New Work Fellowship Podcast

The Kingdom of God: Living for the King

“Where is the Kingdom?”

Matthew 4:17

 

Where is the Kingdom?

 

(1) It is Here and Now

v17b, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”(see also Matthew 3:2)

 

Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

 

(2) It is in Christ

v17b, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

 

(3) It is in Community

See Matthew 4:18f.

 

Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

 

Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

 

Final thought:

Jesus was inviting people into the Kingdom.

• The Kingdom is here and now
• The Kingdom is in Christ
• The Kingdom is in Community

The Kingdom of God: Living for the King

What is the Kingdom of God?

Matthew 6:33, Psalm 145:10-13, & Colossians 1:11-14

 

 

What is the Kingdom of God? Matthew 6:33

 1.  The Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingdom of Christ are all the same.

1. Kingdom of God – Greek audience
2. Kingdom of Heaven – Jewish audience
3. Kingdom of Christ – NTChristian

 2.  The realm of God’s redemptive rule and reign.

 3.  The place where Jesus is King.

 

Why does it matter?   Psalm 145:10-13

 

Key truth: You were created for Kingdom. 

 

            If you are in Christ:

 

• You have been given kingdom identity. Philippians 3:20
• You have kingdom purpose. 1 Corinthians 10:31
• You have a relationship with the King! Colossians 3:1-4

 

You need to know where you are concerning the Kingdom of God. Colossians 1:11-14

           

Illus: Panama City

           

            Am I in the Kingdom of God?   Am I living for the King?

           

What Happy Couples Do

Stay: Hosea and Gomer

Hosea 1-3

 

What does it take to Stay?

 

1) Humility

1:2, “Go and marry a prostitute…”

 

Even though this God’s call to Hosea, it really wasn’t about Hosea.

 

Stay Principle:  The greater your humility, the greater your relationship health. And the greater your relationship health, the greater your happiness.  

 

2) Patience

2:2a, “But now bring charges against Israel—your mother—for she is no longer my wife, and I am no longer her husband.”

 

Stay Principle:  Patience requires us to look beyond our feelings.

 

Proverbs 29:11, “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.”

 

Amos 3:3, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?”

 

3) Courage

3:1, “Go and love your wife again…”

 

            Stay Principle:  I will always be faithful to you.

 

4) Faith

3:3, “You must live in my house…”

 

Hebrews 11:1, (KJV) “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

 

Stay Principle:  Faith in what God can do, is what transforms the valley of trouble into the gateway of hope.

 

Final thought:It is in the endurance of faithfulness that the reward is won.

 “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”- James 1:12

 

What Happy Couples Do

“Date: Solomon and his Shulammite”

Song of Songs 6:11-13

 

What Makes for Good Dating?

 

1) Good Words

Proverbs 15:4, “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

                        The12 most needed words:

                        .

                        .

                        .

                        .

 

Hosea 2:14, “I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.”

Matthew 12:36, “I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.”

 

Dating Truth: Dates thrive when your words breathe life, take your breath away, and provide breathing room.

 

2) Better Patience

Colossians 3:12, “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

 

Song of Songs 2:15, “Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!”

 

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (CEV), “May the Lord make your love for each other…grow by leaps and bounds.”

 

Revelation 2:4-5, “…You don’t love me like you did at first. Look how far you have fallen! Turn back…and do the works you did at first.”

 

                                    You need:

• You need a daily connect.
• Weekly date.
• Constantly serve.

Closing thought:

 

Dating Truth:“So this is my prayer: that your love will flourishand that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of…”

                                                                                                Philippians 1:9-11 (Messa

What Happy Couples Do

Work

Exodus 4:20-26

 

1. You discover your purpose through intentional followship. (Ex. 4:20-24)

“I went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately … I wanted to live

deep and suck the marrow out of life.”– Henry David Thoreau

 

2. Your lives were meant to be marked by the divine. (Ex. 4:25-26; 14:15-22; 1 Sam. 14:1-14)

“Nothing is destined to remain the same.”– Ernst Bock

“Courage is not the absence of fear, courage is the absence of self.”– Erwin McManus

 

3. Your relationships are meant to pull others heavenward. (Ex. 4:29-31)

 

Final Thought: What are your relationships working toward? (Gal. 5:22-23)

 

What Happy Couples Do

Prioritize

Acts 18:24-26 & 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

 

 

Priscilla and Aquila:  A biblical picture of a Christ-centered marriage. (Acts 18:24-26)

 

 

How to build a biblical marriage: (1 Thessalonians 5:8-11)        

 

• You move from contract to covenant. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

 

1. Place your boundaries and prioritize each other.

 

Illus: We prioritize what we value.

