How to be Welcomed into the Kingdom of God

The following message is presented by John Eliam, a minister in the United Church of God. Do you know what God's desire for you is? Forget about your own desire here. Do you know what God's goal for you is? Do you know what God's passion for you is? What is your name? You yourself. Think of yourself for a moment. God is passionate about you. So much so that for millennia, even longer, God has been working out something for you.

And He's devoted Himself to it and all that He's created. His thoughts. He has counted the numbers of hairs on your head since you've had a head. He is very zealous about His excited plan and goal for you. Do you know what that is?

That He's given everything, including His Son. His Son has given everything, including His life. They continue to give everything through their spirit, through their guidance, under that. What have they been doing? What have they been sacrificing their time and their lives and their energies for regarding you? It comes down to this. They want to say something to you.

They want to say this, Welcome to the kingdom of God. God and Jesus Christ want to say that so badly they have given everything and continue to devote everything to that opportunity to say to you, Welcome to the kingdom of God. The big question is, will you help them complete their passionate goal for you? Will you and I help them complete that, which is their will, their goal, their strong desire? The reverse is, you and me, we go through lives, we have our goals and our passions and our interests.

Sometimes along the way we might say, I wish I could be in the kingdom or I hope to be in the kingdom. Often times I hear people say, I wonder if I'll be in the kingdom. Occasionally I have someone who will call me or tell me in person, I'm sure I won't be in the kingdom. I'm sure I won't be in the kingdom.

You know, just to be wondering is not what God thinks. It's not what he wants. To be doubtful is even worse and perhaps there is a reason why a person is doubtful because they know in their mind perhaps there's something that they are choosing not to do. In Matthew 7 and verse 21, we should remember that Jesus Christ has a wonderful opportunity to welcome the first fruits into the kingdom. At the same time he has the terrible responsibility of denying people into the kingdom.

Revelation 3 tells us that he controls the door to the kingdom, the key of David. Like David had the key to physical Jerusalem, the key to the city. Jesus Christ has the key to new Jerusalem. And when he opens the door, it's open. If he closes the door, it's closed and no one can enter. And he speaks repeatedly about the door being open or the door being closed, people being on one side or the other, being welcomed or denied and knocking on that door. He has the most unpleasant responsibility of keeping that door closed and denying people entry into the kingdom.

He says in Matthew chapter 7 and verse 21 that there are many. I remember growing up that Mr. Armstrong said that in the Greek here, this word meaning means more than just, eh, quite a few. It means more like the many, if not most. Many, if not most. You know, many are called but few are chosen. Remember? This is a small body, a small church. So Jesus says here in Matthew chapter 7 and verse 21, not everyone who says to me, Lord, and recognizes him as Lord and Master, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven.

Now in the book of Matthew, just to pause a moment, Matthew records Jesus's reference to the kingdom as the kingdom of heaven. Other gospel writers and other writers speak of it as the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of Christ and the Father, etc. But here he says, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. So there is a doing on our part that fulfills this will and this opportunity for God to bring us into his kingdom.

Verse 22, many, see there's the word, many will say to me in that day. What day? The day of the Lord at the blowing of the seventh trumpet. Many will say to me, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Have we not cast out demons and done many wonders, miracles in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. I never knew you. We're not alike. You're not like me. You don't know me. I don't like you. We're not family, in other words.

See? That's a very difficult thing for him to have to go through, and it would not be respectful of the sacrifice. It would not be honoring the calling that God has given to you or me to put him in that position and deny such a wonderful calling. God does call us now, some of you, and sets us apart into a body of those who are recipients of his Holy Spirit.

We become the temple of that Holy Spirit. Let's notice in Titus chapter 1 beginning in verse 1. Paul, going down, according to the faith of God's elect, see, we have that election, that selection, and the acknowledgment of the truth, recognizing the truth, which accords with godliness. So we have the calling, the truth, and then godliness, the state of becoming like God. That's on our responsibility. In the hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie promised before time began.

He's been working on this for a long time, and that's a promise. But he has in due time manifested his word through preaching. Today we're going to look at his word through preaching about this opportunity for life and how one can move and achieve that life, that goal that God wants you and me to have, that welcome.

