Tag: Kingdom of God

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The Stubborn Nature of Sin

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 16:19-24. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on Sunday, 31 May 2026.

The Kingdom Demand for Integrity
In this section of Luke (Chapters 9–22), Jesus provides a primer on kingdom living. In Luke 16, he specifically addresses the stewardship of resources. He warns us in verse 13: “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

When Jesus taught this, the Pharisees—who were lovers of money—ridiculed him. We see the core of their problem in that opposition. As 1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Despite being well-versed in scripture, the Pharisees could not see Jesus as the Messiah because their hearts were fixed on wealth.

This confrontation leads to the kingdom demand for integrity. Jesus explains that the Law and the Prophets were the primary revelation until John the Baptist; since then, the good news of the kingdom has been preached. Jesus does not discard the law; he fulfills it. He interprets it correctly, exposing the Pharisees’ obsession with legalistic loopholes—such as their narrow, heartless definitions of work on the Sabbath—versus his own focus on doing good, healing, and honoring God. As Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
This brings us to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31). We see a stark contrast: the rich man is drenched in luxury, wearing purple and fine linen, and feasting sumptuously every day. Lazarus, conversely, is covered in sores, longing for the crumbs from the rich man’s table.

Death is the great equalizer, but it also reveals a great reversal. In the afterlife, the rich man is in anguish while Lazarus is comforted by Abraham. The lifestyle gap of their earthly lives is replaced by a “great chasm” that cannot be crossed.

While some scholars debate whether this is a parable or a literal account of hell, it reveals profound truths:

  • Hell is an eternal, conscious torment
  • Hell is a eternal separation from God, the source of everything good and perfect
  • Being sent to hell is the result of actions we take in this life.

The rich man, even in his torment, asks Abraham to warn his five brothers. But Abraham replies, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). When the rich man insists that someone rising from the dead would convince them to repent, Abraham delivers the sobering conclusion: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

The Sufficiency of Christ
The love of money acts as a false god. It is a replacement for God’s sufficiency. This trap is not limited to the wealthy; even if you believe that “having enough” is the key to solving all your life’s problems, you have placed your faith in money rather than God.

Money is a tool, but the love of money is a snare. We see the alternative in the life of someone like Kiwi, a former beneficiary of the Compassion program who was released from the cycle of poverty and now uses her life to share the truth of God’s love. When we view our resources through the lens of generosity rather than greed, we reflect the heart of Christ.

Scripture is sufficient. It acts as a mirror, pointing to our sin and revealing our need for a Savior. All the Law and the Prophets point to Jesus Christ. Sin is persistent, but the gospel is the glorious gift that saves us from it. May we be a people who truly love God, steward our resources with integrity, and care for those in need around us.

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The Kingdom Demand for Integrity

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 16:14-18. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on Good Friday – April 26, 2026.

In the preceding verses of Luke 16, Jesus teaches His disciples about the proper way to steward resources, culminating in a definitive truth: “You cannot serve God and money.” This absolute statement immediately triggers a confrontation with the religious establishment, setting the stage for a devastating critique on what it means to have true integrity as a redeemed people.

The Root of the Ridicule
Luke 16:14 states, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.” This gives us direct insight into why the Pharisees constantly bumped up against Jesus. The word used for “ridiculed” is severe; it is the exact same word translated as “scoffed” to describe the crowds mocking Jesus while He lay on the cross. The Pharisees were scoffing because they were trying to “have their cake and eat it too”—they wanted to serve God while holding onto their desire for money.

The Devastating Reality of Pretend Righteousness
Jesus’s response to their scoffing is absolutely devastating, yet He does not even mention money. Instead, He addresses the wider issue of kingdom integrity: “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts” (Luke 16:15).

The main problem of the Pharisees is that they are attempting to appear more righteous than they really are in front of the people around them. As Jesus declares in Matthew 23, they are like “whitewashed tombs.” Just as a cemetery might look beautiful on the outside—with neatly cut grass and clean tombstones—underneath the surface, it is full of dead flesh and decomposing bones. The Pharisees looked beautiful on the outside, but God saw the rotten decay at their core.

They performed this pretend righteousness solely to receive the praise of the people around them. Jesus calls this purpose “an abomination in the sight of God.” An abomination is not just a minor misstep; it is the complete opposite of what is acceptable to God. Saying and doing the right things in public is not enough if the heart remains untouched.

