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Expanding the Kingdom of God

Expanding the Kingdom of God. Eastern Camp 2005. What’s your vision of God’s Kingdom?. (Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Is it a community of believers? or Is it a ministry to a dying world?. The Vision of the Kingdom Community.

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Expanding the Kingdom of God

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  1. Expanding the Kingdom of God Eastern Camp 2005

  2. What’s your vision of God’s Kingdom? (Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Is it a community of believers? or Is it a ministry to a dying world?

  3. The Vision of the Kingdom Community • The Bible speaks of a wonderful sense of commitment and belonging • (Acts 2:44-46) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; {45} And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. {46} And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

  4. The Vision of the Kingdom Community - positives • Sense of belonging • Sharing • Accountability • Transparency • Support • Love • Prayer • Relationship • Warmth • Fellowship • Hospitality • Not good for man to be alone • Bear each other’s burdens

  5. The Vision of Kingdom Ministry • We are to be ‘Fishers of Men’ (Mat 4:18) • We are to bear fruit (John 15:16) • We are to go into all the world – Great Commission • Motivated by a compassion for the lost.

  6. The Vision of the Kingdom Ministry - positives • Sense of purpose • Value • Impact • Direction • Meaningful • Expression of gratitude to God • Common goal

  7. How do we determine what is the correct vision for our church? • Vote? (majority decides) • Choose what’s popular among other churches? • Pragmatic – what will most likely work? • Look to the past or our heritage?

  8. We need GOD’S vision! • (Prov 29:18 KJV) Where there is no vision, the people perish [are left exposed]: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. • Without vision from God, people are abandoned to their own vision. • Vision provides two blessings: Security & Direction

  9. What is God’s Vision for us? • (Eph 4:13-16) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: {14} That we henceforth be no more children,…{15} But speaking the truth in love, maygrow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: {16} From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

  10. Community Ministry For the edifying of the body Eph 4:12c For the work of the ministry Eph 4:12b

  11. Nutrition Exercise

  12. Mother Father Nurture Direction

  13. Church as the Body of Christ Called to follow Christ Love for all Christ What they draw out of me Depend on God Form Christ in us

  14. But what is man’s vision? • The heart of a man has his own vision: his happiness and comfort. (i.e. feed the flesh) • Which accommodations were sold out first? • He is a USER. He views everything from the perspective of what it does to him, takes away from him, or gives to him. • I know what I want, and I want it NOW!

  15. Man’s Vision Determines His Actions • (Eph 4:19 ) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. • Buy on credit • Relationships – Her vision is the same as mine • Entertainment • Instant gratification • “Instant Christian, changed overnight …” • Cheap grace

  16. Man’s Vision applied to God’s Kingdom • Man’s vision for himself is to be happy, feel comfortable, and serve himself. • If he only acts based on his vision, what happens when Man's vision is applied to the biblical principles of Community and ministry?

  17. Double-Vision • God’s Vision: To make us like Christ. • Man’s Vision: To be happy and comfortable. Conflicting visions! Di-Vision (two visions)

  18. Community Ministry For the edifying of the body Eph 4:12c For the work of the ministry Eph 4:12b

  19. Happy & Comfortable Community Called out Love for inside Community (like-minded) Exclusivity Agree with me Split the church Splintered and stagnant

  20. Kingdom = CommunitySELF-EVALUATION • Do you feel Christ’s compassion towards the sin-sick people in your life? • Do you feel that the great commission is something that your church needs to fulfill? • Do you see your disagreeing brother as being used by God to help you grow? • Do you feel uncomfortable reaching out to people who are not like you? Is it because: • They think differently? • They live differently? • They will force us to change?

  21. Community Ministry For the edifying of the body Eph 4:12c For the work of the ministry Eph 4:12b

  22. Happy & Comfortable Ministry Called to Love for outside Ministry (results) Showcasing talents Talents Compromise Shallow Revolving door

  23. Kingdom = MinistrySELF-EVALUATION • Do you measure a brother’s value by their talent, accent, or intellectual ability? • Do you feel that outreach should take priority over edifying the church? • Are you impatient with accountability, and God-given authority? • How do you understand God’s authority and plan for the church in the Scripture?

