DanSardinas.net

Gospel Transformation: Kingdom Building vs. Castle Building

If we are to truly transform our cities with the Gospel then we have to change our entire strategy.  How many churches are trying to get "bigger and bigger" at the expense of true city wide transformation?  Most churches measure success by butts in the pews...and money in the plate.  Doesn't that sound a tad like a movie theater?  

How many people are watching the show and how many are buying tickets?Is that what God has called us to do?  Is it any wonder that our churces are filled with "spectators" and not doers? Too many churches are into what I call...Castle Building. Churches who are trying to build castles (i'm not talking about a building) are only worried about how big their church grows.  They may even compete with the other churches in town.  They may have clever slogans about how their church is "better" than any other church. Or maybe that church is selling itself as more "relevant", "hipper" or "cooler" than the next.  I remember in one town that I pastored I was scolded by another pastor about how I was in his "territory". Wow... It's no wonder our cities are so lost.  

Jesus has not called us to build castles.  He has called us to be engaged in His ever expanding Kingdom.  Once churches in a city realize that it's not about them...the city will be better.  That city will be better reached with the Gospel.  The Kingdom of God is the rule of God over all creation.  God is up to something huge.  He is up to something that you and I can never compete with or ever dream to outdue.  Jesus was all about this kingdom.  

Wouldn't it be phenomenal if churches joined each other for the sake of the Gospel?  Wouldn't it be great to join other churches in the Missio Dei than the pettiness of doctrinal divide?  Folks...it's time to realize we are all on the same team if we have been redeemed.  Isn't that what he prayed for us in John 17 before he was arrested in the garden?  

Jesus said to seek first His Kingdom.  Why are you building your castle?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33 

 (for other posts about the Kingdom of God on dansardinas.net click here.

 

 

The Kingdom of God: Is Like a Drop of Dish Soap

Jesus spoke in parables to describe the Kingdom of God.   Parables are stories that have a deeper explanation of truth.   Here is my stab at creating a Parable to describe the Kingdom of God.  I would love to hear your parallel parables of the Kingdom.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Enjoy. 

The Kingdom of God is like a drop of dish soap that falls into a kitchen sink full of dirty dishes.  The dish soap multiplies and expands as it mixes with the water.  The dish soap starts forming bubbles throughout the entire sink.  It is not long after that the entire sink is filled with the bubbles of the dish soap. The dirty dishes now have a way to be cleaned, restored and used again as originally intended.  PDV (Pastor Dan Version) :)

The Kingdom of God: Unstoppable Growth

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. Matthew 13:31-32

Jesus used several parables to describe the Kingdom of God/Heaven.  It is notable here that Matthew never used the phrase "Kingdom of God".  This is most likely due to the fact that Matthew was speaking to a Jewish audience.  Jews out of reverence  for the  name of God would not speak God's name like that.    The Kingdom of Heaven is synonymous with the Kingdom of God.  One in the same.  

In this parable, Jesus says that the "kingdom of heaven" is like...... a mustard seed.  As Jesus said, this seed, is the smallest of all the seeds.  But yet when it grows it becomes the largest of all the garden plants/trees.  It is quite the contrast.  The mustard seed goes from the smallest to the largest.  It goes from what appears to be the weakest......to the strongest.  It grows from being "bird food" to a "bird perch".  It goes from being unseen to being a can't miss object.  Jesus says this is how the kingdom is like.  Crazy.  True.  

Jesus also shared this parable.

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.  Matthew 13:33

Here is another example of a "small" thing compared to the Kingdom of God.  According to Wikipedia, Yeast are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi.   It is used as a leavening agent where it converts fermentable sugars in the dough into carbon dioxide.  This allows the dough to rise and become larger and tastier.  Once the yeast starts doing it's thing...it's impossible to separate from the dough.   Jesus says that the yeast works it way until it's through the whole dough!  

What do we take from these two parables?  Well I say that the Kingdom of God is an unstoppable force!   The Kingdom begins spreading small  (Jesus & the 12 disciples) and ends up with billions of people later through history.   The Kingdom is growing and nothing can stop it!  As the mustard tree becomes the largest in the garden...so will the Kingdom be the biggest & greatest.   As the yeast permeates the dough and spreads like a wildfire....so will the Kingdom spread throughout the world.    The rule of God is spreading throughout creation and the Gates of Hell won't be able to take it!

