by Steve McCranie | Jan 17, 2020
When Jesus began His earthly ministry, His initial message was the same as John the Baptist. He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). And throughout the next three years, one underlying theme in His teaching was about life in His Kingdom. When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach His message, He said, “As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’ ” (Matt. 8:11). Jesus even told those close to Him why He spoke to the crowds in parables. And His answer had to do with concealing from some the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. He said, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matt. 13:11). Which begs the question, what does it mean to follow Jesus? And what is life like in His kingdom?
Finally, He shared parables specifically pointed to revealing what the kingdom of heaven, His Kingdom, was like. He said it was like a “man who sowed good seed in his field” (Matt. 13:24). Or, it was like a “mustard seed” which, being small, grew into a tree “so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches” (Matt. 13:31). Jesus likened His Kingdom to “leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened” (Matt. 13:33). And to express how wonderful His Kingdom is for those who possess it, He said it was like a “treasure hidden in a field” (Matt. 13:44) or a “pearl of great price” (Matt. 13:46) that was worth all one had on earth.
Jesus then asked His disciples, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord” (Matt. 13:51).
I wonder what our answer would be today? Do we understand His Kingdom? Do we fully know what it means to follow Him? Can we honestly say we are proficient in following Jesus?
I’m not so sure. And maybe you aren’t either.
What Does it Mean to Follow Jesus and Live in His Kingdom?
Let’s just take a flyover view of the first few chapters in Matthew and see if we can determine some principles and instructions for what it means to live in the kingdom of heaven. And then compare them to what we teach in church today, and I think you’ll be as shocked as I was.
Blessed… or Not So Blessed – Matthew 5:3-12
Self Identity – Matthew 5:13-16
His Standard of Righteousness – Matthew 5:20
Anger – Matthew 5:21-26
Lust and/or Sexual Sin – Matthew 5:27-30
Marital Relationships – Matthew 5:31-32
Oaths and Dishonesty – Matthew 5:33-37
How to Respond to Evil – Matthew 5:38-42
How to Respond to Haters – Matthew 5:43-47
Be Perfect – Matthew 5:48
Self-Promotion – Matthew 6:1-4
How to Pray – Matthew 6:5-13
How Much Forgiveness? – Matthew 6:14-15
Fasting and Other Disciplines – Matthew 6:16-17
Our Life Focus – Matthew 6:19-21
Everyone Serves Somebody or Something – Matthew 6:24
Worry, Doubt, and Fear – Matthew 6:25-34
I’m Right and You’re Wrong – Matthew 7:1-2
I’m Good and You’re Bad – Matthew 7:3-6
What is a Life of Faith – Matthew 7:7-11
Treat Others Like You Treat Yourself – Matthew 7:12
Turnstile or Interstate – Matthew 7:13-14
Fruit Inspector – Matthew 7:15-20
Doing and Not Just Talking – Matthew 7:21-23
Don’t Be Stupid! – Matthew 7:24-27
Minister Within Your Reach – Matthew 8:1-17
Everything Costs Something – Matthew 8:18-22
And so much more!
Remember, following Christ means to forget everything we think we know about everything but Him, and simply trust in child-like faith. Our entire reality now changes, as citizens in His Kingdom, to something incredible and supernatural.
Do you want to learn more about what it means to follow Jesus? If so, then keep listening.
The following is a study on What it Means to Follow Jesus.
To download the slides to this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | Oct 30, 2017
Faith is not free. In fact, faith costs everyone associated with it something. No, I’m not talking about saving faith or salvation. But even then, salvation has a cost. It costs Christ His life and the Father His only Son. And it costs each of us who embrace saving faith the one thing we hold most dear. Us. Salvation costs each of us who we are.
But the faith we are talking about is the Hebrews 11 kind of faith. It’s the faith defined as the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). It’s the faith that made the notable men of the Scripture, notable. And it’s the faith that helps us answer the why questions in life.
