Scripture references tied to the sermon for Homecoming 2023...
Thought #1 --> Home (for the Christian) is in God's Kingdom
Matthew 3:2 repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world”
Matthew 6:7-13 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling, like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
This, then, is how you should pray: our father, in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us Today our daily bread forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:23, “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people”
Thought #2 --> We should talk about the Kingdom of God!
Matthew 10:7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 11:11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John theBaptist! Yet the one who is 1least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 18:3,4 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “1Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Thought #3 --> The Kingdom of God is VALUABLE!
Matthew 13:24-30
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven 1may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and wentaway.
26 “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.
27 “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 “And he said to them, ‘An 1enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, togo and gather them up?’
29 “But he * said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30 ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
Matthew 13:49,50
49 “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,
50 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:45,46
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,
46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 21:31,32 31 “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
32 “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.
Thought #4 --> The Kingdom of God is mysteriously NOW and NOT YET.
Matthew 25:31 31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 2:1-3 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, 1indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
APPLICATION/IMPLICATIONS
First, the message of the kingdom of heaven is a genuine offer from God to rule in the hearts of those who believe in His name.
Second, as citizens of the kingdom of heaven, believers should be motivated to build the kingdom through proclaiming the kingdom.
Third, the kingdom of heaven provides comfort and hope for Christians who are suffering.
God is King over all circumstances. No matter what happens in this life, all will be made right when God’s kingdom comes.
Matthew 3:2 repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world”
Matthew 6:7-13 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling, like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
This, then, is how you should pray: our father, in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us Today our daily bread forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:23, “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people”
Thought #2 --> We should talk about the Kingdom of God!
Matthew 10:7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 11:11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John theBaptist! Yet the one who is 1least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 18:3,4 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “1Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Thought #3 --> The Kingdom of God is VALUABLE!
Matthew 13:24-30
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven 1may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and wentaway.
26 “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.
27 “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 “And he said to them, ‘An 1enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, togo and gather them up?’
29 “But he * said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30 ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
Matthew 13:49,50
49 “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,
50 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:45,46
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,
46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 21:31,32 31 “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
32 “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.
Thought #4 --> The Kingdom of God is mysteriously NOW and NOT YET.
Matthew 25:31 31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 2:1-3 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, 1indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
APPLICATION/IMPLICATIONS
First, the message of the kingdom of heaven is a genuine offer from God to rule in the hearts of those who believe in His name.
Second, as citizens of the kingdom of heaven, believers should be motivated to build the kingdom through proclaiming the kingdom.
Third, the kingdom of heaven provides comfort and hope for Christians who are suffering.
God is King over all circumstances. No matter what happens in this life, all will be made right when God’s kingdom comes.