 Welcome back after the break. Just before we went for our break, we were looking at Matthew chapter 13, was sustained to 17 and, you know, just said that when we receive revelations of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God and we want more, we are going after more, then God will give us abundance of revelations of His reveal abundance of His mysteries to us. But if you're not doing anything with the little revelation that we've received, that we've got, then, you know, we risk not only getting more, but we also risk losing the little that we have. So concerning revelation, concerning the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, we must take them very seriously. Now, we need to go after more, only when we are going after more, then will we get abundance. Now, the other thing Jesus said is, he says that, you know, listen, if I speak in parable and get them to understand what I'm saying, you know, if I get past their blind eyes, their deaf ears, their hardened ears, hardened hearts, sorry, by using these parables, then they are going to be changed. You know, they're going to repent. They will experience my salvation and healing. So the point is this, when, you know, when you get an understanding of the mysteries of God, it opens our life or it opens anyone's life to the working of God. Okay. When we understand the mysteries of God, it opens up our life to the working of God. But understanding the mysteries is important. Understanding the secret truths of His Kingdom is important. Now, all of us, you know, pursuing the work of God, you know, we are busy in ministry, but we don't want to invest the time and energy in understanding the mysteries. We don't spend time, we just read the word, because we have to do it as a ritual. It becomes something that, you know, becomes more of a ritual, but we don't have that kind of time and energy and patience to invest in understanding the mysteries of God's Word. But we need to put things in the right order. Okay. We need to get an understanding of the mysteries and we pursue the mysteries. It's only when we get an understanding of the mysteries, you know, it opens up our life to the saving, healing and the delivering work of God. So, you know, let's go, you know, even as we study these parables, let's study that with this intent, you know, that God is speaking mysteries to us and God reveal your mysteries so that it can change my life. It can have an impact in my life. Matthew chapter 13 verses 34 and 35. Can somebody read that please? Matthew 13, 34 and 35. Matthew chapter 13 verses 34 and 35. All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables and without a parable, he did not speak to them. That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet saying, I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world. Thank you, Rosalind. So, as Jesus was speaking in parables, you know, he was actually fulfilling a prophecy. Okay. So, these parables are unveiling to us things that are hidden from the beginning, from the foundation of this world. So, within every parable is the, you know, hidden truth is the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Okay. Many of us have heard some of the parables that we will be studying today. You know, you've heard them before when you were in Sunday school, you must have preached about it in church as well through different sermons and, you know, it can just be a nice story. But this morning, you know, I like to challenge you to see these parables as getting, you know, an avenue of the unseen realities of the kingdom of heaven or understanding the mysteries of God. So, if you on purpose, you know, kind of examine these parables, you can just say, God, what are you telling me from this parable, from the story? You know, I want to get a grip on the mystery that you have the hidden truth that is there behind this parable. I want to get a hold or a grip of the truth that has been hidden from the beginning, from the foundation of this world. So, the truth that God has hidden from the foundation of the world, he's actually revealing it through these parables. Okay. So, even as we study it, you can just, you know, why are you just saying, you know, heart, God, you know, I want to, even as I'm examining these parables that you thought, my purpose is that, you know, I can get a grip of the truths, the mysteries, the hidden truths that, you know, have been hidden from the beginning, from the foundation of this world. So, let's make this as our intention. Say, God, open my eyes, open my ears to hear, open my eyes to see, open my heart to understand, to perceive, to discern. So, I can receive your mysteries and in return, I can receive your working in my life. Whatever area, you know, God, you want God to work in your life, you know, he will work. So, when we understand these mysteries, you know, we are going to turn around. We're going to, it's going to be being a change. It's going to be being repentance. We're going to experience his salvation, his saving work in our life, okay? So, with that introduction, just let's look at a few parables that Jesus taught. We look at the first one in Matthew chapter 13, verses 18 to 23, the parable of the sword and the word of the kingdom of God, okay? Now, it's very interesting to, you know, read here, Jesus says, therefore hear the parable of the sword when anyone hears the word of the kingdom, okay? So again, he's talking to them about the kingdom of God and he's explaining it in their natural words that they can understand, which is, you