So today let's review God's teaching about how you can have the door to the kingdom wide open in a great big welcome when the seventh trumpet sounds. The title of the sermon today is, How to be Welcomed into the Kingdom of God. How to be Welcomed into the Kingdom of God. And what this will provide is not any human logic, no individuals, oh if you do this you'll get in the kingdom no physical human logic, but rather what God says in his words about how you and I can be welcomed into his kingdom and fulfill that greatest desire that God has for you and me, which is welcome to the kingdom of God.

We need to change wishful thinking into confident anticipation of this seventh trumpet. That when it comes we will be the miniscule few that say, yes, you know our Lord reigns and now is the time for us to join him and begin life in the divine family of God and make the changes on this earth that have been prophesied for the future.

Doing what God says builds that confidence. Building what God says to be welcomed into the kingdom develops a confidence in you and me, the Bible says, a confidence for welcome at the seventh trump at the return of Jesus Christ. So let's examine what the Bible says to those who wish to participate in the kingdom of God. We'll begin in Luke chapter 12 and verse 31. We're going to go through a lot of scriptures today rather than a lot of my words.

We're going to look at God's words that will teach us. It will show us clearly how that we will be welcomed if we follow these words into the kingdom. Luke 12 verse 31. But seek the kingdom of God. The word here seek is the same as a person who would seek a treasure. Now you know people who got seeking treasures, and those treasures can mean many things. To some it might be an old car, to someone else it might be an antique, to someone else it might be gold in the ground.

But people go out and they seek, and in order to find those things they have a strategy, and they push themselves and they focus on those things. So he's telling us you desire to seek and you devote your life or part of your life to seeking the kingdom of God. And you'll find it.

Going on verse 32. Do not fear little flock. Don't fear. Don't say, oh I wonder if I'll get in the kingdom. Oh I probably won't. No. Don't fear, notice the word little flock. He's talking to sheep. He didn't say little herd of goats. He's talking to a little flock of sheep who are Christ like, like the lamb. And he's saying don't fear little flock for it's your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. This is what we live for, he's saying. Verse 34, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. You need to treasure this too. You need to have your heart there too.

Jesus Christ, in his own words, is preparing to say to you, well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord. That's what he wants to say to you. It's not just a desire, he's planning to say that. When he separates the sheep and the goats there in Matthew 25, he gets them all separated. He's going to say, you know, welcome, come on in.

In his other parables, it's a welcome, and in this case it's called the joy of the Lord.

It's well done, good and faithful, enter. Here's the door is open for you.

Let's ask some questions when we think of God's sure process for being welcomed into the kingdom. And it's sure. You can go away today having absolute confidence that if you follow this process with God's help, the door will be wide open for you. It's just you're in my personal responsibility to do our part. First question we ask is, of whom is the kingdom?

Of whom is the kingdom? Who's the author of it? Who's mindset? Who's structure? Is it mine?

Is it yours? Do we kind of come up with it and say, oh, this will work, that'll work, this will be there? It's called the kingdom of God. Why is it called the kingdom of God?

It's because it is of God and the godly. It's the kingdom of the God family, currently the father and son. The godly are those defined as who are in it. Currently those two are in it.

The goal, therefore, is to become like them, is to become godly. Everything they teach us, everything they write, everything they encourage and inspire us is to that end. Become godly, become like us, become part of the God family. Be a son, be a daughter, be a bride, be a child of God, be a son, a daughter in our family.

If you stop and think about it, we are called the church of God, the body of Christ. There's nobody in the body of Christ who is not of Christ. They may think they are, but they're not.

Those who are kind of moving away from that, Jesus speaks of them in the letter there to Laodicea in Revelation 3, and he said, you better go the other direction and be more like me, or I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. You're going to be out of the body, because the body of Christ is Christ-like. It's God-like, the kingdom of God, the church of God.

That is where godly people are. In fact, they gave us the Bible, and the purpose of the Bible is to help us become like them. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, explains why we have this Bible. 2 Timothy 3, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for. Here's why we have this Bible on our laps. It's for teaching, doctrine, for reproof. In other words, you and I need to change.

We need to convert. We need to move away from where we have been, from the mindset we have, and move towards God. So we need reproof. We need correction to a different course. We need instruction in right in God's eyes, and then righteousness being the performing of what God teaches as right. That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good or spiritual work. So you see, God has provided us so that you and I, with his spirit, with his calling, with the gifts that he gives us, and using this word, can move towards being godly and thus being of the kingdom of God, of the body of Christ, being one with them because we think like them.

