Five Aspects of the Kingdom

The content of this post comes from my notes from the sermon preached at RCC by Pastor Butch on 12/24/06. I would also encourage you to listen to the audio of this sermon, as what I am writing down here can only capture a glimpse of the truth that can be found by listening to the whole message. Here goes:

• Not belittling personal salvation, but being saved is not an end in itself.
• King Jesus is transferring people from every tongue, tribe & nation into a people for His own possession
• We are saved to something much bigger than ourselves
• We are NOT saved to discover our purpose…but to discover His purpose
• Think beyond our personal salvation
• Go and make disciples to spread His Kingdom throughout the earth
• Why are we called? To spread the Kingdom, RCC is:
  • Sending the Surfus Family to Africa through The Master’s Mission
  • Supporting missions all over the world
  • Preaching the gospel…our focus – ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done”

  The church is the base from which the Kingdom expands, from which missionaries are sent…to plant new headquarters for the Kingdom.

Five Aspects of the Kingdom (not exhaustive):

1. It is SPIRITUAL

• Because of the way we get into it (being born from above is how we enter the Kingdom) – John 3, “born of Spirit”…the Kingdom spreads spiritually – you see its results, but not it – just as you see the results of the wind, but not the wind itself.
• Jesus to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world”…it is built with spiritual resources -word of God, prayer, etc. It has a spiritual agenda & spiritual implications.
• Temporal and material concerns are subordinate to Kingdom Christians. The Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking (temporal), but righteousness.
• The spiritual nature of the Kingdom often causes it to be in conflict with the world – “Do not think I came to bring peace, but a sword”…we who were enemies are now at peace, but to the world He has brought a sword of truth…Luke 2:25-35 (Simeon)
• Spiritual nature of the Kingdom which gives power to advance it – 2 Cor. 10:3-5, “do not war according to the flesh”

2. Made Up of UNLIMITED INDIVIDUALITY (must take this one with #3)

• 1 Cor. 12:4-7…variety of gifts, service, activities…but the same Spirit. Why? For the common good (v.7)
• 1 Cor. 12:14-20…the beauty of our individuality. “God arranged the members in the body…as He chose” (v.18)
• 1 Pet. 4:10-11…”God’s varied grace”, to varied individuals. Why? “that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (v.11)

• T.M. Moore – Bring Kingdom fruit and power to light right where you are. Q – Are you bringing Kingdom fruit & light where God has placed you? Moore – “The people of God stand out as concerned to bring honor and glory to Him.”
• Questions – Is that statement true for you? Do you stand out in that way? How do we do that? When there’s a worldy choice and a Kingdom choice…what do we do? Does anyone around us know that we are Kingdom children?
• The Kingdom-focused person stands out, “as stars shining against darkness” – Phil. 2:15
• Do YOU do that? As we grow up in our Kingdom focus we will do that more and more. Are you putting the things to work that God has given you to advance the Kingdom?

3. It is COMMUNAL

• All those varied individuals (from #2) are drawn together like a magnet
• While the Kingdom is individuals…it is NOT individualistic (communion of the saints)
• 1 Pet. 2:4-5… “come to Him as living stones…built up as a spiritual house”
• True fellowship – likeminded on the essentials of the faith
• Dedicated in covenant relationship with one another

Three benefits of the Kingdom being communal:

1. Corporate worship reminds each individual of his Kingdom calling
2. There’s a pool of resources from which to draw to advance the Kingdom
3. Provides protection against sin – accountability, admonishment, etc.

4. The Kingdom is ESCHATOLOGICAL

• It’s going somewhere
• History is on a course determined by God…Kingdom citizens will one day live in a perfected, sinless Kingdom at the end of the age
• We are to engage the culture with vision & confidence that the Kingdom will be fully realized one day…it is coming.

5. The Kingdom is NOW & NOT YET

• It came with the coming of the Messiah (OT proclaimed, “It is coming!”)
• NT – announces the innauguration of the Kingdom with Christ’s advent.
• Already: In atonement – sin destroyed, no longer rules and reigns.
• Not Yet: Because there is still a battle with sin – Romans 7:20-21
• The Kingdom has come in Christ – through the new birth we have entered it.
• Still future – “Thy kingdom come”
• Example: WWII
  • D-Day, in principle, doomed the 3rd Reich
  • V-Day, though, was not fully realized until much later
  • D-Day = the cross
  • V-Day = when our King returns
• We live in between the two right now
• We fight our current battles with a Kingdom focus, knowing the ultimate victory will be realized

NOTE: I encourage you to listen to the audio sermon if you have the time. It is well worth it.