River Corner Church

Kingship, Rule & Authority: Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46)

Jeff McLain

On October 9, Pastor Jeff McLain continued our series, "Kingship, Rule & Authority," by looking at the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl in Matthew 13:44-46. In these parables, we find Jesus illustrates the purpose of his ministry, and also that Jesus illustrates the reckless abandonment to all else, which is how we enter and collaborate with the Kingdom of God. 

This Sunday morning series, September 11 to November 13,  will be a study through the parables, on the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God was the gospel message that was both at the center of Jesus' mission and ministry, and it was also the center of the mission and message he gave us.

The Kingdom of God is the invasive, subversive, way that God’s presence, priorities, and power converge on and in our world. It is an invasion and God is looking for co-conspirators to bring about his insurrection of this world's ideas through conversion of people and paradigms. As co-conspirators, we collaborate on bringing about or seeing to God’s presence, priorities, and power as they manifest through our commitment to compassion, signs and wonders, ethics and justice.

In Gospel of the Kingdom, Theologian George Eldon Ladd wrote, "The Kingdom of God is His kingship, His rule, His authority. When this is once realized, we can go through the New Testament and find passage after passage where this meaning is evident, where the Kingdom is not a realm or a people but God’s reign. Jesus said that we must “receive the kingdom of God” as little children (Mark 10:15). What is received? The Church? Heaven? What is received is God’s rule. In order to enter the future realm of the Kingdom, one must submit himself in perfect trust to God’s rule here and now. We must also “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt. 6: 33). What is the object of our quest? The Church? Heaven? No; we are to seek God’s righteousness—His sway, His rule, His reign in our lives.”

River Corner Church is a growing church community of everyday people who gather to worship God, follow Jesus, and journey through life together. We gather on Sunday mornings, at 10:00 AM, at 524 River Corner Road in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. Learn more about our growing church community online through our website (www.rivercornerchurch.com) or our Facebook (www.facebook.com/RiverCornerChurch).

We invite you to gather with us on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM.

You are welcome to come as you are, just be you. As a community of everyday people, we want to be a people who live and love like Jesus in the places we live, work, and play.

If you have a question about something you heard in this message, or you want to learn more about our growing church community, visit us online at www.rivercornerchurch.com.

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