Nobility

What a great day to be in the house of God. We come today and celebrate our mothers. Though here we celebrate our parents. Last week was a celebration of children. I did not know about children’s day until after service. I love celebrating family and families in church. After all , we are family.

Today, after service, please take the time to tell your parents that they are awesome. Also, look around the church. There will be other parents whose families may not be able to make it today. Tell them that they are awesome too. Because those parents love you as well.

So far we have talked about our vision and Culture. Last week we started looking into our identity. Our identity is seen in our core values of Kindness, Nobility, Love, Community, Engagement and Mission.

As for our lesson today, it kind of goes along with this idea of Parents day. We are going to talk about our heritage with our Father in Heaven. God has adopted us as His children. We are children of God. More than that, God is King over heaven and Earth. His is King of Kings.

In Jeremiah 10:10 says of God.

Jeremiah 10:10 ESV

But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

This means that, God is the True God. God is alive. God is King. He has power over all lands and nations.

The Prophet Isaiah speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven. He says,

English Standard Version Chapter 33

20  Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts!

Your eyes will see Jerusalem,

an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent,

whose stakes will never be plucked up,

nor will any of its cords be broken.

21  But there the LORD in majesty will be for us

a place of broad rivers and streams,

where no galley with oars can go,

nor majestic ship can pass.

22  For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver;

the LORD is our king; he will save us.

When we take Jeremiah’s and Isaiah’s testimony of God, we find that God is King of Heaven and Earth. He makes the laws. He passes Judgment. He controls the Earth. God is all powerful. He is our King.

If God is King and Jesus is the Son of God, that makes Jesus a Prince. However, as we will read in a minute, we are called Children of God. When we believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are adopted into the family of God.

Do you know what they call an adopted child of the King? British law extends the same rights to adopted children as they do to children born naturally. They are adopted into Nobility. They become Princess and Princesses. Dukes and Duchesses. They can never become King, but they are members of Nobility.

That means as children of God we are Nobility. Guys, that means that you are a prince and that the girls in this room are princesses. So we need to act and treat each other as prince and princesses because we are of Nobility.

That is our Key characteristic this week. Nobility. I want us to consider what it means to act in Nobility.

1 John 3:1–3 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

I love the way John begins this. See how the Father loves us. I want to take a second and think about our Moms and Dad. Think about how they love us. How much they love us. But consider this, they did not necessarily choose you, but God blessed them with you. As much as I love my kids, I did not choose them, but God did bless me with them. I love them because they are a blessing… usually.

The thing about adoption is that the parents chooses the child. When God adopted you, He chose you. As a child of God, he chose you. He looked at you and all the bad things that you have done and will do, and Chose to adopt you through salvation. It is an incredible act of love on the part of God to choose us for adoption into His Family. The only thing we did for this adoption is to put our faith in Him..

Nobility comes with a price that is rules. You see, members of Nobility must be held to the highest of standards. Why? Because everyone looks and judges the Nobles. As Children of God and Nobility in the Kingdom of God, people are looking and judging us as Christians. That doesn’t seem fair. But that is an accepted reality of our position.

England has probably the most visual royal family and noble class in the world. Yet they have rules they have to follow, especially those that are children and Grandchildren of the Queen.

Here are just a few that they have to follow in England.

When the Queen stands, you stand.

No one can eat after the Queen has finished her meal.

PDA is looked down upon, especially while traveling. The royal family even refrain from holding hands.

The family can't have political views.

Monopoly is a forbidden board game amongst the family

The family can't eat shellfish.

The royal family must adhere to a strict dress code.

A clean-cut, put-together image is key.

The family is expected to learn multiple languages.

Even the children are expected to be graceful.

As soon as children are born into the royal family, they're immediately groomed to both wave and speak gracefully.

Prince Philip is required to walk behind the Queen.