If you were to use a parable to describe the kingdom...how would you do it?   Try to use the same train of thought Jesus was using with the yeast/mustard seed.  I'll share my parable with my next post. 

Kingdom of God: Denominational Choke Hold

Here is another article written way back that fits within the Kingdom series. 

When Jesus was proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and focusing on people's needs...did he intend for Christians to be so divisive and split apart? I believe the church has not had a greater impact on the world because of an unhealthy view of denominational allegiances. Denominations are important! But why are we so worried about whether we are Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Lutheran, Pentecostal, blah, blah, and blah?????

It would seem to me that many are more worried about who they disagree with in doctrine! What about the suffering happening while we quarrel!  Is it more important to identify 

myself as an (Independent, Southern, American, General, Foursquare, or whatever) 

Baptist? Or should I be more concerned about showing people the Christ?  I'm not 

saying you shouldn't be a part of a denomination but sometimes I feel that it has had a choke hold  on the Great Commission.

For the last 6 years I've been a part of the Southern Baptist  Convention. I did not choose the SBC over their doctrinal fidelty or because of it's leaders. I was impressed by their shared passion to share Christ around the world  together. The Cooperative Program giving from the churches is a phenomenal  achievment and raises millions of dollars to spread the Gospel.  However I was  sickened the other day when I recieved a letter from one of the SBC leaders. The  letter said that this leader would devote most of this time in 2009 and 2010 to show  people who "Southern Baptists" are all about.  Let me be clear here....WHO CARES? Who cares who Southern Baptists are?  Why are we not concerned with who Jesus is!?!?

Why are we concerned about who "Followers of Jesus" are? This mentatlity of caring about how successful or big your organization gets....stinks! It puts a choke hold on the Kingdom. It's almost as sickening to hear about another pastor comlaining that a church in their town has more people than he does. It happens again, and again and again.

Jesus talked about the Kingdom!

Jesus talked about the ekklesia changing the world for Him. The term ekklesia is where we get our english word "church". It simply means a called out "gathering".It was a Roman term that Ceasar used to identify those who had credited deity to Ceasar. In Roman times...ekklesia's were gatherings of people who identified that "Ceasar" is lord. The church is just the opposite. The early Christians grabbed this term...and made it to be a 

gathering of people who proclaimed that Jesus is Lord! 

Stop the choke hold. Pledge your allegiance to the Kingdom of God...not your group 

or denomination. I want to support anybody who proclaims that Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

 

The Kingdom of God: Grace & Truth

This is a article I wrote a while back....it fits here in the Kingdom series. 

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John chapter 1 gives us a very descriptive telling of who Jesus is and what he did and does.  We see Him as the WORD who is God.  We see him as the creator and the light.  If there was any doubt who John was referring to it was clearly cleared up in verse 14.  John says that this "Word" (the full expression of God) became flesh (Jesus).  Not only did Jesus come but very specifically he came in Grace & Truth.  If the Kingdom of God is the central focus of Jesus life and teachings...then "Grace & Truth" is the way it it presented to the world.  

Grace is used in various ways throughout the New Testament.  The most obvious and often spoken of way is referring to God's unmerited favor towards us.  The world needs grace.  Jesus came to a world full of veangeance and evil.  He came to a world that was the complete opposite of Grace.  In fact Jesus was the opposite way in almost every way possible.  

The Romans way of expanding their kingdom was through the sword and coersion.  Jesus ways of expanding his kingdom was through the ways of Grace & Truth.   Complete opposites.  The Roman way brought more separation, hurt and war.  The ways of Jesus brought salvation, unity, healing and peace.  

Jesus died and rose again.  He's left the earth to return to his Father in heaven.  If Jesus isn't here then how does Grace and Truth continue?  My friends that's what the church is all about.  The church is the "body of Christ".  It is the way that God intends to bring healing and restoration to the world.  It is through the church that Grace & Truth are lived out.  

So here is my question for you....what does it mean to be the agents of Grace & Truth in the world?  Please leave a comment and spur the discussion.  I'll share my thoughts in my next posting.

