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Preface |
3 | |
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Table of Contents |
5 | |
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References and Abbreviations |
11 | |
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Introduction to the Kingdom of God |
14 | |
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Kingdom of Heaven vs. Kingdom of God |
14 | |
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What Does “Kingdom” Mean? |
15 | |
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Old Testament Background |
15 | |
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The Son of Man in Daniel |
16 | |
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Jewish Expectancy in Jesus´Day |
17 | |
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Kingdom of God in John´s Gospel and Paul´s Epistles |
18 | |
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What Is the Kingdom of God? |
18 | |
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The Kingdom as Present and Future |
19 | |
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Luke 11:20 || Matthew 12:28 – “The kingdom has come to you” |
20 | |
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Luke 17:21 – “The kingdom of God is within you” |
21 | |
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Now and at the End |
22 | |
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The Kingdom, the Son of Man, and the Cross |
23 | |
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The Hope of the Kingdom of God |
24 | |
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1. Preparing for the Kingdom (Matthew 3:1-17; 4:17) |
25 | |
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An Angel Announces John´s Birth and Mission (Luke 1:14-17) |
25 | |
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John the Baptist´s Message (Matthew 3:1-2) |
26 | |
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The Preparer of God´s People (Matthew 3:3) |
27 | |
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John the Prophet (Matthew 3:4) |
28 | |
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The People´s Response (Matthew 3:5-6) |
28 | |
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The Religious Leaders´Response (Matthew 3:7-10) |
30 | |
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The Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11) |
31 | |
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Spirit Baptism (Matthew 3:11) |
31 | |
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The King Brings Judgment (Matthew 3:12) |
33 | |
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Have You Been Baptized? |
35 | |
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Jesus´Baptism (Matthew 3:13-15) |
35 | |
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The Spirit Rests upon the Son (Matthew 3:16-17) |
36 | |
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Jesus´Message of Repentance (Matthew 4:17) |
36 | |
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2. Fertile Soil for the Kingdom (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) |
38 | |
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Seeds on the Path (Matthew 13:3-4) |
38 | |
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Seeds on Rocky Soil (Matthew 13:5-6) |
39 | |
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Seeds among Thorns (Matthew 13:7) |
39 | |
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Seeds in Good Soil (Matthew 13:8) |
40 | |
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Ears to Hear Spiritually (Matthew 13:9-19) |
40 | |
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Hard-Packed Hearts (Matthew 13:19) |
41 | |
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Rocky Hearts (Matthew 13:20-21) |
42 | |
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Were They Really Christians? |
43 | |
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Thorny Hearts (Matthew 13:22) |
44 | |
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Is the Wheat Choked by Thorns “Saved”? |
47 | |
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Receptive Hearts (Matthew 13:23) |
48 | |
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What Kind of Fruit? |
49 | |
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Summing Up |
50 | |
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3. Pressing into the Kingdom (Matthew 6:24, 33; 7:7-8; 11:12) |
52 | |
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Serving Two Masters (Matthew 6:24) |
52 | |
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Serving Money |
53 | |
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The Story of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-27) |
54 | |
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Seeking God (Matthew 6:31-34) |
55 | |
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Seek God First and Foremost (Matthew 6:33) |
55 | |
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Seeking God´s Kingdom and Righteousness (Matthew 6:33) |
56 | |
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All these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33b) |
57 | |
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Asking, Seeking, Knocking (Matthew 7:7-8) |
57 | |
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Seeking Boldly |
58 | |
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Pressing into the Kingdom (Matthew 11:12; Luke 16:16) |
59 | |
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4. The Present and Future Kingdom (Luke 17:20-37) |
63 | |
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When Will the Kingdom Come? (Luke 17:20a) |
63 | |
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The Kingdom Is Not a Visible One (Luke 17:20b-21a) |
64 | |
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The Kingdom of God is within You (Luke 17:21b) |
64 | |
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False Christs Will Come (Luke 17:22-23) |
66 | |
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The Son of Man Will Come Like Lightning (Luke 17:24) |
