Thy Kingdom Come – A People of Care

Introduction

Good morning!

[introduce myself]

For those of you tuning in from home, we are glad you are with us. We certainly look forward to being in person together again, but we are praying for you that the Lord would guard you and give you strength to persevere through less than ideal circumstances. We are glad you have decided to stay connected to the body in this way this morning.

[announcements]

[pray here if Chris hasn’t]

What if the Kingdom of God was fully manifest right here in Middle Georgia? What if it just dropped down right now, like Thor descending out of nowhere, right here? What would it look like? What would change?

That’s the question we have been asking in our series, Thy Kingdom Come.

A. Context: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation

The world was created as a place of complete flourishing and harmony under the rule of God. (Gen. 1-2) Adam was the representative of the human race, the little k king. And he was charged with being the representative of God the Great King to all the earth.

But sin – i.e. resistance to God’s authority by humanity – led to the unraveling of creation. (Gen 3) Relationships with God, other races and classes, individuals and physical nature itself disintegrate where God is not acknowledged as the Great King.

Yet, God reveals that redemption will come in the king better than Adam, the better human representative, the God-man Jesus.

Ultimately that redemption entails the complete healing of creation, including social justice, the reunification of all humanity and the end of physical decay and death (Is 11:1-10).

And Jesus initiated this with His life, death, and resurrection 2000 years ago. It has been inaugurated and continues today. This is what we mean by Kingdom of God. And anyone can get in on this who is willing!

B. Church represents Christ

While we do not believe that we will see the Kingdom in its fulness until Jesus returns, we do believe that, as we follow our King Jesus, those of us who have experienced the new birth into this kingdom should serve as the Kingdom present.

C. Transition

This morning we want to dig deeper down into something we began to see last week when looking at the love of the Good Samaritan, namely, that kingdom people are a people of care.

We’ll begin working with this idea: In God’s Kingdom, we care for one another, continuing the ministry of Christ.

Let’s pray and then we’ll read the Scripture.

Pray

· Bless You Lord, our Great King and Shepherd.

· We look to you this morning to help us hear and see what is in Your Word, and to exalt Christ in our hearts.

· Guide us this morning. Shape us into the image of Christ we pray.

I. What is Care in the Church?

The Scripture covers so much on this topic of care among the people of God.

I want to approach this with 3 threads. We are going to pull on each of those 3 threads so we can trace this topic through Scripture, and develop a pretty deep and broad picture of how God has addressed the topic of care in the kingdom.

I’ll call the first thread Citizens & Family. Includes ideas like Missionaries / Ambassadors of the King, Neighbors in the Kingdom… these ideas that hang together under the umbrella of community and bringing others into that community.

A. Care as Citizens & Family

[Also Neighbors / Family / Ambassadors of the King ]

Look at what these ambassadors of the king, these good neighbors do. When their lives are judged on the last day, their works in caring for others are evident:

1) Citizens

Matthew 25:31–46

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Then in vv.41-44 he says the opposite to the others. They ask him when they had the chance to show him care.

45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So, this is obviously important! People at the judgement coming on the last day can be separated into those with eternal life and those without based on how they have cared for others.

Caring for others, the least of these even, is evidence of that we have been made citizens of God’s kingdom through real faith.

Don’t get it backwards. Faith in Christ, believing the gospel that was accomplished for you, leads to works!

Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoners… doing all of this cannot balance out the scales when on the other side is a heart that is separated from God. But, the heart that is transformed by the gospel will be part of doing these things!

Well then, we better pay attention to what all that means and do it well!

Luke 14:13–14 (ESV)

13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Church, what if the world saw us caring for the hungry, strangers, needy, the outcasts and prisoners? Would they not want to know the reason for what we are doing, giving us an opportunity to share with them what Jesus has done for us?

2) Missionaries / ambassadors

And it is broad in scope! Paul understood his whole ministry as an apostle of Christ to be one of caring for and serving the body of Christ. We don’t have time to read it, but perhaps your MC leaders may choose to explore that with you.

