1. Thy Kingdom Come
Astronaut James Erwin is one of but a few men to walk on the moon. As he stood upon the lunar landscape and looked up at the earth, he prayed for the first time in his life. He thought about the strife among nations, poverty, hunger, and rampant evil; and he thought to himself: "What is more important than man walking on the moon is that God should walk on earth." This is the desire we express when we pray, "Thy Kingdom come."
2. The Kingdom of God is not a dominion; country; or empire as we tend to understand them.
3. Jesus came to this world with the agenda of expanding the non-political kingdom of God
a. Jesus' View of the Kingdom:
1) The kingdom is not as much a domain as a dynamic -- rule and reign of God
2) The kingdom is not as much a place as a presently active power -- growing imperceptibly and powerfully
b. "Kingdom of heaven/God" repeated 60+ times in gospels (church 3 times in gospels and 100+ in epistles) -- Jesus' emphasis? Kingdom
c. From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4.17
d. Matthew 5 -- poor in spirit; persecuted -- part of kingdom of heaven
e. Matthew 6 -- kingdom come; seek first (priority)
4. Consider the Kingdom of Heaven
I. The Kingdom of God Is Valuable -- Matthew 13.44-46
Back in 1905, there was baseball game at Salt Lake City, Utah. The Rhyolites were playing the Beattys and the Beattys were up to bat. The pitcher threw the ball, the batter swung - and the ball rocketed toward 1st base.
The 1st baseman was a man named William Giffiths, and as he saw the ball coming his way, he was amazed to see it ricochet off a small stone and landing in his glove. He beat the runner to first easily
The little stone had given Griffiths a lucky break, but he decided it had no business on the playing field, so he walked over and picked it up. He started to raise his hand to throw it off the field when something caught his eye. He took a careful look at the stone and recognized free gold in it. Then he quietly slipped it into his pocket and went on with the game
That evening, he returned to the ball park with a lantern and spent an hour scratching around in the soil until had accumulated a bucketful of rocks. By morning he knew that those rocks assayed at more than $900 a ton.
He called in two friends and with them quietly bought the ball park.
The mine was called First Base, and the first shaft entered paying ore at a depth of 33 feet. And Infielder Griffiths soon found himself a very wealthy man. (The Saturday Evening Post July/Aug 2000 H. Allen Smith and Ira L. Smith)
Well, in two parables of the kingdom, Jesus tells of two other men who made some amazing discoveries.
A. Recognition of its value -- JOY
B. Sacrifice to Attain
1. Redemptive Acts of God [ Exodus; Cross]
2. Receptive Actions of People [We will do and we will hear]
C. Note the Differing Circumstances
1. Unintentional as Saul of Tarsus
2. Intentional as the Ethiopian
II. The Kingdom is Powerful
In a cemetery in Hanover, Germany, is a grave on which were placed huge slabs of granite and marble cemented together and fastened with heavy steel clasps. It belongs to a woman who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Yet strangely, she directed in her will that her grave be made so secure that if there were a resurrection, it could not reach her. On the marker were inscribed these words: "This burial place must never be opened."
In time, a seed, covered over by the stones, began to grow. Slowly it pushed its way through the soil and out from beneath them. As the trunk enlarged, the great slabs were gradually shifted so that the steel clasps were wrenched from their sockets. A tiny seed had become a tree that had pushed aside the stones.
A. The Kingdom has Small Beginnings
10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. (Zechariah 4.10)
*Mustard seed -- Matthew 13.31
Small: TOP 10 CLASSIFIED ADS -- From true classified ads in daily newspapers
10. Wanted. Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.
9. Try us once, you'll never go anywhere again.
8. Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children.
7. Illiterate? Write today for free help.
6. Stock up and save. Limit: one.
5. Man wanted to work in dynamite factory. Must be willing to travel.
4. Semi-Annual after Christmas Sale.
3. For sale: antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.
2. We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it carefully by hand.
1. Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated. Come here first
APPLY: Many of those classifieds are funny, because somebody left out, or misspelled, one small word or phrase. Sometimes, it's the things you don't notice - the little things that have greatest value. Jesus tells a parable using one of the smallest of seeds known to the people in that day: the mustard seed.
B. The Kingdom Has Great Impact -- Changing the World
C. The Kingdom is Demonstrated in
1. The miracles of Jesus and his disciples
2. The HS' Influence on us -- Romans 14.17
17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit;
D. The Kingdom Was Purposed in Jesus (Matthew 4.17; 23)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
1. Surrendering lives to Jesus
Bruce Larson, in his book, Believe and Belong, tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ: For many years I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA Building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a beautifully proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. There he is, the most powerfully built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under this burden. 'Now that's one way to live,' I would point out to my companion, 'trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now come across the street with me.'
"On the other side of Fifth Avenue is St. Patrick's Cathedral, and there behind the high altar is a little shrine of the boy Jesus, perhaps 8 or 9 years old, and with no effort he is holding the world in one hand. My point was illustrated graphically.
"We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, 'I give up, Lord; here's my life. I give you my world, the whole world.'"
2. The Kingdom:
a. Entered the world in the Person of Jesus
b. Advanced in the Power of the HS
c. Is Embodied in the People of God (acknowledge his authority and obey)
3. The Kingdom/Rule Reign of God advances by God's initiative and our responsibility. This is why we stop going to church and start being the church -- witnessing community made up of kingdom people
