Building the Kingdom

This week is the last sermon in our series called core values.

Living on Mission,

Raising up disciples,

Building the Kingdom.

And as I said last week that our core values will never undermine,

the foundation that we as a church family are built on.

We as a church are build on the Rock, Jesus Christ,

and

everything we do as a church family must flow from the place of being built on the Rock. (Amen!)

A few weeks ago we looked at what it means to live on mission.

Living on Mission means we intentionally and purposefully live out God’s mission.

Living out God’s mission will look different for each one here this morning because each one has different gifts that God has given us.

But everyone of these gifts are meant to serve the family of God.

Last week we talked about Raising up disciple’s.

Raising up disciple’s means we equip and empower believers to walk out their God given calling.

We equip disciples by

teaching the Word of God without compromise,

inspiring people to be in the Bible throughout the week.

and by building relationships with one another, (iron sharpens iron)

Raising up disciple’s does not end at equipping...

but rather when someone is equipped it is for the purpose of sending them out to live out God’s mission.

Equipped disciples,

must be empowered disciples,

to fulfill their God given calling.

Living on mission… (intentionally and purposefully)

Raising up Disciples… (Equipping And Empowering)

Building the Kingdom the Kingdom of God…

The sermon this morning is titled Building the Kingdom

(This conversation takes place at the end of Matthew… After Jesus’ death and resurrection)

Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Missional statement… [authority Father to Jesus] (Jesus did not define them by their failing but defined them by their mission)

Great commission… (Purpose was to build the Kingdom)

Living on Mission and Raising up Disciples needs to point to the central focus of building the Kingdom of God...

Building the Kingdom means we set our sights on the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

Colossians 3:1–4 (NLT)

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Jesus said...

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We as a church family need to seek first the Kingdom of God,

and

set our sights on the realities of heaven.

The more we do this,

the more we see things through the lens of the Kingdom.

Being Kingdom Minded… (Transformed people think differently)

To often church’s become business models and think just like the world.

We as people of the Kingdom of God need to think like people of the Kingdom of God. 2x

As people of the Kingdom our sole focus is on the expansion of God’s Kingdom.

It is important to understand that we are not here in this community to build the kingdom of Rock Creek Church...

We are here to build the Kingdom of God. Amen!

Example (Wayne and Wayne)

We cannot lose sight of the Kingdom of God and have our sights set on our own kingdoms

Church’s need to work hand and hand to further God’s Kingdom not our own kingdoms.

Building the Kingdom means we look out for the interest of the Kingdom of God,

not the interest of the kingdom of man.

(Need Bible Church’s) [Blood bought the church]

When we lose sight of the Kingdom of God,

we began to follow personalities and organizations instead of following Jesus Christ.

I have seen far to many times that people will get caught up following personalities,

that they began to disregard Scripture in order to align with a leader.

When we lose sight of of the Kingdom of God we become loyal to leaders instead of loyal to God.

Watch out for people who value loyalty to them as a person over loyalty to God.

Seeking the Kingdom and setting our sights on the Kingdom,

means that our sole focus is on the growth of the Kingdom of God not the Kingdom of man.

Rock Creek Church needs to always focus on the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

And by doing that God will bless us as a church. (How many know that?)

I find that many church’s get so tide up in growing the brand,

that they get more exited about growing the brand than growing the Kingdom of God.

(Red Cedar Church)… in revival

(World Harvest).. in revival

They thought revival was getting sheep from other churches

Revival is when the Kingdom of God is expanding with power,

as every aspect of society is changed because God Spirit is being poured out on all people.

Revival is when people are more excited to talk about Jesus than church programs.

Revival is when people are being transformed to more Christlike.

The early church is described as turning the world upside down,

because they were bringing Kingdom impact not just growing an organization.

To bring Kingdom impact today,

church’s need to be more concerned about God’s kingdom not their own kingdom.

Church’s need to stop being so focused on their brands,

but rather turn their focus to the Kingdom of God.

I have seen far to many pastors get consumed with their own kingdoms and empires,

that they look much more like the world than the kingdom of God.

I have seen first hand the effects of narcissistic men who lead church’s and look nothing like Jesus.

Men who would lie and manipulate to gain control at the expense of souls.

Once you see people bleeding,

because church leaders only care about their own kingdoms and nothing of the Kingdom of God you cannot unsee it.

Therefore, Rock Creek Church’s sole focus will be on building God’s Kingdom and not the kingdom of man. Amen!

Living on Mission means we intentionally and purposefully live out God’s mission.

(God’s mission not Rock Creeks mission)

Raising up disciple’s means we equip and empower believers to walk out their God given calling.

(Disciples of Jesus not disciples of Rock Creek)

Building the Kingdom means we set our sights on the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

God’s Kingdom not Rock Creeks kingdom

There are souls hanging in the balance.,

we cannot get tied down to the affairs of men,

when we are called to be people of the Kingdom of God.

We need to be Kingdom focused because we are called to seek first the Kingdom of God

We need to be setting our sights on the Kingdom of God and believe for Kingdom growth.

1. Grow Rock Creek Church (Spiritually and Numerically) [The lost drawn in]

2. Grow online reach (50 views each week)

3. Grow in giving (global missions and local missions) 3,500

Matthew 10:42 ESV

42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”