Kingdom Citizenship

Kid’s Takeaway of the day: Heavenly minded-earthly good

Have you ever tried to memorize something to recite to someone else, like in a test? If you're trying to memorize, what do you do? You go around repeating, or practicing the lines over and over again. Did you know that we are to live here on this earth practicing for the eternal kingdom of heaven? When we practice for heaven, we will do good things on earth as acts of love to Jesus who loved us first

Verses of the day: Matthew 17:27 “27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.””

Main idea of the day: Kingdom Citizens get to make daily decisions to live so heavenly minded that they are earthly good.

Kingdom Citizenship

Introduction:

did you know that about 70 countries in the world allow for dual citizenship? It’s hard to imagine being a duel citizen of two countries that seem to be at odds with each other, doesn’t it? What do you work towards and hope for? You work for the benefit of both, but at some point you might have to make a decision which is the most important if you were asked to join the military of both countries with the intent of fighting against the other. As citizens of the kingdom of Heaven, we are to prioritize the eternal kingdom but live on the earthly kingdom as duel-citizen ambassadors of the heavenly one.

What things in my life are competing values?

Deep thinking/amusement

Movement/rest

Work/Fun

People/Tasks

Stimulation/Peace

Time Alone/Time with people

Saving/Spending

Simplicity/Consumerism

My Spouse/My Kids

Depth of relationship/breadth of relationships

Heaven/Earth

Institutions/Individuals

Bears/Chiefs

Justice/Mercy

Conservative ideas/liberal ideas

Left arm strength/Rigt arm strength

Hamstrings/Quads/Calves

Strength/flexibility

to prioritize one of these things means I will sacrifice the other thing in that moment, in what ways should I live my life so that I prioritize the right things?

You can only spend your resources once.

each decision I make should be prayerfully submitted to God and carefully weighed so that I am focused on the eternal, but not forgetting the temporal because God has placed me on earth for its’ good and His glory. When the decision seems impossible, trust God; He can provide! James 1:

Passage

Matthew 17:22–27 ESV

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed. 24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Things that need to be weighed carefully:

Death/Resurrection

Jesus ministry/Jesus’ Legacy (his disciples’ ministry)

Living for Heaven and living for earth

Temple Tax for sons/citizens

public dialogue/private dialoge

Disciples of Jesus are to be so heavenly minded that they are earthly good. - Paraphrase of Darrel Bock

What competing values do I have in my life?

How do I evaluate my daily decisions with an eternal focus for temporal good?

What makes it hard to live as a duel citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven and earth?