Core 52 Week 7- Kingdom of God
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“Making All Things New: A Journey Into A New World”
Intro:
Intro:
• King of Rock N Roll, King of Pop, Queen of Soul, Nascar “The King”, King of Country, Sultain of Swat, “King James,” Sausage King of Chicago (jk).
• In the 21st C, we have more “influencers” on IG, YT, etc. They have become our cultural royalty.
• Always looking for someone to follow, to set the tone or give us the direction to go.
• Also true of ancient Israel. In their case, theocratic rule, human representation. Not so much that way for us with a republic but still desired for social stability.
• Israel recognized that they were not thriving. Too much chaos.
Judges 21:25
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
• Their answer is to defy God as their rightful ruler and try to emulate the cultures around them.
God’s original plan was that He would be the only King of Israel…
22 (For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us);
But…the people wanted an earthly king.
5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
Samuel was the prophet who tried to talk them out of their thoughts of an earthly king.
19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.”
15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
But…they wanted to see their protector rather than trust an invisible God!
7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
• Samuel sent out to find a king.
Saul was their first king…
• The first king fit the “ideal” that the people wanted.
The People’s King
The People’s King
• Saul seemed ideal. He had the resume.
1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
• Problems with choosing this kind of king:
• He spent too much time worrying about popular opinion.
11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night.
Although he had the outward appearance of a king…tall, strong, attractive, and from a wealthy family…he lacked the inward character.
8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering.
People’s opinions were more important to him than God’s command. Saul promoted himself through manipulation rather than resting on God’s approval.
• Result:
14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
• Manipulative.
2 Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
• Reality
13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
• Result:
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”
People’s opinions were more important to him than God’s command. Saul promoted himself through manipulation & rebellion agains God rather than resting and waiting upon God’s approval. God sent Samuel to anoint a new king!
• So who would God choose to be king?
• So who would God choose to be king?
The Lord’s King
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
• Getting ready to make the same mistake in choosing.
God appointed David to be the model leader of Israel…
1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
• Jesse’s sons are brought to Samuel. He uses the same template as in picking Saul.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
• What did God see?
• What did God see?
• God rejects all of Jesse’s sons until the youngest, David.
David’s goal was God’s fame, not his own. David sought God’s heart. Although David was flawed, God used him as the model who would point to Jesus as the King!
o Obedience
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
o Dependence
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
o Repentance
11 For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
• A man after God’s own heart isn’t perfect. That simply isn’t possible!
• A man after God’s own heart won’t necessarily avoid significant and grievous sins that may massively impact future generations.
• A man after God’s own heart is one who seeks to actively live in obedience to God while being captivated by the beauty, sufficiency, and necessity of God and is one who responds properly when confronted with his sin.
• It is this that distinguishes David from Saul and David from most other people.
• While not perfect, David knew where his hope was:
6 Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me;
Let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel.
• He was a man who sought to live his life in obedience to the Lord.
• He also sought to be fully dependent upon the Lord even as he faithfully waited for years for God to fulfill His promise to him to be king (1 Sam 24:4-7).
• Additionally, David responded with humility and true repentance by agreeing with God when his sin was made evident to him. That is a man after God’s own heart.
• In what ways are you not responding as David did as you seek to be a man or a woman after God’s own heart?
DAVID WAS A FORESHADOWING OF WHO WAS TO COME, THE KING OF GOD’S KINGDOM- JESUS CHRIST!!
God’s Kingdom on earth…
God’s Kingdom on earth…
Jesus taught us to pray that God’s Kingdom would be on earth as it is in heaven.
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
We bring God’s Kingdom to earth by allowing His Spirit to reign in us.
21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
A.W. Tozer in “That Incredible Christian” gives the Seven Marks of the Spiritual Man:
1) A desire to be holy rather than happy.
2) A desire to honor God through whatever it takes.
3) A desire to carry his cross by being committed to
His Lordship and obedient to His commands.
4) A desire to see life from God’s point of view.
5) They would rather die right than live wrong.
6) A desire to see others advance, even at his own
expense, and a servant to all.
7) A desire to make decisions based on eternity.
All earth is awaiting His Kingdom coming!
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Throughout all of history, all mankind has awaited the coming King who would reign for eternity!
18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
Selah
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
The Kingdom of God is coming but is also, here!
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.