 

The Kingdom of God: Seek First

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33 NIV

Jesus was clear.  The Kingdom of God is not something that should come second place.  It should take priority in all of our lives.  The Kingdom of God is often mistaken to be speaking of a future eternal dwelling place.  This is not true.  As we discussed in an earlier posting....the Kingdom of God is for the here and now.  Jesus said that we are to "seek" the Kingdom.  I tried to research a great and deep meaning of "seek" in the Greek language.  All I really got was that seek means.......wait for it.   Seek.  :)

Why is it that we care more about the affairs of the current kingdoms of the world?  It always bothers me when Christians go hyper-political.  I understand that we are citizens of our respective countries.   We have civic responsibilities that need to be taken into account.  However, it bothers me when believers act as if there is no hope because of which party is in office!!!!!   As if that really mattered!!!  The Kingdom of God is at hand whether your political party wins or not.  Jesus was not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or from the Tea Party.  When we make our partisan politics a priority...the Kingdom of God takes a back seat.  When we spend more time campaigning for candidates than proclaiming the Gospel...the Kingdom becomes second.  Jesus doesn't think that Rush is right or that Chris Matthews is playing real "Hardball".  Bill O'Reilly & Keith Olberman speak of a different kingdom.  Jesus doesn't side with Nancy Pelosi or Sarah Palin.  Jesus doesn't tune in to Fox News, CNN, ABC, CBS, or NBC.  Oh,and Jesus for sure doesn't watch Pat Robertson and the 700 club.  :)  Why?  Because God's Kingdom is.   When we make our focus on their kingdom than the Kingdom of God is last.

This "seek first" doesn't just apply to politics.  It applies to every aspect of life.  It is so easy to be distracted with life (Matthew 6:25-32) (food, shelter, clothes, drink) that we lose sight of Kingdom living.   Jesus promise is that if we seek first the Kingdom of God....that all of "these" things will be added unto us.   What do you think the "these" is referring to?    Food? Clothes? Shelter? Drink?  Or in context is it the whole of his message from the Sermon on the Mount?   I'm sure the false "prosperity" Gospel has a heyday with a certain interpretation of this passage.  But is the accumulation of material blessings all we get from God's Kingdom?  I have a hard time swallowing that one.   

The Kingdom of God is God's rule over all of creation.  It is the ways of God lived on earth by people.  When we seek first God's Kingdom...we are inviting heaven to crash into earth.  When we seek first our own "kingdoms" the world continues down it's destructive path.   What are you seeking?  

The Kingdom of God: Brian McLaren 'Jesus & the Kingdom' video

Although I'm not a huge Brian McLaren fan....I can't help but get excited about this video.  I just watched this video this morning...after writing 3 posts on the Kingdom of God.  I loved what he had to say.  Put aside your opinions about him for a moment and tell me what you think. Wow.  

  

 

The Kingdom of God: Here & Now!

....and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15 (NASB)

When I was a kid we opened up our gifts on Christmas Eve.  It was awesome.  While all of my friends had to go to bed early...I got to stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing with my new toys!  I love Christmas Eve.  My cousin's, brother and sister would wait anxiously all day until the time when the adults would say "It's time"!    We would hurry past all of our new underwear and socks and go straight for the toys.  Pure. Awesomeness.  

In this passage, in Mark, Jesus said that  "The time is fulfilled".   Jesus was announcing that the Kingdom of God was here.  Specifically, Jesus said that the Kingdom of God "is at hand".  The Kingdom of God is not off in the future in some far away place.  The Kingdom of God is for the here & the now!  That is so refreshing in so many ways.  I don't have to wait for the future for this to happen.  I don't have to wait until I die.   Jesus invites you and I to live in this world and enjoy the Kingdom...now.  You see...Jesus came to radically bring change.   He not only to came to change me..he came to change the world.  This is my Father's world.   

Jesus also said that in order to embrace this Kingdom we must repent.  Repentance is defined as a "change of mind which leads to a change of life".  What do we need to repent from?  What do we need to think differently about?  What exactly was Jesus referring to?  Yes....we obviously need to change our attitude about our sin and relationship with God.  That is a given.  However, I believe that God wants us to change our attitude about everything.  