Jesus notices our works and service… Revelation 2:19

19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

He hears our ministry of prayerful intercession for the missionary work – Paul and his fellow missionaries were helped by God and delivered from danger. They were helped by the prayers of the Corinthians. 2 Corinthians 1:10–11

3) And in family settings:

We see care in the church when we act as family towards one another, particularly those who are outcasts and marginalized.

James 1:27 - 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

We can see the church providing financial aid to widows In Acts 6:1. Now, it wasn’t going very well yet, but they worked to correct the distribution to the Hellenist widows by having people appointed who could oversee that ministry.

And in 1 Tim 5:8-10, 16 we see further how this is implemented, with the expectation that, if they exist, relatives will care for the widow. And there are expectations that the widow will have served the saints and cared for the afflicted in her lifetime.

Let’s follow the thread of shepherds caring for a flock…

B. Care as Shepherds

1) Pastoral care if you will.

John 10:4 (ESV)

4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

Jesus went on to teach that He is the Good Shepherd

Look at what Jesus says to Peter after Peter had denied Jesus 3 times, after Jesus’ death on the cross, and after His resurrection:

John 21:16 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

1 Peter 4:8–9 (ESV)

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Not only Peter, but the other apostles and pastors of the church followed this same direction, tending the sheep, setting an example for the rest of the church to follow as well.

Sometimes that shepherd has to fight off wolves who would devour the flock: Acts 18:27–28

27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

In a long passage (Acts 20:18–35) to the elders of Ephesus, we see Paul’s parting words as he left. In there is reminds them of the example he set for them to follow as shepherds declaring the truth of repentance and faith, and defending the flock from the wolves of false teachers.

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Hebrews 13:17

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

And not just elders shepherd; we all play a role in shepherding one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

2) Physical protection

We see care in physical protection - Moses protected his fellow Hebrew from the Egyptian who was beating him in Exodus 2:11–14 (also spoken of in Acts 7:24).

C. Care as Gardeners

John 15:1–2, 8

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

What kind of fruit are you looking for Lord?

He goes on there to speak of obeying his commands and being full of the joy of Christ. Which sounds a lot like…

Think also of the expression “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22–23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Then, in Phil. 1:19,22 again we have overlap between these threads, serving in community and the gardening thread. Paul’s fruitful labor would come about by the help of the prayers of the people.

Philippians 1:19, 22

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

So that is a quick review of Care in the Church!

This is a lot isn’t it? As broad and deep as care is, none of us can say we are doing all of this all of the time.

New City is organized in such a way that these happen best within and out from our MCs

Being with one anotherComforting the grievingHelp for the sick and needyForgiveness for the guiltyDiscipline and forgiveness

So, MCs having a ladies’ night, or a guys’ night, can be ideal for these closer connections and ministry to hearts.

A DNA group or friends having coffee and nurturing one another in the gospel is great for this.

And it is important to notice those that are drifting away. We work to fight the drift, as Patrick noted, especially during this time of social distancing.

We need to be calling one another, having conversations about how we are spiritually. Expecting for one another that the drift is happening even when we are unaware.

Those outside will be able to see a difference in us.

What if our co-workers knew that we care about them in a way that the world cannot?

What if we saw every other human in light of being an image-bearer of God?

What if they knew we didn’t see them as our inferiors, but that we could relate to them? We also struggle with the brokenness of the world and our own brokenness?

What if they came broken, searching for wholeness?

What if they came to our MCs because they heard our stories of reaching out and providing for others?

What if they knew our care for them and wanted us to pray for them, and talk about Scripture with them?

I think we would see more of the inbreaking of the kingdom, don’t you?

So…

II. Why the Gaps in Our Care?

Let’s keep pulling these 3 threads

A. Citizenship & Family Issues

Or, ‘We are Weakened by the “Cares” of the World’

Taken to the extreme, this is essentially being a citizen of the wrong kingdom. Or, more moderately, having one foot in the cares and pleasures of the world, and one foot in God’s kingdom.