know, a farmer going to sow seeds and it's a very common sight in the land of Israel, okay? So, since all of you know this parable, well, we're not going to spend time reading it, but we'll just explain it, okay? So, the parable of the sword is, you know, is one of the introductory parables and the disciples came to Jesus and asked him to explain the parable because he had spoken to them first time in parables and they were not able to understand. And in verse 19, we read that, you know, we know that Jesus was talking about the kingdom of God because he says the parable of the sword has to do with the word of the kingdom. Now, what is the word of the kingdom? The word of the kingdom is basically the word of the king or what the king has spoken, it has to do with God's words. So, the parable of the sword teaches us that God works in his kingdom by speaking the word of the kingdom, sorry. So, the parable of the sword teaches us that, you know, God works in his kingdom by speaking the word of his kingdom when God speaks, you know, he says, this is what happens, okay? So, God's words, the word of the king, the word of the kingdom is a primary way God works in his kingdom. He releases his word so that his word can come on to the ground, which is our heart, which is your heart, my heart. And when the king wants to work in you, this is what does he do? You know, he releases his word of his kingdom, which is intended to come and fall on our heart, which is our ground. And, you know, he looks forward for this word to bear, a fruit to do what it is sent forth for to achieve the purpose and the reason for which it goes forth. So, Jesus says, you know, in this parable, I want you to understand a couple of things. There are some things that will hinder this word from affecting your life, okay? So, what is the first thing that will hinder us from, hinder this word from affecting our lives? What is the first thing he talks about? Matthew chapter 13, the first thing is? The wicked one comes. Okay, thank you, Jafina. The wicked one comes and he says, you know, when the seeds fall on the pathway and, you know, when the farmer scattering the seeds, sometimes it just falls out on the pathway, you know? He says that the birds come and, you know, so the bird here is Satan who comes to take away the word. So, when we hear the word of the kingdom, you know, or when we receive a word from God himself, that is the enemy, okay? He's like the bird of the air. He comes and takes away the word that, you know, God has put into our hearts. He does not want the word of the king to become an experience in our life. He does not want the word of the king to bring about salvation, to bring about deliverance, to bring about healing and fullness. Now, what will allow Satan to rob the word of the kingdom? You know, when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, then Satan comes and takes away the word. So, when you don't understand what God is saying, when you don't get a revelation of what God is saying, then you risk losing the word that he has giving to you. You will not be able to, and it will not be able to produce in your life. So, when you get, when God reveals something to you, when you get a revelation of something, it's important that you don't just let it be there and say, oh, I had to see the revelation and just write it down in your book. But, you know, you pursue that. You try to find more about that, what God is really telling me, what God is teaching me, what God is revealing in and through me, okay? So, that is why, you know, like the Psalmist, we need to pray and say, God, open my eyes that I may behold the wondrous things of your word. You know, meaning, you know, we can just mean the same God, but I want to go past the letters that I read. I want to see. I want to get an understanding of what is in it really. So, I just want to go past the letters, God. I just don't want to read what is there in the Bible, just the words there. I want to go past that into the hidden truths, the hidden mysteries, to get an understanding of what you're really saying in this. So, we can all read, you know, but reading does not ensure that it will produce. We need to understand what we are reading. So, if you don't understand, then Satan has a foot mold. He will come and take away what was sown or what we have heard, okay? Then the second thing is, if the word comes into your life, then there are rocks in your life that can hinder the work of the king from coming to pass in your life. So, what are these rocks? These rocks can be anything from persecution, hardships, difficulties, and you know, because of what the word that the king has spoken in your life. And if you allow these hardships, difficulties, persecutions to affect the word in you, then it will rob you of the word, okay? Actually, if you see, there's nothing wrong with the word. It's the word of the king. There's nothing wrong with the word because it is full of power that will come to pass. When God says, my word goes out, it will not come back to me empty or void, you know? It will achieve the purpose and the reason for which it goes forth, that's God's word, he will do what he says. So there's nothing wrong with the word because it is the incorruptible word that lives and abides forever and ever. So it is, you know, when difficulties, persecutions and hardships come, it causes us to withdraw or pull back from the word and not produce the intended results in our lives. And then he said there are thorns, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lust of