Revelation 15: 14 ” I looked, an there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one ‘like a son of man’ with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.”

There is coming a great and mighty day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to judge the Nations.  He will swing His sickle, for the harvest is ripe.  The Son of Man will return on the clouds…the reaper prepared for the harvest…the sickle in His hand.

John 18: 36 ” Jesus said, ‘ My Kingdom is not of this world.’ “

This everlasting Kingdom  was setup by God and given to His Son, Christ Jesus.  And as Believers,  this Kingdom  dwells within our hearts.  And in this, comes the rub.  For like this everlasting  Kingdom,  we too are in the world, but not of it.  Our lives here on earth are transitory, but at the same time filled with the repercussions of living in a fallen, broken world.  So what are we to do?  We walk this earth as aliens and foreigners longing for home, but also recognizing we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Our citizenship may not be of this world, but while we’re here… we’re to be about our Father’s business.

Acts 28:31 ” Boldly and without hindrance he preached the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul was under house arrest in Rome and confined for 2 years in a little house under constant guard by the Roman soldiers.  He could have had quite a pity party…but he instead chose to use his situation for good.  Yes, he was confined in one spot…but his spirit was free, for the Kingdom of God was within his heart.  He could have been intimidated by the soldiers, but he chose not to have restrictions and limitations placed on God’s Word that he preached.   Paul’s fearless teaching to all who wandered into that house…including the soldiers listening, was a way of him saying, “What can man do to me?  My physical body may be incarcerated, but my soul is free.”

Matthew 8:20 ” Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. “

Yes, in a sense, Jesus was homeless.  He and the Disciples traveled unhindered by the obligation and responsibilities of traditional homes.  But Jesus pointed out in this scripture… He was to be in the world, but not of it.  And like Jesus, we too are aliens and strangers on this earth. (I Peter 2:11)  We are ever looking forward to our eternal home…our everlasting dwelling place with the Lord  in heaven.

John 15:26 ” When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth Who goes out from the Father, He will testify about Me.”

Right before Jesus left this earth, He designated the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete…another of equal quality in His place.   The Holy Spirit is called a Paraclete because He undertakes Christ’s office here while Christ is away from the world.  Bearing witness to the absolute, ultimate, and saving  truth of Jesus, the Holy Spirit gently nudges us ever in the right direction.

Galatians 3:26-28 ” You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ…There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ.”

We are all one in Christ.  There is not one nationality or people group above another in God’s sight.  We are all one in Christ.  There is no social or economical stigma in God’s family…for we all stand equal in His eyes…from the least to the greatest.  We are all one in Christ.  There are no gender barriers stopping any of us from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose in our lives.  We are all one in Christ Jesus.

I Corinthians 15: 21-22 ” For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

The first Adam sinned, and by his actions all humanity was sentenced to death and eternal separation from God.  The second Adam came to earth to make atonement for that sin.  Jesus Christ was born…walked this earth as any other man…was crucified…died and was buried…but rose three days later…taking the sins of the world upon himself.  The resurrection of Jesus – the second Adam – made a way for all mankind to again have intimate fellowship with their Heavenly Father.

Luke 7: 13 ” When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, ‘Don’t cry.’ “

Jesus and His Disciples were traveling to a town called Nain, when they came upon a funeral procession of the only son of a widow.  Jesus looked on her with compassion, for  she had not only lost her only boy, but also  her sole means of income.  This tenderness towards the woman was prompted  perhaps  by Jesus remembering His own mother and what she soon would be going through.  For Jesus then  spoke  to the corpse , “Get up!” and the young man sat up and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

I Chronicles 29:11 ” Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.”

Lord, You are the King of glory.  We thank and praise You,  for You have founded this world and all that is in it. (Psalm 89:11)  Your strength and might…Your glorious beauty is everlasting and forever.  You are great, and greatly to be praised on heaven and earth…Your splendor and greatness is beyond comprehension.

Matthew 5: 21-22 ” You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

Raca was an Aramaic term of contempt meaning stupid.  But Jesus was more concerned here with the term Moros – You fool – being thrown around.  Moros was actually a more serious reproach than Raca as it conveyed a person being morally worthless… a scorning of the person’s very heart and character.  The Lord was warning of the dangers of character assassination…of killing the very spirit of a person with angry words.