We need to repent because our ideas for the world are the complete opposite of God's.  Jesus wants us to repent from our sin and turn towards the Gospel.  Specifically Jesus said to "believe in the gospel". The gospel is "good news".  Jesus wants to save us from our indifference to the suffering of the world. Jesus wants to save us from our pious political views.  Jesus wants to save us from the way we take care of creation.  Jesus wants to save us from the way we treat each other.   Jesus wants to save us from what we think about God.  Jesus wants to save us from our sin.

The Gospel is an invitation to a new life.  An invitation that involves the redemptive work that God does with Creation.  The Gospel is how God chooses to restore Creation.  The Kingdom is here.  The Kingdom is now.  This was God's world, it is God's world and this will always be God's world!  

The Kingdom of God: When Heaven Crashes Into Earth

.....your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Matthew 6:10 (NIV)

Jesus gave us a further definition of the Kingdom of God with this part of the "Lord's Prayer".   Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is is having God's will accomplished on earth.   Not only God's will done on earth....but just as it is accomplished in heaven.   The Kingdom of God is like having heaven crash into earth.  The Kingdom of God is bringing God's ways into a lost and dying world.   What is God's will?  What are God's ways?  How would it look like if heaven crashed into earth?  

To put this verse into context we must look at the chapters around this verse.  This verse falls right smack in the middle of the greatest sermon ever......'The Sermon on the Mount".  In this sermon, Jesus goes into great detail about how to act in the world as his followers.   Jesus speaks about; Respecting Others, Sex, Truth, Love, Forgiveness, etc.  He also speaks about Taking care of the poor, divorce, prayer, authenticity, money & handling worry.   Jesus taught many ways on how to conduct ourselves towards each other and to the world.

Jesus was coming into a world that was largely controlled by the Roman Empire.   The ways of Caesar ruled.   To many Romans, Caesar was the true God!  The ways of Rome & of Caesar were not they ways of God.  Caesar ruled his "kingdom" by the sword.  If you didn't agree with Caesar....the day would not end pretty.   The ways of the kingdom of Rome were known for greed, violence, pride, selfishness, murder, deceit.   It was an empire that was fueled by anger, cruelty and hatred.  The ways of Rome.....were the ways of war.  Conquer or be Conquered! Funny isn't it?  Some things don't change. 

Can you see why Jesus would pray things like "your kingdom come, 
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.".   Jesus' was living in a world that was the complete opposite of the ways of God!   Jesus came to save us from this world.  Jesus came to save us from the sin that made the world this way!   Jesus came to save us from the future reality of Hell & the Hell we find ourselves in.  The ways of Caesar bring despair & death!  The ways of Jesus..bring hope & life!  

So, I ask you.  How does it look like when heaven crashes into earth?   I believe God wants this reality now.  It reminds of the song from a few years ago....."How far is Heaven?" by Los Lonely Boys?  How are you inviting heaven to crash into earth by the way you live.  By what you speak?  By what you do?    Are you living the "Kingdom of Caesar/Rome"?  Or are you living the "Kingdom of God/Heaven"?

Heaven will one day, literally, crash into earth.  Don't believe me?  Take a look.

Revelation 21: 1-4

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

The Kingdom of God: The Good News of the Kingdom

At the very beginning of Jesus ministry it became apparently obvious what he was going to focus on.  The Kingdom.  What is the kingdom?  Well that is not an answer that I believe that can be answered in a single post.   Jesus didn't even do that.   I encourage you to join me in this very important conversation.   It is one that we need to return unto.  It is a message that is so easily forgotten & I'm not sure why. 

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. - Matthew 4:23 - 25 (NIV)

Not too long after his 40 day fast & temptation from Satan, we find this passage about how Jesus began his ministry.  Jesus spent the first days of his ministry proclaiming the "good news" of the Kingdom.  What did that include?  It included making this world a better place to live.  It involved reaching out to those who needed him.  People who were, sick, lame, diseased, possessed and down & out came to Jesus.   He loved on them and healed them.  Jesus saw a broken, hurting and messed up world.  Jesus saw those who were hurting and knew that this was not right.  This was not the way it was supposed to be!  

