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The Connection

SPRIING 2020

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EVANGELICAL METHODIST CHURCH

The Kingdom of Heaven is like...

Contents 3

General Notes Rev. Max Edwards International General Superintendent

The Kingdom of Heaven is Like a Child Mrs. Debbie Eshelman

Knowing this King and His Kingdom

Eunuch (unique) Faith

The Kingdom Has a King Rev. José Macías Flores

How can I understand what the Kingdom is like?

Rev. Nate Williamson

Rev. Max Edwards

Mrs. Judy Edwards

The Kingdom of Heaven is Like... a Good Teacher

Rev. Steve Baker

His Universal Invitation and Gracious Provision Rev. Sean Scribner

The Connection The Connection is a publication of the Evangelical Methodist Church.

International ofﬁces are located at the Hamblen-Bruner Headquarters Building 6838 South Gray Road Indianapolis, Indiana 46237 Telephone: [317] 780-8017 Fax: [317] 780-8078 www.emchurch.org publications@emchurch.org

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Editor-in-Chief: Rev. Max Edwards Pre-Production Editor: Ms. Deborah Mitchem Graphic Design: Rev. Nathan Williamson Editor: Rev. Elias P. Stinson, Jr. Editor: Mrs. Nancy Utt HQ Executive Secretary: Mrs. Karen Parsons Department of Prayer: Mrs. Judy Edwards Translator: Rev. José Macías Flores, Spanish

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ADVERTISING SALES publications@emchurch.org All quoted Scripture is from the NIV Bible, 1984, unless otherwise noted.

MISSION MISSION Connecting Connectingpeople peopleof ofall allcultures culturesand andpromoting promotingthe thework workof ofthe theKingdom Kingdomby bycommunicating communicatingour ourstories storiesof ofchanged changedlives. lives.

General Notes Who For What We Are Against

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” - John 10:11-14 “But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus answered them, ‘t is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’” ~ Luke 5:30-32

Far too often, Christianity is known for what it stands against.

A December 2017 article in the Washington Post written by a Virginia religious studies professor challenged Christianity to examine its own values. Paraphrasing, the writer said, we read Scripture and listen to folks share the teachings of Christ, but far too often look down on the poor, discarded prison inmates, and love the death penalty. We can be a pretty cruel crowd. While that indictment is not universally true, it might serve as a wake-up call for some of us to think about whether we are predominantly issue driven, with a clear understanding of what we reject, while not being nearly clear enough that Jesus Christ came to love and rescue people, especially the broken. We who claim to mark the footsteps of the Master should be best known for our kindness, neighborliness and open arms. This does not mean, however, that we have no framework for understanding what is good and what is evil. Jesus Himself didn’t shy away from calling people who were living Godless lives, “sinners,” but he didn’t do so in blistering condemnation, only with compassion and a heart to receive and transform them. Christians ought not compromise truth (Jesus didn’t) while all the while being sure to LOVE people. In this issue of “The Connection,” we will be recalibrating ourselves to the true compass of Christ Himself. What did HE talk most about? Who were HIS chosen companions? Where did HE spend his time and energy? Jesus offered His own answer to those kinds of questions this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18).

Rev. Max Edwards

International General Superintendent

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Knowing This King a I

t is self-evident that our world is in need. There are shortages of a variety of material goods. There are great deficiencies and inequities in justice and freedom. And in many areas of the world, peace is in painfully short supply. But ironically, singer Jackie DeShannon may have settled on one of the greatest global needs in her 1965 top-ten hit, “What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love.” While it may be that her song didn’t necessarily focus on the TRUE SOURCE of love, the stated concept in the refrain is actually correct. And 1900 years before DeShannon’s hit, the Apostle John wrote with clear conviction that, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Truly, the world’s greatest need is God HIMSELF, and His life-changing love. The world’s problems all trace themselves back to the garden of Eden. We sinned, and darkness entered. it wasn’t long before the selfishness of man plumbed the depths of depravity as Cain killed his brother Abel out of pure jealousy. And It seems that sinful darkness has no final threshold; it unswervingly finds new and deeper pockets of evil. But God had a plan from the beginning, an antidote to this deepening darkness. And it is a painfully simple plan in concept, although a deeply expensive one for the Trinity in light of the cross. God’s plan for an abundant and rich life is centered

