WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Isaiah 61 - The Kingdom and the Spirit - Part 2 Publishing Date: 2025-05-11T06:04:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/isaiah-61-the-kingdom-and-the-spirit-part-2/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.500 Okay, part two of what we started last week. What did we do last week, for those of us who weren't here? 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:29.500 We were talking about the Kingdom and the Spirit. Kingdom and the Spirit. Part two. 00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:47.000 So, last week we said that when we look at the word Kingdom, be it in Greek, where it's called Basilea, or in Hebrew, where it's Malkuth, 00:00:47.000 --> 00:01:05.500 in both cases it actually means rank, authority, divine rule, or sovereignty. Rank, authority, sovereignty. 00:01:05.500 --> 00:01:14.500 That's exercised by a king. That's what it means. Exercised by a king. That's what we said last week. 00:01:14.500 --> 00:01:31.000 And so, before you think of the Kingdom in terms of a realm or in terms of a people, you have to think of it in terms of a king. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:35.000 That's important. That's what we kept saying last week. 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:47.500 That listen, you can't think of Kingdom as people or realm first. It has to be thought of as a king first. That's critical. 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:55.500 And so the Kingdom is first about a king. Anytime you think of a Kingdom, hey, can you take the echo off now? 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:10.000 Anytime you think of a Kingdom, you have to think of king first. And when we think of a king, we think of his rank, his rule, his divine rule, 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:21.000 because we have a king that's above all. Divine rule. You think of his sovereignty, as in I can do whatever I want and nobody can stop me. 00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:30.500 You think of his power and you think of his goodness. Because a Kingdom is as the king is. 00:02:30.500 --> 00:02:41.500 And that's why, because Jesus has absolute rank, absolute rule, absolute sovereignty, absolute power, and absolute goodness, 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:46.500 that is why this Kingdom is like no other Kingdom. This Kingdom is the only Kingdom that will stand. 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:54.000 Because a Kingdom is according to the king. Hey, there's still a, there's a lot of echo on what I'm saying. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:07.000 We talked about this last week. If you look at Daniel 2.37, Daniel 2.37, Daniel 2.37, 00:03:07.500 --> 00:03:16.500 Daniel 2.37, you see that at the end of the day, it's God who decides who will be boss and who will not. Who will be king, who will not. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:20.500 Daniel 2.37, it says there, 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:30.000 This was a dream and now we will interpret it to the king. You, O King, are the king of kings. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:39.000 The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory. In your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:43.000 Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold. 00:03:43.500 --> 00:03:52.500 So here is Nebuchadnezzar, one of the most powerful kings that ever reigned in history on par with guys like Alexander. 00:03:52.500 --> 00:04:00.500 And Daniel is saying to Nebuchadnezzar, listen, you are the king of kings, but you must realize who gave you this power. 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:04.500 And who does he point to? He points to the Lord Almighty. 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:11.500 At the end of the day, there is nobody who has greater rank, divine rule, sovereignty, power and goodness than God. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:18.000 Therefore, the kingdom that we occupy is completely different from any other kingdom. There is no comparison. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:28.000 And if I understand that, I shape my immediate space, environment, radius of influence completely different. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:35.000 And we will talk about that. Look at Psalm 2. Psalm 2, verse 6 or 7 onwards. 00:04:35.500 --> 00:04:50.500 Psalm 2. It's called a coronation psalm. And so if you read Psalm 2, it says, and this is God speaking about his son Jesus Christ. 00:04:50.500 --> 00:05:01.500 In Psalm 2, verse 7 it says, verse 6, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will proclaim the decree of the Lord. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:11.000 He said to me, you are my son. Today I have become your father. Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:16.000 You will rule them with an iron scepter. You will dash them to pieces like pottery. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:22.000 Now listen to the next line. Having said that, now he says to other powers that rule the earth. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:31.000 Therefore, you kings be wise, be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear. Rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he be angry. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:41.000 The ridiculous supremacy of the kingdom that we belong to must be realized for it to begin to kind of work into our lives. 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:49.000 Because we put it on par with other things on earth or we look at the church as peripheral to the world. 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:56.000 Most of the time we see the church and ourselves as peripheral to the world. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:06:03.500 And part of that is because we don't realize the king that has brought a kingdom to the earth. 00:06:03.500 --> 00:06:08.500 That's why we first need to look at the kingdom, not as a realm, not as people. 00:06:08.500 --> 00:06:16.500 And it's foolish sometimes to compare the kingdom of God to the kingdoms of the earth. They don't correspond. 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:26.000 They don't correspond. Because people make that mistake. They take kingdoms of the earth and they try to say this is how kings behave here, so that's what the kingdom... 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:33.000 It isn't. It's completely different. Because there's no king like him. 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:42.500 One of the things Jesus did in his kindness, in his grace, is he decided that instead of the kingdom, he decided... 00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:47.500 And remember, we said this too. Jesus was king before there was the earth. 00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:55.500 Jesus was king before territory existed. It's from everlasting to everlasting it says he's king. 00:06:55.500 --> 00:07:02.500 So before there was the earth, before there was creation, we were not going to be able to have the kingdom. 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:10.000 Before there was creation, before there was sun, moon or stars, before there was a walnut or before there was me, he was already king. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:17.000 His kingdom and therefore his kingdom is not dependent on realm or people. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:26.000 We must recognize that first. Everything else comes later. It requires the territory and people but that comes later. 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:48.000 And in his grace, he decided that rather than wait till the end, wait till the end to display and establish my kingdom, 00:07:48.000 --> 00:08:01.000 let me bring it in advance. Let me advance its arrival. Let me advance its arrival. 00:08:01.500 --> 00:08:08.500 Why was he doing that? So that more of us can begin to see it displayed and seek it. 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:13.500 Usually, according to Old Testament prophecy, here's what was supposed to happen. 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:17.500 And this was shocking to Old Testament prophets. We talked about it last week. 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:21.500 The Old Testament prophets said, the kingdom is coming, the kingdom is coming, the kingdom is coming. 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:24.500 When the Messiah comes, the kingdom will be established. 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:27.500 And so when Jesus turned up, what do they expect then? 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.000 They expect the Roman government to be overthrown. They expect the kingdom to be established. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:37.000 But Jesus in his wisdom and his grace decides, no, that's not how it's going to happen. 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:44.000 I will arrive and I will begin to bring the kingdom that must be established, consummated at a time. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:51.000 I'll bring it right now. Why? So that Derek and Vignesh and Vibi and Mira can begin to seek entry into this kingdom 00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:58.500 and not wait in ignorance and dullness till the last day and then find out that they're not sheep but goats. 00:09:00.500 --> 00:09:06.500 In his brilliance, he brings the kingdom in advance so that we may enter it. 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:10.500 And then through us, show others that it can be entered into. 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:17.500 He brings it in advance. That's why it's called the breakthrough of the kingdom. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:21.000 Where he stands in front of people and they're saying, when will the kingdom come? 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:26.000 And he says, I am king, I am here, the kingdom is in your midst. 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:28.000 So come, enter. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:41.000 And so we said Isaiah 61 is actually a working out of what this kingdom will look like. 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:48.500 When you read Isaiah 61, we realize that this is a kingdom where there are blessings, 00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:54.500 this is a kingdom where oppression is defeated, 00:09:56.500 --> 00:10:01.500 this is a kingdom where the poor are invited. 00:10:04.500 --> 00:10:06.500 It's a working out of the kingdom. 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:12.000 And today at present, and this is where the recap ends and we begin afresh, 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:15.000 today the kingdom is like leaven. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:29.000 It's like unseen, unobservable, swallowed up in a bowl of dough. 00:10:29.500 --> 00:10:40.500 You don't see it, but you know for sure that it is affecting everything. 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:42.500 It permeates. 00:10:44.500 --> 00:10:47.500 And how does it permeate? Two ways. 00:10:48.500 --> 00:10:53.500 Holy Spirit, church. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:55.000 Church. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.000 When the church doesn't go, the Holy Spirit has to do all the work. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:06.000 When the church goes, the Holy Spirit thrills. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:10.000 Because now it's not just him moving on the hearts of men before we get there, 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:15.000 but now that he's moved on the hearts of men, we turn up and it's that extra, bam, 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:22.000 pinch of leaven like that chef does and you got a decent loaf of bread. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:27.000 And it's continuously happening. 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:31.000 Right now, the kingdom spreads through persuasion, not through power. 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.000 But a day is coming when it will be sheer power, 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:38.000 where the one who rode a donkey comes in riding on a white horse. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:45.000 So that's what we talked about last week. 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:50.000 Today, we go on to, okay, now that we know that the kingdom is mainly the king, 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:55.000 before it's anything else, and that the kingdom exists even before the earth was created, 00:11:55.000 --> 00:12:05.000 now we go to the next part, which is the kingdom is the king's power 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:18.000 over the king's people in the king's place. 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:25.000 The kingdom is the king's power over, so the first part we've done, 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:29.000 the king's power we've established, there's nobody like him. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:33.000 But after that, it's the king's power over the king's people. 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.000 So here's the thing, it's not the king's power in the king's people, 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:40.000 it's not the king's power through the king's people, 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:46.000 it is first the king's power over the king's people. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:51.000 As in, is there a submission that I have towards my king? 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:58.000 If there is, then the king's power works in me and through me, but not till it is over me. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:01.000 This is basically what the centurion says when he says, 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:04.000 I know Jesus, you don't have to come to my house. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:08.000 There are people under you and there are people over you. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.000 Once the king's power is over us as a church, 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:17.000 the king's power works easily in and through the church. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:22.000 So if the king's power has to be over me, then I have to be under the king's power. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:25.000 And by power, I'm not talking about miracle signs and wonders, 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:31.000 I'm talking about power as in his will, his sovereignty, his rule and his rank. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:37.000 Like you are at work, where the boss is the boss. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:41.000 He might be your uncle, it doesn't matter. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.000 So it begins that way. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:51.000 The king's power over the king's people as a king's place. 00:13:51.000 --> 00:14:07.000 And so when you look at the gospels, you'll find that all four writers paint a canvas of the kingdom. 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:17.000 And it's worth paying attention to because they almost tell you what the form and content is. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:33.000 So when you look at Matthew, he focuses on the kingdom as a place. 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:40.000 And he keeps using the word kingdom of heaven and he focuses on it as a place. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:44.000 So his focus is always, hey, the kingdom of heaven is a place. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.000 And how does he define this place? 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:51.000 The place, this is beautiful and I pray God we don't forget this, that I don't forget this. 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:55.000 The place is defined by presence. 00:14:55.000 --> 00:15:00.000 The place is defined by presence. 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:04.000 The place is defined by presence. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:08.000 Where the king is, it becomes a place where the kingdom is. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:14.000 So he focuses on the kingdom of heaven where Jesus comes as king. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:17.000 And what is the intent of presence? 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:20.000 What is the intent of presence? The intent of presence is very simple. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:40.000 The intent of presence is can I reorder the earth and make it like heaven or Eden? 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.000 That's the intent. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:54.000 These are simple truths that if we somehow won't forget, we'll begin to change or shape our little plot of ground. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:05.000 That in Matthew he talks about the kingdom, his focus, it's not that he talks only about that, his focus is kingdom is a place. 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:07.000 But how is the place defined? 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:13.000 The place is defined by presence as in where the king is, there the kingdom of heaven is. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:17.000 And what is the intent of the king? What is the intent of presence? 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.000 The intent of the king is very simple. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:30.000 I'm here to reorder the earth, to make all things new, to make it so new that even while you live here in the middle of decay, 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:34.000 you will begin to taste what heaven feels like. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:37.000 This is why we sing, let heaven come. 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:52.000 It is a constant cry from the heart of a believer who has begun to taste what life looks like in the age after, in this present age. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.000 That's the beauty of it. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:17:00.000 And the cry can only come out of us if we already begin to taste the age after here. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:10.000 If we don't taste it here, all we can think of is Philadelphia cheese clouds and angels with harps, streets of gold and big mansions. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:17.000 Why? They didn't have big mansions in Eden? 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:22.000 But if we begin to taste, ah, healing does work. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:35.000 The dead do rise, torment ends, tyranny can be overturned, institutions can crumble, kings rise and kings fall, bodies can be repaired, hope can be restored. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:41.000 There's a covenant of blood, there's fatherhood, there's friendship, there's oneness in the body. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:46.000 When these things become real, you begin to taste. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:51.000 You begin to taste the age to come in the age that is. 