A New Era of Salvation
In verses 16 and 17, Jesus outlines a shift in God’s story of salvation: “The law and the prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.”

Since the very beginning of the need for salvation in Genesis 3 (the protoevangelium), God promised a Savior. Jesus’s arrival marks the fulfillment of that promise. The phrase “everyone forces his way into it” conveys the active acceptance required to enter the kingdom. It is a decision so radical—turning away from the things the world values, like money and public praise—that it requires forceful, decisive action.

However, this new era does not negate the moral law. Jesus clarifies, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void.” The moral components of the law continue to reflect God’s holy character.

The Standard of Integrity
To prove His point that the moral law remains, Jesus makes what seems like a weird right turn by providing an example regarding divorce (verse 18). While this is not a comprehensive teaching on the subject—Matthew 19 expands on biblical exceptions such as sexual immorality, alongside other justified reasons like abuse or abandonment—He uses it to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God does not lower its moral expectations.

The Kingdom demand for integrity moves us past simple black-and-white, rule-based concepts. For instance, the New Testament standard for giving shifts from a strict 10% tithe to genuine generosity. The standard for morality aligns with Philippians 4:8: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, and commendable.

Because our hearts are naturally “rotten to the core,” this standard is unattainable on our own. True righteousness is only possible through a transformation of the heart—a heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh—accomplished entirely through the saving work of Christ on the cross.

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Trusted with Little, Trusted with Much

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 16:1-13. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on March 22, 2026.

In Luke 16, as Jesus continues His journey toward Jerusalem, His focus begins to shift. Knowing His time on earth is drawing to a close, He delivers urgent, essential teachings to His disciples—similar to a king offering his final instructions. During this time, Jesus shares what is arguably one of His most difficult teachings: the Parable of the Dishonest Manager.

The story introduces a manager caught wasting his wealthy master’s possessions. The word used for “wasting” here is the exact same Greek word used to describe how the prodigal son squandered his inheritance. This manager has committed a fireable offense. Upon learning he is about to lose his position, the manager panics. Knowing he is not strong enough for manual labor and too proud to beg, he devises a shrewd plan to secure his future. He summons his master’s debtors and drastically reduces the amounts they owe.

At first glance, this action seems to be further theft. Why, then, does the master eventually commend the dishonest manager for his shrewdness? To understand this, we have to look at the cultural context of first-century debt. It is highly likely that this manager had been engaging in usury—charging exploitative, exorbitant interest rates, a practice strictly forbidden in the Old Testament. When he slashes the debts, he is likely not cutting into his master’s principal, but rather removing his own illegal, inflated interest. In a moment of desperation, he forsakes his worldly greed to build goodwill and secure a future for himself once he is fired.

Jesus is not praising the manager’s dishonesty; He is highlighting his shrewdness. Shrewdness simply means exercising judgment with a clear understanding of the consequences. Jesus makes a profound comparison: “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8, ESV). If worldly people exercise such deliberate judgment and urgency to secure their temporary, earthly futures, how much more should believers—the sons of light—exercise intentional judgment to secure eternal outcomes?

This brings us to Christ’s primary application regarding our attitude toward money. Jesus tells us to make friends by means of unrighteous wealth so that we may be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Wealth itself is morally neutral; it is simply a tool. However, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Jesus is urging us to hold our wealth loosely. Instead of hoarding it or using it for reckless living, we are to be generous, using our worldly resources for eternal good—such as supporting evangelism and bringing people into the family of God.

Furthermore, this parable teaches the principle of faithful stewardship. Jesus states, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10, ESV). If we properly manage the resources God has given us, He can trust us with greater responsibilities. This is not the manipulative transaction taught by the prosperity gospel—where people give solely to receive a material blessing in return. True biblical stewardship means giving generously and cheerfully, recognizing that everything we have belongs to God.

Jesus concludes with an absolute truth: “No servant can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13, ESV). We must decide who sits on the throne of our hearts. Money is a terrible master, but it is a highly useful servant. Let us exercise true spiritual shrewdness, utilizing the time, resources, and wealth God has entrusted to us not to build a temporary earthly kingdom, but to invest deeply in the eternal kingdom of God.

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Trusting the God Who Finishes What He Starts

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 13:18-35. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on February 8, 2026.

