time has come… The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” This proclamation was not only an announcement but an invitation to enter a new way of living, one marked by God’s reign and presence. For Jesus, the Kingdom of God was not a distant reality but a present, active force breaking into the world through His life and ministry.

The concept of the Kingdom was radically different from the earthly kingdoms people were familiar with. Unlike human governments, which operate on power, wealth, and often oppression, the Kingdom of God operates on love, justice, and peace. In this Kingdom, the “last shall be first” (Matthew 20:16), the meek are blessed, and peacemakers are called the “children of God” (Matthew 5:9). These values turned worldly expectations upside down, offering a new paradigm for understanding authority, success, and purpose.

Parables That Reveal Kingdom Truths

One of Jesus’ primary methods of teaching about the Kingdom of God was through parables simple stories that revealed profound truths. In fact, over 50 of Jesus’ parables revolve around the Kingdom. The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32) illustrates how the Kingdom starts small, like a seed, yet grows to be greater than anyone could imagine. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44) describes a man who, discovering a priceless treasure, sells everything he has to obtain it. Through these stories, Jesus emphasized that the Kingdom is worth everything we have, and pursuing it should be our highest priority.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) sheds light on God’s heart within His Kingdom, revealing a God who welcomes back even the most lost and broken, celebrating their return with joy. These parables collectively paint a picture of a Kingdom that values humility, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. They show that this Kingdom is available to all, but it requires a willing heart and open eyes to perceive its worth.

Living in the Kingdom Now

One of the most astonishing aspects of Jesus’ teaching is that the Kingdom of God is not just a future promise; it is a present reality. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), He was inviting them and us to pray and work for the realization of God’s reign in the here and now.

Living in the Kingdom today means aligning our lives with God’s values and purposes. It means pursuing justice for the oppressed, showing mercy to the hurting, and humbling ourselves before others. Jesus made it clear that entry into this Kingdom requires a transformation of the heart: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Just as a child trusts and depends on a parent, we are called to trust and depend on our Heavenly Father, finding our identity and purpose in His will rather than in worldly standards.

A Kingdom That Transcends Politics and Culture

The Kingdom of God doesn’t align perfectly with any human political system or culture. It is not American, European, or even first-century Jewish. The Kingdom of God transcends all earthly divisions. This is one reason why Jesus’ message often confounded both His followers and His critics. His Kingdom is not about political power or social dominance; it’s about sacrificial love, humility, and eternal purpose.

When Jesus declared, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), He was emphasizing that His reign would not be bound by worldly standards. His authority comes from God and is manifested in acts of love, healing, and forgiveness. While human systems are often built on control and influence, the Kingdom is built on servant leadership, as Jesus demonstrated by washing His disciples' feet and ultimately giving His life on the cross.

Kingdom Values in a World of Self-Promotion

In today’s culture, self-promotion and personal gain often take center stage. We are encouraged to pursue our dreams, maximize our potential, and seek influence. Yet, the Kingdom of God offers a counter-cultural message. In Matthew 5-7, Jesus teaches what are now known as the Beatitudes, where He blesses the poor in spirit, the meek, and the peacemakers. These values, in stark contrast to the world’s emphasis on power and achievement, reflect the true nature of God’s Kingdom.

The Kingdom mindset teaches us to prioritize serving others over self-interest, humility over pride, and forgiveness over retribution. As followers of Christ, we are called to let go of earthly measures of success and instead focus on spiritual growth, compassion, and reconciliation. In a world that celebrates self-promotion, living out Kingdom values becomes a powerful testimony of God’s love.

Seeking the Kingdom Above All Else

Jesus taught His followers, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). This call to prioritize God’s Kingdom doesn’t mean abandoning responsibilities or disengaging from the world. Instead, it means centering our lives on God’s purposes and trusting that He will provide for us.

To “seek the Kingdom” means to live with an eternal perspective, valuing spiritual growth over material success, and understanding that our time on earth is a temporary stewardship. It calls us to invest our lives in relationships, compassion, and actions that have eternal impact. This way of living is radically different from how the world operates, but it is precisely this distinctiveness that demonstrates the beauty of God’s Kingdom to others.

The Kingdom of God: An Unshakable Hope

As followers of Christ, the Kingdom of God gives us hope that transcends the uncertainties and challenges of life. Hebrews 12:28 encourages us, “Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” While everything around us may shift and change, God’s Kingdom is firm, secure, and eternal.

The Kingdom of God was Jesus’ primary focus because it encompasses His entire mission and message. He came to bring us into this Kingdom and to show us how to live as its citizens. As we grow in our understanding of the Kingdom, we find peace and purpose in knowing that we belong to something greater than ourselves a community united by God’s love and committed to His purposes.

May we be people who live out the reality of the Kingdom each day, allowing our lives to reflect the hope, love, and justice of Christ to a world in need.

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Neiman Marcus Cancels “Christmas” in the Name of Inclusivity

 Neiman Marcus Cancels “Christmas” in the Name of Inclusivity

Neiman Marcus has a 98-year-old history of issuing a beautiful Christmas catalog. Many look forward to this catalog when seeking a good present to get their spouse, children or best friend.

