Kingdom Thinking

Intro:

Good Evening. We are continuing our series A Biblical Perspective During Trying Times. I want to talk tonight about Kingdom Thinking. For as long as I can remember I was taught that I have rights. I think for most of us we were brought up knowing we had rights. We’re Americans and we have rights like free speech, a right to own a gun, a right to vote, a right to religion and so on. While the Constitution promises us these rights, we may be missing something.

When I was young I said things like thats mine or thats not fair. Last week we discussed fair. We don’t live in a world that is fair, neither would we want to live in a world that is fair. You might say what do you mean, I want to live in a world that is fair. If we lived in a world that was fair we would reap consequences every time we violated the law. Someone wiser than I once said be careful what you wish for. I am certain most people could not handle living in a fair world.

Let’s take a trip back in time. Abraham Lincoln is president of the United States. The Louisiana Purchase just happened. Lewis and Clark are charged with the task of discovering the Missouri River. You see Lewis and Clark are experts in locating and navigating rivers. So they take a team and some canoes and set out to complete the task of finding the Missouri River. These men in their lives leading up to this point have known hardships and difficulties, but they have stayed the course and kept on going even when things seemed impossible or when nobody believed in them.

Tonight I want to challenge each of us to stay the course. Whether you have just begun a relationship with Jesus or you have followed Jesus for decades, we are all charged with maturing as believers and to stay the course in our relationship with Jesus no matter the situation or difficulty we face.

Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 6:33.

As you are turning there let’s continue our history lesson. Lewis and Clark have been searching for the Missouri River and have encountered set backs and difficulties, but nothing that they hadn’t encountered before and had overcome. So they pressed on. Then came the day when they found the Missouri River only to encounter something they had never seen before. When they discovered the river they also discovered what we now call the Rocky Mountains. They had never encountered such terrain as this. And they quickly realized something. They realized that you can’t navigate mountains with a canoe. They realized everything that they knew, or were trained to do didn’t prepare them for the journey ahead.

So how is this history lesson relevant to us? For you and I and everyone else, we have encountered something new. Our current situation with the pandemic is something that we have never encountered before. For us we too need to get rid our canoes. Right now things are different. Some our canoes is our right to assemble, while we still have that right, we don’t. Our right to work and provide for our families, that canoe for some us is going to help us during this time. What I am saying is we need to adapt, we need the wisdom of God. Some things we used to rely on, we are unable to rely on now. We need a Biblical Perspective.

Kingdom Thinking

Matthew 6:33 NIV

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

For us we need to seek first God’s Kingdom. Are we United States citizens? Yes. But first we are children of God. I shared last week about some of my personal struggles over this pandemic. Here’s the truth we all will do well to recognize that we are children of God first. And yes we have constitutional rights, but what God says trumps our constitutional rights. I am challenging each of us tonight to settle it in our hearts to have Kingdom thinking. We do that by seeking the Kingdom of God first.

1. Who You Were Created To Be

If we are to seek His Kingdom first we absolutely have to recognize who we are. God’s word tells us we are children of God. It tells us we were bought with a price. Meaning we have value. Yes you have value. You have so much value Jesus died for you. God’s Word tells us we are royalty and that we are citizens of heaven.

So what does that mean? It means for you and I we would do well to abandon or entitled constitutional rights.

2. Exchange Our Rights

There is freedom of letting go of our constitutional rights and embracing God’s Word. Turn with me to Hebrews 13:17. You see even though this pandemic surprised most of us, it did not surprise God. God has given us guidance and wisdom in His Word.

Hebrews 13:17 NIV

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

We can find freedom and promise in this verse. This verse can help us to have Kingdom thinking. The ESV says to Obey your leaders and submit to them. The freedom is this: as we obey the accountability transfers to our leaders. The promise is: we benefit by obeying. If we obey in a way that gives our leaders joy we benefit. Also if we are obeying leaders that do not know Jesus, there is possible kingdom benefit, that leader giving the heart to Jesus.

See with Kingdom thinking we are able to have a testimony that honors God and brings Him Glory.

1 Peter 2:13–21 NIV

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Kingdom thinking changes our perspective. I understand this is a hard thing, to obey and suffer for doing good, but that's what were called to. Let’s follow the example of Jesus.

3. Love People

Lastly, love people. Encourage people. As followers Jesus complaining shouldn’t have a place in our lives. I’m not saying deny your emotions or put on a fake church smile. I am saying when you are talking with other people don’t focus on the negative. Be a person that speaks life and hope. When we speak life and hope we are loving people. Pray for people. Pray for your leaders, pray for our president and governor. Pray for your neighbor. Pray for missionaries. Pray for business owners, folks that are unemployed. Pray for future generations. As we pray for others we are loving them.

Conclusion

Now is the time to let go of our canoes and embrace Kingdom thinking. We do that by remembering who we are created to be, by exchanging our rights, and loving people. That’s my challenge to you, I understand this may be a difficult challenge, but its doable. Let me leave you with this as we close.

James 1:2–4 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

As you embrace Kingdom thinking and consider it pure joy when facing trials you will become mature and not lack.

Let’s Pray

I love you and I can’t wait until we can have church in our building again. God Bless you and have a goodnight.