the things. And if you allow that to creep in your life, then it will again hinder the word of the king from being fulfilled in your life. And finally, he says, you know, depending on the condition of your heart, you know, if the word takes root, if you receive it, you believe it, you retain the word, then it will bring forth fruit. Depending on the condition of your heart, it will bring forth fruit, 30, 60 and a hundred foot. So here's the mystery of the kingdom, the king works by his word. You want God to work in your life. So when he speaks to you, it is his intent to work in you and his word is coming to you. So, you know, you receive that, you meditate on that, you feed on that and every word is designed by God to produce in your life to, you know, bring forth the reason and the purpose for which he sends it forth. But you need to be careful of the birds, the thorns, the rocks because they have the potential of hindering the work of the kingdom. And Jesus said very interestingly in this parable that, you know, if we got to understand this parable, then we can understand all other parables. So if you understand the story in the setting of the natural world and the truth that Jesus is trying to communicate to us and we take this word seriously, then we can understand all other parables that, you know, Jesus says, I am going to tell you about, okay? So when you read God's word and take it seriously, because it's the word of the king and this is how God is going to work in your life and you treat, you know, you don't treat this book lightly but you read it, you meditate on it, you feed on it. You're allowing the king to work in your life and he causes his work in you by his word which he releases into your life and mind. So let's take God's word seriously, what he's trying to reveal, what he's speaking to us and allow the seeds of the word to be sown into our hearts and their fruit, okay? So the responsibility is on us. We need to guard our hearts. We need to maintain the condition of the soil in our hearts to ensure that, you know, whatever mysteries, revelations, truth that God is revealing to us, we take it, we receive it, we meditate on it so that it produces in our life and we must, you know, understand and we must live by this principle that is in the kingdom that God works in us by his word, okay? So if we nurture his word, you know, we meditate on his word, we feed on his word, we benefit from the fulfillment of his word in our life. So the word of God is very, very important and this is something that we need to understand and live by this principle that in the kingdom of God, God works in us by his word. His word is, yes, amen, his word is powerful, okay? We'll move on to the parable of the good seeds and the tears. Okay, so can somebody quickly read for us Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 to 30 and 36 to 43, please. Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 to 30. Another parable, he put forth to them saying, the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tears among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tears also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tears? He said to them, an enemy has done this. The servant said to him, do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, no, less while you gather up the tears, you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, first gather together the tears and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his disciples came to him saying, explain to us the parable of the tears of the field. He answered and said to them, he who sows the good seed is the son of man. The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tears are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are the angels. Therefore, as the tears are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The son of man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom, all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the son in the king of their father. He who has years to hear, let him hear, Amen. Thank you, Rosalind. So here we see in Matthew chapter 13, verse 24, Jesus says, you know, it tells the man of the parable and he says, the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. And then we see the disciples coming to him and asking him, you know, we understand about farming, you know, all of the farming techniques we understand, we know, but what is the spiritual truth? Explain to us. So the man who sows good seeds is the son of God and that is Jesus. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, which means you and I are the good seeds. Okay, you would say amen to that. Okay, so you and I are the good seed. We are the children of the kingdom whom the son of God has sown into this world. So we as good seed have been sown into this world and so it's so important for us to perceive ourselves as that good seed, to perceive ourselves as sons and daughters of the king, okay? Now the devil is also sowing the bad seed. The bad seed are the wicked people who have been sown into this world The bad seed are the wicked people and we are in the midst of them, but God has sown us into this world for a purpose, okay? We are the sons and daughters of the kingdom in this earth. We have a kingdom mandate over our life and on our life and we are to release the kingdom of God amidst a wicked generation. So I'd like to tell us to see ourselves as sons and daughters of the kingdom, see ourselves as a good seed. See yourself as a good seed in your home, in your marriage, in your