Season 5 Podcast 27 The Stories of the New Testament, The Book of Matthew, “Heaven PT 3.”

Season 5 Podcast 27 The Stories of the New Testament, The Book of Matthew, “Heaven PT 3.”The first principle of the gospel is faith. Heaven is invisible. God is invisible. It requires faith to believe in God and in heaven. Christ condemns those who wish to bypass faith. Science, which excels in revealing temporal laws, has done a miserable job whenever it dabbles in spiritual things. Science refers to the accidental universe. Science dismisses intelligent design. Science dismisses anything that cannot be proven in a lab. Science has removed God from the discussion of the origin of earth and man.  Therefore, Christ dismisses those who seek for a sign.The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.The irony, of course, is that the apostle Paul uses heaven to teach about the kingdoms of God as discussed earlier.  If the Pharisees and Sadducees cannot see the sun, moon, and stars as evidence of God and intelligent design, they aren’t going to believe any other signs from heaven either. They are like the people of Capernaum. More miracles were performed there than in any other city, yet they rejected God. The tremendous irony of the following dilemma is the contrast between the disciples of Jesus and the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted a sign from heaven. The disciples assumed that Jesus was the Christ and thus Lord of heaven and wanted to know who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Reading between the lines, there is more to their question. They are joggling for power. Let me refer you to the time that James and John came to Jesus asking to be able to sit on his right hand and on his left.“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45)The same question appears to be on all the apostle’s minds.At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And he said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.