Kingdom of God

Also known as "the Kingdom of Heaven" according to Matthew.

Where is the Kingdom of God?

It is not a physical territory:

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he (Jesus) answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” -- Luke 17:20-21 (ESV)

It spans across multiple realms:

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. -- Matthew 6:10 (ESV)

Why do we need the Kingdom of God?

  • Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.
  • Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

-- John 3:36 (ESV)

and

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." -- Matthew 25:34 (ESV)

Paul taught:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. -- Romans 8:28 (ESV)

and

To the saints and faithful brothers in (with) Christ at Colossae...

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that

  • you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
  • so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and
  • increasing in the knowledge of God.
  • May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might,
  • for all endurance and patience with joy,
  • giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
  • He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and
  • transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son,
  • in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. -- Colossians 1:2,11-14 (ESV)

In short, it is privilege to be able to "dwell" with the trustworthy Almighty God:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” -- Psalm 91:1-2 (ESV)

and this is how God respond:

“Because he holds fast to Me in love,

  1. I will deliver him;
  2. I will protect him, because he knows My name.
  3. When he calls to me, I will answer him;
  4. I will be with him in trouble;
  5. I will rescue him and honor him.
  6. With long life I will satisfy him and
  7. show him My salvation.”

-- Psalm 91:14-16 (ESV)

Who is part of the Kingdom of God?

Jesus very first teaching recorded by Matthew 5-7, was about "the Kingdom of Heaven" and he opens with the statement:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 5:3 (ESV)

This is perhaps a reference to:

In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek (humble/lowly/poor) shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

-- Psalm 37:10 (ESV)

James also warned:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

  • Submit yourselves therefore to God.
  • Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
  • Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
  • Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
  • Be wretched and mourn and weep.
  • Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

-- James 4:4-10 (ESV)

"Poor in spirit" or "the meek" could also refer to those who are convicted of their sin and willing to repent. For example:

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

-- Acts 2:37-41 (ESV)

Who rules over the Kingdom of God?

The LORD (YHVH) has established his throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the LORD, O you His angels, you mighty ones who do His word, obeying the voice of His word!
Bless the LORD, all His hosts, His ministers, who do His will!
Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

-- Psalm 103:19-22 (ESV)

However, many centuries later, Jesus claim that he received all authority from God:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” -- Matthew 28:18 (ESV)

and

All things have been handed over to me by my Father... -- Luke 10:22 (ESV)

and

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. -- John 3:35 (ESV)

Paul also wrote:

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when

  1. He raised him from the dead and
  2. seated him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
  3. And He put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. -- Ephesians 1:16-23 (ESV)

According to Paul, Jesus did not replace God, but instead that Jesus acts as a delegate under the authority of his God. (1 Corinthians 3:23, 11:3)

Now when all things are made subject to him, then the Son himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under him, that God may be all in all. -- 1 Corinthians 15:28 (NKJV)

When is the Kingdom of God?

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand [near or has approached]; repent and believe in the gospel.” -- Mark 1:14 (ESV)

What is the Kingdom of God?

Why do you pass judgment on your brother?
Or you, why do you despise your brother?

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

for it is written,

“As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” -- Isaiah 45:23

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in [by] the Holy Spirit.

Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

-- Romans 14:10-19 (ESV)

Jesus explains the Kingdom of God with parables (Matthew 13:10-17; Mark 4:10-12).

The parable of the wedding invitation

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.

Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’

But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’

And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.

And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’
And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness’.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

-- Matthew 22:1-14 (ESV)

Comparison:

Parable Reality
The king God the Father (Matthew 25:34)
The king's son The Son of God (Matthew 3:17)
The feast God the Father's rewards (Matthew 5:12)
The king's servants God's servants like John (Matthew 3:1-3), Jesus (Matthew 4:17) and their disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
Those who were invited Israel (Matthew 3:5-6)
Those who seized the servants The scribes and pharisees (Matthew 21:45-46, 23:13-36)
The city which got burned Jerusalem (in 70 AD) (Matthew 23:37-38)
Those who are not worthy The "gentiles" who accept Christ's authority (Matthew 21:43-45, 23:39)
The king looking at the guests The judgement day (John 12:48)
A man with no wedding garment The "wicked servants" that dishonor God's son (Matthew 24:48-51)
Outer darkness Hell (Matthew 24:51)
The few chosen The "faithful servants" of God (Matthew 24:45-47)

Explanation:

  1. God the Father (YHVH) originally chosen Israel to be His nation.
  2. The Father's invitation is the Gospel of Salvation which leads people to repentance so that they could live in righteousness with God.
  3. The purpose of the Gospel to prepare a people group to serve His Son.
  4. This was initially proclaimed by God's servants like John the Baptist, but he was persecuted for doing so.
  5. The scribes and pharisees stirred up the Jews to persecute God's servants in Jerusalem, therefore Jerusalem were condemned.
  6. This persecution caused the Gospel to spread to foreign non-Jewish regions like the Greek and Roman territories who known by the Jews as the "gentiles" which were previously not considered "worthy" of the Gospel according to the Jews.
  7. The "faithful servants" are the disciples who trusted God by risking their lives to spread the Gospel and who stayed faithful in the face of persecution.
  8. The "wicked servants" are those who dishonor God's Son, the Christ. They often consider themselves "Christians" but refuse to obey Christ who is supposed to be their Lord. This pride dishonors the Son of God like the man with the wrong wedding garment.
  9. Jesus also warned that God will judge all "guests" and that the "wicked" will be cast into "outer darkness" which is a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth".