How does that happen?

Ignorance - Some of us have probably just been ignorant about the call to care for one another. Perhaps you are new to Christianity, just recently becoming a follower of Christ. Praise the Lord for that! But, now you know, now you’ve seen His heart for people, and you are called to put that kind of care into practice as well.

Lazy - A few of us may have been lazy and neglected what we know our Lord calls us to do for others. Repent of allowing yourself to be lulled to sleep by the siren song of self-gratification. Ask the Lord to supply you with life and vigor to fulfill God’s purpose for you within the Body.

B. Shepherding Issues

We Misplace God’s Priorities.

We can think of this as a sheep wandering off on his own path, rather than following the shepherd.

Can be because of social media’s deception of a false connectedness. We don’t have depth, only breadth to our relationships.

Or, if we do have real relationships, we neglect to see them in light of the gospel. We end up providing the world’s counsel when only Jesus’s love and care will do.

[We Neglect our own Need for Care]

Another way this is manifest: if we see that people need care, and neglect to allow ourselves to be cared for! Some of us are there: caring for others, but neglecting our own health (spiritual and otherwise). We are running the danger of breaking down.

Illustrations with aircraft needing maintenance in order to continue operation. Neglect a $5 amount of oil, and a $30M helicopter can be lost along with the much more valuable lives onboard.

When we neglect our care, we do this.

Wake up church! Let us live like Jesus lived, and persevere in doing good! And let us point people to Jesus as we love with His love!

Ah, perhaps that’s the heart of the problem. How do we care for people if we haven’t first been loved and cared for? We too need care, don’t we?

C. Root to Fruit Issues

We can think of this as not being where God the Father prunes us so that we can be truly fruitful.

If you read the CBR passage yesterday, you saw in Psalm 80 that Israel was described as the vine taken out of Egypt by God, that grew deep roots strong and spread far. The kingdom was spreading, and more people were coming under God’s care. But, through the neglect of caring for the roots and branches of the vine, they forgot who God was and what He had done for them. In the end they were plundered by the surrounding countries.

Similar things happen today, do they not?

Notice that Galatians 5, in listing the fruits, notes that they are fruit of the SPIRIT.

In summary, whatever the particular issues are…

D. We Need the Gospel to Penetrate our Hearts More Deeply

We too are In-Process

We never outgrow our need for the gospel, do we?

The gospel is not just what we believe to gain entrance into the kingdom. The gospel is more comprehensive than that. Faith in Christ is the way we walk out this new life we have in Christ.

So, we must return to the gospel again and again in order to be the family, missionaries, servants, citizens, and ambassadors of King Jesus.

III. Resolving the Gaps

How will we go about closing the gap between what we are called to in showing care, and where we are in our ability?

One pastor has said that at the root of all of our sin is an absence of joy in Christ Jesus. I think that is helpful when we are seeking to close the gap here.

If we can find joy in having Jesus for our Servant-King, we will be better representatives of the kingdom to others. When we rejoice in the love we’ve experienced in the family, we overflow with that love for others.

I know that when I am being ministered to by the Spirit, it is more on my mind to minister to others out of the abundance of service I have received.

When I’m experiencing the love of Christ through His Word and the church, I am better postured to love my brothers and sisters in the church.

And when I rejoice about the grace of God given to me, the better I’m able to extend grace and meet the needs of people around me.

Big Idea: In God’s Kingdom, we care for one another out of the abundance of joy in the care we have received from Christ.

So, this is to say that it is by faith that we represent our king, carry out His mission, follow our shepherd, care for His sheep, and bear much fruit as we abide in the vine and accept His pruning.

A. See Jesus – The Humble Servant-King

Matthew 20:26–28

26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Ephesians 5:28–30 tells us Jesus nourishes and cherishes (or cares for) the church, and that sets the standard for husbands loving their wives.

