John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

1 John 4:16 “God is love.”

Ephesians 2:14 “For he himself is our peace.”

We hear today a lot about ‘fake news,’ but this is nothing new. Fake news has often been used to mislead people for financial, political or other purposes ever since the dawn of human history. Didn’t the serpent use fake news (lies about God) in the Garden of Eden?

We are seeing today on how governments, political parties and public relations people use fake news to enhance their particular view point. Code of Ethics for professional journalists is to never “deliberately distort facts or context.” It is like Denzel Washington said: “By not reading the newspapers today we are uninformed, but reading them we are misinformed.”

We are living in a day of great deception. Holy Spirit warned us about this day when He said: “Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.” Psalms 12:2

President Trump just appointed a Supreme Court nominee – Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacancy left by Judge Scalia. But here is the problem: In the US Judicial system the president nominates the Supreme Court justice and senate must approve them. However, it is like someone said: “It means that by definition, the US justice system is politically bent from the top down. If the Supreme Court is subject to the influence of political interests, can we even expect objectivity anywhere in the judicial system?”

When we consider this, we see that ‘ego is king’ and so our personal, sectarian, financial or political interests determine the way the country is run. This is true, not only of the USA, but in every country in the world. This is human nature; this is what we call ‘recognition of evil.’ “Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception.” Psalms 38:12

Sociologists have been writing about our narcissism since the 1970s. Christopher Lasch in his book: THE CULTURE OF NARCISSISM: AMERICAN LIFE IN AND AGE OF DIMINISHING EXPECTRATIONS proposes that since World War 2 “America has produced a personality-type consistent with clinical definitions of “pathological narcissism.”

We are seeing that selfishness is becoming an epidemic resulting in depression, out of control divorce rates, violence that is on the increase, substance abuse and a growing alienation from one another. We could go on and mention the political disputes, etc., but we get the point. To me one of the great verses in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:15 “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” The answer to self is Christ and Christ alone.

To correct the society that we live in we must do something about human nature. Didn’t Jesus tell Peter and His disciples to deny self and follow Him? Christ showed us the way when He said:  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6

We are alienated from one another – our neighbors, our families, etc. It is not the outer space that needs to be conquered, but the hostile space that exists between one another. This can only come about through Christ. Paul told us: “He (Christ) himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”

Knowing this – what should we as followers of Christ be doing? The word that Christ gave us 2000 years ago was to go. He (Jesus) made the way and now it is up to us who follow Christ to take this message of reconciliation into the sphere that God has called us to. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed.’” Matthew 13:1

It would seem that there is a change at this point in the ministry of Christ. Jesus and His Kingdom has been rejected and He now begins to speak to the crowd in parables.

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” John 1:11

However, those who have ears to hear, eyes to see Jesus are illuminated to understand the parables that He gives.

“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”  Matthew 13:16-17

There are seven parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13. Seven brings out the idea of perfection or completeness. So, these seven parables exactly describe what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.

Is it possible that these seven parables concerning the Kingdom cover some of the mayor obstacles confronting the Kingdom of heaven over the past 2000 years?

1. Roman Empire 33-500 AD
2. Dark Ages 400-800 AD
3. Barbarians and bio-terrorism 600 – 1400
4. Brave hearts 800 – 1400
5. Rights of kings 1400 -1650
6. Truth triumphs over tyrants 1400 – 1650
7. Riots, Revolution and ruin, French Revolution 1650 – 1850
8. Peace, Prosperity, and Providence, American Revolution 1650-1850
9. 20th century-terror, a century of genocide 1850-2000
10. Christianity spreads world-wide 1850-2000
11. Stage is set for victory in the twenty-first Century

We see that there is a progression with these parables that define the Kingdom of Heaven.

For example, the first is the sowing of the seed. Secondly when that is done we see the enemy bringing in heresies, etc. Paul and Peter both bring that out after, and actually even during their time the bad seed was being sown. Then we have the parables about how the Kingdom will grow and we see this down through the ages, and also how it will saturate everything it touches. Then we have parables that bring our how precious the Kingdom of Heaven is and then lastly we have the net-harvest. At the rapture, there will be a separation.

It would seem that Jesus in these parables covers the history of the Kingdom of Heaven; what will happen and the final result. Where are we today? We are between 10 and 11. We are seeing great advances of the Gospel going out. Even at this writing we are experiencing many Muslims coming to Christ in the Middle East.

Despite the daily news of the persecution of Christians around the world by Islamist groups, there is another, lesser-known story of growing numbers of Muslims around the world turning to Christ as Lord.

David Garrison spent 2 1/2 years interviewing Muslim converts about their faith. It is written in a book called “A WIND IN THE HOUSE OF ISLAM” which is the result of two and half years of research involved traveling more than 250,000 miles to conduct interviews with more than 1000 people around the Muslim world. In his study a “movement” of believers is defined as a group of more than 1000 baptized believers are 100 new churches within a Muslim community. In total he found 69 movements that started in the first 12 years of the 21st century, and comparison with virtually no voluntary movements of converts to Christianity in the first 12 centuries of Islam.

Countries like India that I worked in 50 years ago, have seen tremendous results in people coming to Christ. In the last 60 or so years China has experienced a great harvest.

Yes, we are seeing many coming to Christ, but still the job is not done. The command to “GO” is still paramount and we must go and be the witness that the Lord wants in the sphere that He has called us to.

Luke 16:15 “He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.’”

When we buy something that needs to be put together it comes with instructions on how to do it. This is what we have from our Heavenly Father with His Word of instructions (God’s laws, statues, decrees, etc.) on how to live to get the most good out of life. It is not to curtail our fun, enjoyment, but to show us what is best and how to get the most good out of life.