relationships, in your office, in your locality and a good seed has been sown wherever you are placed by God to manifest his kingdom and God has positioned you there to manifest his glory. And Jesus said the harvest time is in the end of the age when the reapers, that is the angels will come and sought out all, sought out all those who are clean, unclean, you know, and they will clean it all out, but the end is coming when Jesus says I will vindicate the good seeds and the bad seeds would be dismissed, okay? So that is briefly the meaning of the parable of the good seed and the tears and God, Jesus uses the same truth when he is teaching, you know, of fishing story in Matthew chapter 13 verses 47 to 50, the parable of the dragnet, Matthew chapter 13 verses 47 to 50, here Jesus is saying that, you know, he's just using a simple fishing story to tell us what will happen at the end of the age, okay? So again, he starts by saying that the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast from the sea and gathered, you know, a fish of every kind, you know? And when the net was full, they bring it to shore and then, you know, they sit down, the fishermen sit down and gather the good fish in the vessels, but the bad ones, they threw it away, okay? So Jesus says to be at the end of age, the angels will come forth and they separate the wicked from the just and cast them into the furnace of fire and they'll be wailing and gnashing off teeth. So the good will be separated from the bad. And when we see that, you know, when the fishing net is thrown in, everyone is taken in on the day of judgment, but, you know, we will all be judged, we will all be sorted out. The question is where will we be? You know, the question is whether we'll be with or where will our loved ones be as well? Our relatives be, you know, our neighbors be with God or, you know, eternal separation from God, you know, when they'll be thrown into hell. And Jesus says, this will happen. And he used the story, you know, to tell the people, to have them understand what is going to happen in the end of age. So he's using something that is in their own actual word, which they're so familiar with, they're so, you know, used to seeing, he uses this to give them a spiritual truth, a mystery of the kingdom of God. So he says, this will happen. And he says, I miss a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Okay. Now there are two more parables that Jesus spoke to us about the value that we must place on his kingdom, the parable of the treasure or the field or parable of a pearl of great Christ. Before we move on to these two parables, anyone has any questions so far? Any questions? Okay, there are no questions. Then we can move on and can somebody read Matthew chapter 13. I hope everybody is with me. Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 to 46. Can somebody read that please? Matthew chapter 13 verse 44 to 46. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again. And then in his, in his joy, bent and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for the purse. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Thank you, Jefina. So here's a truth of this unseen kingdom. You know, I think Jesus says, the kingdom of heaven is like, okay? So if you really want to enjoy this kingdom, if you really want to experience this kingdom, then here is how we must treat the kingdom of God. Okay, we have to treat this as a man. When he saw a treasure in the field, he sells everything to buy it. Or, you know, another man who found one pearl and he sells everything that he has to buy that one pearl. Okay, so here's how, you know, we need to treat the kingdom of God. You know, for us, the kingdom of God must be like that one pearl. Okay, it must be like that treasure of great value. And anything less than that is unrespectable to the king. Okay, and so, you know, it's a kingdom of God. You know, we have to be willing to give away everything to value this great treasure, this kingdom of heaven, this kingdom of God. So the question is, you know, will we play such importance, such value on the kingdom? You know, will I and you treat the kingdom as a treasure in that field? Or that pearl of great worth that, you know, we're willing to give up everything at any cost, just to, you know, have, just to be part of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven and to treasure it. Because when we do anything less than that, it's unrespectable to the king whose kingdom we belong to, okay? You know, sometimes the kingdom of God can just become like a Sunday morning thing that we just go to church and come, we fellowship with believers, or it can become like a weekday Bible study that we just, you know, have with a few friends. So, you know, kingdom of God can just become like, you know, okay, I have just, I have some time today, you know, I feel fresh, I feel rested, so I'll go and attend church, you know, or, you know, maybe to this week, I'm not very busy at work, so I'll attend the Bible study. Is the kingdom of God, we're approaching the kingdom of God with this perspective, with this mind thought, with this kind of thinking or this kind of attitude, or we're saying that no kingdom is all in all for me, you know? It's something of great worth that, you know, we are pursuing God's kingdom. And Jesus is saying, this is how we need to treat the kingdom of God. We don't treat the kingdom of God only when we have the time, when we have the energy, when we have, when we feel like it, but we treat the kingdom of God, you know, as