Entering the Kingdom of Heaven

A Sermon on Matthew 24:14

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Scripture

Matthew 24:14 ESV KJV

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (ESV)

Sermon Description

The chaotic world and the glorious kingdom of Heaven are in juxtaposition. In the world there is constant trouble, discord, rebellion, and estrangement from God. The kingdom of Heaven offers hope, safety and relationship with the Creator. There is no impending destruction in God’s kingdom. There is no fear, or terror, or alarm as in the world. In Matthew 24 the Lord Jesus Christ not only foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, but also the destruction of the world. What should the response be to this terrible judgment? Can it be escaped? How may one enter the kingdom of Heaven? In this sermon on Matthew 24:14 titled “Entering the Kingdom of Heaven,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener of the utter importance of such questions and where the ultimate answer is found. It is found in the gospel. God offers a way to escape the terror. All must repent and be born again. Entering the kingdom of Heaven requires looking at Christ the King. As He is looked to with faith and hope, and a confession of foolishness, sin, and rebellion is made, the Christian finds admission into the kingdom. In an age of crisis and uncertainty, listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones calls the listener to face the future without fear because they have entered God’s kingdom.

Sermon Breakdown

The sermon focuses on Matthew 24:14 which says "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
The world is in a terrible and alarming state. There is no hope for the world and its systems. The world will be destroyed.
However, in the midst of this prophecy of doom, there is a flash of light - the gospel of the kingdom. This refers to the kingdom of God which will never be destroyed. Those who belong to this kingdom will be saved.
The question is how can one enter this kingdom and be saved? To answer this, one must understand the nature and character of this kingdom.
The kingdom of God has laws and rules found in the Ten Commandments and the teachings of the prophets. God's people are to be holy as God is holy.
John the Baptist and Jesus also preached about the kingdom of God. One must repent to enter the kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount shows the character of those in the kingdom. They are poor in spirit, mourn over sin, meek, hunger for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers.
The rich young ruler and the lawyer show that moral living is not enough. One must be born again to enter the kingdom. The disciples must become like children.
Nothing unclean can enter the kingdom. The kingdom belongs to God and conforms to his character.
To enter the kingdom, one needs forgiveness, a new nature, and new strength. One cannot transform themselves.
The only hope is to look to the King of the kingdom, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament points to him. John the Baptist points to him. Jesus himself says the gospel of the kingdom will spread, even though he was about to be crucified. This shows he is the Son of God.
The only way to enter the kingdom is to repent, believe in Jesus, and be clothed in his righteousness. Then one can face the future without fear.

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Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.