It's a kingdom of like minds. It's not going to be a kingdom full of every idea, and everybody's got their own idea, but somehow everybody gets in somehow. No? A kingdom of like minds. Let's notice this in Matthew 18 and verse 3. Jesus is teaching us here. Matthew 18 verse 3, he says, Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted, to convert something means to take it from its current state and convert it over to a different state. So unless you are converted and become as little children, little children in the family of God, little children like the parents, like the father, like the older brother, you've got to convert into children of that family. Unless you are converted and are like-minded then, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. So we understand here that we have work to do. We have to transition from where we begin until a person who is, as Jesus said, be you therefore perfect or complete, like your father in heaven is perfect. God is developing a family. The children have to model that family. Think of this, the bride of Christ has to be at one with him, one in mind, accord, thought, in purpose, in belief, in action. Jesus wants us to pray about this.

He taught us how to pray in Matthew 6. Matthew 6, let's just notice, it's on their mind for us to be godly. He wants it to be on our minds as well. And if it's on God's mind and our mind and we're connected through the Spirit, then it's active. It's first, it's primary in other words. It's a primary concept that's being worked on. Matthew 6, if we notice in verse 9, in this manner therefore pray our Father in heaven wants us to think family. Be like your Father. Holy is your name.

It's not the human family name that's important. It's our heavenly family name.

Then your kingdom come. God wants us to be in his kingdom. The reciprocal is we want to be in his kingdom. We need to really desire that and have this on our minds every day. Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, help me to fit in with your mindset, your plans, with what you want today on earth just as it is in heaven. We have this connection already with the kingdom. We already celebrate the kingdom every Sabbath day. This is the shadow of the kingdom of God. We are people of God, the people of the kingdom. We already are in the configuration of the kingdom in this sense. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ already reigns over us, doesn't he? We are under the configuration of the kingdom in this sense. We are already the betrothed bride of Christ waiting for him to come back. And in another real sense, we should also have adopted, as it were, as our home country, the one in which we feel national pride as the kingdom of God in heaven. This is God's encouragement for us to put this in our mind, be like him every day. The kingdom of heaven is a spirit realm. It's interesting that it's mentioned there.

We can't just go there ourselves. You just sort of can't get in a spaceship and head north and arrive there. It is in heaven, the spirit realm, and we are physical. We are flesh. In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50, we are told very clearly, very clearly, that entering God's kingdom is going to be a miracle on his part for those who, you might say, meet the requirements that God puts for anyone to come into that spirit family of his. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Verse 53, for this corruptible, that which can decay and go back to dirt, must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So God will take care of that if we become like him first. So we have this part to do now. He'll take care of that later. We don't need to spend a lot of time wondering how all the spiritics, mechanics of the spirit world, and transitioning us is going to happen. That'll take care of itself on God's part. We need to be transitioning our mind spiritually now to become godly and part of his family, true sons and daughters that can be elevated to immortality. Let's notice in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2.

John says, beloved, he's speaking to a small group, beloved, now we are children of God.

He's talking to those who are converted, converting. They are children of the family of God.

And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him. We'll have that spiritual transition in our body form as well. For we shall see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure. It's like Jesus said, be therefore perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. That's our role. We are to be purifying ourselves, converting, becoming godly, because we have that hope of the transition from physical to spiritual at the seventh trump. The kingdom is not of this world. Let's think about this for a moment. If we're going to be of this world, that kingdom is not going to be primary in our life.

And it's easy to get caught up in the affairs of this world. Think of it. It's easy to get caught up in the politics, in the news. It's easy to get caught up in what's happening, in all the crazy changes that are going on, in all the worldwide things from pollution to potential warfare, to the lawlessness that's becoming rampant, to the corruption that exists in all levels.

And if our mind is on the world and on society, it's not going to be having time to be devoted to the kingdom. In John chapter 18 and verse 36, John 18 and verse 36, and I will just mention that it's interesting as you go through the Bible, you don't see the politics of the day talked about.

You don't see the crazy rulers. You don't see the wars that take place between empires. You don't see the stresses and strains on the church members. It stays focused on the kingdom.

And Jesus was focused on the kingdom. He says, my kingdom is not of this world.

