The Kingdom is not a fad!

So we have been in this series on the the Kingdom. We have talked about how Jesus' Gospel, His "Good News," was a Gospel of Kingdom living. This idea possess tremendous importance for us as followers of Jesus. God made us to live under Kingdom principles. As the King in the Kingdom, He gets the right to decide what those principles consist of. And I, as a servant in the Kingdom, get to obey the principles.

But my obedience is more than simple, blind "follow the leader." It comes from a place of trust and confidence in the one who sets the principles to begin with. This reality is critical for us to grab ahold of. We all, at varying levels, struggle to appreciate authority, rules, regulations, and governing bodies. Part of this comes from our need for control and part comes from our need to rationalize and understand everything so that it becomes safe for me to do. There may be other contributing factors as well. But suffice it say that our issues with living under Godly principles have nothing to do with the principles themselves. Our own independence and rebellion decide the issue for us many times.

The goal of this series of sermons is not to give people a theoretical understanding of the Kingdom. Nor is it to "put the church in its place." Our goal is to empower, release, and motivate followers of Jesus to be everything that God intended for them to become at all levels. In order for this to happen, we must gain a value for living, thinking, interacting, embracing, and upholding Kingdom Principles. This gives us new vigor as we read the Scriptures, and as we seek God's heart in prayer. It gives every encounter with someone during the week extreme importance. Who knows what God may be up to.

And as an image bearer of God, and the "temple of the Holy Spirit," where ever I go, God is there and He is up to something. I must tune in enough to be able to decipher God's agenda. I must open myself up to the possibility that God is going to interrupt my day at any moment and that this is not only okay, it is a more favored way to experience the day entirely.

So, today, and every day, may we always be acutely aware of the potential of every interaction with those around us. May we always see the world through the lens of Kingdom Principles. And may we trust in the goodness of the one who gave us those principles so that we can uphold those same principles in a way that brings glory to God and lifts Him up so that He can draw the world to Himself.