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in living life HIS WAY, being like Him. Through Moses, God gave the nation of Israel instructions for life and worship that were intended to guide them into Godliness. But His ways are so different from ours. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, prayed, “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you ...” (1 Samuel 2:2a). So how do we know what God is like? What is our template? Our model? The writer of Hebrews answers the question this way: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being …” (Hebrews 1:1-3a). The powerful truth is this: Jesus came into our world to show us the Father! Every movement of Christ was an object lesson. Every activity was a 3-D demonstration of what God is like. And that may have been suﬃcient, but God did not want to leave us to scratch our heads and wonder if we understood. No indeed, Jesus painstakingly taught about this King and the principles of His kingdom. Over and over and over, He carefully described this amazing King, and how

g and His Kingdom by Rev. Max Edwards life works best under His rule. Jesus often chose comparative stories, or parables to convey kingdom principles: “The disciples came to him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’ He replied, ‘Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you …’” (Matthew 13:10-11). But He was not just teaching concepts about a place. He was describing a person: “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king …” (Matthew 18:23). “The kingdom of heaven is like a king …” (Matthew 22:2a). “The Kingdom of Heaven is Like . . .” Seven times in Matthew 13 alone, Jesus used this phrase! Seven times. Verse 24 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.” Verse 31:“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.” Verse 33: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast.” Verse 44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” Verse 45: “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.” Verse 47: “The kingdom of heaven is like a net

that was let down into the lake …” Verse 52: “The kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” From these simple allegories and parables, we learn that our King is patient, willing to calmly wait for a final harvest. His influence starts small, but grows very, very large. His truths spread infectiously from person to person. His lifestyle is an amazing treasure that is worth everything else we might trade for it. He offers us one very precious pearl that is beyond compare. His kingdom is broad and diverse in its citizenry, with beautiful variety, but unifying goodness. And knowing HIM is like being a collector of prized treasures, never growing tired of learning. His family is constantly expanding, and his friends find themselves treasuring the old while all the while being teachable and humble, looking for new insights that confirm and deepen our understanding of God’s ways. Some wonderful authors explore these and other kingdom concepts in this issue. God very much wants us to know what He is like. Enjoy every word, and don’t EVER stop learning. Rev. Max Edwards the International General Superintendent of the Evangelical Methodist Church.

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The Kingdom has a King. by Rev. José Macías Flores

ingdom is the denomination of a particular political entity, which theoretically is ruled by a king, or one in which the monarchy is its political regime (res publica, polis, commonwealth). The Kingdom of God is frequently mentioned in the Tanakh. It is linked to the Jewish understanding that God would intervene directly to restore Israel’s nationality and then reign over it. It was then interpreted as coming from the descendants of David, who, with the Messiah of Israel, would sit on David’s throne and rule for eternity. Therefore, the Jews expect divine intervention, politically and spiritually. The Kingdom of God was expressly promised to King David, making a pact between him and God and promising that someone would always reign on the throne of his “house” - that of David . “There we will rest and see; we will see and love each other; we will love and praise. Here is what will happen to the end without end. And what other purpose do we have, but to reach the Kingdom that will never end? ” Saint Augustine civ.22,30 The historian Flavio Josephus (37-100 AD) mentions that Moses (Approx. 1450-1500 BC) gave the order to recite the Shema twice a day, when getting up and going to bed. (“Ant.” Iv.8.) The acceptance of the Kingdom of God was confirmed with the recitation of the first part: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, is One Lord” (Deut. 6: 4). The Kingdom of God, in order to be established on earth, requires recognition by man; that is, using the phrase taken from Babylon or Persia, man must “take upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of God” (Jewish Encyclopedia). Taking the yoke of His Kingdom, and releasing the yokes of any other idolatry, implemented the acceptance of the Kingdom of God. It was recognized as the password to be part of the Kingdom of God, recited by the people of Israel around the world. The Kingdom of God in Scripture goes back to the promise made to David. “ He shall build an