In our last look at the Gospel of Luke, Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath. This sparked a confrontation with the local synagogue ruler, setting the stage for a broader conflict with the Pharisees. As Jesus gained prominence, the Jewish leaders grew increasingly concerned. This explains one of the major themes in Luke: why the gospel eventually turned toward the Gentiles and how the Jewish leaders came to reject Jesus.

Jesus begins addressing this by asking, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree…” He then compares it to a tiny bit of leaven that a woman hides in flour until the whole batch is leavened (Luke 13:18-21, ESV).

These parables teach that God’s kingdom starts small but grows into something massive. Look at human history: the British Empire was once the largest to ever exist, yet today it is a shadow of its former self. That is the limit of a human-made kingdom. Christianity, conversely, started with a carpenter and twelve fishermen in a backwoods town. Today, it is a global phenomenon—a miracle only God could accomplish.

There is a second message here regarding how long this growth takes. The early Jews expected a sudden, dramatic military redemption, hoping for a leader to free them from the Roman Empire. Because Jesus didn’t fit that mold, they missed His signs. They were stuck in their own mindset of how God was supposed to work.

It is easy to fall into that same trap. Many of you might be waiting on God right now—for healing, for work, or for restored relationships. We must not get bogged down by our own expectations. As Psalm 27:14 (ESV) reminds us, “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” God is sovereign. He might not answer on your timeline, but He will provide what is for your good.

Those who wait and trust in the Lord will enter what Jesus calls the “narrow door.” When asked if only a few will be saved, Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24, ESV). The Jewish people largely believed everyone born a Jew would be saved automatically. But Jesus gives a brutal teaching: admission to God’s kingdom is exclusive, not based on heritage.

He warns that many will claim to know Him, but He will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Depart from me.” They will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom while they are cast out. Yet, their exclusion means our inclusion. God promised Abraham that in him all families of the earth would be blessed. People from the east, west, north, and south will recline at the table.

Despite this rejection, Jesus still had incredible compassion for His people. When warned that Herod wanted to kill Him, Jesus refused to back down. Instead, He mourned for the city rejecting Him: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34, ESV).

God’s patience is incredible, giving us chance after chance. But we cannot mistake His patience for universalism—the belief that everyone will eventually be saved. There comes a point where a choice must be made. You are not saved just because you go to church. What saves you is faith in Jesus Christ alone. As Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).

If you don’t know Christ, I pray you come to know Him today. For those who do trust Him, remember Philippians 1:6 (ESV): “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Trust in Him, for He is always worthy of our faith.

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I Will Follow

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 9:51-62. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on November 17, 2024.

If you were a Christian in the 90s, you probably remember the WWJD bracelets—short for “What Would Jesus Do?” This phrase has deep roots in Christian history, tracing back to Charles Spurgeon in 1891. However, it became mainstream in 1896 when Charles Sheldon used it as a tagline in his novel “In His Steps.” His idea was to look to Jesus as a moral example in daily life, which helped birth the Social Gospel movement—an effort to apply Christian ethics to social issues.

This is a good thing. James 1:27 tells us, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Likewise, 1 Peter 2:21 states, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” However, the WWJD movement also had its flaws, primarily its commercialization and oversimplification of discipleship.

Following Jesus is not just about wearing a bracelet or making a moral decision in a single moment—it is a lifelong commitment that requires sacrifice. Luke 9:57-62 presents three responses to discipleship that highlight its demands.

First, Jesus tells a man who eagerly volunteers to follow Him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). This reveals that following Jesus may require giving up security and comfort. Many missionaries, like Robert and Sheila Cousins, have left everything to serve Christ. Even Christian leaders such as John Piper and Tim Keller could have pursued more wealth and success elsewhere but chose humble service instead.

Next, Jesus responds to another man who wants to delay discipleship until after burying his father: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). This shocking statement underscores that following Jesus must take the utmost priority. Matthew 6:33 reminds us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Finally, Jesus warns against looking back when called to follow Him: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Discipleship requires focus. Hebrews 12:1-2 exhorts us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

Ultimately, we cannot do this on our own. Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem, resolved to go to the cross for our salvation (Luke 9:51). When the Samaritans rejected Him, James and John wanted vengeance, but Jesus rebuked them, teaching mercy. He was on a mission to save both Jews and Samaritans, showing us that His path leads to the cross and the mercy of God. 1 Peter 1:3 reminds us that we have “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

So, what sacrifices do you need to make to follow Christ more fully? How can you rearrange your life to better reflect His kingdom?