Season 5 Podcast 21 The Stories of the New Testament, The Book of Matthew, Matthew 25 A, “Heaven PT 1.”

Season 5 Podcast 21 The Stories of the New Testament, The Book of Matthew, Matthew 25 A, “Heaven PT 1.”In this podcast we shall discuss the term ‘heaven’ as it is used in The Book of Matthew. By my count the word ‘heaven’ or its derivation is used approximately 86 times in the Book of Matthew. That does not include references to the Kingdom of God, which is the same thing. Of those times heaven is mentioned, 11 are parables defining the Kingdom of Heaven, 12 if you consider the parable of the sheep and goats, though the word heaven is not used explicitly. The other references to heaven explore what heaven is, and who lives there. First let’s consider the use of the term heaven.Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.This, of course, opens up many possibilities. The Olivet Sermon found in Matthew 24 talks about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the Second Coming of Christ. Clearly the above is a reference to the Second Coming. Matthew 24 ties in closely with the Book of Revelation. John was one of the four apostles on the Mount of Olives when the question was asked the Savior, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?’And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.The above is unique because we have the appearance of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost at the same time. Christ, of course, is in the flesh, being baptized. The Holy Ghost descends from heaven like a dove and lights upon him. That does not mean that the Holy Ghost took the form of a dove. That means that the Holy Ghost descended from heaven like a dove descending from the sky and lighting upon a person. From that point on Christ has the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost dwells in his heart. And then we hear a voice from heaven from the Father saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’  This launches Christ’s ministry. He immediately goes into the wilderness to be attended by angels and taught by the Father during an extended fast. In the wilderness he is also visited by Satan who tempts him to turn his back on the Father and follow him. Having prepared himself by fasting and praying in the wilderness for an extended period of time, he begins his ministry with what many call the greatest sermon ever given: ‘The Sermon on the Mount.’ In the following excerpts from the sermon, we learn some of the attributes necessary to inherit the kingdom of heaven.1.     Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.2.     Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.3.     Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.To be poor in spirit doesn’t mean to be depressed. It means to be humble. To be persecuted for righteousness sake means to endure to the end. As clearly taught by Paul we are saved by grace, but Christ makes it clear that grace, though free, is not unconditional. He spent his entire ministry outlining the conditions of grace. For example,Let your alight so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.He is speaking of the light of Christ which is manifested through works. Christ is the model. It is his works that we should imitate, making us ambassadors for Christ. Christ is asking us to be like him. Everything Christ did, he did in obedience to the Father.