something that is valuable, something that's of great worth, which we need to treasure, which we need to, you know, pursue it with everything that we have, and all that we have. And Jesus said that any man who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom. Okay, which means that, you know, Jesus is saying, I will not even entertain a second thought. Okay? So for us, when we think about the kingdom of God, it should be all in all, it should be something that we are pursuing. There should be no second thoughts about it. There is only one thought that we must have that's God's kingdom, and how we can enhance God's kingdom, how we can further God's kingdom. And if you have any second thoughts, you know, we are actually, it says we're not fit for the kingdom. And these are very strong words, okay? So it's not 50-50, you know, we give ourselves 100% into the kingdom of God. That means 100% we are thinking, we are loving our lifestyles, our culture, our behaviors, our attitudes, our mindset is all, you know, a kingdom way, kingdom perspective, and what God wants us to do. And pursuing God's kingdom, wherever God has placed us, whether it's business, whether it's in the education field, politics, social field, religious field, wherever, you know, we are giving in 100%. We're selling all that we've got for the sake of that great treasure, and just treasure in the kingdom of God. Now, this does not mean that we sell everything that we have and, you know, sit down and say, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, honor that this is heaven. It's not going to do anyone any good, it's not going to do me any good if I do that. What we're saying is that while we are busy doing what God has called us to do, or while we are being sons and daughters of kingdom in the midst of a wicked generation, our entire lives should revolve or to be centered around the king and his kingdom. So everything that I do has to have kingdom, perspective, kingdom, value, kingdom mindset, kingdom agenda that I'm pursuing. So, you know, for example, you're studying in Bible college, when you're studying, you're studying for the sake of the kingdom. So whatever you do, you're doing it for the sake of the king and his kingdom and that is what is driving us, that is what is driving me. When you begin to think and live like this, the kingdom of God is a treasure and the feel and pearl of great work. You know, that is when you would actually take hold of what God has given to you. You'll understand the mysteries of this kingdom and you will be able to enhance and further the kingdom of God. And Jesus says, this is what I'm asking of you. So, his kingdom must be number one in our lives. Okay, he said, see, keep first the kingdom of God. And which means we need to reorder our life, reprioritize our life, make his kingdom like the treasure and the feel and the pearl of great work and say, God, this is what my life is all about. My life is all about not me, what I like, what I want to do, but it's about the king and it's kingdom, it's about me being your son or your daughter of this kingdom in this world and wanting the kingdom within me. You know, we are now living the spiritual kingdom. It's within us. I want the kingdom within me to impact my world and that's the only reason that's my only purpose here that I'm here on Earth, God, to allow your kingdom to be released in and to me to impact the world around me. So that should be our number one focus. That should be our agenda. That should be how we reorder our life and reprioritize our life. Now we look at Matthew chapter 13 verses 51 to 53 where Jesus is teaching of the teachings of the kingdom, okay? Can somebody read that please? Matthew chapter 13 verses 51 to 53. Matthew 13, 51 to 53, Jesus said today, have you understood all these things they said to him? Yes, Lord, then he said today, therefore, every scrap instructive concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out all his treasure, things new and old. Now it came to pass when Jesus had finished these parables that he departed from there. Thank you. So here we read in verse 51, Jesus said to them, have you understood all these things and they said to him, yes, Lord, okay? So Jesus has been going through parable of the parable and after teaching them the parables, he is saying to them as asking them to understand what I have been talking to you and they said, yes, so Jesus says, I want to tell you one more thing about the kingdom. And he teaches of the kingdom of God is like of the kingdom of heaven. It's like a householder who brings out of his treasure, things new and old, okay? So there are things that are old, there are things that are new, okay? So that is in the natural world. Now, what are the things of the old? What is he meaning in the spiritual world? These are things that all things that God has already spoken to us about and what are the things that are new? New are the things that God speaks to us now in the present. So when people are teaching or preaching, you will hear things that are old, things that you've already been accustomed to, but there are new things that God will speak to you here and now. So if you want to flow with the kingdom of God, you might be willing to flow with what Jesus has said and what he's saying now in the present. So what God is saying in the now does not actually negate supersede or it does not violate anything what God has already said in the past. In fact, what God has said explains what he is revealing to us or what he's speaking to us in the now, okay? So