The thought I want to address is, ‘A place reserved for you in the Kingdom of God.’ If I were to take a text, I would use John 4:14 as a launching pad, which says, “But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” This is inspired by a note that I found in my dad’s sermons with many of these scriptures jotted down on it. He was such a wonderful preacher, which was an inspiration to me.
One fond memory that I have of my father is that he was always welcoming to anyone and everyone, no matter their status in life. He made everyone feel important and they always had a place at his table or in his home and treated them like family. A one word description I would use for my dad is ‘Christlike.’ Psalm 23:5, tells us how God views southern hospitality, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” In John 21:10-13 we see that Jesus already had food prepared for His disciples when they came in from an exhausting day of work, “Jesus saith unto them, bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.”
There are many things that the scriptures speak of regarding our place in the Kingdom of God. There is no way to cover them all, but by reading the Bible in its entirety, which I highly recommend. However, let us delve into this Bible study and look at a few to begin the discussion.
Firstly, Eternal Life: John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
Secondly, Salvation: John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Thirdly, The Secret of Knowledge: John 7:17, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”
Fourthly, Satisfaction and Contentment: John 7:37, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
Fifthly, Walking in Light: John 11:9, “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world.”
Sixthly, Honor: John 12:26, “If any man serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serves me, him will my Father honor.”
Nevertheless, there is a seventh one that should be noted. Though people might view it as a negative and maybe not worth mentioning, it is of utmost importance. It will keep us pursuing after the first six, eternal life, salvation, knowledge, satisfaction, contentment, and light. It is Judgement. We can read about this in John 12:47-48, “And if any man hears my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receives not my words, hath one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
We will all be judged based on how we have treated the truth of Jesus Christ and His word. Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33 give the account of where Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” This is not unfair or inequitable, because everything we need to know and all the answers, we need in life can all be found in the word of God. It is the final authority and bears witness of the true and living God. John 5:39 says, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
Now let us look at what the word says about Jesus’ place in the Kingdom. He was revealed to us as God in the Old Testament and subsequently at the appointed time, He was manifested in the flesh in the New Testament. His place was already reserved, for the purpose of redemption.
We see in Exodus 3:14 where the God of the Old Testament told Moses what to say to Pharoah regarding who had sent him, “And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.” God spoke of himself in the present tense because he was from everlasting to everlasting.Then in the New Testament Jesus stated in John 8:58, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” The insights that John recorded were not coincidences or happenstances written down to make a delightful story, but revelations he received from God regarding the fulfillment of prophesies happening in front of his very eyes. The unveiling of the living God in their midst. Yes, miracles were taking place as well, which are recorded throughout Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s writings, but John got a deeper glance into who Jesus really was. He saw farther than just his status as the ‘carpenter’s son,’ or the ‘miracle worker,’ or a ‘good teacher,’ or a ‘prophet,’ and shared these golden nuggets of revelation with us. Let us investigate the correlations and manifestations that God has revealed to us through John.
The I AM as Messiah is seen in John 4:25-26, “The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”
The I AM as The Bread of Life, is seen in John 6:35, “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” And John 6:51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
The I AM as being From Above, is seen in John 8:23, “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.”
The I AM as The Eternal One, is seen in John 8:58, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
The I AM as the Light of the World, is seen in John 9:5, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
The I AM as The Door, is seen in John 10:7-9, “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
The I AM as The Good Shepherd is seen in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
The I AM as The Son of God, is seen in John 10:36, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”
The I AM as The Resurrection and the Life, is seen in John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
The I AM as Lord and Master, is seen in John 13:13, “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.”
The I AM as the Way, the Truth and the Life is seen in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The I AM as the Father is seen in John 14:1, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”
The I AM as The True Vine, is seen in John 15:1, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”
The I Am as The Alpha and Omega and much more, is seen in Revelation 1:8, penned by John, Revelation 1:8, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
Besides the treasures that John shared, there are multiple books in the Old and the New Testament give reference to God stating, “I AM…” which solidifies what John was seeing, that Jesus was not another, but the same God, revealing himself differently, for a different purpose. The Jews were not surprised by the words of Jesus when He used this phrase. They knew exactly what he meant every time he referred to himself as, “I AM….” Those two small words laid claim to infinity, creation, omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, that which was and is and is to come.
Let us give a few mentions from what other biblical authors wrote are regarding the ‘I AM.’
Creator – Isaiah 44:24, “Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretched forth the heavens alone; that spread abroad the earth by myself.”
Almighty – Genesis 17:1, “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”
The Lord – Leviticus 18:5, “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.”
God – Psalms 46:9-10, “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” And Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
Strength – Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 51:12, “I, even I, am he that comforts you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.”
Near – Jeremiah 23:23-24, “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”
Immutable – Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
Authority – Ezekiel 12:25, “For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.”
Healer – Exodus 15:26, “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
Safety-Isaiah 43:13, “Yea, before the day was, I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?”
Gracious – Exodus 22:27, “For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.”
Freedom – Exodus 20:2, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
Alive – Revelation 1:18, “I am he that lives, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Savior-Isaiah 43:11, “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Savior.”
Returning – Mark 14:62, “And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
The first seven items regarding our place in the Kingdom that we read about in scripture were just a drop in the bucket. When we continued to read and find out Jesus’ place in the Kingdom, who was the first born, we see that we are His beneficiaries. Romans 8:29 says, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
When I was just a young child, I remember listening to a record, yes, on a record player, by Jim Reeves, who died in 1964. What a phenomenal voice. One of his songs that would be familiar to folks was called, ‘This World is not my Home.’ It has also been sung by Bill Gaither, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, and countless others including innumerable church congregations over the years. The first part says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me, From heaven’s open door. And I can’t feel at home, In this world anymore.” He made an impact upon this world, telling us that we are not of this world! Our place in the Kingdom is already reserved and prepared. The reservations and preparations are set. It is now up to us to claim our place at the table. We are not visitors, we are family.