The Kingdom Of God - "Making A Kingdom Impact”

The Kingdom of God

“Making A Kingdom Impact”

Watch on YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEcL72S3ZIQ

Years ago, I used to fly from Las Vegas to Chicago. Now on these trips, there always seem to be some difficulties, and the captain would come on the intercom and say, “We’ve got a slight problem,” or “We’re running into a bit of turbulence.” Now, the airplane is flying hundreds of miles an hour, at around 15,000 feet above the earth, therefore there is nothing “slight,” or “a bit,” in my mind.

Or I love it when they say, “For your safety, please remain in your seats with your seatbelt securely fastened.” Frankly, this does not promote confidence.

One time, as we were beginning our descent into the Vegas Valley, they said that there was a “slight problem,” and “a bit of turbulence.” That was definitely an understatement. A lightning bolt exploded right outside the plane, which was met with shrieks of horror from inside the plane. And when the stewardesses were told to strap themselves in, I knew this would not be good.

But we landed, and I heard the flight attendant say, “If Las Vegas is your final destination; we would like to welcome you home.” I always wondered how many passengers made Las Vegas their home that evening?

And just as a side note, after the plane landed, they took us to a building called the "terminal." Honestly, this does not bode well. I mean, take us to a terminal destination.??But hearing those words, “If Vegas is your final destination, welcome home,” I wondered what it’s going to be like when this life is over and we’re standing before of our heavenly Father hearing Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Lord,” or “welcome home.” How exciting will that be?

But until then, we have a great opportunity to make a kingdom impact. Someone said that the number of people who attend church, the size of the building, or the number of programs that are available does not measure a healthy church. Instead, we are to measure a healthy church based upon how many within the church are making an impact for the Kingdom of God.

Today’s message kicks off a new series on the Kingdom of God.

The reason for this series is that there are all these different subjects within Christianity, but nothing that connects them together. We teach on salvation, justification, redemption, sanctification, atonement, heaven, hell, evil, faith, grace, mercy, hope, idolatry, judgment, obedience, and the list goes on.

But these are dots on a page with nothing connecting them, nothing to reveal the picture of God’s overall plan and purpose. Yet, there is one connective thread that brings them together into a beautiful picture, and that is the Kingdom of God.

R.C. Sproul said it like this, “If there is any theme that unites the Old Testament with the New Testament, any single thread that runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, it is the concept of the kingdom of God.” (R.C. Sproul)

The writer of Hebrews says we’re receiving an unmovable kingdom, and that while everything else around us is being shaken to its core; we have a kingdom that is unshakable (Hebrews 12:28).

Therefore, it is important that we understand this kingdom, and that we live within it, so when life gets out of control, we can stand on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Only then when the wind and waves of life come crashing down, we can both survive and thrive.

Taking the clue from my last statement, “It is important … that we live within it,” is what I am basing today’s message upon. It is based upon one of the New Testament's most notable teachings. It is about our salvation and how we operate within it while expanding the Kingdom of God as Jesus prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 KJV)

So, we’re beginning our study with what we find it in Paul's letter to the Ephesian Church.

The Apostle Paul begins by telling us what our salvation is based upon. He said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV)

Now, most people know this part, but not always the rest of what Paul said. This is what I’d like to explore in our time together and how we can make an impact for God’s kingdom.

In the very next verse, Paul said, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)

There are three things in this verse that I would like to share with you about making an impact for the kingdom of God, or as our message title states, “Making A Kingdom Impact.”