All who seek to live with Kingdom-minded purpose will walk with a 6/1 Kingdom cadence, the cycle or rhythm that God modeled for us and blessed us with. It’s living a balanced life, a life with Christ as Lord over every aspect of it seven days a week, with a cadence of “six days of work and one day of rest” (see Exodus 20:9; 34:21; also, Genesis 2:2).
This positions us to live with Kingdom-minded purpose in our homes, where we work, and in every aspect of life! A variety of passages from the Bible help us better understand the Kingdom citizen’s call to walk with such a Kingdom cadence day by day.
It is eye-opening to see how Jesus emphasized walking with a Kingdom cadence in a number of “the Kingdom of God is like” parables in the Bible—such as those found in Matthew 13:1-52, Mark 4:1-34, and Luke 8:4-18; 13:18-21.
Why did Jesus speak in parables? That’s what His disciples asked Him, and you’ll find His answer in Matthew 13:10-17, 34-35. In a nutshell, Jesus said it’s to help people “to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 11).
In the following exercise, prayerfully consider what “spiritual secrets” He reveals about walking with a Kingdom cadence in these parables from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark in particular.
Parable of the Sower
Read and prayerfully consider the Parable of the Sower and its explanation in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23. What characteristic(s) of walking with a Kingdom cadence do you see in this parable (e.g., spreading the word around with the aim of fruitfulness)?
As a Kingdom citizen who seeks to fully live the Kingdom Life, how is Jesus calling you to live in light of this parable?
Reflections:
Parable of the Weeds
Read and prayerfully consider the Parable of the Weeds and its explanation in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. What characteristic(s) of walking with a Kingdom cadence do you see in this parable?
As a Kingdom citizen who seeks to fully live the Kingdom Life, how is Jesus calling you to live in light of this parable?
Reflections:
Several Additional Kingdom Parables
Read and prayerfully consider the fnal four parables recorded in Matthew 13 (vv. 44-52): Parables of the Hidden Treasure, Pearl of Great Value, the Net, and New and Old Treasures. What characteristics of walking with a Kingdom cadence do you see in these parables?
As a Kingdom citizen who seeks to fully live the Kingdom Life, how is Jesus calling you to live in light of these parables?
Reflections:
Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed
Read and prayerfully consider the Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed in Mark 4:26-34. What characteristic(s) of walking with a Kingdom cadence do you see in these parables?
As a Kingdom citizen who seeks to fully live the Kingdom Life, how is Jesus calling you to live in light of these parables?
Reflections:
Conclusion
Take time to reflect on what the Holy Spirit is saying to your spirit about these characteristics of the Kingdom. How might these parables—“spiritual secrets”—help you to walk with a Kingdom cadence and thus better live with Kingdom-minded purpose day by day?
Reflections: