Weekly Sabbath Sermon

A full biblical response to sin involves repentance, forgiveness for sins committed but also a forward looking step which is removal of that which causes or leads to sin.

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Is faith a state of mind? Something that takes place only in your thoughts... If I have faith does God do anything... does He ever reach out to me with a sign? Some way to let me know its all real and that He is indeed working with me?

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Our problems are not necessarily due to structural or systemic flaws. Clearly, some ways of organizing our selves are better than others... but real trouble comes from people within the system.

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The gospel of the coming kingdom of God is a message of how governance on earth (and presumably all creation) will be set right… “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.”

John 3:1-2 Nicodemus “you are a great teacher sent from God”

Verses 3-8 Jesus reply seems enigmatic… why wasn’t He more straightforward?

Why not something like:

“Nicodemus… actually I am God. Technically the Father and I together are God, we are one, we are a family. You are correct in that I was sent here, you see the Father sent me. You haven’t met the Father yet… I’m here to reveal Him to you, to show you what He’s like and what He’s all about. As I mentioned before… the Father and I are one. So, if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father and I’m only going to say what He would have me say, so if you hear my words you’ve heard the Father’s words.”

Jesus could have said all that to Nicodemus…

Instead the essence of what He told Nicodemus was “You cannot really understand who I am and my purpose because you do not have the spiritual understanding you can only get through the Holy Spirit”

If we look closely at His words we find quite a bit of information packed into small space:

1. Flesh & blood cannot see the Kingdom of God

2. Flesh & blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God

3. You have to be re-born. Not of flesh, but begotten of the Holy Spirit

There are some very BIG concepts here: Flesh & blood, Seeing/perceiving, Entering/manifestation/realization, Rebirth through the Spirit… But they all revolve around the Kingdom of God, understanding it, working towards it, and being part of it.

What does the word Kingdom mean?

Kingdom = Basileia, an abstract noun denoting sovereignty, royal power, dominion e.g. Rev 17:18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns (basileia) over the kings of the earth… LIT having basileia over the kings of the earth.

So we could also say the Kingdom of God is the “Rule of God” or the “Reign of God”. Try using the phrase Rule of God where you see Kingdom of God and it changes the way you think about what’s being said.

For example: the kingdom of Charles III vs. the reign of Charles III … Using the word kingdom evokes images of castles, walls, territory, subjects and gets us thinking in very physical concrete terms… which is how our flesh and blood minds tend to. Using the phrase “Rule of God” allows us to focus on the quality, nature and of what God is doing.

Is the Kingdom the Millenium?

As a group we tend to zoom in on the millenial rule of Jesus Christ as “the Kingdom of God” even to the point of considering them to be one in the same thing. But is there any place in the universe or any time when God was not or is not the supreme authority over all things? No.

God allows free will and freedom to choose in the universe and so there are beings and places that will not submit themselves to the Rule of God and are in a state of rebellion against it, such as, Satan, the fallen angels, man and by extension planet earth.

Jesus millennial rule is not the beginning of the Kingdom or the extent of the Kingdom – it’s the time when the time of rebellion against the Rule of God have run its course and served God’s greater purpose and it will be brought to an end.

Those who have been rebellious (man, Satan, demons), and the place where the rebellion was focused and acted out in space and time (earth) will be brought into subjection to the Rule of God.

Daniel 7:13-14, Dan 2:44

Flesh and Blood Cannot See the Kingdom of God

Lets try substituting the phrase Rule of God to help answer the question: Why can’t the FLESH see the Kingdom of God?

Kingdom of God à see = witnessing it happen

Rule of God à see = understanding what is going on, perceive, recognize, understand (and accept)

Consider the people who are alive in the flesh during the millennium. Are they going to see the Kingdom of God? the answer is Yes and No… as flesh and blood humans they will see the Rule of Jesus Christ in action. But as flesh they cannot be said to have understood the Kingdom of God or to have entered into the Kingdom of God. They are subject to the Rule of God re-established on earth… And from what glimpses we have of that time some will accept it willingly, some will not.

1. Some must be forced to observe the Feast of Tabernacles

2. Ruled with a Rod of Iron

3. Final rebellion of Satan and Mankind at the end of the Millenium

The millennium will be a wonderful time of peace, a world filled with the knowledge of the truth, and overflowing the spirit of God. But God   is not going to take away freedom of choice. The choices available will be a little different than they are now. You can either submit to the Rule of God willingly or grudgingly but open rebellion will be dealt with swiftly and sternly.

Truly seeing, understanding, perceiving, accepting, the Kingdom of God is still a matter of the spirit.

And as we will see later on truly entering into the kingdom of God remains a matter of the spirit.

