Not Fit for the Kingdom of God But

Not Fit for the Kingdom of God But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. " (Luke 9: 62) 1

Plowing • What does it take – Costly – Consistency – Hard work • Why Plowman fails – Looking back 2

What does it take to Plow 3

Costly “Mark 10: 17” 17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? ” 18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, ’ ‘Do not murder, ’ ‘Do not steal, ’ ‘Do not bear false witness, ’ ‘Do not defraud, ’ ‘Honor your father and your mother. ’”[c] 20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth. ” 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me. ” 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 4

No Break “Nehemiah 9: 28” • 28 “But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, 5

Hard Work “Proverbs 14: 23” • 23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. 6

Why A Plowman Looking Back ØDivided Affections 7

Matthew 6: 24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. " "Remember Lot's wife. " Luke 17: 32 8

A Plowman Looking Back ØDivided Affections ØSlothfulness 9

Romans 12: 10 -13 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 10

Titus 2: 11 -14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 11

Proverbs 18: 9 He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. 12

A Plowman Looking Back ØDivided Affections ØSlothfulness ØInstability 13

James 1: 5 -8; 4: 8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. . Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 14

1 Corinthians 15: 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Colossians 2: 6 -7 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 15

A Plowman Looking Back Suggests: ØDivided Affections ØSlothfulness ØInstability ØFoolishness 16

Matthew 25: 1 -6 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'" 17

Matthew 25: 7 -11 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. ' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. ' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, open to us!'" 18

Matthew 25: 12 -13 "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you. ' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. " 19

Matthew 7: 13 -14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. " 20

A Plowman Looking Back Suggests: ØDivided Affections ØSlothfulness ØInstability ØFoolishness ØLack of Trust 21

Proverbs 3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Matthew 6: 33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. " 22

Matthew 25: 24 -30 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. ' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. '" 23

Matthew 25: 24 -30 "'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. '" 24

A Plowman Looking Back Suggests: ØDivided Affections ØSlothfulness ØInstability ØFoolishness ØLack of Trust ØAimlessness 25

Philippians 3: 13 -14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 26

2 Peter 1: 5 -9 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge selfcontrol, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 27

A Plowman Looking Back Suggests: ØDivided Affections ØSlothfulness ØInstability ØFoolishness ØLack of Trust ØAimlessness ØFear of the Future 28

Revelation 21: 8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. " 29

Matthew 10: 28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. " Hebrews 13: 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you. " 30