Unfortunately, Neiman Marcus has now decided that the word “Christmas” is too offensive, and  banned it from its 2024 catalog.

Tell Neiman Marcus to keep “Christmas” and Apologize

Neiman Marcus is an American department store that’s been around for more than a century.

The cover of its Christmas catalog always said “The Christmas Book.” This year, there is no link with Our Lord or Christmas. It reads “The Holiday Book.”

The Dallas Morning News reported that one spokesman for the company stated: “The Holiday Book is a new name for what was formerly “The Christmas Book,” whose name was changed in the spirit of inclusivity as it welcomes customers of all backgrounds, religions and traditions to celebrate the season.”

Sign Today! Demand that Neiman Marcus Apologize, and Return to its 98-Year Tradition

The most important event in history was the coming of Our Lord to redeem humanity.

Neiman Marcus excludes Christmas from its calendar in the name inclusivity. What an outrage!

Removing the word “Christmas” is absolutely disgraceful, and Neiman Marcus must make amends.

A Sigh of Relief for Avoiding a Train Wreck Election by John Horvat II November 7, 2024

 A Sigh of Relief for Avoiding a Train Wreck Election

by John Horvat IINovember 7, 2024

A Sigh of Relief for Avoiding a Train Wreck Election

Absorbing the surprising results of the November 2024 general election, the immediate sensation was one of relief. The media had prepared the country for a razor-close contest for president and Congress. Many did not expect an immediate outcome and thought the results would be both contested and take days to resolve.

Fortunately, the winners received clear mandates, and the nation was saved from yet another source of acrimony. There was no violence or aggression.

Why America Must Reject Isolationism and Its Dangers

However, the smoothness of the elections was not the greatest cause for relief. The radical policies of the Harris ticket loomed on the horizon. Many Americans feared the triumph of aggressive abortion and LGBTQ policies, woke initiatives and further immigration chaos. They feared a socialist train wreck election where everyone would suffer and the nation taken to further ruin.

A sigh of great relief welcomed voters on the morning after. The train tracks were clear. Major socialist reforms were again avoided. Despite all the rhetoric about an “opportunity economy,” the defeat of the left prevented many “opportunities” for the government to regulate and intervene in the free market and lives of countless Americans.

Social conservatives welcomed the defeat of three pro-abortion referenda and decried the success of seven others. However, the victories broke the myth that all pro-life measures lose during elections.

One final point of relief was considering the psychological impact of the victory upon the nation and the world. The left was left desolate, disarticulate and downcast. Results contradicted expectations.

Yet again, the class struggle narrative so essential to leftist mythology was proven wrong. It was the “oppressed” working class that turned on the left and supported the right in massive numbers.

Eternal and Natural Law: The Foundation of Morals and Law

The Harris defeat sent shock waves everywhere. It was a major blow to leftists worldwide who have suffered electoral defeats in Europe and South America. With the American election, the leftist cause worldwide now flounders aimlessly.

These results merit a sigh of relief from which should come a resolution to fight harder for America and the West.

The election is but a battle inside the context of a larger cultural war for the American soul. That battle rages unabated amid society’s moral decay.

Thus, this relief should inspire conservatives to redouble efforts for a return to order. It calls for pressuring those elected conservatives who have wavered and even abandoned the moral issues they once defended.

It is indeed time to sigh in relief. So much harm was avoided. In many Americans, it certainly provoked a prayer of thanksgiving to Almighty God for saving America from a train wreck election.

Photo Credit:  © rawpixel.com – stock.adobe.com

 

LOCK THEM UP: An Unforgivable Crime

(StraightShooterNews.com) – Outraged Americans are demanding prison time for two Colorado residents for desecrating a sacred American heritage site at Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

39-year-old Roxanne McKnight and 43-year-old Dusty Spencer are facing federal charges for ignoring warnings, jumping a fence and stealing historic artifacts from Cave Springs Cowboy Camp.

This site is revered for its connection to America’s pioneering spirit. It contains priceless artifacts from early cattle ranchers and ancient indigenous tribes.

Despite clear warnings and protective fencing, the couple entered the site and stole historic items.

However, the pair did not expect to be caught on trail cameras. Images show the suspects handling delicate historical artifacts with little regard for their preservation or significance.

Among the stolen items were antique nails – small in monetary value but invaluable in historical worth.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office leveled serious charges against McKnight and Spencer, including theft of government property, disturbing cultural or archaeological resources and walking on cultural or archaeological resources.

Although the stolen items are valued at less than $1,000, the crime’s cultural impact exceeds any monetary sum.

The Cave Springs Cowboy Camp stands as a testament to the pioneering spirit that built America.

The site also honors the ancient indigenous peoples who first lived in these lands, a reminder of America’s rich and diverse heritage.

The National Park Service, which preserves these irreplaceable treasures for future generations, is spearheading the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Luisa Gough and Tanner Zumwalt are the case’s prosecutors.

StraightShooterNews.com