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house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever” (1 Chronicles 22:10). Daniel mentions Nebuchadnezzar II (630562 BC) recognizing the Kingdom of God. “And I blessed the Most High and praised and glorified him who lives forever, whose dominion is everlasting, and his kingdom for all ages” (Daniel 4:34). The Kingdom has a password to be part of it. The recitation of the Shema twice a day; and now we, under the regime of Grace, are part of the Kingdom through the voluntary acceptance of the merits of Jesus. A king rules every kingdom. The subjects cannot ignore the Will of the Sovereign. Nor can there be small kingdoms, independent of sovereignty or in contradiction with it. The King deserves respect for His laws, even more so when the King uses bonds of love for the attraction and welfare of his subjects. The desire of God as sovereign was from the Garden of Eden, where we can see the hunger in the heart of God for having a friend to whom he can express His love and care. He has achieved it for certain times, and most likely that love for Him will be reciprocated in its entirety, in the eternal Kingdom by being in His presence. For now, we are useless servants prone to fail constantly. We are purchased by price, without any merits to deserve to be part of His Kingdom. In the midst of our need, we recognize His greatness, His love and patience by admitting and forgiving us constantly, to preserve our membership in His Kingdom. If the Kingdom has a King, we owe Him loyalty. We owe Him service. We owe Him gratitude. We owe Him tribute. Jesus is still standing at the door of His kingdom, with His arms open to welcome the prodigal son, the lost sheep. Let it not happen to us as to Joseph and Mary, who went without Jesus, thinking that He was with them (Luke 2:46). Reverend José Macías Flores currently pastors unreached tribal groups in Sonora, Mexico.

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The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like… A Good Teacher by Rev. Steve Baker

uke 18:18-29 tells us of a sad story about a “certain ruler,” “a man of great wealth.” Many of you know this as the story of the rich young ruler. From all outward appearances, this man looked like he had life all figured out. He seemed to be an outstanding religious figure, doing everything right according to the law (v.21). He was well spoken, claiming to believe that Jesus is God, as he refers to Him as “Good Teacher.” So, he comes to make one request, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Many of our churches today are filled with such individuals. When they come to church, they look and sound like they belong there. Like this man, they can say, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a child.” In other words, I’m a good person, I know Jesus is God and therefore a “good teacher.” Yet, there is something missing in their lives, and they just can’t quite put their finger on it, so they come to Jesus, come to church. But their motives are all wrong. Like this man, they come looking for something for themselves, something that will make them look and feel good all the time; so they can say, yeah, I did that, look at me! A similar scene is described in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 33:30-32. “Son of man, your people are whispering behind your back. They talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors, saying, ‘Come on, let’s have some fun! Let’s go hear the prophet tell us what the Lord is saying!’ So, they come pretending to be sincere and sit before you listening. But they have no intention of doing what I tell them. They express love with their mouths, but their hearts seek only after money. They hear what you say, but they don’t do it.” (NLT) This describes our rich young ruler’s response to Jesus’ instruction for him to sell everything and give the money to the poor, then follow Jesus. For he went away sad because his heart was only after more money. He had no intention of following Jesus and His ways. Are our intentions like his, or do we really want to know the Truth from Jesus, truth that demands action at its command? A.W. Tozer tells a story of a boy overseas who had memorized Jesus’ entire Sermon on the Mount. He did it in such record time and with such

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apparently little effort that someone called him in to find out how he had done it. “Well,” said the boy, “I would memorize a verse and then trust God to help me put it into practice. Then I would memorize the next verse and say, ‘Lord, help me to live this one too.’” This young man sought Truth from Jesus, not just to store in his mind but to put into practice. God’s Word is to be acted on and this is done by obedience and faith in the Giver of Truth. “Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, ‘You are truly My disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31-32). Later Jesus told His disciples, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). In our quest to do church and be the Church, the Body of Christ, I think we can easily forget that it is His Church, and it can truly only operate properly as He is the head of it. The Church today is to be operating as the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, leads us. This Counselor, the Holy Spirit Jesus refers to in John chapters 14 and 16, is the Greek word parakletos, which also means advocate. An advocate appears as a representative of another. The Holy Spirit comes to represent Christ. He interprets, vindicates and administers for Christ in His Church and kingdom. As Jesus was with His disciples, the Holy Spirit is now in us. He is all that Christ was and is. He is “the Spirit of Truth” and “He will guide you into all Truth” (John 14:17;16:13). The Holy Spirit is our “Good Teacher” now. We, the Church, owe everything about us to the Holy Spirit. We are His creation and without Him we are powerless. We need this reminder that our churches are not to be man-managed but Godgoverned. Can we ask ourselves the hard question? Do we have more faith in the world and its ways or do we really believe God, the Holy Spirit can build our churches through a surrendered body? Rev. Steve Baker is an ordained elder and board of steward member at Covenant in Morgantown, WV.

