Kingdom of God. Church Politics

Introduction/Scripture

Review:

Matthew 4:12–25 NIV

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

Pray.

These stories might be familiar to you. Maybe they are not. I imagine we have not done a lot of thinking about what is happening here. Think about this for a second. Imagine you are one of these fisherman. You live in Israel/Palestine and you are Jewish. You live in your ancestral homeland but you know you are not really freely living there. There are Roman soldiers everywhere and they have been around for decades. They are militarized and oppressive. Taxes keep going up. We Americans started a revolution over high taxes. You have family, maybe a cousin who keeps going into debt because of these taxes and because of it they have to sell off their homelands to wealthy Romans. And life is hard.

But you are surviving because of this big lake and plenty of fish but with each tax increase it gets more difficult.

Then you hear about this travelling prophet. This man named Jeshua and he is coming to your local. It’s not a very big structure but you want to see him. This man has apparently been teaching and healing all kinds of sickness. Crazy things are happening and so people are flocking to him.

And then he says these radical things…”Repent for the kingdom has come near.”

Now, what you think about Jesus on any given day says a lot about what you think about him overall. Like if I were to ask you what comes to mind right now?

Teacher, prophet… these were labels then. Savior? Someone who died for your forgiveness (a very specific atonement theory, but only one part of the whole view). A friend. A miracle worker. All of these are parts of the whole, but I point them out because I think we operate in them depending on our experience, upbringing, etc.

As a foundation, Jesus is going to say something much more important and radical. There is something always on his lips and in his conversations. You will always see it being displayed. And for some reason modern readers miss this. The gospel of Matthew is about 30 pages and he talks about it over 50 times and displays it more.

“Repent, turn from the way you have lived. Repent for the kingdom of heaven (or kingdom of God) ....these are interchangeable phrases. They mean the same thing. Different gospels describe it with these phrases.

Fundamental reality or presentation is Jesus and the kingdom.

Jesus = Kingdom

Kingdom in the Old Testament

Kingdom…. first mention is Genesis 1:27-28. “Rule”

Genesis 1:27–28 NIV

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

The word rule is similar to english. You would never say you “rule” the business you own. You manage it, oversee it. Rule is the language of kings and queens. The calling was to rule alongside God. To be their imagers.

Genesis 3 is a breaking away of that. So they started creating a different kingdom. It’s a way for the bible to describe why things are so jacked up. Because humanity has rejected the kingdom of God and have created the creating of the world.

So God is going to rescue humanity out of the kingdom of the world and bring them into the kingdom of God. Think Exodus.

The first time God is called a king is in Exodus 15:1-2, 18. This is when God rescues the people out of Egypt out of a messed up king.

Exodus 15:1–2 NIV

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:18 NIV

“The Lord reigns for ever and ever.”

“Yahweh reigns as king for ever and ever.”

Let’s go one more place:

Anticipation of it in Isaiah: Isaiah 52.

Isaiah 52:7 NIV

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Then in the gospels….

Jesus names that he is king. That kingdom is coming. And the first thing he does is…gathers people.

It is the Israel project all over again.

What is the kingdom of God?

Story about God reclaiming his world in Jesus and forming a people who are going to live under the reign of the King.

What does it look like for reign? Teaching, proclaiming, and healing.

Teaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. (sermon on the mount).

Sermon on the mount (chapters 5-7)

1. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13–16)

Believers are the salt of the earth, preserving righteousness.Believers are the light of the world, called to shine before others to glorify God.

3. Fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17–20)

Jesus came to fulfill, not abolish, the Law and the Prophets.Righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees to enter the kingdom of heaven.

4. Teaching on Anger (Matthew 5:21–26)

Reconcile with others before offering gifts at the altar.Anger and insults towards others are subject to judgment.

5. Teaching on Adultery and Lust (Matthew 5:27–30)

Lustful thoughts are equated with adultery in the heart.Radical steps should be taken to avoid sin (e.g., "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out").

6. Teaching on Divorce (Matthew 5:31–32)

Divorce, except in cases of sexual immorality, leads to adultery.

7. Oaths (Matthew 5:33–37)

Do not swear oaths; let your "Yes" be "Yes" and your "No" be "No."

8. Teaching on Retaliation (Matthew 5:38–42)

Do not resist an evil person; turn the other cheek.Go the extra mile for those who ask or force you to do something.

9. Love for Enemies (Matthew 5:43–48)

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

10. Giving to the Needy (Matthew 6:1–4)

Give in secret, without seeking recognition, for God sees what is done in secret.