 

• You move from happy-seeking to gospel-centered. (1Thessalonians 5:10)

 

1. Prioritize Christ-likeness as your foundation.

 

• You move from tearing down to building up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

 

1. Prioritize speaking into the blessing of one another.

 

Illus:  You’re in the same boat.

 

Final thought:  You can build a Christ-centered marriage by prioritizing the truth of the Gospel. 

By Drift or Design

First in Time

Psalm 39

 

How do you make the most of your time?

 

 

(1) Treasure the gift of your Time

v4a,“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.”

 

(See Job 7:6, 9:25, James 4:14)

 

Time Principle: God cares about your time, because it is your life.

 

(2) Invest the gift of your Time

v6a,“We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.”

 

Time principle:If it’s not on your calendar, it’s not important.

 

(3) Maximize the gift of your Time

v4, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered…”

 

(See Colossians 4:5)

 

 Time principle: Life show ups in the interruptions.”

 

(4) Enjoy the gift of your Time

v7, “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.”

 

(See Psalm 118:24, John 10:10, Ecclesiastes 11:9, 12:1)

 

Time Principle:God wants you to enjoy the gift of time

 

Regret— Time Grief

 

Final Thought: Today is the TIME to surrender your most precious GIFT to the Lord’s DESIGN.

 

By Drift or Design

Finances First

Luke 12:16-21

 

How are finances related to how God designed you? (Luke 12:16-21)

 

• One of the biggest indicators of your heart’s desire is how you choose to spend your money. (Matthew 6:21)

 

1. Every dollar is a decision.

 

• What percentage of a Christian’s money does God ask them to use for His purposes? 100% (Psalm 24:1)

 

1. 10 dollars:      $1 = Tithe 

$1 = Save 

$8 = Whatever you want

 

1. 10 dollars: $1 = God’s purposes for the local church 

$1 = God’s purposes for your future

$8 = God’s purposes for your life now

 

• You choose who will be at the center of your spending: Self or God. (Matthew 6:24)

 

ß-----Less $------ Self -------More $-----à         

• Envy - Greed
• Money as Savior - Idolatry
• Doubt God - Neglect God

 

<-----Less $------ God -------More $----->        

• Freedom - Stewardship
• Contentment - Generosity
• Godly Wisdom - Godly Wisdom

 

 

• You can base your spending on the truth of the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

 

1. We don’t have money We have a heartproblem.

 

 

Final Thought:  When you surrender your spending to the truth of the Gospel and God’s purposes for your life, you are deepening a rich relationship with God.

By Drift or Design

Relationships First

Colossians 3:12-15

 

Drift– a gradual shift in position; an aimless course; to become carried along subject to no guidance or control.

 

“They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, unloving, and unmerciful.” Rom. 1:29-31 CSB.

 

What does it take to be intentional?

1. Begin at the end. Identify what matters most. (Phil. 4:9; Prov. 13:22; Deut. 6:5-7)
2. Take up the challenge. (Col. 3:12-15; Prov. 20:7, 3 John 1:4; Matt. 28:19-20, James 4:17)
3. Practice gratitude. (Psalm 9:1; Phil. 4:6-7)

 

Three big questions:

1. What do you want?
2. Where are you?
3. Are you ready to make a move?

 

Final Thought: Ask God: who has He called you to impact? How intentional have you been? Are you ready to live like it’s the end?

 

By Drift or Design

First Things First

James 4:13-17

Drift—a gradual shift in position; an aimless course; to become carried along subject to no guidance or control.

 

“For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.”                              Hebrews2:1(CSB)

What does it take to break the drift?

 

(1) Escape Passive Disengagement

• Proverbs 24:33-34, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”
• (See Genesis 3:6)
• Proverbs 6:9, “But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?”

 

2) Embrace the Gift of Disillusionment

• See, v13-14
• Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”

 

3) Embark in Thought-filled Discipline

• See v15
• Matthew 6:33, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

 

Three key questions:

1. What do you want?
2. Where are you?
3. Are you ready to make a move?

 

Final Thought: Today is a gift of beginning. Ask God, who did He make you to be? How far have you drifted? Are you ready to start?