John 18 and verse 36, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight and you could add a whole bunch of things. And we would vote, and we would do this and that, and we'd all get involved in trying to fix Satan's world before Christ comes back to bring the kingdom of God, which kind of doesn't make sense, does it? It's interesting. On one sense, we're real good at, oh, this prophecy is being fulfilled. And then at the same time saying, oh, we better stop it. You know, mentally we, oh, that should stop. We better get the right candidate in or, wait a minute, it's prophesied to happen so that Jesus Christ will come, and then we can fix it as his bride. But somehow we can waste a lot of energy wishing we could fix it now and prevent the return of Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God. No need. We've got it solved.

Anyway, he says, but now my kingdom is not from here. So what country are you of? What country am I of?

Are we disconnected from what's around us, or do we spend a lot of time, wasted time, really? It's one thing to recognize that prophecy is being fulfilled and to sigh and cry for the abominations that are being performed globally. But at the same time, our focus needs to be on the kingdom. Let's look at some faithful individuals in Hebrews 11. And see where their focus is. This is presented to us as a very high-level fulfillment of what God wants for you and me to do, to accomplish in our life. Hebrews 11. And we'll begin in verse 13.

These all died in faith. Our forefathers, who were righteous, and foremothers, by the way, who were righteous, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. I don't belong to this society.

Whatever country I'm in doesn't represent me, and I don't represent it.

I represent a heavenly country more and more, and it represents me more and more as we become the family of God.

For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. It just don't fit here. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they'd come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. We have a country, we have a city, we have rulers, we have a role in that kingdom. And it should excite us to be able to do something finally that is effective, beneficial, that will change the world in a real way with Jesus Christ leading the way. Who will be in that city that's being prepared? Let's listen to the person who has the key to the door to the gate of that city. In Revelation 3 and verse 7, Revelation 3 and verse 7, to the angel of the church of Philadelphia, the word here angel or angelos means messenger, and you'll find the messenger to the church is the pastor. He's writing to this church, and he wants this said to the church.

These things says, He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens, and no one shuts, and shuts, and no one opens.

I know your works, see I have set before you an open door, an open door.

If we do what God wants us to now, we have an open door, and no one can shut it.

For you have little strength, but you've kept my word. Here it is.

Here it is. We're just humans. We're frail.

None of us are towers of strength without God. But if we keep His word and have not denied His name, we will have an open door when He arrives, a door that's wide open with a great big welcome.

Notice verse 12. He who overcomes, He who converts, He who wins this war against Satan and the opposite mindset.

I will make Him a pillar in the temple of my God, and He shall go out no more. I will write on Him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God.

That's that city that's being prepared for you. You'll have that name written on you. The new Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on Him my new name.

In other words, the eternal divine language names of God, they will become our names. They will be written on us. We will be integral, one with a Godhead in the family of God.

The kingdom of God is. How would you define the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is. Well, let's not do it. Let's let the Bible do it. Romans chapter 14 and verse 17. Romans 14, 17 says, For the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. So if we're going to be in the kingdom and now of the kingdom, and we're going to be sons of God, righteousness, peace, and joy need to be us. That needs to be us. You, me.

Let's know each one of these elements, the kingdom of righteousness. In Psalm chapter 45 and verse 6, here is David inspired to tell us what the kingdom of God is.

Psalm chapter 45 and verse 6. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. That scepter, that identifier, that core trademark, as it were, of God's kingdom is righteousness. The kingdom of God is righteousness and something that you and I need, then, to be. It's righteous. Righteous. You know, in Matthew 6 and verse 33, Jesus said, but seek you first the kingdom of God. When it says seek you first, that word means primary.

Right? Put that primary in your life to be seeking treasure hunting for the kingdom.

Seek it as your primary goal, like it's God's primary goal for you, the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things shall be added to you. When we're thinking here about how to be welcomed into the kingdom of God, God is telling us right here. Seek it and his righteousness. Righteousness, of course, is doing right, being right.

Performing right and putting anything wrong out of our life as we convert more and more.

In 1 John 2 and verse 28, we go back to John who speaks to us as little children.

Remember, we're not going to be in the kingdom unless we are like little children, God's little children, God's complying, adoring little children, God's obedient little children, but also God's children who are like God in all those things. So John here says in 1 John 2 and 28, and now little children dwell in him, Jesus Christ, that when he appears, we may have confidence. You want confidence? Good. Dwell in God, dwell in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Do right, be of the kingdom, be of the mindset, that we may have confidence and not be ashamed by knocking on the door, oh please open the door. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. That's how the little children, that's how the family, it's how the bride were engendered from that family. Jesus said by this, they will know you're my family, my disciples, if you have that agape, godly nature. So you see, this is just a continual theme that we're going to see all the way through these scriptures. Be like God. Remember, Jesus said, if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.

