Dakota Community Church
June 3, 2007
Kingdom of God II
This morning I want continue our four week series of messages about the differences between the “Kingdom of God” and its citizens and the “Kingdoms of this world” and their citizens. The focus this week will be on family life. How do we do family differently from people who are members of the kingdom of this world?
First a brief review:
Mark 10:42-43
Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.
Three key examples of the differences:
When Jesus said “get behind me Satan” to Peter.
When Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet.
When Jesus healed the guards ear in Gethsemane.
In Luke Chapter 12 we see an instance where someone tries to get Jesus to weigh in on a family matter in a kingdom of this world manner.
Luke 12:13-15
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Jewish law gave the oldest brother the right to distribute the inheritance as he saw fit. The man wanted Jesus to use his public clout to get the brother to share. Jesus refused to be the man’s legal councilor or the brother’s ethical advisor because these issues were not central to the Kingdom of God. One thing was a Kingdom of God issue in this whole thing though – the greed that both men needed to deal with in their hearts.
In the kingdoms of this world a man’s life and worth is very much tied to the abundance of his possessions but not in the Kingdom of God. As citizens of God’s kingdom we may or may not wind up with many possessions but it matters not because our treasure is not in this world.
How does being citizens of the Kingdom of God change the way we live in our own homes?
1. We surrender our “power over” mentality.
Luke 22:27-29
Who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me…
A.) In marriage.
Why is so much of the teaching in the church on marriage about who has power over who? Is the man the head of the house? Who wears the pants? The Bible says the wife must submit to the husband right? Children must obey right?
There are pieces of truth in this mix but the problem is we are looking at marriage with kingdom of this world eyes. – We need to begin to view the marriage relationship with Kingdom of God renewed eyes!
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
Colossians 3:19
Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Many men think it is their job to be in control, that being in control is somehow strong or manly.
- You cannot force someone into submission.
- Submission is the choice of a free will.
We submit to Jesus with the knowledge that His will is always correct. Our will as men is not always correct and we need to be strong enough to admit that and treat our wives as the equal partners that they are.
B.) In parenting.
Matthew 19:13-14
Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 18:3-4
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Why children? He uses children as an example because their minds are unconformed to the patterns of this world. They have not acquired the need for power, money, race segregation or any of the other “power over” patterns.
What about in the home again?
What about discipline?
Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
How do you exasperate a child?
What constitutes provoking your son or daughter to wrath?
- Rules with no reasonable explanations.
- Power over tactics, “Because I said so, that’s why!”
What is the training and instruction of the Lord? – The message of the Kingdom of God.
The message of sacrificial love and service, the message of preferring another before ourselves, the message of turning the other cheek and going the extra mile; live this and there will be no teenage rebellion. Someone who is free does not have to rebel.
2. We learn and re-learn to love.
1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Listen to what Paul is saying here, his statements about love could not be more radical.
- If I speak the language of heaven.
- If I see the future and have total understanding of everything
- If I have the mountain moving brand of faith.
- If I give all I have away to the poor and become a martyr.
If I do all these things but not out of love – It is good for nothing!
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
This is what love looks like, this is what Jesus demonstrated, anything that doesn’t look like this is not of the Kingdom of God, it is just RELIGIOUS NOISE!
How might our families be different if we took this teaching seriously?
Ephesians 5:1-2
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Do everything in love.
Colossians 3:12-14
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
1 Peter 4:8-10
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
How do you define a great family life?
Is a great family one with social status or education, is it one with sports achievement or travel, is it one that does a lot of activities together?
A great family in the Kingdom of God is a family that loves.
What is a successful church?
One that grows and does great works, one that has excellence in word and worship?
Without love it is all just so much religious noise – We need to learn to love and relearn again.
3. We get serious about who we are.
We all have an image of ourselves. Who we really believe we are; the true self. We look for evidence of that image in the responses we get from people around us.
If the boss says we are a good employee we embrace that.
If the guys on the team think we are okay, we accept that.
We work on the image we present to the outside world because we want others to accept us and to believe that we are good people.
How many of us have to ignore those closest to us to maintain that ideal?
Too many!
1 Timothy 5: 4-8
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
The Kingdom of God begins at home. What does your wife think of your spirituality? How impressed are your teenage children? Begin here and work outward.
This sermon series is based in part on the book, “The Myth of a Christian Nation” by Dr. Greg Boyd. Buy it and read it if you can!
Hear it Preached: www.dakotacommunitychurch.ca and click "Listen".
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