  24. Called out of Comfort to Maturity • God calls us out of our Comfort Zones to things that we think are uncomfortable and difficult if not impossible. • We learn obedience and dependence on God as our true source in the process. (Heb 5:8-9) Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; {9} And being made perfect [mature]…

  25. Calling Out of Sons by Fathers Father Mother Direction Nurture

  26. Homeland [in]security: our ‘Kingdom of Comfort’ • By retreating from God’s Vision and our dependence on Him, into our Kingdom of Comfort, we have taken upon ourselves our own security (we’re defending our own kingdom!). • If we leave our comfort zone (and thelimited security of our own vision) at God’s calling, where do we get our security from?

  27. Homeland Security:GOD’s Kingdom • Our security comes from knowing that our King is in control of EVERYTHING in his Kingdom. • (Heb 12:28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved [shaken], let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: • When we depend upon God for what we cannot do, and submit to Him for what we can, we find REST for our souls. • (Mat 11:28-30) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

  28. God has subjected ALL CREATION to Jesus. (Heb 2:5-8) For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. {6} But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? {7} Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: {8} Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. • Satan, as a created being, is also subject to Christ.

  29. VISIONpredeterminesACTION • We never act outside of our vision. This is true for both Man and God! • Like the potter, God exercises our imperfections to make us like Christ:

  30. The Potter’s Vision • He’s orchestrating EVERYTHING to make us like Christ: • (Eph 1:9-11) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: {10} That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: {11} In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: • Cup Illustration

  31. The Potter’s Tools: Adversity • God shakes us to reveal that Christ has not been completely formed in us. • Exposes our heart of Unbelief – by removing mercy and grace. This allows us to repent, so that God’s Kingdom can expand to fill this area. • When we are maleable ‘Clay’ we’re completely dependant on his Vision to shape us.

  32. In Conflict: • Am I in di-vision with God? • Is my vision for this my own happiness or to display the Lord Jesus? • Is God shaking out my self-vision through this individual or situation? • When I find myself in di-vision with someone, ask: What is my vision? What is their vision? Do I have the right to hold onto my vision? • How is God using this di-vision to make us both like Christ? • Am I loving? Am I trusting? • How can I gently, lovingly correct someone’s vision which is in conflict with mine? • Can we come to the same vision? • Where you have been in error, confess, apologize, and refocus.

  33. The Potter’s Tools: The Church • The kingdom of heaven is not all about you: God’s vision is actually for Christ’s whole body to grow into the fullness of Christ. (Eph 4:13) • The Church is God’s tool to bring out Christ in each other: • (Eph 4:16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. • (Eph 3:10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be knownby the church the manifold wisdom of God, • In this way INFINITE God is revealed in FINITE Creation!

  34. God’sVISIONfor usIN ACTION:Expanding His Kingdom • (Rom 8:28-30) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. {29} For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [VisionpredeterminesAction] to be conformed to the image of his Son [God’s Vision for us], that he might be the firstborn among many brethren [The Church]. God’s Kingdom EXPANDS to the extent that CHRIST IS FORMED IN ALL of US!

  35. Summary: Expansion vs. Retreat • It is more comfortable to retreat by: • ignoring accountability and relationship • ignoring the need to reach out and do Christ’s work • But following Christ means denying ourselves and embracing the cross and our brothers and those in need of the gospel. • In doing this Christ is formed in us individually and collectively. In this way God’s Kingdom expands. • The confidence to follow Christ comes when we realize that He is giving us everything we need to become like Christ in the situation we are in right now.

  36. Contact Info & Bibliography Edmund Reinhardt – edmund.reinhardt@gmail.com Phil Denzinger – denzinge@pathcom.com Presentation can downloaded from http://www.accmbc.org/domestic_missions/presentations.htm Some ideas inspired from - Equipping Men For God by Elijah Ministries

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