Painting by James Tissot “The Sermon of the Beatitudes”1886-1896 Public Domain

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The Kingdom of Heaven is Like a Child by Mrs. Debbie Eshelman

As I was sitting at a picnic table at summer

camp, two third grade girls chased butterflies and squealed with joy when they saw a chipmunk. Which meant that they squealed a lot because there were a lot of chipmunks at camp! They raced back and forth across the field in wonder and awe of God’s creation. At one point one of the girls came to where I was sitting and implored me to come with her; “You just have to see this butterfly!” Yet, just a few days before, I’d sat at the same picnic table at a summer camp for fifth and sixth graders. Not once did I see one of them chasing butterflies or giving any acknowledgment to the ever-present chipmunks, and truthfully, I hadn’t noticed them either in all the rush of camp. What was different between these two views that were only separated by a few days and a few grade levels? Where had that wide-eyed wonder of a child seemingly gone? I think I was dealing with blinders: “something that prevents someone from gaining a full understanding of a situation.” The work at hand prevented me from seeing the fullness of what God wanted me to see, or at least that’s my excuse. I haven’t been the first person that dealt with blinders in the midst of the work at hand, in a setting that included children. There was that time in Matthew 18:2-4: “Jesus called a little one to his side and said to them, ‘Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in. Whoever continually humbles himself to become like this gentle child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm’” (Passion Translation).

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Matthew 18:2 – Or “toddler.” The Greek word is paidion, either a boy or a girl. Matthew 18:4 – This means “to see yourself as unimportant in your own eyes.” Jesus is firm with the disciples who had previously been discussing who was the greatest in the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:1). Jesus helps them remove their blinders to see the child in front of them. Jesus calling the child to Him would have been so very different in a culture that saw children as “less than.” Jesus points the child out to them; He wants them to see what’s in front of them; He wants their attention because what He is about to say is the answer to their question about greatness in the kingdom of God. Jesus is clear with His disciples, and us as His followers, that transformation – true change – will be required in our way of thinking. That being teachable, humble, and learning with wide-eyed wonder will be needed to enter into the kingdom of Heaven, which is the essence of childlike faith. Childlike Faith versus Childish Faith The phrase childlike faith is so different from childish faith. It’s not unusual for a parent to ask me, is my child’s faith real, they’re so young? My response is an emphatic yes! When children believe in God, they aren’t believing in a little God, one their size, they’re believing in the same sized God that adults believe in. Children have a unique way, a God-designed way, of pointing out God. Their childlike faith is comprised of trust, utter dependence, wonder and awe. Trust begins developing in infancy. When a child cries out and their parent responds, trust

is built. A child is utterly dependent on their caregivers for everything. Remaining in utter dependency on God seems harder as we grow up. But we shouldn’t ever grow up to the point of growing out of being utterly dependent on God. Children help remind us to remain in that place of utter dependence. When four-year-old Fletcher was sick he told his parents, “I want God to heal me,” so they prayed that, and when he woke up the next morning he announced, “God healed me!” Fletcher’s prayer served as an example to his parents of his childlike faith, his trust and utter dependence on God. His response to answered prayer was one of wonder and awe. Jesus tells us to watch for the faith and the humility of children and to learn from it. It doesn’t matter what age we are, Jesus expects us to be teachable, humble and utterly dependent on Him. At the same time, He wants us to be filled with

wonder and awe and delight in Him, to trust Him as children trust their parents for their daily needs. It seems that blinders come quickly as we grow up. How do we see around them to all that God has for us in His kingdom, which is in the here and now? Children. They live in the here and now.

“Children are a God-given example to the wise, a gift to the world, a vital part of God’s plan, and a treasure of his earthly and heavenly kingdom.” -Joel RyanDebbie Eshelman is Pastor of Family Ministries at Crossroads Community Church in Nampa, Idaho. Her passion is partnering with parents/caregivers in teaching children and youth the Good News.

