Building God's Kingdom
Notes
Transcript
Isaiah speaking to kings of Judah gave the invitation from the Lord - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:
Mark 12 - Jesus reasoned with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes
God invites us to reason with Him, and I’d like to extend God’s invitation for us together to reason with Him regarding His Kingdom.
God has a kingdom. God’s kingdom is eternal and fruitful.
There are many other kingdoms around us:
Satan has a kingdom:
Eph 2:2
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
This kingdom is full of death and barrenness
Governments have kingdoms around us
Men build kingdoms for themselves:
Mat 6:19
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
There is one kingdom that completes us:
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
God has created us for His kingdom
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
God made each of us:
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.
God redeems and shapes our lives:
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Every born again, child of God has received the goodness of God. All that we have has been given to us as stewards.
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
We are to be good stewards of what God has given us
As stewards of being a recipient of the great grace of God, I have the opportunity to choose where I bestow my labour and investments. What I build indicates what kingdom has my heart.
Jesus implores us in:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Seek - to seek v. — to try to get or reach something one desires.
It speaks of continually, actively, and presently in whatever situation our lives are at to seek:
Approval
Diligently
Favour
Rest
Where am I to seek these things from? God.
GBC - Enfield
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
God’s kingdom is focused upon reaching people with Gospel. For the Gospel is the power of God to salvation.
God’s desire is for us to take the marvelous gifts of grace we have received, and use them to build His kingdom
Young boy - offering was being passed around - felt in his pockets; they were empty - looked and stared at the offering for a moment - the usher motioned for him to keep passing the collection - instead of the boy put the collection on the floor and stepped into it. The usher trying to keep things moving, but a scene began to develop. The pastor stood up - motioned to the usher and asked what was happening - the usher stated the boy is standing on the collection - The boy spoke up, and said, “Pastor, I wanted to give but I have nothing. The only thing I can give is myself.” The pastor looked at the boy, and said, “Young man, you have given what God desires more than any amount of money. You have given yourself.”
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
HANDS of those who would say, God has spoken to my heart this month. I am giving myself to God. I want to pray for and with you.
Families pray together