we cannot live only by what God has said in the past. We also live by what he is revealing to us or making known to us now, okay? So if we intend to go only by the old, then we'll miss out on the new. And if you only run after what God is saying in the now, you may not understand it because what he's saying will be most likely misunderstood because you're not able to interpret it in the light of what he has already said, okay? So that's why even when we study scripture, when we look at things in the New Testament, we always go back to the Old Testament to understand the context what has been said. And we don't just read something and receive a revelation or we just don't read something and get a throat out of that, which can be sometimes wrong, but we cannot explain any words in isolation. We need to always see it in the light of other scripture. So, okay, God is telling me this year, is it in this year, what does it mean? Has he written about this elsewhere? So you go to other passages, you look at it. And then you interpret it in the right way, the right context first and also what has been spoken about or said in the past. So as people who want to understand the teachings of the kingdom of God, we must have a heart that is receptive to both the old and to the new, to what God has already spoken, what God has said and to what God is saying now in the present, to what he has written in his word and what is being spoken now. Now, this will allow us to learn the mysteries of the kingdom of God. So what God has said in his written word, but God is saying the voice of the spirit, speaking to you and me right now, we need both of these things and what God is speaking to us now will not contradict what he has already said and it will not contradict what he will say in the future as well because it's the same God speaking to us so we don't have to be afraid. So this is how we are going to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. So things have been already revealed to us, we get a hold of it, we understand, we interpreted what God is saying now in the present to us now, we interpreted in the light of what he's already spoken to us in the past or what is always written in his word. Okay. So did you understand that? Anyone has any doubts? Any questions? Okay, there's no doubts, no questions. We move on to the next parable, the parable of the two word. Okay, Luke chapter 19 verses 11 to 27. Okay. Can somebody read that please? Luke chapter 19 verse 11 to 27, quickly for us. Luke chapter 19 verse 11 to 27. While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said, a man of noble birth went to a distance country to have himself appointed king and then to rid him. So he called 10 of his servants and gave them 10 minutes. Put this money to work, he said, until I come back. But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, we don't want this man to be a king. He was made king, however, and written home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money in order to find out what they had came with it. The first one came and said, said, your mina was earned 10 more. Well done, my good servant. His master replied, because you have been trustworthy. In a very small matter, take charge of 10 cities. The second came and said, sir, your mina has earned five more. His master answered, you take charge of five cities. Then another servant came and said, sir, here is your mina. I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and leave what you did not. So his master replied, I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant. You looted you that I am a hard man taking on what I did not put in and leaving what I did not so. Why then didn't you put my money on the process so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest? Then he said to those standing by, take this mina away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas. Sir, they said he already has 10. He replied, I tell you that to everyone who has more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be a king over them, bring them here and kill them in front of me. Thank you, Jeffina. So it's very interesting reading Luke chapter 19, you know, verses 11 to 27, which is talking about stewardship. Remember, we already read one parable in when we did lesson five when we talked about stewardship in lesson five kingdom living. We looked at Matthew chapter 25 verses 14 to 30, you know, where the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who want to settle accounts with the things that he had. And so, you know, we see that, you know, there also we looked at that parable which is talking about stewardship, okay? Now here it's speaking of a man who went away to receive a kingdom, which is referring, Jesus is referring to himself. You know, Jesus has gone to receive a kingdom from his father and before he leaves, he calls to himself the servants and to each one, he gives him some talents and some money. And when he comes back, he inquires what they have done with the money, okay? So in Luke 19, there is additional insights concerning what is going to happen, concerning the kingdom of God, which is not mentioned in the parable on stewardship in Matthew chapter 25 verses 14 to 30. So he called, it was 30 and we read that he calls 10 of his servants, delivered to them 10 minas and said to them, do business till I come, okay? Meaning engage in this world, you know, which means we need to be part of the commerce of this world. We need to be part of all the transactions that are happening in this world. So