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Eunuch (unique) Faith by Rev. Nate Williamson

Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” Matthew 19:12

ingleness can be considered a curse. A person who is single within the body of Christ can often be made to feel like there is something wrong with them or they are broken as well-intending people try to fix them up with someone. The above verse ends a conversation in which Jesus is asked about divorce. After hearing the grounds for divorce and God’s standard for marriage, the disciples exclaim, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!” And in order to preface what he says in the next verse, Jesus says, “Not everyone can accept this statement. Only those whom God helps.” What you are about to read is not an easy message, but it can be accepted with God’s help. Before we jump into the details of being a eunuch, we need to establish a truth. Proverbs 19:14 and

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31:10 make it clear that marriage is a gift. And just like any gift, it is not given to everyone. A gift received is not decided by the recipient but by the one who gives the gift. But if marriage is a gift, does that mean singleness is a curse? The Greek definition of eunuch is one who is alone in bed. This definition not only makes it clear that, when using the term eunuch, you are not talking solely about a person who is not married, but also one who refrains from sexual activity. Jesus, in Matthew 19, describes 3 different eunuchs: people that are born that way, people who are made that way, and people who choose to live that way.

Eunuchs Born that Way According to some studies, anywhere between .001 to 1.7%1 of people may be born without fully functioning sexual organs. The common term for this is a hermaphrodite. The modern term often used is intersex. For this article, we will define these types of euncuchs as “people born without the full capacity to experience and consummate a marriage.” This is nothing new. As we can see by this passage, there were people born without fully functioning sexual organs just like any other part of the human body that may not be fully formed at birth, like a person born blind, deaf or mute. This may not seem fair or right, but in this fallen world, some are born with disabilites and some are not. Some are born with amazing abilities and others tend to be more common. But what one person considers a disability, another considers a gift. We can learn a lot from the deaf community who do not consider themselves lesser because of their inability to hear. Most people born deaf love their unique culture, and if given the opportunity to hear, would turn it down because they believe there is nothing wrong with them. We must remember that any impairment, sickness and even death are not the result of God’s hands, but man’s sin inherited from Adam and Eve. No one is born without a fault or flaw. And yet, every beat of our heart or breath we take is a gift from God. Singleness is a gift as well. It may not feel like it. You may not want it. But the recipient of the gift cannot choose the gift they get. Eunuchs Made That Way In Biblical times, some people were made eunuchs because of their vocation. Those who served kings, rulers or other people in power closely often allowed themselves to be emasculated, especially if they were entrusted with overseeing their master’s wives or harems. This would ensure their master of no possibility of infidelity or abuse from their closest advisors and servants. So why would anyone choose to be a eunuch in this situation? It would be a chance for some to break through poverty and have a good life, seats of

power or influence where they wouldn’t otherwise. It proved your dedication and trustworthiness. You gave up the chance for future generations in order to be fully dedicated to your master. Later this title was passed onto the extremely loyal and dependable without being emasculated. In some cultures, it was an act of worship to a pagan god. Our culture’s eunuchs who are made so are usually for entirely different reasons. Many times it is in order to change their gender or identity. How do we minister to the “T”s in the LGBTQ community? If you read Old Testament passages like Deuteronomy 23:1, it seems impossible: “…those who have made this choice cannot be included in the assembly of the Lord.” But a reading of Philip’s interaction on a desert road with an Ethiopian eunuch, from Acts 8:26-39, shows us how to minister in love to those who have made themselves eunuchs. Let me show you the highpoints of the passage: • God sent Philip to the eunuch. This is not Philip’s doing or a coincidence. In the Spirit-led life there are no coincidences. God set up the time, place and opportunity. • The eunuch is searching for God. He has just visited the temple. He owns a precious scroll of Isaiah. No one owned a personal scroll unless they were rich or influential. Everyone is searching for Jesus whether they know it or not. • Philip gives him the Gospel fully without holding back. • He didn’t quote the book of Deuteronomy. He baptized him instead. But the best part of the passage is what section of Isaiah the Ethiopian eunuch is reading. Reading a scroll is not like reading a book. You can’t just flip to any page you want. You read it as you unroll it. The passage of Scripture that he reads, and which Philip interprets to him, is Isaiah 53:7-8. After coming up out of the water, being baptized into the faith through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, I am sure he couldn’t wait to get back in the chariot and continue to read Isaiah. And just a few chapters later in Isaiah 56:3-8 it says, “Don’t let foreigners who