11. Teaching on Prayer (Matthew 6:5–15)

Pray in private, not for show.The Lord’s Prayer as a model:

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..."Forgive others so that your heavenly Father will forgive you.

12. Teaching on Fasting (Matthew 6:16–18)

Fast in secret, not with outward displays of piety.

13. Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19–24)

Do not store up treasures on earth, but in heaven.No one can serve two masters—God and money.

14. Do Not Worry (Matthew 6:25–34)

Do not worry about your life, food, or clothing.Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided.

15. Do Not Judge (Matthew 7:1–6)

Do not judge others, or you too will be judged.Remove the plank from your own eye before addressing the speck in your brother’s eye.

16. Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7–11)

Ask, and it will be given; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened.

17. The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12)

Do to others what you would have them do to you.

18. The Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13–14)

Enter through the narrow gate, for the wide gate leads to destruction.

19. False Prophets (Matthew 7:15–20)

Beware of false prophets; they are known by their fruit (actions).

20. Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24–27)

The wise build their house on the rock (by hearing and acting on Jesus’ words).The foolish build their house on the sand (by hearing but not acting).

Revealing the Kingdom through his deeds

Chapter 8-9: Revealing the kingdom through his deeds

Matthew 8

Healing of a Leper (Matthew 8:1–4)

A man with leprosy asks Jesus to heal him.Jesus touches the man, and immediately, the leprosy is cleansed.

Healing of the Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5–13)

A Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant.Jesus heals the servant from a distance because of the centurion's great faith.

Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law (Matthew 8:14–15)

Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law from a fever by touching her hand.She immediately gets up and begins serving them.

Healing of Many (Matthew 8:16–17)

Jesus heals many who are demon-possessed and sick by casting out spirits and curing their illnesses.

Calming the Storm (Matthew 8:23–27)

Jesus calms a violent storm while on a boat with His disciples.The winds and waves obey Him, leaving the disciples in awe.

Healing of Two Demon-Possessed Men (Matthew 8:28–34)

Jesus encounters two violent demon-possessed men in the region of Gadarenes.He drives the demons into a herd of pigs, which run off a cliff into the sea and drown.

Matthew 9

Healing of a Paralyzed Man (Matthew 9:1–8)

Jesus forgives the sins of a paralyzed man and then heals him to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins.The man gets up, and the crowd is amazed.

Healing of a Woman with Bleeding (Matthew 9:20–22)

A woman suffering from a bleeding condition for 12 years touches the hem of Jesus' cloak.She is healed instantly because of her faith.

Raising of Jairus’s Daughter (Matthew 9:18–19, 23–26)

Jairus asks Jesus to raise his dead daughter.Jesus takes the girl by the hand, and she gets up, restored to life.

Healing of Two Blind Men (Matthew 9:27–31)

Two blind men follow Jesus, asking for mercy.Jesus heals them according to their faith, restoring their sight.

Healing of a Mute, Demon-Possessed Man (Matthew 9:32–34)

Jesus drives out a demon from a mute man, enabling him to speak.The crowd marvels, but some Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of the prince of demons.

Letters and Papers from Prison

“What is bothering me incessantly is the question, what Christianity really is, or indeed who Christ really is, for us today?” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Who are we to be for Christ today?

Participating in the Kingdom of God:

For the world, not of the world

John 17

NT Wright quote from the book:

“We believe that the Church’s answer to the global crises of our day is, in sum, the kingdom of God. The Church’s message and mission rest on the notion that God is King, God has appointed Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords, and the Church’s vocation is to build for the kingdom! Our working hypothesis is that the kingdom of God is not from this world, but emphatically for this world. The Church’s kingdom-vocation is not only what it says to the world, but it is also what the Church does within and for the sake of the world.” NT Wright and Michael Bird

Trusting Jesus fundamentally

Funeral yesterday. Laura, Al’s daughter, talking about moving from town to town.

Name other loyalties

Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not

quote from firebrand: In the book Kingdom Ethics, the author writes:

“If our primary loyalty is to something other than the One King and his kingdom, then our actions, attitudes, choices, and decisions will be shaped by the values of that other sovereign. “Jesus’ realism, warns us to be aware of our loyalties and vested interests.” - Stassen and Gushee

understand that none of these loyalties can save you and most of them want to take from you.

ex. politics, media,

Order of things: If I get being a citizen of the kingdom right then everything else shifts.

Join the workforce

Closing:

At the end of chapter 9, which I believe is a demonstration of what it means that the kingdom of heaven has come near.

Matthew 9:37 NIV

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

And then he sends them out. It is time we join the workforce.