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:56.000 And that is when the cry grows louder and louder and stronger and stronger. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:03.000 That's when deep calls to deep. 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:09.000 Because why? God is reordering the earth, making things new, and he begins to give you a craving. 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:26.000 It's like when someone goes and spends time in, I mean, wherever one of us would have come from, and we go back home and, my God, the taste of that food and the smell and all this stuff, and then you come here and you long for it. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:30.000 You long for it so you start looking for a restaurant that you can eat the same thing at. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:32.000 It's a longing. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:35.000 Question is this, do I have that longing every day? 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:41.000 Does my heart cry out for it? 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:55.000 And if the longing is not there, could it be because I haven't tasted the age to come in this present age? 00:18:55.000 --> 00:19:03.000 The other thing he does, Matthew says, is this king has come and he's contesting the other kingdoms around. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.000 He's contesting the other kingdoms around. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:16.000 How does he contest them? Through his words, through his works, through his deeds. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:20.000 That's how he contests the other kingdoms. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:23.000 That's another thing that Matthew keeps saying the king does. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:26.000 What do you mean, how does he contest it with his words, works, and deeds? 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:40.000 You have heard it said that eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, but I come and say to you a new law, that if a man hits you on one cheek, offer him the other cheek. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:51.000 You have heard it said that if someone sleeps with a woman, he has committed adultery. 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:58.000 I say to you a new rule. I say to you that even if you look at a woman with lust in your eyes, you have already committed adultery. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:01.000 You have heard it said, do not commit murder. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:07.000 I say to you that if you bear anger against your brother or sister, you have already committed murder. 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:13.000 With his words, he begins to bring in the beauty of a kingdom that is yet to come. 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:17.000 In an age that is to come, he brings it here. 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:22.000 With his works. Jesus, son of David, heal us. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:25.000 Ten lepers cry out and he begins to heal them. 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:31.000 Indiscriminately, he doesn't find out who's done what sin because leprosy was always connected to sin. 00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:34.000 He heals them all. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:38.000 He sees a widow taking a son for burial. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:41.000 He goes and touches the body. 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:43.000 He knows he'll be unclean. 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:47.000 The woman with the issue of blood, he does the same thing. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:51.000 He's changing the rules. He's turning this thing upside down. 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:54.000 Works, words, deeds. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:21:01.000 Someone comes to catch him in the middle of the night in Gethsemane and Peter takes out his sword and cuts off his ear. 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:03.000 And he takes his hand and restores the ear. 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:07.000 What do you think happened to Malchus after that? 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:13.000 I mean, can you imagine how that act ruined his life forever? 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:20.000 He could never be the same again. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:23.000 It's just beautiful what this kingdom is like. 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:33.000 And his expectation and his reasonable expectation is that we will be able to function the same way. 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:40.000 Partly because we've tasted of it, partly because he lives in us. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:43.000 It's a reasonable expectation. 00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:47.000 He's not a dreamer or someone who's delusional. 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:54.000 When he created the church, which is basically made up of those that have received the kingdom, 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.000 he was quite expecting that this is how we will behave. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:59.000 And by God, we have been trying to do that. 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:02.000 And we'll only keep increasing. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:10.000 This is one of those places where you can use the word by God and it won't be taking his name in vain. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:17.000 Revelation 21 then ends with what Matthew started as a kingdom of heaven. 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:22.000 Revelation 21 then ends with a kingdom of heaven becoming a garden city. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:28.000 I mean, garden city was not a Richmond idea, even though there's a road like that there. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:36.000 Garden city was God's idea that there would be this amazing city in the end that you and I will enter into, 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:40.000 a bride that comes out from heaven, resplendent. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.000 But as much as it is a city, it's also a beautiful garden. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:49.000 It is Eden on steroids. 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:52.000 It's brilliant. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.000 It's a garden city, and that's where it's going to end. 00:22:55.000 --> 00:23:00.000 And while we wait for that, God is saying, can you give people a taste here? 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:07.000 And he loves beauty. He loves creativity. He loves crafts. 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:14.000 Bezalel was anointed by the Holy Spirit so he can be creative. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:22.000 Why do you think the curtains in the temple had pomegranates and palm fronds and gold and grapes and all that stuff? 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:31.000 Why? Because it was to recreate Eden even inside a man-made building. 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:45.000 And so when we make spaces look good, guys like me may not think much of it, but God definitely does. 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:48.000 Meaning, I like beautiful spaces, but I may not notice it. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.000 I remember when all the women in this church dressed up. 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:54.000 I didn't know that they had dressed up. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:58.000 I just noticed that Diana looked different because she... 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:00.000 I didn't even know why she was looking different. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:04.000 Then someone told me she's wearing a skirt. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:09.000 That's when I realized, oh, these women are all dressed up. 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:12.000 It has absolutely no bearing on this message. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:23.000 But the point is that at the end of the day, these things are important to God. 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:34.000 Jesus brings people into this place. So Jesus brings us into this place. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:39.000 And what is that place? It's for us Vancouver or wherever. 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:46.000 He brings us into this place. And after he brings us into this place, he then decides, 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:52.000 okay, guys, let me give you a code of conduct. Let me give you a code of conduct. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:59.000 What is this code of conduct? Is it the law? No. It's a code of conduct that structures... 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:07.000 This is so cool. It's a code of conduct that structures our interaction. 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:18.000 It structures our interaction. It structures our interaction with ourselves, 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:34.000 God, others, institutions, environment. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:43.000 Or in other words, it tells us how to behave with each, and this is basically what righteousness is. 