When the almighty God of the universe invite guests to His son's special occasion, He expects them to be:

  • to be ready on time (see other parables)
  • clean (of sin)
  • with the proper garment (to honor His son)
  • to live in "righteousness, peace and joy" with the other attendees which is God Himself, His son and the other guests

Only these will be "chosen" for "the wedding feast". In other words, God, the Father will selectively reward (Matthew 5:44-6:20) those who honored His invitation.

Earlier in the same book, Matthew recorded Jesus first teaching:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

-- Matthew 5:3-9 (ESV)

God's children are humble, genuine, merciful, pure and be peacemakers. Someone cannot be a "son of God", but not be part of God's kingdom.

But then Jesus warns:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

-- Matthew 5:3-12 (ESV)

As explained by the above parable, those who are serving God's kingdom will be "persecuted" by the world. But then Jesus also warned that the persecution should be "for righteousness' sake" and not because we lost our ability to "preserve" the Jesus' gospel:

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet." -- Matthew 5:13 (ESV)

Our goal should not be to get persecuted, but to be effective on Earth.

Then Jesus explains with the parable...

Parable of the lamp

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.

-- Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)

Because of the way that many modern bibles are divided into sections, people often think this is where Jesus' teaching stops with an open ending. However, if you consider that the original text of Matthew continued with the statement:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. -- Matthew 5:17-18 (ESV)

The world will measure "the good works" of "the sons of God" according to "the laws or the prophets". If their works are not good, it cannot "give glory to the Father". This means there is a moral standard for "the sons of God".

Now some Christians would argue, these laws were only relevant to the Jews in Jesus' time, because Jesus "fulfilled the laws" at his crucifixion which happened only a few year later. Therefore, they assume these "laws" are deprecated and may be ignored today.

There are 3 problems with this assumption:

  1. Jesus' condition was "until heaven and earth pass away". This did not happen yet.
  2. Jesus was not teaching the general Jewish population or "the world", but instead he was specifically teaching his disciples (Matthew 5:1). Therefore, these "laws" applied to his disciples.
  3. If Jesus was about to deprecate the laws, the following warning would make no sense:

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 5:19 (ESV)

Note, that both those who "relaxes" and those who "teaches" these commandments are "in the kingdom of heaven". This implies that "good works" is not a condition for salvation. You cannot earn your salvation, no matter how hard you try. Jesus also makes this point in the next verse:

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. -- Matthew 5:20 (ESV)

Preachers, translators and commentators often have difficulty to explain what "righteousness" mean. In perhaps an over simplified layman's terms it simply mean, to be in a right standing (good relationship) with God. However, you cannot be in right standing with any person if you do not trust the person or if there are unforgiven issues between you. The same applies to God.

"Righteousness" with God is only possible if we at least:

  1. trust (belief) God, and
  2. repented from our sin against God

Obviously this requires humility.

Then in the next few chapters Jesus what he meant by "the laws and the prophets" (Matthew 7:12). He starts by explaining that righteousness is not limited to our relationship with God, but we should also live in right standing with other (Matthew 6:14-15):

“You have heard that it was said to those of old,

You shall not murder -- Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17

and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;
whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and
whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

-- Matthew 5:21-26 (ESV)

This is not limited to strive, but also include lust (Matthew 5:27-30), divorce (Matthew 5:31-32), breaking commitments (Matthew 5:33-37) and retaliation (Matthew 5:38-42). All of these destroy relationships, and we should guard against those so that we can live in right standing with other as well.

But staying out of trouble is not Jesus' standard. He goes even another step further, and teach:

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

But I say to you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you', so that you may be sons of your Father Who is in heaven.

For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

You therefore must be perfect complete or mature, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

-- Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV)

This is God's standard for His sons.

Then Jesus warns that God does not approve hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1-5; 16-18) and explains that our relationship of God is not something to boast about (Matthew 6:6-8).

Jesus also warns against distractions from God's kingdom work, like greed (Matthew 6:19-24), anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34), judgemental behaviour (Matthew 7:1-6) or any attempt to live independent of God (Matthew 7:7-11). If you take God out of His kingdom, it is no longer God's kingdom.

