Get Connected To God’s Kingdom

Get Connected to God’s Kingdom

(Due to technical difficulties audio is not available.)

8/1/09

Introduction

Today many people would confess that life is busy.

If we were honest w/ourselves, we would admit that we are overextended- no margin/space in our lives.

Jan- talked about how we have no margin- financially.

Today people are (Rick Warren) …

financially stressed,

emotionally overwhelmed,

physically exhausted, and

spiritually disconnected.

Spiritual Connections

Connections are an important part of life.

Being connected to God should be- primary concern.

Also important- we are connected to- Body of Christ.

That is why our mission statement is …

Encounter God, Love People, Share Life

To Encounter God- speaks of connection with God.

To Love People- speaks of connection with those who love us and with the Body of Christ.

End result of- Encountering God and Loving People, should be- desire to Share Life w/others.

R Warren talks about- importance of being connected-

1. Connections are essential for life

The organs in our body must be connected together for us to live physically.

Our bones are connected together so we have a frame and can function in a physical world.

(Transformer-everything connected together)

Life- about connecting w/God and other people.

Life w/o connections is merely existing and not living.

2. Man was created for connections

Gen 2:18 … "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." NASU

The pain of loneliness points to God’s design for man to be in relationship with God and other people.

God is real and He wants a personal connection w/us.

3. Connections empower us

TV- will not work w/o being connected to a/c outlet.

If you disconnect one wire, your car will not operate.

If we are disconnected from God we lose the benefit of His life, love, power, and purpose for our lives.

4. Connections increase our fruitfulness

Eccl 4:9-12

The third strand is God.

We are better together than alone.

The greater our connection to God/others, the more we will be encouraged to live God’s life fully.

We will bear fruit and Share God’s Life w/others.

Being Connected to God

I believe God wants us to Encounter Him.

The message of the Gospel- the Good News- not just the message of salvation, but the message of the Kingdom of God.

You and I have been placed on this earth to …

live in,

experience,

Encounter,

… the King and His Kingdom

Francis Frangipane says this …

Since time began, the Kingdom of Heaven has been an interactive reality in man’s destiny.

Today there is much effort given to developing computer games/virtual worlds that are interactive.

(2nd world, SIMS 3, World of Warcraft)

Man was not created to be passive, he wants to interact with the world around him.

Unfortunately, many times, interaction w/virtual world becomes a substitute for the real world and consumes our energy and creativity.

It is fulfilling a need in man that only God can fulfill.

God is the Creator of the largest virtual world there is- Bible calls it- Kingdom of God, realm of the Spirit.

However, it is not a virtual world, it is the true reality of the life that God intends for you and I to live.

The Kingdom of God

Look at how God has interacts w/man from Heaven- God and Angels speak to men from Heaven

Gen 22:11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." NASU

God gives promises and blessings from Heaven

Gen 49:25-26 It is your father’s God who helps you, The Almighty God who blesses you With blessings of rain from above And of deep waters from beneath the ground, Blessings of many cattle and children, 26 Blessings of grain and flowers, Blessings of ancient mountains, Delightful things from everlasting hills ... GNT

God brings judgments from Heaven

Gen 19:24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, NASU

Realm- we call Heaven is as real as- earth we live on.

Psa 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. NASU

Men come and go, nations rise and fall, generations march through time, but God’s Kingdom is forever

We are living in the Fullness of Time

OT- gives us insight into- K of G/reality of Heaven.

God sent prophets to Israel w/words from Heaven and they had their times of divine visitation …

Moses encountered God on Mt Sinai,

Jacob wrestled with the angel of God,

Elijah experienced God’s power on Mt Carmel,

But Heaven was inaccessible to the common man.

When the Messiah came, He came to make the Kingdom of God available to all men.

John Baptist came as a forerunner of Jesus Christ.