June 29, 2025

The Good News of Jesus

31 minutes

1. The Kingdom of heaven is the culmination of the good news of Jesus. This is the good news of Jesus:

a. God, who is the source of all goodness, morality, beauty, love, and authority created people to be a reflection of His character and authority. (Gen. 1:26-27)

b. He originally designed for us to be “fruitful and multiply” and to fill the earth and rule over it. (Gen 1: 28). (which means to be productive for good and increase, and steward your territory)

i. GOD IS INTO “INCREASE”

c. He planned that we would walk in His authority that He gave us to reflect His virtues—glorifying Him in caring for the earth.

d. But, we are convinced that we need to do so many other things to be like God or to be welcomed by God, and that what He gave us wasn’t enough already. (Gen. 3:1-7)

e. But, this deception grieves God because He already made us as a reflection of Him and loved us and was very proud of us. (Gen. 1:26-27,31)

f. This deception causes us to rely on something else instead of God.

g. This totally ruined our connection with God and ruins our reflection of His character. (Romans 3:23)

h. But God still loves us and hasn’t changed. (2 Tim. 2:13)

i. He reaches out to us to restore our relationship with Him, and our reflection of His goodness; and then, He restores authority He originally gave us to care for our surroundings.

j. He sent Jesus to be the middle-man in our reconciliation with Him, and even to take the punishment that we couldn’t bear. (1 John 2:2)

k. This is who our relationship is restored with. This is the good news.

“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”

l. Now with our connection restored, the mission is updated, but not changed. The good news is that God is restoring this world through the same methods He from the beginning: “be fruitful and multiply.” (be productive for good and increase)

i. GOD IS INTO “INCREASE”

ii. He is bringing heaven to earth (just as originally planned) through us who have a restored relationship with Him.

2. The Kingdom of Heaven starts with God, it starts small, then it increases.

a. read Luke 17:20-21

i. The kingdom is within you, if you been reconnected with God.

b. read Matthew 13:31-33 | Luke 13:18-21

i. A “parable” is a comparison between 2 things to illustrate a point.

ii. A mustard tree is an annual plant that was commonly used medicinally in the area around the Sea of Galilee.

iii. It also could grow very large, and the flowering was bright despite how small the seed was.

iv. Leaven = yeast.

v. They didn’t have instant yeast, so it needed to be kneaded into the flour before it could engage the whole loaf evenly.

vi. These parables illustrate that the kingdom of heaven may start off small, but it ends up being huge; it may start off local, but it ends up being far-spread.

vii. Notice that the woman in the parable is working the yeast into the flour dough to ensure that it spreads throughout the 3 measures of flour.

1. GOD PROVIDES THE INCREASE.

“OUR PART”

3. Are we a part of the increase?

a. This means the kingdom of God is in our hearts first (small area) and it should be increasing in our hearts.

b. He’s restoring our ability to reflect His goodness and He’s guiding us to help others to be reconnected to Him.

c. What does this look like? (#lovegives)

i. This may be through sharing the good news of Jesus with someone who never knew of Him (evangelism)

ii. Or maybe it’s sitting and mourning with someone in a hard time

iii. Or maybe it’s rejoicing when someone else has success

iv. Or making greeting cards for a person you had in mind

v. Or helping someone to do the right thing in their specific situation

vi. Or maybe it’s just increasing God’s influence within your own heart and life and schedule

d. Examples | Testimonials:

i. Story of the Good Samaritan – breaking down ethnic divisions to restore God’s original desire for a man in need (Luke 10:25-37)

ii. Story of the Woman at the Well – seeing past cultural divides to bring truth and freedom to someone who is in bondage (John 4:1-42)

iii. Sharing what you have to help a brother – “Please Sit In My Chair” (Theirs Is The Kingdom by Robert Lupton)

1. Acts 2:44 – Christians shared things in common with each other.

4. Next Steps:

a. PRAY (for direction)

i. Seek God for His will. Don’t make it up. God wants increase more than we do. Let Him lead.

ii. Ask Him what He wants you to do to increase His kingdom.

iii. This could be personal growth or repentance in your own relationship with God

iv. Or, this could be a hope for someone else’s growth/reconciliation to God

b. When you hear direction from God, PRAY (for help) for the thing that needs to be done that you can’t do.

c. Coordinate with others here: Let’s be intentional together to leverage each other’s skillsets, resources, ideas, gifts, and passions. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

i. Acts 11:27-30 – Christians use their spiritual gifts and resources to aid others in need.

d. All of this should be done prayerfully. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

5. Summary Conclusion:

a. This is the identity God restored in you:

i. You are a royal priesthood, a holy people, God’s own people who bear His image. (1 Peter 2:9)

ii. With that comes some benefits and some responsibility to be involved in the increase.

b. God will help us to be a part of the increase of His kingdom.

c. IT STARTS WITH GOD, IT STARTS SMALL, THEN IT INCREASES.

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By City Harbor Church