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commit themselves to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will never let me be part of his people.’ And don’t let the eunuchs say, ‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’ For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bless those eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy and who choose to do what pleases me and commit their lives to me. I will give them—within the walls of my house— a memorial and a name far greater than sons and daughters could give. For the name I give them is an everlasting one. It will never disappear! I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant. I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel.’” Because of Jesus every eunuch can bear Christ’s name, have an eternal home and be a part of the eternal family better than any earthly family. Jesus’ love and grace is truly for everyone and can make anyone new. No one is too far gone or too damaged for Jesus to heal and renew. Eunuchs by Choice This category, for the context of this passage, are people who have become eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. These are individuals who have chosen to receive the gift of celibacy in order to be closer to Jesus. Paul himself was this kind of

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eunuch as he describes himself in 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. In this passage Paul makes it clear that marriage is not as easy or fulfilling as it seems to one outside of that God-given relationship. It is a life of servitude as you are completely dedicating yourself to the other individual in the marriage covenant. In fact, Paul, from even his own experience as a single, believes his life to be better since he does not have the added responsibility of taking care of a family, but is free to pursue more time with and attention to Jesus. If you receive the gift of celibacy, Jesus, eternity and the Gospel message are able to take greater priority in your life. With this perspective, celibacy is a uniquely intimate gift of Jesus that those who are married cannot experience in the same way. Who really gets to live the perfect life they desire on this earth? We all have to adapt to what God has given us. God’s calling for all of us is unique. Some things in life we choose. And some things God chooses for us. And those things in life that God chooses for us we must receive as a gift. And the greatest gift Jesus offers all of us is an intimate, eternal relationship with Him. All other relationships and desires are secondary to that and pale by comparison. In conclusion, for whatever gifts God decides to bless us with, we must be thankful. We cannot live with a focus on whatever we can get out of this life. Stuff does not give us our value or worth. Live as if this life is coming to an end and there is something better waiting for us in eternity. 1

https://isna.org/faq/frequency/

Rev. Nate Williamson is the senior pastor of Covenant in Morgantown, WV.

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How can I understand what the Kingdom is like? by Mrs. Judy Edwards

“His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He replied, ‘You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: “When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand’”

(Luke 8:9-10 NLT). Was Jesus telling the disciples that He played favorites? That He was trying to keep people from knowing the secrets of the Kingdom? Have you ever hidden eggs at Easter time for young children? We generally hide them in pretty obvious places. Why? Because we want the children to find them. Jesus isn’t hiding the secrets of the Kingdom as much as He’s preserving them for those who genuinely want to find them. He is protecting them from the careless and indifferent, from those who have willfully closed their eyes and ears. Those who are mere spectators and have no interest beyond surface curiosity, like the crowds in the Gospels who were only after the signs and wonders and the loaves and fishes. The spiritually sensitive who heard the parables, sought to know the deeper truths, while the hardened just heard a story and weren’t really interested in looking deeper. David Guzik’s “Enduring Word Commentary” says this about the passage: “…when Jesus used parables, He didn’t start

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by stating a truth. Instead, the parable was like a doorway. Jesus’ listeners stood at the doorway and heard Him. If they were not interested, they stayed on the outside. But if they were interested, they could walk through the doorway, and think more about the truth behind the parable and what it meant to their life.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us: “But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” NLT Jesus wants everyone to understand the Kingdom, but He knows not everyone wants to. How do we make sure the secrets of the Kingdom aren’t hidden from us? We take the time to look deeper, to do just what the disciples did in this passage – we ask the King! Our King offers us the opportunity to talk with Him whenever we want. If we want to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom, we need only to walk through the doorway of prayer, to sit at the King’s feet and ask Him to teach us the secrets of His Kingdom. As we listen to Him and ingest His truth, those Kingdom secrets that He has always wanted us to know, will become clearer and clearer and transform our lives. So PRAY! God says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Judy Edwards is the Chairman of the Evangelical Methodist Department of Prayer