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:49.000 Beautiful, eh? And now you can see why the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy. 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:52.000 He brings us into a place. It doesn't matter where he puts us. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:58.000 Right now, we are from so many different places. There must be at least 15 nations represented here. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:03.000 He brings us into this place. And after bringing us into this place, he gives us a code of conduct. 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:10.000 And the code of conduct is supposed to govern how we interact with God, with ourselves, with others, 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:16.000 with institutions, with our environment, and that is the definition of righteousness. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:21.000 Righteousness is right relationship with these five things. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:25.000 Right relationship with God, right relationship with myself, right relationship with you. 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:34.000 It's that order. Love the Lord your God. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:37.000 And then with institutions, because there are so many different institutions. 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:42.000 How do you work with government? How do you work with something corrupt? How do you work with business? 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:46.000 Different institutions. And then our environment. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:52.000 And when we do that, now we begin to shape the space we are in. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.000 What does the earth try? What does the world try? 00:26:55.000 --> 00:27:02.000 Can I hybridize Jacob's code of conduct? Can I mutate Jacob's code of conduct? 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:05.000 Can I dilute Jacob's code of conduct? 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:09.000 Because if I can dilute Jacob's code of conduct, he will begin to look like the world, 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:13.000 and his kingdom will begin to look like the kingdoms of the world. 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:20.000 This is the attempt. What when that happens to an entire church? 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:29.000 Suddenly, salt has lost its flavor and is useless. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:34.000 Any questions? 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:39.000 That's why some of the things that are precious to you, hold on to them. 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:46.000 Man, precious to you why? Not because you cultivated it, but you know that's the nature put in you by God. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:54.000 And you're supposed to express it, display it, finesse it, hone it, make it more and more Christ-like. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:56.000 Things that are important to you. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:00.000 For some of you, truth is so important that it's non-negotiable. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:07.000 For some of you, kindness or generosity or serving is so important, you cannot back off from it. 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:11.000 Some of you, it's not even truth. It is to be true, to be honest. 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:15.000 Some of you, it's diligence. Some of you, it's faith. 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:19.000 I'm not saying that's the only thing you hold on to. You add to it. 00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:24.000 But the things that are so important to you are important to you because God put it there. 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:31.000 And it's supposed to display the values of an age to come in an age that is decaying. 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:35.000 And that is what will always be attacked, always be diluted. 00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:40.000 Because if that can be diluted, then your kingdom, your church, your life, your marriage, your family 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:47.000 will look exactly like all the families, all the churches, all the institutions of the world. 00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:57.000 Sometimes it's sad how businessmen start, pastors start, evangelists start with such kingdom fervour. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:00.000 And then it slowly gets diluted. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:07.000 Where the only difference sometimes between a Christian business and a non-Christian business 00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:13.000 is that the non-Christian business gives to United Way, the Christian business gives to United Evangelists. 00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:16.000 That's the only difference. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:22.000 Any questions? 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:30.000 And this code of conduct begins to govern how I pastor, begins to govern how you work, 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:34.000 begins to govern how you're a lawyer, begins to govern how you're a student, 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:40.000 begins to govern how your brothers help the environment through your engineering. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:45.000 Then the kingdom becomes visible. 00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:55.000 This is when Dawn says, I'm not an environmental engineer. 00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:03.000 So now that we have this code of conduct, it allows us to go, to go, 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:11.000 selling the t-shirts and the sweatshirts again, to go, go, 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:28.000 to go and give shape, go and give shape to every space you have a say in. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:36.000 What do you do? You bring in two things. You bring in shalom or wholeness. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:45.000 These are things we forget. So by the time we realise that the moment has passed, all you... 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:56.000 Yeah, here's what we do. Can I recreate the space I'm in so that I can bring in shalom and I can bring in joy? 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:59.000 Everything is broken, guys. There's nothing that's not broken. 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:06.000 Our lives are so fortunate that we get to bring to God every day and sometimes corporately every week, 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:11.000 we get to bring to God broken pieces. 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:17.000 We are so privileged through prayer, through the Spirit of God just working sovereignly, 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:24.000 through each other, helping each other out. Our broken pieces is usually put back. 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:30.000 But the world doesn't have that. And so in the space that you now enter with the code of conduct that God has given us, 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:40.000 we now get to recreate. I mean, I remember when I was a kid, I violently fell off my bike 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:44.000 and the wheel got twisted and stuff like that. I was crying. It was a relatively new bike. 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:52.000 I remember bringing it home and my dad for some reason was calm and not upset that I just destroyed a new bike. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:55.000 And then he started working on it. I didn't even know what he did. 00:31:55.000 --> 00:32:01.000 But the joy that was on my face when I got up, when I came back from school the next day to find that the wheel was replaced, 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:08.000 that the mangled wheel was now straight and I used to ride bikes once upon a time. And so it really made. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:14.000 And so it was fascinating to see something brand new presented to me again. 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:17.000 We don't realize how much we do, how much we need to do this. 00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:24.000 The thing is, this is not what we remember in the thick of work and in the thick of daily living. 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:31.000 We forget this. My hope is, can we repeat this enough times so that we remember? 00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:37.000 Truth is really learned through repetition. 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:42.000 Can we just keep this in mind? Every single, so hard-bent. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:46.000 And we are overwhelmed by so many new teachings, right? Every week. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:50.000 And so you can't even keep track. I pray God that the Spirit of God reminds us. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:59.000 So that's Matthew. When we go to Mark, Mark focuses on the authority of the King. 00:32:59.000 --> 00:33:06.000 Mark focuses on the authority of the King. That's his favorite thing, eh? 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:12.000 He uses that word more than any of the other gospels, the authority of the King. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:18.000 And he keeps presenting Jesus as royalty or as the Son of God. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:25.000 As in, he is from a kingly line or he presents him as the Son of God. 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:36.000 When you, he, in 2 Samuel 7, it talks about how David is having this conversation with God. 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:42.000 God tells him, listen, I picked you out of the pastures. You were a shepherd. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:47.000 I brought you and I made you king. Look at you now. And here's the promise I make to you. 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:52.000 I say to you that through you and through your line, I will establish a kingdom. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:55.000 And a king is going to sit on the throne that you presently sit on. 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:59.000 And to his kingdom, there will be no end. 00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:06.000 And Mark compares Jesus to the Son of God and to coming from a kingly place. 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:11.000 And his emphasis is always authority. Authority over nature. 00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:16.000 Authority over disease. Authority over sickness. Authority over the demonic. 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:23.000 Authority over the temple. Where he comes, he takes a whip and he cleanses the temple. 00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:27.000 And he says, I'll destroy it in three days and I'll build it again in three days. 00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:32.000 He shows him as someone who is royal and who comes with authority. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:39.000 And so that's Mark's emphasis. Having power over demons, disease, death, nature, temple. 00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:42.000 And how does he have ultimate authority? 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:49.000 The ultimate authority is through a bloody cross and an empty tomb. 00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:55.000 That's how this king becomes the ultimate. 00:34:55.000 --> 00:35:03.000 And it says in Philippians 2, it says, and being obedient unto death, he suffered the death of a slave. 00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:09.000 And because he lowered himself to the point of death, now he has been exalted and given a name 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:16.000 that is above every name, every power, every rank, every institution, everything. 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:20.000 How does he achieve it? Through a bloody cross and empty tomb. 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:29.000 Which goes on to say this then, that most of the time that God uses his authority through us is often, not always, 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:38.000 is often through our humiliation, through our suffering, through our being undignified, through our nothingness. 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:44.000 That is critical to the existence of this kingdom. This kingdom is an upside down kingdom. 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:51.000 This kingdom does not work through greatness, bravado, Tarzan. It doesn't work like that. 00:35:51.000 --> 00:36:04.000 It works usually through nothingness, through humiliation, through loss of dignity, and through suffering. 00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:11.000 You take any movement, be it the Book of Acts, Paul, Peter, or any movement that has started, 00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:16.000 there's tremendous opposition to the kingdom. There's a lot of indignity, a lot of suffering, 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:27.000 a lot of humiliation, a lot of nothingness, and out of that arises the kingdom. 00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:32.000 These are things you must embrace, that I must embrace. 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:43.000 Any questions? Any questions, guys? 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:47.000 Anyone else want to move up front? 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:54.000 Vivi followed you. Whoa, Vivi just returned to his place here. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:37:03.000 No, not always, often. It's something that the, that, this is a judgment and I think it's fair, 00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:11.000 it's something that the Western Church and the Charismatic Church avoids. 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:18.000 So the Charismatic Church globally and the Western Church in terms of geography avoids this. 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:27.000 We don't see power displayed through nothingness, humiliation, indignity, and suffering as something that a king does. 00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:36.000 But this king came into a place of cosmic authority over everything through a bloody cross and an empty tomb. 00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:46.000 And like we said in the beginning, the kingdom goes as the king goes. And this is how the king went. 00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:54.000 What's a good way to judge if you're feeling humiliation is God warranted? 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:58.000 Yeah, what's a good way to know whether humiliation is God warranted? 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:07.000 Humiliation is never God's plan, but it is the way he uses to affect the world. 00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:15.000 It's never God's plan to humiliate us. At no point was God intending to make man to humiliate him. 00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:23.000 Yeah, because of sin. It's after the fall that this thing happened. 00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:29.000 God's plan was never humiliation, but Jesus had to humble himself because we had become sinners. 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:37.000 And the only way now to work it out is to humble himself to become a bond slave to us sinners so that he may set us free. 00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:43.000 So humiliation is never God's plan, but in being humiliated, how do I react? 00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:51.000 The Romans are humiliating the Jews. Carry my bag. Walk a mile. Give me your cloak. Give me your tunic. 00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:58.000 And Jesus, instead of making it better, saying walk with dignity, he says, if they ask you to walk a mile, walk two. 00:38:58.000 --> 00:39:04.000 If they ask you for your cloak, give him your cloak and your tunic. It's just an upside down kingdom. 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:16.000 And we find it hard to embrace because we in the West and most charismatic communities have this thing about our personal individual rights. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:22.000 We live like that. It's important to us. Democracy thrives because of individual rights. 00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:29.000 It's strange. You can go to any kingdom in the world. You'll never find protest marches or strikes. 00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:34.000 I'm not saying one is good or one is bad. I'm not saying you shouldn't unionize or you should unionize. 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:39.000 There's not a political speech. I'm just saying certain things don't happen in kingdoms. 00:39:39.000 --> 00:39:46.000 But we won't compare it to kingdoms of the world because that's a bad analogy. 00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:54.000 Guys, the resurrection of this king is important. He's a risen king. 00:39:54.000 --> 00:40:03.000 Try to remember that because we don't have a religion if the tomb is not empty. 00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:09.000 We don't have a religion if the tomb is not empty. Our sins are not forgiven if the tomb is not empty. 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:17.000 Our future looks bleak if Jesus hasn't risen. Oppression will not end if he does not have all authority. 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:25.000 Resurrection is historically indisputable, so you can stand on it and say this actually happened. 00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:32.000 Crucifixion and resurrection, there's sufficient evidence for that. You don't have to shy away from that. 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:37.000 But it's such a critical part of our existence where Satan is stripped of his authority. 00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:42.000 Death is not the end. Jesus is God and our sins are paid for. Four things. 00:40:42.000 --> 00:40:49.000 Jesus is God. Our sins are paid for. Death is not the end. 00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:54.000 Satan is disarmed. Four things that will not happen if resurrection does not happen. 00:40:54.000 --> 00:40:57.000 And these are the four things that we base every day on. 00:40:57.000 --> 00:41:03.000 Can you imagine if we don't preach resurrection, like Paul said, what kind of religion is this? 00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:11.000 If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, we are to be pitied because death is the end. 00:41:11.000 --> 00:41:19.000 Satan is disarmed. Sins are forgiven. 00:41:19.000 --> 00:41:24.000 Jesus is God. If he's not God, he doesn't rise. 00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:36.000 Before we move on to Luke, authority. The moment you step into this or you warn this, 00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:41.000 know two things. One, you are not going to be forgiven. 00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:48.000 Before we move on to Luke, authority. The moment you step into this or you warn this, 00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:53.000 know two things. One, it will provoke opposition. 00:41:53.000 --> 00:42:00.000 And two, it will prevail over opposition. 00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:05.000 We want prevailing, but why prevail when you have no opposition? 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:11.000 You don't need to prevail if there's no provoking or pushback. 00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:15.000 You only prevail over something when it contends with you. 00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:24.000 And the moment you decide that I want to know how to wield the king's authority for the sake of the kingdom. 00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:30.000 And whenever you say the sake of the kingdom, always remember it means you want to display the king 00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:32.000 and you want others to be drawn in. 00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:39.000 Anytime you say, for the sake of the kingdom, these two things immediately come into play. 00:42:39.000 --> 00:42:43.000 The moment I say, I want to do this for the sake of the kingdom, here's what you're saying. 00:42:43.000 --> 00:42:47.000 I want to do this because I want to display who my king is and I also want to draw others in. 00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:52.000 Those are the two reasons when we say the sake of the kingdom. 00:42:52.000 --> 00:43:01.000 But anytime you want to exert the works and words and deeds of this king who is ridiculously supreme 00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:08.000 and has absolute rank and sovereignty, the moment you firmly decide it is this and nothing, 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:14.000 the moment you do that, you provoke opposition. 00:43:14.000 --> 00:43:21.000 And if we persist, we prevail over opposition. 00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:23.000 It was the same with Jesus. 00:43:23.000 --> 00:43:28.000 The moment he began to tell people who he was, son of God, 00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:32.000 the moment he does that, his family goes out to seize him. 00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:38.000 Teachers of the law claim that he's Beelzebub or Satan and that he's possessed. 00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:40.000 His community rejects him. 00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:45.000 The devil tempts him with the lust of the eyes and flesh and pride of life in the desert and many times after. 00:43:45.000 --> 00:43:48.000 His identity is attacked. He is persecuted. 00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:52.000 Evil arrays itself against him. 00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:55.000 And then he prevails. 00:43:55.000 --> 00:44:02.000 You have overcome, you have overcome. 00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:04.000 And this is still what happens. 00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:13.000 Be it in Richmond or be it in Kathmandu, the moment you decide that this is what we want to do for kingdom's sake, 00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:18.000 know that there will be opposition, that will be prevailing. 00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:23.000 Any questions before we move on to Luke? 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:33.000 Okay. 00:44:33.000 --> 00:44:36.000 Luke. 00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:44.000 Luke focuses on the people who will occupy the kingdom. 00:44:44.000 --> 00:44:55.000 Beautiful, eh, how these guys without knowing end up giving us such a beautiful canvas of the kingdom or deep glimpses into the kingdom. 00:44:55.000 --> 00:44:58.000 Luke focuses on the people who occupy the kingdom. 00:44:58.000 --> 00:45:00.000 You read Luke and what do you find there? 00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:06.000 You find how Jesus helps the marginal, how Jesus helps the rejected, 00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:10.000 how Jesus helps the Syrophoenician woman who is a Canaanite, 00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:17.000 how he helps the poor, how he helps tax collectors, how he helps sinners, 00:45:17.000 --> 00:45:25.000 the woman, different women caught in adultery, how he helps Samaritans or goes to Samaritans, 00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:33.000 how he helps a Gentile centurion who is a Roman who probably was cruel to the Jews at some point or the other, 00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:39.000 how he opens Isaiah 61 and begins to read and what does he read? 00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:53.000 Comfort to the brokenhearted, release for captives, good news to the poor. 00:45:53.000 --> 00:45:58.000 And then you go further and you see that there are so many parables that Luke has. 00:45:58.000 --> 00:46:01.000 While the parables in Matthew deal with the kingdom, 00:46:01.000 --> 00:46:17.000 Luke's parables will deal with the prodigal son, the lost sheep, the persistent widow, the poor. 00:46:17.000 --> 00:46:24.000 When you look at the Beatitudes, you again see him talking about blessed are the poor, 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:32.000 the persecuted, the mourning. 00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:42.000 It's just this continuous focus on, hey, you want to see what the kingdom looks like? 00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:46.000 The kingdom is for them. 00:46:46.000 --> 00:46:51.000 The fact is everybody is poor. Everybody is bankrupt. 00:46:51.000 --> 00:46:55.000 The truth is very few know it. Sorry, let me change that around. 00:46:55.000 --> 00:47:02.000 The truth is everybody is bankrupt. The fact is not everybody knows it. 00:47:02.000 --> 00:47:07.000 The truth is everybody is bankrupt. The fact is not everybody knows it. 00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:11.000 But look at who the kingdom goes after. 00:47:11.000 --> 00:47:17.000 And then it begs the question, Jacob, are these the ones that you go after? 00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:24.000 In Acts 29, are these the ones you go after? 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:30.000 Embrace these simple truths of the kingdom and we will begin to think like this. 00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:41.000 And if we keep repeating, if we keep recapping, going over it, it will become our reality. 00:47:41.000 --> 00:47:45.000 It's crazy. 00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:49.000 Do you understand? 00:47:49.000 --> 00:47:51.000 These are the people. 00:47:51.000 --> 00:47:56.000 Matthew was... Go ahead. Sorry. 00:47:56.000 --> 00:47:59.000 Yeah. Yeah. 00:47:59.000 --> 00:48:02.000 All of us are. There's nobody who isn't. 00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:04.000 But only some of us know it. 00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:10.000 And that's the greatest barrier to getting saved. 00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:26.000 And that's the greatest barrier to salvation is the inability for humans to admit bankruptcy or needing saving. 00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:37.000 Sorry? Sure. 00:48:37.000 --> 00:48:42.000 If we are all spiritually dead, can we save ourselves or does God need to reach out to us? 00:48:42.000 --> 00:48:45.000 God needs to reach out to us because we can't save ourselves. 00:48:45.000 --> 00:48:48.000 Because how do you pay for the wrong things you did? 00:48:48.000 --> 00:48:53.000 How do you get back to holy once you are unholy? 00:48:53.000 --> 00:49:00.000 How do you take food that has poison in it and un-poison it? 00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:06.000 There's only one way. Someone has to eat that food and die. 00:49:06.000 --> 00:49:08.000 And that's the end of that food. 00:49:08.000 --> 00:49:12.000 And now you can bake something afresh. 00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:17.000 So, yeah, his question answers that it's impossible for man to save himself. 00:49:17.000 --> 00:49:20.000 Therefore, one has to come. 00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:22.000 And I like the way he worded it. 00:49:22.000 --> 00:49:25.000 He said, does God have to reach out for us? 00:49:25.000 --> 00:49:28.000 Yes. You can't reach out for God either. 00:49:28.000 --> 00:49:32.000 He has to reach out for us because where would you even find this God if you looked for him? 00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:34.000 He has to look for you. 00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:36.000 I mean, yes, it's become a phrase. 00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:39.000 And then I was lost and then I found God. 00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:42.000 It's usually never the case. 00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:49.000 And finally we got John. 00:49:49.000 --> 00:49:53.000 John is the only guy who almost rarely uses the word kingdom. 00:49:53.000 --> 00:49:59.000 He only uses the word kingdom when he's in Jesus' discourse with Nicodemus. 00:49:59.000 --> 00:50:02.000 He says, unless you be born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:04.000 He uses it twice. That's it. 00:50:04.000 --> 00:50:07.000 But the word John uses is life. 00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:09.000 He keeps using this word life. 00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:12.000 And so John's focus is life of the kingdom. 