Pastor Jon Burgess
October 23, 2016 - W1643

PASTOR WAYNE CORDEIRO (Video from Athens):

Welcome from Athens! I’m across from Mars Hill to introduce the new series, Make Your Mark, and today, we’ll be talking about Kingship. From this spot the Apostle Paul gave his greatest treatise of all on Kingship. He talks to Timothy about how we give lordship or kingship to several areas of our lives and how we need to make sure we are shaping it according to Christ.

PASTOR JON BURGESS:

Pastor Wayne is standing at the center of philosophical thoughts of the ruling and reigning powers of that time, Rome. They thought that Rome would rule forever. Socrates, Plato, Euripides, and Aristotle spent time at Mars Hill. The Apostle Paul also stood there, waiting for his protégé Timothy, and he noticed a number of false gods. One historian says 33,000! He came across a truth that was more powerful than all the other philosophers combined and said, “Let me tell you about a kingdom that would outlast even Rome.”

Over the next couple of weeks in the Make Your Mark series, you will notice a theme that comes up a lot—Kingship—a theme that we will talk about today. Belonging to the Kingdom of God should influence all of our decisions. A Kingdom citizen immediately should begin to look at life from a different perspective as Paul did. These are Paul’s last words to his spiritual son Timothy that I hope we will also grasp: “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.   For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your heads in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry,” 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

Because we don’t live under a monarchy, most of us don’t understand what it means to have a king reign over us. In God's Kingdom, you view life through a different lens. In wearing "Kingdom glasses," you see not only the temporal but also the eternal. Your vision is not limited to the attractions of an earthly kingdom with the pursuit of worldly desires and self-interest. In God's Kingdom, you see eternity as Sovereign authority with a different set of morals, values, and rules. Christ becomes the source of your joy and contentment because your contentment will no longer depend on circumstances, situations, or relationships. The fact that you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God means that your contentment will flow directly from His Kingship over your life. The King is not looking for your vote; He is looking at your heart.

1. The level of contentment in my life is directly tied to the level of Christ's Kingship over my life. If you are discontent, it is because there are areas in your life where the King is not allowed to reign, where you are still holding on to control and trying to call the shots. ”But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs,” 1 Tim. 6:6-10.

Examine three areas in your life to invite His reign: Your Time, Talent, and Treasure. Allow the King to rule in every part of your life. Pastor Jon encourages us with the saying, "The Christian life is a steady series of surrenders." Give Him your valuable time (but I have so little time already); or share your God-given talent (but I work long hours or have two jobs); or offer Him your treasure (but I'm trying to make ends meet).

Scott and Kate Hogle have done just that; they have definitely invited God’s reign into their Time, Talent and Treasure. Scott is very busy being the Vice President of iHeart Radio and Kate is the busy owner of advertising agency KWME.  Despite their busy schedules, they are very actively serving and leading at New Hope.

Though Scott realized that Time was what he had the least, which is what he understood would be the most sacrificial on his part to give to the Lord. Sacrifice is very important to God. And through this sacrifice, major Kingdom work was done. A new app featuring Pastor Wayne Cordeiro was created!

Kate realized that having an attitude of always putting Jesus first made giving to God much easier. She began to understand that while raising her teenagers was difficult considering her busy schedule, that her sons were blessing gifts from God. So understanding that made raising them easier.

Scott and Kate believe in giving and sacrifice for God so much that they even applied for a sizeable loan so that they could give more! However, in the midst of the loan process, Scott was diagnosed with a life threatening illness and so they struggled with making the final decision. But in the end, their very strong faith led them to finalize the loan, anyway. And God made everything work out.

The Hogles understand that sacrificial giving allows God to give back even more!

2. Christ's Kingship will always be in conflict with the reigning culture. Paul says to Timothy, “But you, man of God, [reminds Timothy that his identity comes from the King and that He knows him] flee from all this[run from earthly issues going on around you], and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ [Paul is saying I know you are pastoring a difficult church in Ephesus that is being torn apart by false teachers, controversies and arguments—like our country is being torn apart right now. The way to win this race is to remember that this is not all there is! If you don’t keep your eyes on the prize Jesus Christ the Lord, you will get distracted from what God has called you to do] which God will bring about in His own time -- God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen,” 1 Tim. 6:11-16.

Your identity comes from the King who says, “I know who you are.” The culture in the earthly kingdom can bring you discontent -- issues, struggles, disagreements. But the Christian life is “fighting the good fight of the faith.” It's also like running an athletic race and finishing the course, always fixing our eyes on the prize -- Jesus. Put on those Kingdom cool shade sunglasses. Look beyond the now; perceive into eternity and your place in the Presence of the Father and the Son. After this presidential race is done, we will still need to run the race that needs to be won by faith—not by sight, not by emotions.

Speaking of discontent, Pastor Jon has observed that some of you are disillusioned by today's culture of American politics. (Or maybe you don't care who will be the next President of the United States). If you are an American citizen, you have the right to vote or not to vote. But if you are a Kingdom citizen, what is your response to the upcoming election?  

Consider two ways to pray prior to November 8th:

1. Which candidate is like King Nebuchadnezzar? (Dan. 1:1-2). Pagan King Nebuchadnezzar kidnapped, enslaved and imprisoned the people of God. He used them for his own purposes. Which candidate is like King Cyrus? (2 Chron. 36:22-23). King Cyrus was also a pagan but he released the Israelites to rebuild Jerusalem. Though King Cyrus was not a believer, he served God in his own way by letting others serve God. Pray and vote for the candidate that is like King Cyrus.

2. Surround our new President with Daniels. (Dan. 1:17-21). Daniel was a Godly man who was able to influence a non-believing Pharaoh. Surround our new President with Josephs. (Gen. 41:39-57). Joseph was another Godly man who rose up in authority to become second only to Pharaoh. Pray and vote for the candidate who will select godly people for the Cabinet and the Supreme Court.

Whoever wins the election, we must pray for the President. Paul’s instruction is ”I urge you, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our savior …” 1 Tim. 2:1-3.

Even after the election, remember: our King will still reign on His throne over all things.

“God moves the hearts of kings the way he moves the rivers,” Prov. 21:1

In conclusion, let God's Kingdom enter your heart. You never have to leave His Kingdom. Put on Kingdom glasses. The happiest place on earth is wherever you are with Jesus; look further and you will see His Presence into eternity.

Let us to pray. Maker, make your mark on us so we can make your mark on the world around us.

Questions/Discussion:

1. Think about the three areas to invite Christ’s reign into your life: Time, Talent, and Treasure.

2.   Put on Kingdom glasses. Is there an area in your life that you need to give to Christ's Kingship or His rule?