His Universal Invitation and Gracious Provision by Rev. Sean Scribner

hroughout the gospel of Matthew, Jesus frequently teaches on the Kingdom of Heaven by using parables to describe its many dimensions. Take, for example, the parables in chapter 13 which describe the various reactions to the proclamation of the Kingdom (vv. 3b-9; 18-23), the separation of the righteous from the unrighteous in the fullness of the Kingdom (vv. 24-30; 36-43; 47-50), the largeness of the Kingdom presently concealed (vv. 31-33) and the Kingdom’s incalculable worth (vv. 44-46). Surveying the gospel as a whole, one notices a growing hostility between Jesus and Israel (as represented by the religious authorities) accompanying his Kingdom teachings. Jesus insists that only those who “actually do the will of my Father in heaven” will enter it (7:21), clearly excluding Israel from those He has in mind. This is emphasized in the story of the Roman oﬃcer in chapter 8 in whom Jesus sees a faith that is glaringly absent “in all of Israel” (v. 10). As a result, it will be Gentiles, like the oﬃcer, from the world around who will sit with the Patriarchs at the Kingdom feast, not “those for whom the Kingdom was prepared” (v. 12). This hostility comes to a head in chapters 21 and 22 as Jesus enters Jerusalem to the acclaim of the crowds, clears the Temple and clashes with the priests and elders. His subsequent parables underscore His teachings from chapters 7 and 8. The Parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32) and Parable of the Evil Farmers (21:33-44) confirm that rebellious Israel will have no place in the Kingdom

of Heaven, and the Parable of the Wedding Feast (22:1-14) confirms that God will extend the Kingdom to include the Gentiles. As we seek to understand the nature and character of the Kingdom and how one may enter it, these parables offer a variety of helpful principles. The Parable of the Wedding Feast, for starters, establishes the universal scope of the invitation to the Kingdom feast. After the king’s initial invitations to join him in celebrating his son are ignored or refused (v. 3), he intensifies his efforts to fill his hall with guests (v. 4). But these overtures are met with increased levels of dismissal and hostility, with some ignoring the invitation and making excuses (v. 5) while others insult the king’s servants and put them to death (v. 6). This rejection provokes the king to do two things: destroy the wicked in judgement (v. 7) and expand the scope of the invitation to include all who will come (vv. 8-9). Additionally, this parable illustrates the character of our King. He does not discriminate on any of the levels common to fallen humanity. Sinful people go to great lengths to divide and exclude one another however possible, but the King discriminates only on the basis of the response to His offer. Any and all may come, provided they come on His terms. He has spared no expense in preparing the feast, even covering the cost of admission. To enter, one need only accept the appropriate garments provided for the occasion. There will be no room for pride or shame, for everyone will wear the same robes and celebrate together as equals.

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Behold the lavishness of the king’s offer, a graphic depiction of the grace made available, in Christ, to all the world! It is matched only by the severity of His justice. He will not abide obstacles to His offer to come (v. 7) nor anyone’s efforts to come on their own terms (vv. 11-13). Those who reject Him, or believe their own garments are suﬃcient, will find themselves on the outside looking in. In a nod to Isaiah 64:6, this parable aﬃrms that our very best is simply not good enough (vv. 11-13). As Spurgeon observes, “Woe unto us unless we are found wearing the righteousness of Christ, unless our lives are made holy by the gracious influence of His blessed Spirit! These are the wedding garments which we are to wear.” In Christ alone have we been “dressed with the clothing of salvation” and “draped in a robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). The Parable of the Wedding Feast has this and much more to say to us today. If you have accepted the invitation from the King and have

clothed yourself in the garments of Christ, you have also accepted the responsibility to serve Him by going to the “street corners” and inviting everyone that you see (v. 9), the “good and the bad alike” (v. 10). Yes, the invitation will be rejected by many, and His messengers may suffer great insult and harm, but we must continue on in the comfort and security of knowing the King is both gracious and just. The Kingdom of Heaven is large enough to include all who will come through its narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14). Many are called, but few are chosen. Praise God that those whom He calls may effect their chosenness simply by accepting freely His universal invitation and gracious provision! Rev. Sean Scribner is lead pastor at the Evangelical Methodist Church in Elizabeth City, NC. *All references in this article are taken from the New LivingTranslation.

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is cordially invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 18

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