What are the commandments? Doing right, right? Just do right. That's righteousness, is keep the commandments. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. Be righteous. Ephesians 4, 24, that you put on the new man, that's converting, put on the new man, which is created according to God. See, the new man is a child of God. He's like God. He's like Christ. That you put on the new man according to God in true righteousness and holiness.

So that's what we need to be, putting on God, his laws, his righteousness, doing right in every situation, with every word, with every thought. Now that's hard, but thankfully we had Brother Paul tell us in scripture that he had to wrestle with that. He had to fight with that.

He had to do some rounds with himself as a fighter, as a wrestler, as a runner.

And that which he wanted to do, he didn't always do the first time around, but he got her done eventually. So we need to put on that new man, which is according to God, which is in other words, godly. In Matthew 13, verse 41, Jesus is looking forward to this day. He is looking forward. He even told the disciples, he's, look, when I come back, here's what I'm going to do.

Some of it's fun, some of it's not so fun. But remember, God has justice. He's merciful with that justice to those who are repentant. But for those who are insistent on a different mindset, the justice has to be performed. Matthew 13, 41. When he comes back, the son of man will send out his angels. He's talking about himself here. When I come back, I'm going to send out my angels. And they will gather out of my kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness.

Verse 43, then the righteous will shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their father.

We will take on that spirit composition that God and Jesus Christ have. We will be like them, as we read earlier, we will be bright like they are. And he says, they will shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their father. They're going to look like God. They're going to have the attributes of the God family. They're going to have the brightness and the power. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. What are we going to do with that? What will I do with that in my life?

We also read it's the kingdom of peace. Peace in the Greek is the word, irani, means to stitch together, to unify, to bind. God always brings things together.

Jesus wants us to be one as God is one, and he is one, and we're to be one with them. This oneness, we're going to all be on the throne together. And it's God brings things together.

Love does that. Obedience to God and his commandments. The Holy Spirit of God brings together. In Romans chapter 14 and verse 17, Romans 14-17, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. That's not what it's about, but righteousness and peace and joy.

But righteousness and peace and joy. Righteousness, peace and joy. Just think of the Holy Spirit, love, which is keeping God's commandments. Joy, peace. It's the family mindset. That's what the kingdom is. Verse 18, therefore, he who serves Christ in these things, love, righteousness, joy, peace, who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God. Be confident, acceptable to God. God is very pleased, happy, ready to welcome you. Therefore, verse 19, let us pursue the things which make for peace or oneness and the things by which one may edify one another.

This is our prescription for being welcomed in to the kingdom of God.

As we continue, truth is a kingdom of truth. Jesus Christ is truth. He said that in John 17. Your word is truth. Your logos. He was the truth. Jesus Christ said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. You and I need to be truth. Not just truthful, but we also need to be agents of truth. Lights of this world. Representatives of the family of God who are truth.

In Ephesians chapter 1, in verse 11, we look at this inheritance that we're obtaining.

Ephesians 1 and verse 11, it's not just entry into the kingdom. It's becoming a possessor of that kingdom. A possessor of all that's in it. It's an inheritance that we have to share to share all things which Jesus Christ has been given as his bride. Ephesians 1, 11.

In him, Jesus Christ, also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Verse 12. That we, who first trusted in Christ, who will be firstfruits, should be to the praise of his glory, in whom you also trusted after you heard the word of truth. We hear the word of truth, and we are to become that which we hear. The gospel of your salvation, in whom you also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

You understand from God's standpoint all the almost de facto assurances that you will be welcomed into his kingdom? Just look at them. Word of truth, gospel of your salvation, sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Oh, but there's more. You were sealed here with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the guarantee. That's the earnest money put down on something that's going to be purchased, the great purchase later. Jesus Christ's life was laid down.

That we were purchased. We were redeemed through his blood. We have the Holy Spirit after receiving that forgiveness at baptism. And that's a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, until that transfiguration from the physical to the divine, at the seventh trumpet. So now let's go to 1 John chapter 3 and verse 18.