The Why Questions
Why does God allow bad things to happen to people who love Him?
Why does God allow innocent babies to die?
Why does God allow drug addiction and abortion and rape and child abuse and starvation and disease?
Why, oh why, oh why?
Get the point? But having the faith to trust God’s answer to these questions will cost you something. Why? Because it costs Abraham and Noah and Jacob and Moses and many, many others what it will cost you to know the truth. Are you willing to understand the cost of faith? Do you want to know the answer to the most troubling questions in the Christian life? If so, then keep listening.
The following is a study on the cost of faith.
To download the slides to this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | Jun 2, 2017
In his classic book, the Costs of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer sums up the teaching of Jesus in this one phrase: “When Christ calls a man, he calls him to come and die.” That’s die to self. Die to our dreams. Die to our reputation. Die to our wants and rights. Die to our families, friends, and future. And die to our very lives.
We see Jesus continually calling men “to forsake all and follow Him” (Luke 5:11) Consider the following.
Matthew 16:24-26 – Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him (1) deny himself, and (2) take up his cross, and (3) follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Note the order. First, there is the desire to “come after” Jesus. This is followed by the list of conditions to “deny” yourself and then visibly and publicly show others your self denial by taking up your cross. And finally, after the conditions are met, the desire is fulfilled. Only then does Jesus say, “follow Me.”
Which raises a few questions. Do you follow Jesus? Have you died to yourself? If so, in what way? Can others tell? Are there areas in your life you have refused to die to? And if so, what are you prepared to do about it?
Do you want to know more about what it means to follow Jesus? Good. Then keep listening.
The following is a study on John 21:19-25.
To download the slides to this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | May 28, 2017
When it comes to worship, some of the most profound words are those of Jesus to the Samarian woman He met at Jacob’s well in the city of Sychar (John 4:5). It was here that Jesus gave us clear instructions on the type of worship the Father seeks.
John 4:23-24 – “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true (one who cannot lie, real, genuine, sincere) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit (human) and truth (reality, the essence of a matter); for the Father is seeking (to look for, search, strive to find) such to worship (to kiss, adore, fall or prostrate before, pay reverence) Him. God is Spirit (Holy Spirit), and those who worship Him must (what must be done from duty) worship in spirit (human) and truth.”
Which, as usual, raises a few questions.
What is worship?
What’s the difference between worship and true worship?
What is true worship like internally?
What is true worship like externally?
And what does true worship look like today?
One last thought, in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the first question goes like this:
Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.
Did you catch that? We glorify by enjoying Him forever. So, do you enjoy God? Do you love your time with Him? Is that time the highlight of your day? Do you know how to worship Him in spirit and truth? If not, then keep listening.
The following is a study on John 4:23-34.
To download the slides for the message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | May 27, 2017
God never wastes an experience in our life, good or bad. When we sin, for example, God uses our failure as a ministry to help others struggling with the same sin. He allows us to share the times we fell flat on our face to encourage others who are doing the same. It seems that’s what Jesus was teaching Peter.
In the upper room, during the last supper, Jesus told Peter He was praying for him. But His prayer was not to remove the temptation and inevitable fall from Peter. No, His prayer was that when Peter fell and suffered the consequences of that fall, that once he repented and returned to Jesus, he was to strengthen his brothers by that experience. Consider the following:
Luke 22:31-32 – And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Jesus didn’t tell Peter he would deliver him from the temptation, the sifting. He promised Peter that after he fell and recovered and returned to his faith, Jesus would use that experience to encourage and strengthen others who were struggling in the same way. That’s why, in John 21, we see Jesus restoring Peter by saying, “Feed My lambs” (John 21:15). Even after Peter’s epic denial of Jesus, his ministry was not finished. In fact, it was just beginning. And so it is with us.
Does this thought encourage you? It does me. If you want to learn more about your usefulness after your failure, then keep listening.
The following is a study on John 21:15-23.
To download the slides for this message, click – HERE
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