00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:15.000 Life of the kingdom. 00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:18.000 And this life is sourced from God. 00:50:18.000 --> 00:50:20.000 It's sourced from God. 00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:24.000 It starts here and it goes on forever. 00:50:24.000 --> 00:50:31.000 And so John's contention is those who submit or those who receive the king can have life. 00:50:31.000 --> 00:50:33.000 But this life will only come through the death of the king. 00:50:33.000 --> 00:50:36.000 Beautiful, eh? What a God. 00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:45.000 Those who submit to this king who outranks everything and exists even before people or land existed. 00:50:45.000 --> 00:50:50.000 This king, if you submit to this king, you have life. 00:50:50.000 --> 00:50:55.000 But this king must die for you to have life. 00:50:55.000 --> 00:50:57.000 These are essentials of our gospel. 00:50:57.000 --> 00:51:05.000 And as we begin to speak, we can get excited about what we belong to and what others must belong to. 00:51:05.000 --> 00:51:09.000 Because it's the desire of the king to have them belong in this. 00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:14.000 Who wouldn't want this? 00:51:14.000 --> 00:51:18.000 And so in talking this, the gospel gets stronger in us. 00:51:18.000 --> 00:51:20.000 It's not standing alone now. 00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:25.000 That's why Jesus used to call it the gospel of the kingdom. 00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:27.000 And so the king must die. 00:51:27.000 --> 00:51:33.000 If the king must die and you submit to the king, you receive the life of the kingdom. 00:51:33.000 --> 00:51:36.000 The life of the kingdom. 00:51:36.000 --> 00:51:43.000 And just like the kingdom came through a few disciples, always remember that, eh? 00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:48.000 It came through the meek and lowly. 00:51:48.000 --> 00:51:53.000 It came through one destined to death. 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:58.000 It came through one who had twelve disciples. 00:51:58.000 --> 00:52:01.000 Today, it's the same. 00:52:01.000 --> 00:52:07.000 It still comes through weak, meek people. 00:52:07.000 --> 00:52:14.000 It still comes through jars of clay, carrying treasure. 00:52:14.000 --> 00:52:23.000 But they have the ability to announce and demonstrate kingdom. 00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:28.000 The ways of the kingdom. 00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:35.000 Part of the reason we dare, we do not dare, to announce or demonstrate the kingdom is because of a lack of meekness. 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:43.000 I would contend that part of the reason we do not dare to announce and demonstrate the kingdom is because of a lack of meekness. 00:52:43.000 --> 00:52:56.000 Meekness is not a lack of strength, but meekness is being a jolly beggar. 00:52:56.000 --> 00:52:57.000 A jolly beggar. 00:52:57.000 --> 00:53:00.000 Ever seen a jolly beggar? 00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:04.000 A jolly beggar is what meekness looks like. 00:53:04.000 --> 00:53:07.000 He knows he's got nothing. 00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:08.000 He knows he's got nothing. 00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:19.000 But he knows he can still somehow be happy because of the fact that in his nothingness, great things can happen. 00:53:19.000 --> 00:53:22.000 It still happens to meek, weak individuals. 00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:25.000 You know what that does in terms of the kingdom? 00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:30.000 It makes everybody qualified. 00:53:30.000 --> 00:53:36.000 It qualifies everyone. 00:53:36.000 --> 00:53:51.000 I mean, surely one of the best things you can say about yourself is, I'm weak. 00:53:51.000 --> 00:53:54.000 Twelve people. 00:53:54.000 --> 00:53:56.000 Let me conclude. 00:53:56.000 --> 00:54:02.000 Hey, boom. 00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:08.000 These last two or three points are so important for us. 00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:25.000 When we take up our crosses, when we take up our crosses, what does that mean? 00:54:25.000 --> 00:54:43.000 Self-denial for Christ and others because of love or because we love. 00:54:43.000 --> 00:54:45.000 That's what taking up the cross means. 00:54:45.000 --> 00:54:46.000 That's important. 00:54:46.000 --> 00:54:49.000 We need to understand what self-denial, what taking up your crosses. 00:54:49.000 --> 00:55:04.000 Self-denial for the sake of Christ and for the sake of others, either because we love them or because of love. 00:55:04.000 --> 00:55:05.000 Because of love. 00:55:05.000 --> 00:55:07.000 Sometimes we do things because of love. 00:55:07.000 --> 00:55:12.000 Sometimes we do things because we actually love somebody, so we do it. 00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:16.000 Sometimes it's not because we love somebody, it's because of love. 00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:21.000 This is what parents do day in and day out. 00:55:21.000 --> 00:55:27.000 Self-denial is the middle name of anybody who has a child. 00:55:27.000 --> 00:55:38.000 And so when we take up our crosses, as in self-denial for Christ and others, cause of love, cause of love for Christ and others, cause we love Christ and others, 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:54.000 when we take up our crosses and follow Jesus where he tells us to go, follow Jesus where he tells us, there the kingdom is. 00:55:54.000 --> 00:56:05.000 It's an essential part of ushering in or creating space or causing the kingdom to descend. 00:56:05.000 --> 00:56:16.000 Self-denial is a, let me put it in a Christian way, taking up your cross is critical for the coming of the kingdom. 00:56:16.000 --> 00:56:20.000 Which is why it can't be limited to the service. 00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:26.000 Jesus didn't say, I have come to give you meetings and meetings more abundant. 00:56:26.000 --> 00:56:31.000 He said, I've come to give you life and life more abundant. 00:56:31.000 --> 00:56:38.000 And so when we take up our crosses, self-denial for Christ and others, cause of love, cause we love, I follow Jesus, there the kingdom is. 00:56:38.000 --> 00:56:42.000 And it'll look different for everybody. 00:56:42.000 --> 00:56:46.000 So we can't say, oh, this is the way Jacob does it, so this is what I have to do it. 00:56:46.000 --> 00:56:52.000 No. Your situation, your context is completely different. 00:56:52.000 --> 00:56:58.000 But you get a chance to do this, self-denial. 00:56:58.000 --> 00:57:01.000 And wherever that happens, there the kingdom is. 00:57:01.000 --> 00:57:03.000 And what do I mean by there the kingdom is? 00:57:03.000 --> 00:57:06.000 There the king is. 00:57:06.000 --> 00:57:12.000 And where presence is, suddenly you have the kingdom of heaven. 00:57:12.000 --> 00:57:21.000 And where presence is, works, words and deeds will emanate out of you and emanate through you. 00:57:21.000 --> 00:57:22.000 Why? 00:57:22.000 --> 00:57:28.000 Because anybody who chooses the path of self-denial is Christ-like. 00:57:28.000 --> 00:57:35.000 The imitation of Christ is impossible without self-denial. 00:57:35.000 --> 00:57:44.000 Therefore, every time I am the center of my life, every time I choose not to deny self for Christ or for others, 00:57:44.000 --> 00:57:52.000 every time my rights become more important than my spouse's right, than my friend's right, than my neighbor's right, 00:57:52.000 --> 00:57:57.000 at that moment all I am is sanctified flesh with the Holy Spirit living inside. 00:57:57.000 --> 00:58:01.000 And it's impossible for Christ to do stuff. 00:58:01.000 --> 00:58:04.000 But the moment self-denial comes in, Christ arrives. 00:58:04.000 --> 00:58:06.000 Christ and self-denial are one and the same. 00:58:06.000 --> 00:58:14.000 The cross is the ultimate expression of absolute denial of everything that is self. 00:58:14.000 --> 00:58:17.000 Why will not the king turn up? 00:58:17.000 --> 00:58:28.000 Why will you then not begin to behave like the king when self-denial kicks in? 00:58:28.000 --> 00:58:43.000 You know, when Abraham left the Ur of Chaldees, there were three things that he decided to depart from. 00:58:43.000 --> 00:58:51.000 One was his land. He decides his land he'll turn his back on. 00:58:51.000 --> 00:58:56.000 The other one was his people. He decides he'll turn his back on his people. 00:58:56.000 --> 00:59:02.000 You'll see it in Genesis 12. And the third one was his power. 00:59:02.000 --> 00:59:08.000 And where did his power come from? In those days your power came from your father's house. 00:59:08.000 --> 00:59:12.000 These are the three things he decides to turn his back on. 00:59:12.000 --> 00:59:16.000 He turns his back on his land, as in his territory. 00:59:16.000 --> 00:59:19.000 He turns his back on his people, as in his kin. 00:59:19.000 --> 00:59:23.000 And he turns his back on all the trappings of power, his name. 00:59:23.000 --> 00:59:27.000 The name was critical in those days, even today. 00:59:27.000 --> 00:59:30.000 He turns his back on it. He turns his back on his father's house and he walks away. 00:59:30.000 --> 00:59:32.000 And when he walks away, here's what God does. 00:59:32.000 --> 00:59:38.000 He says, okay, so you walked away from your land, from your people, and from your power or your father's house. 00:59:38.000 --> 00:59:40.000 So here's what I'll give you. 00:59:40.000 --> 00:59:42.000 God promises him three things in return. 00:59:42.000 --> 00:59:47.000 He promises him land that stretches forever. 