Women must carry a purse...even if it's empty

What does this have to do with our lesson today? Well, As Believers We are adopted Children of God. We are adopted into Nobility and now have expectations that we need to live up to.

That was a problem for the Israelites in the Old Testament. The prophets chastised the Israelite and Judean nobility for failing to provide the just political and social leadership required of persons in positions of power and authority: justice, integrity, and knowledge of the law (cf. Jer. 5:4–5). The abuse of position and power, or the neglect of the responsibilities inherent therein, elicits terrible divine judgment (Amos 5:10–13; 6:1–7; 8:4–8)

Prophets gave messages from God to people. Their message for the Nobility was telling them they were wrong for not providing leadership. They were to be leaders in Justice, integrity and the Law. Instead they abused their positions.

As Children of God, we are to be leaders to those around us in Justice and Integrity and knowledge of God’s Instructions. We should not attempt to abuse our positions

1 John 3:4–10 (ESV)

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Here we find that as Children of God, we cannot continue to live in sin. God has called us live better. It says that to be sinful is to be lawless which is sin. We need to live by the rules that God gave us. Why? Because in God there is no sin. And if we are to be called Children of God, Nobility of the Kingdom then we are to try our best to live without sin.

It goes on to say that their are two types of people in the world. The righteous and the sinner. This comes from two beings. The Righteous are of God and the Sinner are of the devil. The practice of sin is a connection to the devil.

then it says that no one born of God continues to sin. Why, because God’s seed is in him. Because we are children of God, we cannot continue to live in sin. If we continue to live in sin, are we really from God? Does God abide in us.

I want to be clear though. As children of God, we are called to let God shine through us. We are called to live without sin. Yet we still have this sin nature within us. Even the best of us battle this sin nature on a daily basis. Take the Apostle Paul who says,

Romans 7:15–20 ESV

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

This sin nature still tags along beside us. As such, we still makes mistakes. Does that mean it is okay to continue to sin? No. Our desire is to live a life that is Holy to God. Our desire is to do good things for the kingdom of God. We want to walk by the Spirit at all times. Yet on occasion, we will fail and need to repent of a sin that gets the best of us.

It is this reason that Paul tells the Philippians,

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

He is saying that you have always tried your best to obey God and to obey his commandments. But we have to always look for the sin that remains in us. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal our sin to us, so that we can repent of our sin and turn away from it. Our salvation calls us to repent and believe.

As we discussed a few weeks ago, to repent means to turn away from. When we are convicted of sin, we must turn away from it. If we are to live as Children of God we must turn away from sin. As Nobility, we are to live a life that allows the seed of God to shine our of you into our world.

As we go into our group time and on to our week, I want to think of a few things.

First its Mothers/Parents day. Think of all the things your Moms and Dads have done for you. They provide for you. They guide you. They love you. Of all the things I hope you go home with today, it is that your parents love you so much.

With Mom and Dad, what can you do to honor them. How can you honor them today? How can you honor them next week? How can you honor them as you grow up? For my kids, I will say that the greatest way to honor me and your mom, is through how you live your life. My children living Godly lives will be my greatest joy. It will have nothing to what my wife and I have done, but what God has done in you. I dare say that this is true for each one of your parents.

Which brings us back to the major point, how do we called to live as Children of God.

First, we need to understand that we are Children of God. God chose each of us as His children. He adopted us into His family. He took us in. He provided us with everything we need. We are His children.

Second, we need to live a life of God’s nobility. That is, a life that is obedient to His laws. Jesus says in John 13, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Are you being obedient to God in your life today.

Lastly, we need to continue to work out our Salvation. We need to understand what salvation means. We need to seek areas where sins still resides. We need to Seek God’s guidance to find sin in us and assist us in the removal of that sin.

After I pray, Dave will come for offering and help us get into our groups.

How do you see the Kingdom of God?

How does God serve as King?

How does it feel to be a child of God?

How do you think that Princes and Princesses should live?

How should Christians live as Children of God?

What is the best thing about your parents?