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The Words of Jesus of Nazareth
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Since the time of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and great is the number that eagerly, and in desperation, have seized hold of its truth!
The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer's wheat field, planted with good seed. One night, while the farmer slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds among the wheat, and then fled. When the first blades of what finally pushed up through the earth, the weeds appeared as well. Seeing this, the servants of the farmer came, and with distressed voices said to him: "Sir, didn't we sow good seed in your field? Why then are there so many darnel weeds?"
The farmer answered: "An enemy must have done this."
"Shall we try to remove them?" the servants asked.
"No," the farmer replied. "If you pull up the weeds, you will uproot the wheat as well. Let them both grow together until the harvest time; and at the time of the harvest I will instruct the reapers: 'Gather first the weeds, and bind them into bundles for burning. Then gather the wheat into my storehouse.'"
He that sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seed represents the children of the kingdom, while the weeds represent those deceived by the wicked one. The enemy that planted the weeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. Just as the darnel weeds were gathered and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather everything that has caused mankind to stumble, and those who live lawlessly outside of his kingdom, and will exile them to a place of weeping and torment. Then the righteous will shine as bright as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears to hear, then listen to these words.
Every kingdom that is divided against itself is doomed; and every city or house divided against itself will eventually fall. Likewise, if Satan is fighting Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom last much longer?
One cannot take from Satan's kingdom without first binding Satan. If I cast out devils and perform signs and wonders as an ally of Satan, then by what power do your children do the same? Let them be your judges: they can settle that question for you. If, however, I and your children cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come to you.
Did you never read in the scriptures: "The stone which the builders have rejected has become the honoured cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes?" Behold, the kingdom of god will be taken from you, who listen and do nothing, and be given to a people working to bring forth fruit in their lives.
Beware of how you treat this message: for all the sins of men can be forgiven, along with all their blasphemies. But there is no reconciliation for those who, seeing evil as good, and good as evil, blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. This transgression is eternal. Heed these words: for evil men and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of heaven ahead of you. They have heard the call to life and have turned to God. Pious men, on the other hand, have heard the call, and have deliberately turned away.
It is not by repeating, "Lord, Lord," that you will enter in to the kingdom of heaven, but by doing the will of my Father who is in heaven.
What would happen if you went to the door of one of your city's prominent houses late at night, after the owner had gone to bed, knocked loudly, and cried: "Open the door, I want to come in?"
The owner of the house would answer: "Go away, I don't know who you are."
If you continued protesting, "But I have eaten at the same restaurants as you, and I have heard you teach in our streets," he or she would only answer, "Get this straight; I have told you that I don't know you. Leave me in peace!"
On the judgment day many will come saying, "Lord, Lord, haven't we prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out devils, and in your name done many wonderful works?"
Then will I have to tell them: "Depart from me, I never knew you. You have lived your whole lives doing evil."
I teach you with these parables. It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
Here is another story to illustrate the kingdom of heaven: Once there was a rich investor, who was preparing to depart for a distant country. Before leaving he called together his three associates, and put them in charge of managing his investments while he was gone. He gave five accounts to one, two lesser accounts to another, and to the third he gave one small account. He gave them each responsibilities according to their talent.
The associate who had been given the five accounts immediately began to buy and sell, and before long had doubled the investments and had ten accounts. The second associate did the same. He invested the two accounts entrusted to him, and he too was able to double their worth. But the third associate was fearful. He place his account in a box, and buried it in the ground. There he left it for fear that it might be lost or stolen.
Many months later the rich man returned from his trip. Immediately he summoned his associates to give account of their management of his money.
The first associate told how he had invested the five accounts, and now had ten. At this the rich man said: "You have done very well and been faithful. Because you have been trustworthy with these five accounts, I will put many more important ones under your trust. You may begin today to enjoy these responsibilities."
Then he called the second associate, who said: "You put two accounts into my care; now I have four."
Hearing this, the rich man repeated what he had told the first associate: "Well done, you have been faithful in managing two minor accounts. I will put you in charge of many. Go to your task with happiness."
Finally, the third associate was called. He said: "I've always thought of you as a hard man. You collect profits on other people's money, and I figured that you would only take back whatever profits I would make with my one small account. So I buried it in the ground, and left it there until you returned."
