Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:21 | Spanish/Español
Introduction
A. Jesus said that the kingdom of God ought to be the most important part of our earthly lives (Matthew 6:33).
B. When Jesus set up this kingdom, He gave the keys to the apostles (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:18), which were first used at Pentecost (Acts 2:41).
C. According to Jesus, what must one do to enter this kingdom?
Discussion
I. Jesus says that we must be born again.
A. We must be born of water and the Spirit (John 3:1-7).
B. This new birth marks the moment of our salvation (Titus 3:5).
C. This new birth takes place when one is baptized in the name of Christ (Romans 6:4; 1 Peter 1:3; 3:21).
II. Jesus says that we must become like little children (Matthew 18:3-4).
A. Little children teach us about humility (cf. Matthew 6:25-34) and trust in God’s providence (cf. Matthew 7:7-11).
B. They teach us contentment (cf. Philippians 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:6-12).
C. They also teach us about purity (1 Corinthians 14:20), forgiveness (cf. Matthew 6:14-15), and impartial love (cf. Acts 10:34).
III. Jesus says that we must do the Father’s will (Matthew 7:21).
A. Jesus did not come to do His own will, but the Father’s (John 7:16-18; Hebrews 10:8-9; Matthew 26:42).
B. To do God’s will, we must learn what it is (Ephesians 5:14-18).
C. It is God’s will that we repent (2 Peter 3:9), confess Christ (Philippians 2:11), and be baptized into Christ (Acts 22:14-16).
Conclusion
A. Some will allow a lack of knowledge (Luke 11:52) or the love of riches (Mark 10:17-25) or family or self to keep them out of the kingdom.
B. We mustn’t let anything keep us from becoming citizens in God’s kingdom, for it is only here that the fullness of His blessings can be found.