EKG 11/2/02
Have you ever had, or know someone who has, an EKG. I never have but I know the principle behind it. You basically have a bunch of suction cups on you to monitor and check your heart. Today I want to go along with the thyme of the Southern Baptist and let’s do a Spiritual EKG.
EKG stands for Empowering Kingdom Growth. To do that we need to ask the following questions; Am I a Kingdom person? If not, how can I be? If so, how shall I live?
Everyone talks about the great commission. Go you into all the world. This is important and I am in no way trying to take away from it. But like in any sport to become that great team, you have to start with the basics. I feel to fulfill the great commission we need to become Kingdom people. We need to get the back to the basics.
The Kingdom was very important to Jesus. After being temped by Satan for forty days and nights, He starts His ministry. How did He start it, what great sermon did he begin with?
Matthew 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
He starts there and continued there through out His ministry. Matthew 4:23, And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Jesus spoke of the Kingdom in His teaching with Parables.
Matthew 13: 10-13, 18-19 (parable of the sower), 24 (Wheat and tares), 31 (Mustard seed), 33 (parable of the Leaven), 44 (Hidden treasures), 45 (parable of the Pearl), 47 (Net).
When He taught us to pray, remember what He said, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done”?
He tells us about the great reunion, where we will see loves ones.
Luke 13:29, And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
He uses the Kingdom for judgment.
He told Nicodemus in John 3:3, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus said in Mark 9:47, And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
In Mark 10:25, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
After His resurrection, what was His reminder to His Disciples?
Acts 1:3, To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
His first teachings and His last reminder; the Kingdom of God was very important to Jesus and it should be to you also.
So now that I’ve explained the importance of the Kingdom, let’s go over the questions we asked in the beginning.
Am I a Kingdom person?
Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
If you can say you live by this verse, then you are a Kingdom person. Like the verse says, If we do that then everything else falls into place. The puzzle is complete, all the pieces are in place and you have a peace like no other.
But I don’t feel there would be many hands come up if I were to ask that question, so that leads me to the other questions. How can I be? How shall I live?
I believe the answer can be found in 1 Corinthians 4:20, For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
Don’t just talk the talk, walk the talk. Don’t say I’m putting God first in my life and then have some hidden priorities. Don’t say He is the Lord of your life without making Him Lord of your life.
Another thing can be found in Hebrews 12:28, Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Cannot be moved; be steadfast in your walk. Don’t waver; be consistent.
How can I be a Kingdom person? You’re probably going to need to do some cleaning first. You know when you wax your car, the proper way do it is to first wash the car. You don’t put the wax on a dirty car. All you would be doing is waxing the dirt.
To become a Kingdom person you need to clean out the filth in your life. The way to become clean is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Did you hear the condition? Humble themselves; you know when you ask forgiveness it can happen anywhere. But how humbling is it come forward and kneel at the alter in front of everyone. That is one requirement.
Pray; 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Seek His Face; We are no match for Satan. We need God in our corner. 1 John 4:4 ,Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. We need to seek Him and His protection in our lives.
Here the one we miss most of the time, turn from their wicked ways. Turn here is talking about a U-turn. One where you are heading one way and you turn and go the complete opposite. The problem most Christians have is that they sin and then they ask God to forgive them only to commit the same sin again. It’s like saying I’m sorry and then you do the same thing again. You really weren’t sorry in the first place. True repentance requires making that U-turn and if you want to be a Kingdom person you need to be clean before the wax that makes you shine.
Now I want to cover how to live to be a Kingdom person.
That is simple; to live like a Kingdom person you just have to live like the King. In every situation you need to ask yourself; what would Jesus do? Every decision, every opportunity, ask yourself, what would Jesus do? Base your decisions on that and you will be a Kingdom person.
Are you a Kingdom person?
Do you want to be?
Are you willing to live the life to do so?