67 | |
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Suffering and Rejection Come First (Luke 17:25) |
68 | |
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On that Day |
68 | |
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As in the Days of Noah and Lot (Luke 17:26-30) |
69 | |
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Remember Lot´s Wife (Luke 17:31-33) |
69 | |
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One Will Be Taken, the Other Left (Luke 17:34-36) |
70 | |
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The Rapture of the Church |
71 | |
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There the Vultures Will Gather (Luke 17:37) |
73 | |
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The Coming of the Kingdom |
74 | |
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5. The Costliness of the Kingdom (Mt 13:44-46; Mk 10:17-24) |
77 | |
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The Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44) |
77 | |
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Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46) |
79 | |
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The Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:18-23) |
81 | |
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Profile of the Rich Young Ruler |
81 | |
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Inheriting Eternal Life (Mark 10:17b) |
82 | |
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No One Is Good – Except God Alone (Mark 10:18) |
83 | |
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Comparisons to Jesus´Interview with Nicodemus |
84 | |
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Keeping the Commandments (Mark 10:19-20) |
84 | |
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Sell Everything, Give to the Poor (Mark 10:21) |
85 | |
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How Money Corrupts |
86 | |
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Why Jesus´Words Upset Us |
87 | |
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Then Come, Follow Me (Mark 20:21b) |
87 | |
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He Became Very Sad (Mark 10:22) |
88 | |
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How Hard It is to Enter the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:23-24) |
89 | |
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6. The Spirit and the Kingdom (John 3:1-21) |
92 | |
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Jesus Knows the Heart (John 2:23-25) |
92 | |
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Nicodemus the Pharisee (John 3:1) |
92 | |
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Nicodemus the Seeker (John 3:2) |
93 | |
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Discerning the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-5) |
94 | |
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Begotten or Born? (John 3:3-5) |
96 | |
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“Again” or “from Above” (John 3:3, 5, 7) |
97 | |
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Born of Water and Spirit (John 3:5-7) |
99 | |
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The Wind of the Spirit (John 3:8) |
101 | |
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The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up (John 3:14-15) |
101 | |
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For God So Loved the World that He Gave (John 3:16) |
102 | |
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Jesus, God´s Unique Son (monogen?s) |
103 | |
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Results and Purposes of God´s Love (John 3:16) |
104 | |
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Not Perish (John 3:16b) |
104 | |
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Jesus´Teaching on Hell |
105 | |
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But Have Everlasting Life (John 3:16b) |
106 | |
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Not to Condemn, but to Save (John 3:17-19) |
107 | |
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Drawn to the Light of the Gospel (John 3:19-21) |
107 | |
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Summing Up |
108 | |
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7. Forgiveness in the Kingdom (Matthew 18:21-35; 6:9-15) |
110 | |
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Forgiving Seven Times (Matthew 18:21-22) |
110 | |
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The Kingdom of Heaven is Like … (Matthew 18:23) |
111 | |
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The Massive Debt (Matthew 18:24-27) |
112 | |
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Foreclosure and Slavery (Matthew 18:25) |
113 | |
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Mercy (Matthew 18:26-27) |
113 | |
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The Tiny Debt (Matthew 18:28-30) |
114 | |
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The King´s Wrath (Matthew 18:31-34) |
115 | |
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Jesus´Warning (Matthew 18:35) |
116 | |
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The Lord´s Prayer (Matthew 6:12) |
117 | |
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Quintessential Forgiveness |
118 | |
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Love and Forgiveness |
119 | |
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The Struggle to Forgive |
119 | |
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Counterfeit Forgiveness |
120 | |
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Jesus´Hard “Family” Experience |
120 | |
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Unforgiveness Is Not an Option. |
121 | |
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Forgiveness and Non-Repentance |
121 | |
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8. The Narrowness and Breadth of the Kingdom (Luke 13:18-30) |
123 | |
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What is the Kingdom Like? (Luke 13:18) |
123 | |