However, because of the natural bent of man which is downward instead of going God’s way, we see the consequences. God has given us the chance to choose rightly. We can go God’s way to deny self, pick up our cross and follow in the way of Jesus, or we can choose to go the way of self-pity. It’s a choice!

The natural bent of man is to go with the current instead of against it because that is the path of least resistance. We read in Hebrews 2:1 “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” When it comes to the things of God (His values) or the things of man we discover that when we choose the latter we find ourselves adrift from godly values and wisdom. Consequently, we find that the final result is our faith in God being ship wrecked.

What are the values in our society today that we highly esteem? We find that they often are in direct opposition to God’s values that give fulfillment, contentment and joy to life. What is it that we highly value today?

The Pursuit of Pleasure. We, especially those of us in the West, value personal pleasure in all of its physical forms available today. However, in reality what is happening is that we are actually drifting and eventually our faith in God ends up ship wrecked.

What are the Biblical values that give everlasting pleasure?

1. Pursuit of Christ. Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 3:10
2. Pursuit of peace. Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11
3. Pursuit of righteousness. Proverbs 15:9; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy2:22

Personal Autonomy. Responsible to no absolute – except one’s own self.

Consequently, we have the ‘clamor for rights.’ Aleksander Solzhenitsyn said: “We hear a constant clamor for rights, rights, always rights, but so very little about responsibility. And we have forgotten God. The need now is for selflessness, for a spirit of sacrifice, for a willingness to put aside personal gains for the salvation of the whole Western world.”

Biblical values:

1. Submission to the rule of God. Romans 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:15
2. Interdependence. We need one another. Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12

We see that our security lies with our relationship with:

1. God. Matthew 6:25-34
2. Family. We see how families are being torn apart today resulting in insecurity. Families need to be protected at all cost.
3. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Acts 2:44-47; 4:34-35

When Henley wrote the prophetic lines, “I am the Master of my Fate, I am the Captain of my Soul,” he should have informed us that we too are the Masters of our Fate, the Captains of our Souls, because we have the power to control our thoughts.Personal security.

Where does our security lie? In our jobs? Money? We often find that these things can change in an instant. Elizabeth Elliot said: “Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, your stronghold, your shepherd, your counselor, your friend, your redeemer, your savior, your guide? If He is, you don’t need to search any further for security.”

There are other values that could be mentioned, but I find these three to be the most prominent ones, especially here in the West, but at the same time this is true of any society or culture in the world. We have the same needs, wants, desires, but because of the culture these might take different forms.

Matthew 16:13 “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’” Peter responded to this by saying: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (vs. 18)

What rock is Jesus talking about here that the church will be built on? On the ‘man’ Peter, or on the ‘statement of faith’ Peter made about Jesus? I believe that it is the latter. We know from Scripture that the 12 apostles are the foundation, but Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone that everything hinges on.

Jesus shared with His disciples about what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem: persecution, beatings, mockings and eventually death on the cross. What to me is interesting, is Peter’s rebuke to Jesus: “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (vs.23) And Jesus’ response: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

We are at a cross-roads here with what Jesus said: “You do not have in mind the things of God.” I think that this is interesting, because Peter seemed to be running on his emotions and not with the goal or purpose of God. How many times do we do the same by mistaking emotion for the reality of what God’s will and purpose is? Yes Peter had a concern for Jesus and did not want Him to suffer, but that was Peter’s emotion and not the Father’s will. How many times do we see things taking place in the world (suffering, wars, etc.) and do not fully understand all that God is doing. We are moved by emotions to act and find that we are moving in the flesh instead of in the Spirit. It is not that emotion is bad, but it cannot lead or direct us. It is the will of God that should motivate and lead us.

Paul said: “Christ’s love compels us.”(2 Corinthians 5:14) What does this mean in the context of being compelled by emotion? Love here is more than an emotion, it is an act of my will. Jesus said: “If you love me you will obey and carry out my plans and purpose.” There are many bad things happening in the world where our emotions can begin to compel us, but we need to make sure that we are moving and acting within God’s plan and purpose.

This emotion that Peter was exhibiting here, could be put in another way when he said to Jesus, “Jesus, pity yourself!” Peter meant, “Why should you have to suffer, be persecuted and be hung on the cross like a criminal?” Jesus responded to Peter, and to us who have bought into the self-pity thinking and activity, by showing us the true way to think and to go, as He did. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

This is the cross-road that we are faced with: pity ourselves or deny ourselves. Which do we choose? We are told that one of the main reasons for depression is an attitude of self-pity: “poor me, pity me,” etc. Test this to see if it’s true or not; start feeling sorry for yourself and see what happens.

Do not choose the road of emotions, to pity yourself, rather choose the better road that I believe is God’s road – His purpose and will to deny yourself. This is where we learn to die to ourselves – our will and purpose – and learn to follow Him who laid aside His own glory, riches, etc. to die in our place so that we might live with Him forever. Yes, it might sound hard when we speak about dying to our own desires and ambitions, which is what it means to take up our cross to follow Christ, but we will find that this is the only way of great satisfaction and enjoyment.

In verse 25 Jesus said: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” One thing that Jesus promised us is true abundant life. This abundant life is found in denying ourselves and following Christ. We will find that Christ will lead us to do the work that He has ordained for us, and in doing brings joy and a sense of completeness in our lives.

Jesus also brought out something that I think is very important, that we have only so much time here on earth before we enter eternity. In verse 26 He says, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” How are we going to use our time that we have here on earth? Following our own emotional path or following the path of Jesus Christ? How true is the saying: “Only what is done for Christ will last.”

Jesus said I go and prepare a place for you and I WILL RETURN. In verse 27 Jesus said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” When He appears, there is only one place that I want to be, in His Kingdom because I obeyed and followed Him. Amen?