A Kingdom Vision

Notes
Transcript
2000 years ago there was a man...
Jesus calls us to be his disciples...
When was the last time we counted the cost of being a follower of Jesus?
Matthew 4:12–14 ESV
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
Matthew 4:15–16 ESV
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
Matthew 4:17 ESV
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Later in Matthew we find out more about this kingdom...
Matthew 13:44 ESV
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Luke tells us the cost of discipleship.
Luke 14:25–33 ESV
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Everything. Following Jesus will cost you everything.
Remember that light that had “dawned...”
Jesus said:
John 8:12 ESV
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Later Jesus said:
John 8:31–32 ESV
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
In Jesus’ last conversation with the disciples before his death:
John 14:1–3 ESV
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Turn to the end of the book. I want you to see how it ends:
Revelation 22:1–5 ESV
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Remember the light that “dawned?” Jesus said he was that light. That light expanded and filled the earth.
Are these words a mere story book to you?
Or are they the living words of the living God?
Because here’s the problem I’m seeing in my own life and I want to know if you can relate...
Genesis 3:1–4 ESV
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
This is the oldest trick in the book. Literally.
Satan wants us to question, and then doubt, and eventually reject the word of God.
A weak defense starts by not knowing what God actually said.
When Satan comes against God’s word with a lie, who are you going to believe??
Jesus said:
Mark 8:34–38 ESV
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
King Jesus has established his kingdom and he’s inviting me to be a part of it...
King Jesus already delivered the decisive blow to the enemy on the cross and in his resurrection.
King Jesus is working in the background of everything, driving redemption forward

What would radical submission to Jesus look like in your life?

What are you holding back that you still have left to put on the table?

I want to live for Jesus more, but I feel like I can’t or I don’t know how...
If you can do anything...
If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.
I believe, help my unbelief
5 Practical Ways to Submit to Jesus

1. Stop sinning

Not for justification, because you are believing lies
“For freedom, Christ has set you free”

2. Read your Bible

Study your Bible
Hear the Bible taught
Meditate on what it says
Apply it to your life
Teach it to others

3. Devote time to prayer

Not just as you are going… which is good.
Devotion
Resources:
Lord’s Prayer Sermon Series
Tim Keller Book on Prayer
ACTS

4. Unplug

Social media
TV
Negative social groups

5. Plug in

Community
Remember, you ARE the church (Abide)
Acts 4:11–12 ESV
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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