every believer, you know, every son, every daughter in the kingdom of God, Jesus is commissioning us this, you know, he wants us to do business on this earth till he comes back again, engage in this world, get into the business, the money transactions in this world, which means, you know, we, you know, we take hold of the seven mountains, you know, whether it's the art, entertainment, business, education, politics, family, whatever, you know, we take hold of this seven mountains or the seven spheres of influence or the, just leave out seven, just spheres of influence that we can have, you know, we get into these different art, entertainment, entertainment, business, everything. We engage with the people of the world, but even as we do it, we actually bring in kingdom culture, kingdom lifestyle, kingdom presence, kingdom value, kingdom goals, so that people of, you know, in darkness will be able to see the light, even as we, you know, even as we move through these spheres of this world. And in verse 15, he says, receive the kingdom, you know, and he's coming back as king of kings and lord of lords, and he commands the servant to whom he gave the money to come to him that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. So, you know, Jesus wants to know if, you know, his servants were successful or, you know, his people that he has given things to were successful in engaging in the world, how much did they multiply what he has given, how much did they increase their influence, how much they increase their impact, how much they increase their reach in this world and how did they gain by trading. Now, this is God's kingdom, okay? This is what he expects of you and me. He wants us to be, he wants to see us as stewards and he sees it by how much we have gained by trading. What did we do with our talents that he has placed in us? What do we do with the time that he has given us? What did he, we do with the opportunities that he's given us? What did we do with the people that he has put around us and what did we do with the abilities, the intellect that he has given us? How did we multiply it? How did we increase it or influence it for the sake of his kingdom? And just imagine this part of it tells us that one day we will stand before Jesus and he will ask us how much did you gain by trading. And we are thinking, trading, God, I don't want to cut up myself by the things of this world. I want to keep myself wholly pure. I kept myself with holy people but God is going to ask us how much did we get through trading. Another interesting thing here we see in Luke chapter 19 which we don't see in Matthew chapter 25 is to the people who did well, this is what he says, well done good servants because you're faithful in a very little have authority over 10 cities. Okay, likewise he said to the person who also will be over five cities. So what Jesus is saying here, we read in the first Corinthians six verse two, no, that saints will judge or rule the world. And in Daniel chapter seven verse 18, we read that the saints of the most high will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever and ever. And saints will rule in his kingdom. So what is the meaning of this? It means that our stewardship here on earth not only is going to gain God's approval here and now but it's also going to determine what you and I will be assigned to in the coming kingdom, the thousand year millennium rule here on earth when God himself will come and he'll rule the world. That time what position, what post each one of us will get is based on how good stewards we are of what he has given us now. So our stewardship here on earth in our present life is determining what is going, what he will entrust to us in his kingdom when he comes and establishes his kingdom here on, okay? So we love, oh, this is the last part of it. Okay, we finish this lesson. Any questions anyone has? Okay, I'd like to give you first assessment test from on chapters one, two, chapter five, okay? Or we can even do chapter six, right? One to chapter six, is that okay or is it too much? Yes, no. Chapter, you want to chapter one to five or chapter one to six? Can we have some responses, please? Ma'am, we can have chapter one to six, ma'am. That will be convenient. Okay, chapters one to six. Thank you, anyone else? All in favor, say hi, one to six, okay? So when can we have this? Any date? Anyone suggest a date, a Monday? Not this coming Monday? Sorry, sorry, I said. Shouldn't it be the middle of September or what? Earlier than that? Yeah, can we have it, not this coming Monday? Can we have it the following Monday? Is that okay? So what is the date for the following Monday? Sorry, I don't have a, anyone has your mobile? Okay, 12th. Is 12th okay with everybody? Or you want it on a Saturday? Is Saturday okay? Because I thought many of them are busy on a Saturday because you're preparing for Sunday or is Saturday okay or Monday is okay? Monday. Monday, 12th is fine. Okay, then we'll go with Monday, September 12th. Yeah, we can have our first assessment. Now, since you got the hang of how to write assessments, I'll just give you one day, so you'll have to submit your assessment on Tuesday evening. Okay, okay, any questions anyone has? Any questions? Okay, no questions, then we'll end class. Thank you everyone for joining. We'll have our first assessment on September 12th, chapters one, two, chapter six. Okay, right? Chapter one to chapter six, right? Is that right? Yeah, okay. Okay, thank you. Have a wonderful day, God bless all of you, bye-bye. Thank you best.