Enter Here

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This sermon is the sixth and final message in a series of sermons on the Kingdom of God. The theme of this message deals with the point of actually becoming a part of the Kingdom. It speaks about attitudes and choices that are necessary to enter through the only door to the Kingdom - Jesus Christ.

Written Excerpts:

John 3:3 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Introduction:

On 5 different Sundays now I have been preaching sermons about the Kingdom of God. I admit that I haven’t presented them in any type of logically consistent order, but I have been sharing various principles about the Kingdom of God primarily through the parables of Jesus. Today, I am going to conclude our series. There is probably much more that can be said about the Kingdom of God, but we have discussed a number of aspects taught in Scripture so we can save whatever remains for another time in the future. In our message today we are going to be looking at parables and comments of Jesus that speak about the way someone actually enters the kingdom of God. 

Friday morning I went to the Grove City High School to purchase a couple of tickets for the boys’ basketball district championship game up at Edinboro Univ. I’ve been in GCHS numerous times for ball games or other functions, but every time I’ve been there was a time when the school was expecting the general public, so the doors were unlocked and I just walked in. On Friday, however, it was during normal school hours and the doors were locked. Besides that, I didn’t know for sure which door would be closest to the main office, because I’d never had the opportunity to go to the office before.

I tried one set of doors, but couldn’t get in and didn’t see any intercom or other means of speaking with people in the office, so I tried another set of doors. Thankfully, this was where I found a little sign that indicated where I could find the buzzer to call into the office. After contacting the office on the intercom, the door was unlocked and I was able to enter. My search didn’t take that long, but it could have been even shorter if there had been a rather large sign that said, “Visitors enter here!”

This story of my little journey into the high school kind of illustrates a point regarding our topic today: There is only one door to enter the kingdom of God, (that is Jesus Christ) but there are numerous signs (instructions, conditions, steps) that lead us to the correct door.

With the help of God’s Spirit, I want to talk to you today about the various conditions that Jesus gave for those who wish to be a part of the Kingdom of God.

I looked up a number of Scriptures that clearly spoke about “entering the kingdom.” I knew we wouldn’t have time to discuss all of them, but I want to emphasize a few of them this morning.

I.    To enter the kingdom we must have a childlike spirit.

Mark 10:15 ^(NLT) I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Here Mark writes with a “double negative” so allow me to reword it as a positive statement. “Anyone who receives the Kingdom of God like a child will certainly enter it.” Meaning?

Lenski New Testament Commentary - The statement is astonishing in every way. We should think as, alas, so many did and do think that a babe must receive the kingdom as an adult does, but absolutely the reverse is true. The child is the model and not the [adult]. It is the unassuming humility and unquestioning trustfulness of the child that make it the pattern for all adults.

Another writer (Tyndale Commentary) adds the trait of guileless faith (i.e. trust without deceit, or deviousness).

A person does not find the door to the Kingdom in a spirit of pride, privilege or persistent doubt. We do not find the door when we’re preoccupied with our own importance and “goodness.” “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

We do not find the door if we allow persistent doubts control our decisions.  (Doubts do have a way of driving a person to seek after the truth, but eventually there must come a time to step forward in trust before the door to the Kingdom may be entered.)

II.  To enter the kingdom we must have a willingness to surrender competing affections.

Mark 10:23-25 ^(NKJV) Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The context of these statements includes the story of the rich young ruler who came to the Lord asking what he needed to do in order to “inherit eternal life.”

The word used for “riches” in this context is a word that literally means “matter,” “things” or “possessions.” It was most commonly used to refer to riches/wealth because of the wealth needed to have great possessions. (Notice it says in v. 22 the man went away sorrowful because he had “great possessions,” although that is a different word.)

He came to the Lord and asked, “What must I do?” But Jesus wanted him to understand, “Who must I be?”

In order to enter the Kingdom of God, I must be someone who has surrendered every other idol, every affection, and every ambition in order to be fully committed to following the Master. In this man’s case, his wealth was the one thing that prevented his total commitment to the Lord, so Jesus tells him what he must do – sell out and give to the poor.

Kyle Idleman – Like this man, most, if not all, of us will sooner or later be forced to choose between following Jesus or keeping something else that we love.

Mark 9:47 ^(NKJV) And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—

It’s better to live without something we think is essential than to fail to enter the kingdom of God and be lost for eternity.

Important to notice that Jesus did not say it was impossible for a rich man to enter. When asked about it, He replies, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible.” People sometimes think that they will never be able to make the kind of commitment that Jesus requires, but God’s grace makes it possible!

III. To enter the kingdom we must experience a spiritual birth.

John 3:3-5 ^(KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

In this conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus instructs him about the necessity to have a spiritual birth. I would describe this as what actually takes place in the heart and life of a person who has found the door to the Kingdom (Jesus Christ) and has stepped through the door. There is a dramatic spiritual transformation that takes place as that individual places his or her trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Without that, “he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

1 Cor. 5:17 If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away and behold all things are become new.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ^(NKJV) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Immediately after giving this description of those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God, Paul immediately says, “and such were some of you, but you were washed… sanctified… and justified… by the Spirit of our God.” In other words, they had experienced a new birth! They had experienced a transformation by God’s grace.

Conclusion:

As we bring this message to a close, let me add this final thought:

Entering the Kingdom of God was never presented by Jesus or the Apostles as something that would be stress-free, without opposition and suffering or without cost. In Acts 14 we have an account of the Apostle Paul being stoned and “left for dead.” But he was revived and a short time later we read these words about him and his preaching partner, Barnabas.

Acts 14:21b-22 ^(NKJV) … they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Jesus never gave the impression that entering the Kingdom was easy, but He repeatedly assures us that it is worth every sacrifice and the eternal rewards in His Kingdom far out-weigh any worldly pleasures. The eternal joy is immeasurably greater than eternal hopelessness and pain.

If you haven’t stepped through the door into the Kingdom by trusting in Jesus; if you haven’t truly been born again by the Spirit of God, then I urge you to come to Christ today.

Let’s all stand and sing the closing hymn: Jesus, I Come