Then Jesus summarizes his teaching by saying:

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. -- Matthew 7:12 (ESV)

These "laws" are not comfortable. It is hard but worth it because it leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).

Parable of the good and bad fruit

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.

Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

-- Matthew 7:15-20 (ESV)

This is also the reason why those who do no bear "good fruit" (will of God) are ineffective in God's kingdom.

Jesus will also judge people according to their "fruit":

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

-- Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)

Parable of the house on the rock

To guard against false teachings, we aught to anchor ourselves his teachings by living it:

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

-- Matthew 7:24-28 (ESV)

Any theory, whether secular or spiritual, require some proof.

If you only rely on someone else's proofs (only hearing Jesus words, but you have no practical experience), you will be easily convinced by false teachings or to compromise in storms (persecution).

On the other hand, if you have tested Jesus words in your life, you have seen how God provided for you in times when you obeyed Him, you have first hand seen the effect that obedience had on yourself and others, then nothing will convince you to belief otherwise.

Matthew 8-9 records how Jesus ministered to people. Often modern ministries are limited to preaching, but Matthew records that Jesus healed people, council individuals, saved his disciples from a storm, visit sinners, cast out demons and raised a girl from the dead.

After Jesus set these examples, he instructed his 12 disciples in Matthew 10 to continue the ministry he had started.

Matthew 11-12 records how John, Jesus and his disciples experienced resistence from some citizens and Pharisees.

Then Jesus explains why their ministry is ineffective in some cases.

Parable of the sower

And great crowds gathered about him [Jesus], so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying:

“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed,

  1. some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
  2. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
  3. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
  4. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

He who has ears, let him hear.”

-- Matthew 13:3-9 (ESV)

Then Jesus explain the parable:

Hear then the parable of the sower:

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and

  1. does not understand [put together / to comprehend] it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
  2. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
  3. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
  4. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understand [put together / to comprehend] it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.

-- Matthew 13:18-23 (ESV)

The English definition of "understand" is to become aware..., to know..., to learn... This seems unfair towards the audience who failed to understand what Jesus had said. Was Jesus a bad teacher?

But the Greek definition of "understand" is to "put together" or "to comprehend". In other words, the audience also has a responsibility to put together or to put in an effort to comprehend what they just learned. In other words to practically apply the teaching to their own lives.

Parable of the unexpected thief

Jesus also warns that God's judgement, will be unexpected:

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

-- Matthew 24:36-42 (ESV)

Jesus warns that the Lord's judgement will come at an unexpected time:

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

-- Matthew 24:43-44 (ESV)

According to what will we be judged?

Jesus' next parables give the answer.

Parable of the servants

Who then is the faithful and wise servant?

Whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time. Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-- Matthew 24:45-51 (ESV)

Parable of the virgins

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’

And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’
But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

-- Matthew 25:1-13 (ESV)

Parable of the stewards

For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.

So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.

But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-- Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)

Meaning of the parables

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For

  • I was hungry and you gave me food,
  • I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
  • I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
  • I was naked and you clothed me,
  • I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For

  • I was hungry and you gave me no food,
  • I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
  • I was a stranger and you did not welcome me,
  • [I was] naked and you did not clothe me,
  • [I was] sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’

Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

-- Matthew 25:31-46 (ESV)

What is the counter of the Kingdom of God?

Sadly, some churches replaces the body of Christ and will even claim to be "the body of Christ".

The body of Christ The Christian Church
Worship the almighty God, the Father May idolize the church leader
Submit to the Lord Jesus Christ's commands Submit to the human church authority instead. Jesus is often reduced to a mascot.
Guided by the Holy Spirit of God Guided by institutional church creeds or rules
Decentralized body Centralized church membership
Meet wherever practical Meet in expensive church buildings
Focus on expanding God's Kingdom (saving the lost, serving the community) Focus on attracting more church members or financial income
Praises glorifies God (with a pure motive) Praises entertain members (often in the form of "worship" musical concerts)
Contributions are focussed on supporting the body or serving non-believers Contributions are focussed to maintain the church system
Often God's Spirit deliver a message through multiple members as He guides Usually a single preacher deliver a planned sermon
Meetings are interactive, flexible and informal Church services are non-interactive, structured and formal
Serve in humility with often no recognition Serve a hierarchical system recognized by titles, special seats and public honor
Often doing dangerous tasks or suffer persecution Often convenient in the safety of the church

Note

Not all "churches" are condemned. There are many members of the body of Christ that meet in the name of a church. Depending on the culture and circumstances it is often more practical to meet in a public place than a private home. The above table only serve as a warning lights when a "church" looses it's primary focus and stand in the way of God's Kingdom.

When any group of people meet, it is natural for a leader to arise and to guide the group such that there is order and collaboration. But this does not mean that the leader owns the group or is more important than the group. It is only a temporary function in "the body" (Ephesians 4:11-12). Jesus warned that leaders should serve the group in humility, instead of claiming special titles (Matthew 23:1-12).