And we'll see that we can have absolute confidence. We can know, like the Apostle Paul, that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for us at his coming. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 18. Again, he says, my little children. He's speaking to the ones here who are godly.

Godly children. Let us not love in word or in tongue. Let us not just be preachers of the kingdom, knowledgeable of the kingdom, authorities on the kingdom, but actually loving indeed and in truth.

See? Because the kingdom is about God's nature. His love, his truth, his right.

All these things. Let us be true. And by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before God. See what assures our hearts? It's not something, oh, I feel good today. No. Our hearts are assured when we love indeed and in truth. We actually do what God does.

And thus we assure our hearts before him that we are his. It's a kingdom of love.

God's, what is God? God is love. It's the kingdom of love. It's the kingdom of loving minds. Let's go to Colossians chapter one and verse ten.

Colossians chapter one and verse ten. I can't tell you how enjoyable it's been to go through the scriptures and look at all these positive steps that you and I have to embrace God's kingdom and be embraced by God for his kingdom. It is just so encouraging.

Colossians chapter one and verse ten. Just breaking in here, it says that you may walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Verse eleven. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power for the perseverance and long suffering with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Qualified. In verse thirteen, he has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. The kingdom isn't just something way out there that you hope will show up one day. You have been conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of his love mentally, literally, in the sense of you are a son or daughter, you are the betrothed bride of Christ. Right? But he does say there in verse ten that you may walk worthy of the Lord. We do have to walk worthy. When we think of the kingdom of the Son of his love and the kingdom of love and God as love, what am I? You might think, well, I'm kind of loving.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, gave us some good definitions of what love is not. Godly love is not.

And I won't read those to you, but you can know all the scriptures. You can be a great spiritual giant as far as knowledge. You can preach like an angel, he says. You can really lay it out for people. You can have faith in God and the kingdom. You can do a lot of things.

You can perform miracles, be one of those, like Jesus just said, all those things.

Oh, we did all those things, opened the door to us, and he says, I don't know you. But Paul says here as well, but without the godly agape mindset, all those things are nothing.

They're nothing in benefit to being welcomed into the kingdom of God.

Preaching like an angel, performing miracles, knowing all there is to know, knowing all the prophecies, etc. They're no benefit to being welcomed in the kingdom of God, as Jesus clearly stated in that parable we already read with those same elements in it.

2 Thessalonians 1 and 3 just continues on this theme that we need to develop that godliness, the kingdom of his love. We need to have that love as well to be part of that kingdom.

2 Thessalonians 1 and 3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you abounds towards each other.

So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith and all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God that's coming. You have developed and are developing this love of God, and we boast of that, and that's evidence of the righteous judgment that's coming.

That judgment is twofold. One is for the persecutors and the tribulators, and the other is for those who endure and continue and abound in that love of God.

Notice that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer. Counted worthy.

In 2 Peter chapter 1, I'm going through quite a few scriptures here, but each one sort of builds to a crescendo of encouraging confidence to a welcoming by God and Jesus Christ of you into His kingdom. 2 Peter chapter 1, and we'll begin in verse 2, Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

So God's grace or His heavenly gifts, those gifts of calling, of faith, of repentance, forgiveness, baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit, and God actually partnering and mentoring with you through that Spirit to develop His divine nature, that gives us all things that pertain to life and to godliness. Godliness being that element needed to be in the kingdom of God.

Through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly and great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. There it is. If we're looking for the divine nature that God can bring into His kingdom, this is the process, the process by which God gives it to us. It's pretty exciting.

Having escaped the corruption that's in the world through lust, we have turned our back on that. We are moving towards godliness. Notice verse 10, therefore brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure. It's my responsibility. It's your responsibility. We need to be diligent to make this call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble, and for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A big wide open door, a celebration, a wedding festival, the warmest welcome you can ever imagine is just waiting there in God's kingdom. You should note also that it's the kingdom for the enduring faithful. This kingdom is the kingdom for the enduring faithful. Jesus Christ set us that example. He was faithful, and he endured everything that Satan threw at him, everything that society threw at him. He remained sinless and faithful all the way to the end, and thus he has become the first of the first fruits to be resurrected. Let's notice in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 9 a little bit about what he tells you and me that we will go through. You know, he's warning that if we're part of this kingdom, this mindset, Satan won't like it. Matthew 24 beginning in verse 9. Here are some things that perhaps are just ahead. We're used to easy lives, a peaceful time in the last 75 years since the bomb was there making everybody play nice. We've had a fairly smooth ride, but that's all changing now. That is all changing for so many different reasons on so many different levels. I won't even touch it, but it's changing. Verse 9, they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my namesake. Now let's ask, how will I handle that? How will I be after that happens? And then many will be offended and will betray one another and will hate one another. Well, how will I do after that? That's what happened to Christ.