00:59:47.000 --> 00:59:50.000 He promises him you lost the people. 00:59:50.000 --> 00:59:52.000 He promises him nations. 00:59:52.000 --> 00:59:59.000 And then he promises him blessings from Yahweh. 00:59:59.000 --> 01:00:02.000 These are the three things he promises. 01:00:02.000 --> 01:00:04.000 This kingdom is like that. 01:00:04.000 --> 01:00:10.000 This kingdom cannot be lived out if I do not have... 01:00:10.000 --> 01:00:16.000 I must get to a place where I do not struggle with these three things. 01:00:16.000 --> 01:00:23.000 My land, my people, my own power or my name, my father's house. 01:00:23.000 --> 01:00:28.000 These are three things that I must have the ability to not struggle with. 01:00:28.000 --> 01:00:33.000 That's where we must go, where it's never going to be a struggle. 01:00:33.000 --> 01:00:38.000 It'll always be a choice, but it'll be a choice made without a struggle. 01:00:38.000 --> 01:00:40.000 That's where we must head. 01:00:40.000 --> 01:00:45.000 The moment we do that, what happens immediately is God just ridiculously multiplies us, 01:00:45.000 --> 01:00:48.000 which is also what he says in Matthew where he says, 01:00:48.000 --> 01:00:51.000 Peter comes and says to Jesus, but Jesus, we've given up everything, 01:00:51.000 --> 01:00:53.000 Matthew 10, we've given up land, this, that. 01:00:53.000 --> 01:00:58.000 And he says, you've given up land, houses, family, friends, 01:00:58.000 --> 01:01:00.000 but here's what I say to you. 01:01:00.000 --> 01:01:02.000 I will multiply it back to you. 01:01:02.000 --> 01:01:07.000 The prosperity gospel sees that as a method of increase, personal increase. 01:01:07.000 --> 01:01:10.000 What Jesus is saying is, Abraham, you left this. 01:01:10.000 --> 01:01:13.000 Now through you, I will bless who? 01:01:13.000 --> 01:01:15.000 The nations. 01:01:16.000 --> 01:01:21.000 And so when Jesus is saying to Peter, you will in return get many houses. 01:01:21.000 --> 01:01:24.000 Wow, if I give up one house, God will multiply it. 01:01:24.000 --> 01:01:26.000 So one house, you will get five houses back. 01:01:26.000 --> 01:01:28.000 That is not what Jesus is saying. 01:01:28.000 --> 01:01:32.000 Jesus is saying, when you do this, then look at what I will do. 01:01:32.000 --> 01:01:38.000 I will through you increase the kingdom where you will now be the father of nations. 01:01:38.000 --> 01:01:42.000 Through you, the blessings of Yahweh will come down to the earth. 01:01:42.000 --> 01:01:46.000 Through you, the little piece of land you gave up in the ear of Chaldees 01:01:46.000 --> 01:01:50.000 will be returned where you will have descendants like the sand of the sea. 01:01:53.000 --> 01:01:57.000 It's always that what he means because he's been a king since the beginning. 01:01:57.000 --> 01:01:59.000 It's not a new idea. 01:02:01.000 --> 01:02:06.000 And this is what he can do through ordinary people like you and me. 01:02:06.000 --> 01:02:08.000 His dad was a pagan. 01:02:08.000 --> 01:02:10.000 Abraham's dad. 01:02:10.000 --> 01:02:12.000 What made Abraham special? 01:02:12.000 --> 01:02:14.000 Just one simple thing. 01:02:14.000 --> 01:02:16.000 God called him out. 01:02:16.000 --> 01:02:18.000 How are you any different? 01:02:19.000 --> 01:02:21.000 God called you out. 01:02:21.000 --> 01:02:22.000 He picked you. 01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:23.000 He chose you. 01:02:23.000 --> 01:02:28.000 Your parents may not have been believers, but he picked you out. 01:02:28.000 --> 01:02:30.000 And then he gives you a promise. 01:02:30.000 --> 01:02:33.000 And so what is the promise that he has given you? 01:02:33.000 --> 01:02:36.000 But he didn't give me a promise of nations. 01:02:36.000 --> 01:02:40.000 And well then, start with the little promise he has given you. 01:02:40.000 --> 01:02:45.000 Because as you show yourself faithful, so you are given an increase in the number of cities. 01:02:47.000 --> 01:02:49.000 C.S. Lewis said this. 01:02:49.000 --> 01:02:51.000 Keep back nothing. 01:02:51.000 --> 01:02:53.000 Keep back nothing. 01:02:53.000 --> 01:02:57.000 Nothing that you have not given away will ever really be yours. 01:02:57.000 --> 01:02:58.000 Beautiful. 01:02:58.000 --> 01:03:02.000 Keep back nothing. 01:03:02.000 --> 01:03:05.000 Keep back nothing. 01:03:05.000 --> 01:03:08.000 Keep back nothing. 01:03:08.000 --> 01:03:11.000 And then he goes on to say, 01:03:11.000 --> 01:03:15.000 Nothing that you have not given away, 01:03:15.000 --> 01:03:20.000 Nothing that you have not given away 01:03:24.000 --> 01:03:31.000 will ever be really yours. 01:03:31.000 --> 01:03:33.000 It is so true. 01:03:34.000 --> 01:03:36.000 Jesus said this himself. 01:03:39.000 --> 01:03:46.000 He who cannot give up his this and that and wife and children and land and house, 01:03:46.000 --> 01:03:49.000 Jesus made it a little worse than C.S. Lewis. 01:03:49.000 --> 01:03:52.000 He said, It's not even worthy of following me. 01:03:52.000 --> 01:03:54.000 The last sentence in this quoteised, 01:03:54.000 --> 01:03:59.000 Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. 01:03:59.000 --> 01:04:03.000 Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. 01:04:03.000 --> 01:04:06.000 Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. 01:04:06.000 --> 01:04:09.000 Jacob, do you have a problem with money? 01:04:09.000 --> 01:04:10.000 Do you have a problem with pride? 01:04:10.000 --> 01:04:12.000 Do you have a problem with people? 01:04:12.000 --> 01:04:14.000 What is it that you have a problem with? 01:04:14.000 --> 01:04:16.000 Till that dies, I cannot raise it back to life. 01:04:16.000 --> 01:04:18.000 So how do I do this, oh God? 01:04:18.000 --> 01:04:20.000 Bring your blessing in. 01:04:20.000 --> 01:04:21.640 How do I do this, O God? 01:04:21.640 --> 01:04:25.640 Bring your blooming Isaac and lay him on the altar and see what I can do. 01:04:25.640 --> 01:04:35.960 I will make you laugh over what you've laid down as I raise it back from the dead." 01:04:35.960 --> 01:04:42.480 It's a kingdom principle and we must embrace it because of the huge promise that has been 01:04:42.480 --> 01:04:45.760 given to this church. 01:04:45.760 --> 01:04:48.400 Huge. 01:04:48.400 --> 01:04:50.680 Promises don't come corporate. 01:04:50.680 --> 01:04:55.440 Promises come through a person. 01:04:55.440 --> 01:04:59.440 If you're waiting for a corporate dream where everybody sees the same dream before this 01:04:59.440 --> 01:05:04.880 church moves, it ain't going to happen. 01:05:04.880 --> 01:05:08.340 Promises come through people. 01:05:08.340 --> 01:05:12.680 We have been given a huge promise. 01:05:12.680 --> 01:05:17.680 And if we embrace these truths, we'll be able to walk in it. 01:05:17.680 --> 01:05:21.480 These are principles that we'll repeat again and again so that we become that. 01:05:21.480 --> 01:05:27.840 When Jesus died on top of the cross, they put this sign, King of the Jews. 01:05:27.840 --> 01:05:32.360 It was written in Aramaic, it was written in Latin, it was written in Greek. 01:05:32.360 --> 01:05:35.480 Anybody who went by would look at the sign and they knew. 01:05:35.480 --> 01:05:36.480 You know why they put that sign? 01:05:36.480 --> 01:05:39.160 They had to give reason for its crucifixion. 01:05:39.160 --> 01:05:45.400 And so the reason that they put above the cross was he said he was the King of the Jews. 01:05:45.440 --> 01:05:48.320 The easy thing was he was. 01:05:48.320 --> 01:05:52.320 And then he rises again and that begins the advancement of the kingdom, which we'll talk 01:05:52.320 --> 01:05:53.320 about next week. 01:05:53.320 --> 01:05:54.320 Let's pray. 01:06:00.040 --> 01:06:04.160 We've gone 10 minutes extra because of George. 01:06:04.160 --> 01:06:06.280 I apologize on his behalf. 01:06:06.280 --> 01:06:08.800 Let's pray. 01:06:09.200 --> 01:06:21.360 Father, it is so refreshing, so exciting, so mind-opening, so heart-desiring, so feet-stirring 01:06:21.360 --> 01:06:27.240 to hear about this magnificent plan that you have called the kingdom. 01:06:27.240 --> 01:06:35.600 Jesus, we just come as eager students who don't want to just look at the word but want 01:06:35.600 --> 01:06:36.600 to do the word. 01:06:37.200 --> 01:06:40.040 We don't want to be people that look in the mirror and walk away. 01:06:40.040 --> 01:06:44.760 I just pray that during this week could you bring back to memory the things that we've 01:06:44.760 --> 01:06:47.520 talked about so that this gets cemented in our lives. 01:06:47.520 --> 01:06:49.040 You've done this with other things. 01:06:49.040 --> 01:06:50.560 You've cemented Christ's life. 01:06:50.560 --> 01:06:52.480 You've cemented the idea of the body. 01:06:52.480 --> 01:06:56.440 You've cemented so many different things in our lives that have made us who we are. 01:06:56.440 --> 01:06:57.440 Could you do this one too? 01:06:57.440 --> 01:06:59.240 Because it's the right time, I know. 01:06:59.240 --> 01:07:05.680 And so we ask for this, oh God, so that this becomes a living truth in your children, a 01:07:05.720 --> 01:07:06.720 living truth. 01:07:06.720 --> 01:07:10.320 And truth that lives always spreads. 01:07:10.320 --> 01:07:13.280 Truth that lives always spreads. 01:07:13.280 --> 01:07:14.800 Truth that is spoken is different. 01:07:14.800 --> 01:07:16.280 It doesn't have feet. 01:07:16.280 --> 01:07:17.840 Truth that lives spreads. 01:07:17.840 --> 01:07:20.440 I please ask this of us. 01:07:20.440 --> 01:07:24.360 Thank you for being so kind, Holy Spirit, to reveal these things to us. 01:07:24.360 --> 01:07:25.360 We are super grateful. 01:07:25.360 --> 01:07:26.360 I'm super grateful. 01:07:26.360 --> 01:07:27.360 In Jesus' name, amen. 01:07:27.360 --> 01:07:28.360 If you need prayer, then you need to hear the prayer with me. 01:07:28.360 --> 01:07:29.360 Yeah? 01:07:29.360 --> 01:07:30.360 Amen. 01:07:30.360 --> 01:07:31.360 Amen. 01:07:31.360 --> 01:07:32.360 Amen. 01:07:32.360 --> 01:07:33.360 Amen. 01:07:33.360 --> 01:07:34.360 Amen. 01:07:34.360 --> 01:07:35.360 Amen. 01:07:35.360 --> 01:07:36.360 Amen.