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes [cares for] it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.

In the passage we had to skip from 1 Timothy 1:13–14, Paul gives the reason he was able to serve and minister. He says, “I received mercy… and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

So get this: he’s transformed and empowered by seeing mercy and grace, receiving it together with faith and love from Jesus.

And what wisdom and humility to understand we are needy, and can easily identify with the needy!

What if those observing NCC M’ville knew we didn’t see them as our inferiors, but that we could relate to them - we also struggle with the brokenness in the world and in ourselves?

And 1 Peter 4:8–11 tells us we can rejoice in the promise that God supplies us with strength in our serving and caring for others.

B. See Jesus – Draw Near to the Shepherd

John 10:10–16

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Having the right perspective on ourselves as sheep enables us to point others to the grace we’ve found.

Hebrews 13:5-6 The Lord says “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

Philippians 4:18–20 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Ps 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

C. See Jesus – Abide in the Vine

John 15:3–5 (ESV)

3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

How can we care for others and bear fruit if we don’t abide in Jesus, staying closely connected to Him? We cannot.

But, believing the gospel, with His Spirit in us, and our walk is in step with Him, we are obeying the commands of our Shepherd and Servant-King, we will abide in the Vine.

Conclusion

Big Idea: In God’s Kingdom, we care for one another out of the abundance of joy in the care we have received from Christ.

For those of you who are not following Jesus:

· I hope you get a glimpse of what King Jesus is bringing about in this world out of His love for humanity.

· I also hope you want to get in on this!

· I urge you, believe the good news we have talked about, that Jesus lived the life God required of humanity, died a death in the place of sinful humanity, and was raised on the third day as the victorious king conquering sin, death, and Satan. He ascended to heaven after some days and appearing to more than 500 people.

· See your sin in light of the holy requirements of God, repent, and believe the good news.

· Talk to a follower of Jesus, contact us. We’d love to come alongside you in your journey.

Followers of Jesus:

· Same for you. You need to believe the gospel more deeply.

· Repent and believe

[Quote:]

So, Christian, does the gospel animate your life, making you a person deeply concerned for and carefully aware of those around you?[1]

Let us be deeply involved in the lives of others, living alongside one another, knowing one another, and being known.

I want to commend some of you, and encourage those who are caring well:

· Our volunteers are taking part in caring

o MC leaders, knowing your people. Be known also!

o Connect Team, welcoming the family and strangers. Continue getting out of your comfort zone to hear the story of one another.

o Prayer Team, making yourself available after the service to pray for needs and show the love of Christ.

o Children’s Volunteers, giving of your time and talents to point the kids to Jesus and pray for them.

o Musicians, helping us sing of the beautiful truth and joy of the gospel!

· When showing how God cares, this can be an opportunity to show how that helps us fight anxiety. Matt. 6:28-30, God is so abundant in how much he cares for us so, that it overflows into the grass and flowers which only live a little while. Compared to the flowers of the field you are a much higher priority for God, because you will live forever, and can thus bring him eternal praise. Nevertheless, God has such an overflow of creative energy and care, he lavishes it on flowers that last only a matter of days. So he will certainly take that same energy and creative skill and use it to care for his children who will live forever.[2]

So, what if…

What if we saw every other human in light of being an image-bearer of God?

What if people knew that we care about them in a way that the world cannot?

What if they knew we didn’t see them as our inferiors, but that we could relate to them? We also struggle with the brokenness of the world and our own brokenness?

What if they came broken, searching for wholeness?

What if they came to our MCs because they heard our stories of reaching out and providing for others?

What if they knew our care for them and wanted us to pray for them, and talk about Scripture with them?

What if the kingdom of God dropped down in full right now? Would God find us to be a people caring for one another?

Let’s pray.

[1] Ray Van Neste, “Pastoral Pensées: The Care of Souls: The Heart of the Reformation,” Themelios 39, no. 1 (2014): 63.

[2] John Piper, Future Grace (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1995), 58.