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many, and how will you deal with that?

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many in the church will grow cold.

And then how will you deal with that? But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Jesus Christ went through all of those things and was tortured to death at the very end of it, and he endured to the end, and he was saved. Revelation chapter 15, Revelation chapter 15 and verse 2 is given to us for our benefit.

And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. Now there's a sea of glassy-like material that was lit. And those who have the victory over the beast, terrible times they had to go through, victory over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, these were standing on the sea of glass.

This is a kingdom for the enduring faithful.

Satan killed the prophets, kills the saints, he persecutes the church.

This is the kingdom for the enduring faithful.

In 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 7, we see the context in which Paul says, there's a crown laid up for me, the context in which he has confidence. Let's notice this.

2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 7.

Paul said, I have fought the good fight.

That's a long, bruising process.

Fighting the good fight. He had some changes to me. He had some outside persecution.

I have finished the race. It was a race, a long race. I have kept the faith.

Finally, he says, finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day. What day? The day of the Lord, the blowing of the seventh trumpet. And not to me only, but to all who have loved his appearing.

But as Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24, who will love his appearing by the time that great tribulation is winding up and he arrives.

Let's notice in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 7.

Who loves his appearing?

Revelation 1 verse 7.

You and I need to love his appearing, expect his appearing, rejoice about his appearing.

Expect that time. It's going to be our day of salvation to look up and to anticipate and rejoice that he's about to come.

But is that how everyone will see him?

Behold, he is coming with clouds and every eye will see him.

Even they who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him.

So when it says in Timothy, those who loved his appearing, it won't be humanity.

Everyone will mourn at his arrival.

In chapter 18 and verse 10, we see what they long for and what they want. And we have to be careful of. We just read here about people who resisted the beast, resisted his number, resisted his mark.

Revelation 18 and verse 10.

Here's humanity. Verse 9, the kings of the earth will weep and lament for her.

This is Babylon the Great when she falls. Verse 10, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, the great city Babylon.

Verse 11, and the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her.

Oh, they can't sand Jesus Christ. They're about to fight him and the saints.

But they love Babylon.

They love Satan society.

We've got to come out of that. Not be part of that.

Down in verse 24.

And in her was found the blood of the prophets and the saints and all of those who were slain on the earth.

It's one mindset or the other. It's one group identity or the other.

You and I need in our own minds to decide of whom we are, what family, what kingdom we are, and how loyal and devoted we are, how converted over to that family we are, and how enduring and persevering we are within that family.

A place of safety will be given to those who fulfill Jesus' prophecy of being hated by all nations.

Remember, he said, you'll be hated by all nations?

Let's go to Revelation chapter 3 and verse 10 and see what he says to some who are hated by everyone.

Revelation chapter 3 and verse 10.

It says, because you, speaking to this church, because you have kept the word of my perseverance, now let's break this phrase down a little bit, because you have kept the word of my patience doesn't really mean anything.

But if you look in, because it doesn't translate well into English, but you look in the commentaries, they explain it this way, keeping God's word always evokes persecution.

That's what Jesus said would happen. If you follow me, if you keep my word, you're going to be persecuted for it. So if we read Revelation chapter 3 and verse 10, because you have kept the word of my, because you have kept my word and been persecuted, but you have kept it and you've persevered in what keeping that word brings, I will also keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth.

Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Endure to the end.

Endure. Be faithful.

Persevere.

In conclusion, our Father and Jesus Christ have spent basically all their time so far, as we know, focused on us since before the world began, and have a sharp focus right now on the few that will be counted faithful to be part of the first resurrection.

They are preparing for a special date. It's called the Day of the Lord.

For a certain sound, the sound of the angel blowing the seventh trumpet.

In Matthew chapter 25 and verse 4, Matthew 25 verse 34, then Christ will say to those on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

So, brethren, be diligent to complete their goal for you, which is to say to you, Welcome into the kingdom of God.