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Like a Mustard Seed (Luke 13:19a) |
124 | |
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Birds Perching in Its Branches (Luke 13:19b) |
124 | |
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Comparing the Kingdom to Yeast (Luke 13:20-21) |
125 | |
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Small Beginnings, Much Discouragement |
126 | |
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Strive to Enter the Narrow Door (Luke 13:22-35) |
127 | |
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How Many Will Be Saved? (Luke 13:22-23) |
127 | |
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Strive to Enter (Luke 13:24-25a) |
128 | |
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The Narrow Door |
129 | |
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Trying but Not Being Able to Enter (Luke 13:24) |
130 | |
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I Don´t Know You (Luke 13:25b-27) |
130 | |
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The Great Eschatological Banquet (Luke 13:28-30) |
131 | |
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9. Serving in the Kingdom (Matthew 25:14-30) |
134 | |
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The Coming of the Son of Man and the Kingdom of Heaven |
134 | |
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Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) |
134 | |
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The Parable of the Talents vs. the Parable of the Pounds or Minas |
135 | |
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The Kingdom of Heaven Will Be Like ... |
136 | |
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A Man Going on a Journey (Matthew 25:14) |
136 | |
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Entrusting His Property to His Servants (Matthew 25:14b) |
136 | |
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Each According to His Ability (Matthew 25:15) |
137 | |
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Putting the Money to Work (Matthew 25:16-18) |
138 | |
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Settling Accounts (Matthew 25:19-22) |
138 | |
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The Wicked Servant´s Excuse (Matthew 19:24-25) |
139 | |
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The Judgment on the Wicked Servant (Matthew 25:26-27) |
140 | |
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The Faithful Will Receive More (Matthew 25:28-29) |
140 | |
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Punishment for His Enemies (Matthew 25:30) |
141 | |
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Interpreting the Parable of the Talents |
141 | |
|
What do the “talents” represent? |
141 | |
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On what basis does God distribute the “talents”? |
142 | |
|
To whom do the “talents” and their increase belong? |
143 | |
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How will God reward us for using our “talents”? |
144 | |
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Rewards for Faithful Service |
145 | |
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Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) |
145 | |
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What Will the Rewards Be Like? |
145 | |
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Ruling and Reigning with Christ |
146 | |
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Can our “talents” be taken away? |
147 | |
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Harsh Judgment |
148 | |
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10. Invitation to the Kingdom (Luke 14:12-24; 9:57-62) |
150 | |
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Blessed Is He Who Banquets in the Kingdom (Luke 14:12-15) |
150 | |
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Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:16) |
151 | |
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Come, Everything is Ready (Luke 14:17) |
151 | |
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Excuses, Excuses (Luke 14:18-20) |
152 | |
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Bring in the Poor and Crippled from the Streets (Luke 14:21) |
153 | |
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Compel Them to Come from the Country Roads (Luke 14:22-23) |
153 | |
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None of Those Invited Will Taste the Banquet (Luke 14:24) |
154 | |
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What Does the Parable Mean? |
154 | |
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What Does It Say to Disciples? |
154 | |
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The Priority of Following Jesus (Luke 9:57-62) |
157 | |
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Discipleship´s Sojourn (Luke 9:57-58) |
158 | |
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Discipleship´s Immediacy (Luke 9:59-60) |
160 | |
|
Discipleship´s Single-mindedness (Luke 9:61) |
161 | |
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Crooked Furrows (Luke 9:62) |
161 | |
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Teachings of Grace and Urgency |
162 | |
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The Final Banquet in the Kingdom of God |
163 | |
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Appendix. Participant Guide Handout Sheets |
165 | |
|
1. Preparing for the Kingdom (Matthew 3:1-17; 4:17) |
166 | |
|
2. Fertile Soil for the Kingdom (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) |
167 | |
|
3. Pressing into the Kingdom (Matthew 6:24, 33; 7:7-8; 11:12) |
168 | |
|
4. The Present and Future Kingdom (Luke 17:20-37) |
169 | |
|
5. The Costliness of the Kingdom (Mt 13:44-46; Mk 10:17-24) |
170 | |
|
6. The Spirit and the Kingdom (John 3:1-21) |
171 | |
|
7. Forgiveness in the Kingdom (Matthew 18:21-35; 6:9-15) |
172 | |
|
8. The Narrowness and Breadth of the Kingdom (Luke 13:18-30) |
173 | |
|
9. Serving in the Kingdom (Matthew 25:14-30) |
174 | |
|
10. The Call to the Kingdom (Luke 14:12-24; 9:57-62) |
175 | |