To this the rich man answered: "You foolish associate. You know the manner in which I conduct business. At the least you could have put the money in the bank to gain interest. You had only one account in your care and you buried it in the ground. Now even this will be taken from you and given to the one who did wisely. What is left to you but sorrow and regret?"
In the kingdom of heaven, those who use what they possess, no matter how seemingly insignificant, will continue to receive more and more, and have abundance; but those who act out of fear, or are unfaithful even in the least of matters, will eventually lose all.
Another example can be drawn from the story of the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. Finding skilled labourers, he agreed with them on a wage of one silver coin per day. Then he sent them into his vineyard.
Later that morning, about nine o'clock, he returned to town, and seeing a group of unemployed labourers standing idle in the marketplace, he said to them: "Go work in my vineyard, and I'll pay you a fair wage."
At noon the landowner went back into town, and again at three in the afternoon, each time hiring the unemployed to work in his vineyard. Finally, at about five o'clock in the afternoon, he went one lat time into the town. There he met a few stragglers that remained unemployed. He asked them: "Why did you stand here idle all day?"
They responded: "Because no one hired us."
He said: "Go on, I still have work for you in my vineyard."
When evening fell, the landowner said to the manager of the vineyard: "Call the workers in from the vineyard, and give them their wages, beginning with the last through to the first that I hired today."
Those that were hired at five that afternoon stepped forward, and each received a silver coin. Seeing this, those hired early that morning imagined that they would receive more. When they stepped forward, however, they too received one silver coin each.
Immediately they began complaining to the landowner: "Those hired late this afternoon barely worked one hour, and you have paid them the same wages. We have done most of the work during the hottest hours of the day."
But the landowner answered them: "Friends, I have done you no wrong. Didn't you each agree on a day's wage of one silver coin? So take what is yours, and go your way. I have chosen to pay those hired at the end of the day the same wage as you. Have I not the right to do with my money as I see fit? Are your eyes full of envy because you see me being generous and kind?"
This, too, is a parable about the kingdom of heaven; for I tell you, the last will be first and the first last. Many are called, but few are elected.
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that lay buried in a field. One day a man discovered it. Immediately he covered it back up. Joyfully, he sold everything he possessed, considering it a small sacrifice, in order to buy himself that field.
Those who enter the kingdom of heaven have not allowed any earthly concern to hold them back. Like the merchant who searched his entire life for the pearl of great price, they have joyfully sacrificed all in order to take hold of such a priceless treasure -- new life, a new way of thinking, hope in this world and the world to come.
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. Though it is one of the smallest seeds, from it grows a large plant, becoming nearly as tall as a tree, a place where the birds can perch and find shelter. It is like a pinch of yeast one uses to make bread. Even when mixed into a great amount of flour, it leavens every part of the dough.
Finally, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a fisherman's net that is lowered in to the water, and catches every kind of fish. When it is full, the fishermen drag it up onto the shore. There, they collect the good fish into baskets, discarding the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the children of God, casting the wicked into the fire, a place of suffering and sorrow.
I sent you out to bless others, without material goods, money, or support to depend on. Did you once lack anything? Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Truly, there is enough to concern you each day, without fretting about the future. Which of you by mental exercise can add one inch to your height?
Look at the birds of the air; they do not fly about worrying! They do not stay up late at night thinking about the day to come, for your heavenly Father makes sure they are fed. Don't you know that you are cared for as much as the birds?
Are not two sparrows sold in the marketplace for a few pennies? Still, one of them cannot fall to the ground without your heavenly Father knowing it! So stop being afraid. You are of more value than uncounted flocks of sparrows. Even the hairs of your head are numbered.
Why do you worry about what you will wear? Look at the lilies growing wild in the field. They grow naturally, without effort. Even King Solomon in all of his glory was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. If God has so cared for that which grows wild in the field, which is here today and tomorrow is used for kindling, will he not care for you much more? How can you have such little faith?
Therefore stop saying: "What will we eat? What will we drink? Will we have enough to clothe ourselves?" This is the way the faithless think, always anxious. Relax! Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things, and more.
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all your needs will be provided.
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These are the very words of Jesus of Nazereth. Taken originally from the Bible , and arranged here by subject as they appear in Lee Cantelon's book "The Words" (c) 1997. [www.thewords.com]
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The_Words
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