Top 10 Rules For Kingdom Living

INTRO:Between My sermon on Holy living and this one today, you should know how to live a victorious and blessed life

Luke 6:27–38 ““But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

PRAY!

10. Love & Do Good

The word he uses for love is agape, which is love that sacrifices for the good of others.

Warren W. Wiersbe

Romans 12:20 “Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

9. Bless & Be A Blessing

Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

1 Peter 3:9 “not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

8. Pray For Those Who Hurt You

Christ is saying that the believer is not to strike back, not to retaliate.

The 2 Greatest Examples of this are recorded in in the NT: Jesus and Stephen.

Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Acts 7:60 “Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

7. Be A Giver

You can’t out give God!

Acts 20:35 “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

6. “The Golden Rule.” Do Unto Others..

We will nail this if we remember and put into practice Matt 22:37-40.

Matthew 22:37–40 “Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

5. Be Merciful

Mercy is compassion in action.

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Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.”

Luke 6:36 “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;”

4. “ Judge Not.”

this tricky, because we are still called to be “Fruit Inspectors.”

Matthew 7:17 “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

Is it Ever Appropriate to Judge?

While the Bible denounces faultfinding, it applauds fruit inspecting (Matthew 7:15-20). “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:17). If a person has a pattern of wrong or hurtful behavior, that information helps us make sound decisions.  “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them” (Ephesians 5:11, NLT)

While we are to “judge not” as in belittle, punish, or condemn, we are to use sound judgment as in be discerning, evaluating, and shrewd.

Matthew 7:1–5 ““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

3. Forgiveness Is Mandatory

The Greek word is aphiēmi, and it signifies to send away, to set free, or to let alone. Forgiveness is more than a feeling; it is an action taken by the one wronged to release the wrongdoer. It is a setting aside of the desire to punish or receive retribution.

Matthew 18:21–22 “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Mark 11:25–26 ““And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

2. With the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you

2 Corinthians 9:6 “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Remember, You Are Jesus’s Representative On Earth

The reward that the believer will receive in Heaven is both eternal life and an inheritance for having obeyed Christ and having served sacrificially while on earth.

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us

Ephesians 4:1–3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Call Up Worship!!!

IN CLOSING:

PRAY!