Can we say that a part of the Kingdom of God is the restoration of Creation?  The Kingdom of Heaven is also used in the Gospels to refer to the same concept.  Heaven, the dwelling place of God is a perfect place.  It's a place where everything is as it should be.  There is no sin there to mess it up.  There is NO sin in heaven.  The Kingdom of God/Heaven is God's rule over all of Creation.  God is the Sovereign King and He rules His Kingdom the way He chooses.  The ways of the Kingdom show us what the world was originally created to be; until sin screwed it all up.  The Good News is that you and I were headed to Hell....until Jesus showed up.  Jesus' death & resurrection purchased our redemption.   This is the Gospel message.  This is Good News. God has not given up on the world and has made renewal and restoration available to all.

Creation is headed somewhere.  Since Genesis 3 when sin entered the scene it's been a downward spiral for all of creation.  Hate, violence, greed, selfishness, indifference and any other sin you can name has been stealing all life from creation.  This kind of world is not what God's wants.  Thankfully this will not always be true.  

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  Matthew 19:28

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:19-20

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. Acts 3:20-21

The Kingdom of God is a story of God’s mission to renew and restore all that is broken and marred by sin.  Jesus began preaching it from the very beginning.  Jesus invites us to be a part of putting this world back together again.  The teachings of Jesus show us how to do this.  Jesus shows us that living a life of peace, grace, forgiveness, etc, is the best way to live.  They bring healing.  

Jesus preached the "Good News" of the kingdom.  What kind of "Good News" is your life showing.  You have 2 choices.  You can choose to add to the suffering of the world.  Or you can choose to join God in putting it all back together again.  The latter sounds the way the King wants us to live in His Kingdom.  Don't you think?  

New series on the 'Kingdom of God'. HELP!!!!!

I am going to be beginning a series on the "Kingdom of God".   It is one of the most talked about topics that Jesus spoke about.  Before I begin.....I'd like to hear what you have to say.  I want to hear what you think of the Kingdom of God.   I'm asking you to comment on this post....I'd love to hear your thoughts.   Don't be bashful.  I'm sure what you have to say will help me get the conversation going.  HELP!  I'm also going to be sharing what other influential leaders have to say as well.

You can also comment on my Facebook page under this post.....or send me a message or email.  But it would be most beneficial if you left a comment on the blog for all to see.   In order to comment...simply click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this post.    Let's get the conversation begin. 

Here are some questions that may help you get started in responding.

1.  What is the Kingdom of God?

2.  What is the overall purpose/mission of the Kingdom of God?

3.  How should living with this mindset change our lives?  Our world?

4.  Why did Jesus speak in parables to explain this truth!!! 

5.  In what ways are the Gospel and the Kingdom connected?

Agents of Grace & Truth

 

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John chapter 1 gives us a very descriptive telling of who Jesus is and what he did and does.  We see Him as the WORD who is God.  We see him as the creator and the light.  If there was any doubt who John was referring to it was clearly cleared up in verse 14.  John says that this "Word" (the full expression of God) became flesh (Jesus).  Not only did Jesus come but very specifically he came in Grace & Truth.  If the Kingdom of God is the central focus of Jesus life and teachings...then "Grace & Truth" is the way it it presented to the world.  

Grace is used in various ways throughout the New Testament.  The most obvious and often spoken of way is referring to God's unmerited favor towards us.  The world needs grace.  Jesus came to a world full of veangeance and evil.  He came to a world that was the complete opposite of Grace.  In fact Jesus was the opposite way in almost every way possible.  

The Romans way of expanding their kingdom was through the sword and coersion.  Jesus ways of expanding his kingdom was through the ways of Grace & Truth.   Complete opposites.  The Roman way brought more separation, hurt and war.  The ways of Jesus brought salvation, unity, healing and peace.  

Jesus died and rose again.  He's left the earth to return to his Father in heaven.  If Jesus isn't here then how does Grace and Truth continue?  My friends that's what the church is all about.  The church is the "body of Christ".  It is the way that God intends to bring healing and restoration to the world.  It is through the church that Grace & Truth are lived out.  

So here is my question for you....what does it mean to be the agents of Grace & Truth in the world?  Please leave a comment and spur the discussion.  I'll share my thoughts in my next posting.