Because the flesh is all about the flesh, its needs and its desires… not wrong in and of themselves. Wrong only in the sense that they push aside the spiritual matters that God wants us all to focus on.

What does the flesh understand and accept?

I need to preserving myself, protect myself, provide for itself, reproduce myself. In other words eating, drinking, clothes, houses and sex.

Matt 6:24-32 reasonable normal needs which God is happy to provide

Verse 33 how do we get focused on the Kingdom of God and its righteousness?

Matt 16:24-26 You have to change your perspective on your life in the flesh

1) You have already died in the flesh – Colossians 2:9-12

2) Killing off the remnants of the person you were… being transformed by the renewing of your mind -- Colossians 2:9-12, 3:5-10

But the flesh isn’t interested in all that. The flesh is interested in preserving and protecting itself… not crucifying itself or sacrificing itself for others, not subjecting its needs to some “spirit thing” it cannot see, taste, touch, smell. The flesh doesn’t understand the “Rule of God”, and so the flesh doesn’t recognize and ultimately the flesh does not accept the “Rule of God” over it. Romans 8:5-8

I Cor. 2:10 But you are more than merely flesh & blood… humanity has a spiritual component we call the “spirit in man”. And it is this spiritual within you that can be transformed by interacting with the Holy Spirit, turned on, tuned in so you can grow and develop as a spiritual creation, seeing the Kingdom of God, recognizes it, acknowledges it, accept the “Rule of God” and thereby ENTER into the Kingdom of God, participate in the Rule of God.

The spirit in man doesn’t give you understanding on its own, that’s not its default setting, it needs to be switched on… begotten and made alive by the Holy Spirit. It’s a process that begins with the Father John 6:44

1. Proclamation – the kingdom must be preached

2. Willingness to listen – cycle of faith

3. Conviction – I need to act on what I now know

4. Repentance – I need to change my wicked ways

5. Baptism – I need to begin the process of becoming a son of God now rather than later

6. Receipt of the H.S. – gives understanding

Matt 13:11, 14, I John 2:20 Without the Holy Spirit You won’t “Get it” … you won’t “get” the KOG

Flesh and Blood Cannot Enter Into the Kingdom Of God

Let’s use our substitution experiment here and render this phrase

Flesh and blood cannot enter into the Rule of God,

Flesh and blood cannot enter into the Reign of God,

Flesh and blood cannot enter into the Sovereignty of God

… it changes our perspective for the better I think. Here’s why:

Entering into the Kingdom of God means entering into God’s family… which rules.

Jesus said to Nicodemus “flesh gives birth to flesh, but spirit gives birth to spirit”. You were begotten by your flesh and blood father and were born into his family with a flesh & blood body just like your father. If you are begotten by your spiritual Father you will be born into His family. You will be spirit just like God your father… and that is how you may enter into the Kingdom of God by entering into the family.

Once again it’s a process that begins with the Father:

Born of water and the spirit – dead in the flesh, alive in the spirit Romans 6:1-14

Begotten by God the Father – John 1:10-13 

Growing as His children – I Peter 2:2  

Maturing into the fullness of Christ Ephesians 4:13-15

Building the mind and character of God until we are officially accepted into the family as adult sons of God with the full rights of sons Romans 8:13

1. Changed into spirit to be like Him – Romans 8:23

2. Inheritance – as previously mentioned

We enter into the family business which is ruling.

If your family business were carpet cleaning and you wanted to bring your children into the business you would train them in cleaning carpets. If you were a farmer you would train them in farming. If you were the supreme ruler of the universe you would train them in ruling.

So let’s learn the family business. Learn to rule yourself… rule over your own flesh, rule over your spirit, learn to rule and exercise whatever authority you are given. How you administer your family, how you deal with your worldly wealth… be faithful and Godly in the little tasks the Father has given you his beloved children… prepare yourself to enter into the Kingdom of God.

I John 3:1-2 

The worthiness of Jesus Christ is the solution He provides for sin... which is more than better laws more better enforced. It is a matter of heart. To be part of the solution you must have this change of heart.

Psalm 32:1-2 this is a song about the relief and joy a person feels flowing through them when they face up to their sins, confess them to YHWH, and are forgiven. Because of the benefits of these positive thoughts and emotions... the song implies "why wait"... yet it also says "don't delay". 

Why does God communicate to us so often in terms of battle, warfare, weapons, and fighting? From the literal warfare of entering into the promised land... to waging spiritual warfare with faith as a shield, truth is a sword, salvation a helmet.

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The bible presents the living God as present everywhere... the true God knows all, sees all, judges all. But when actually interacting with human beings God declares His presence differently... To Israel He said, "I am with you (not with them), I am here (not there)".

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Having once tasted the light of truth… many people go flying off into the wild blue yonder. What are they looking for? … Newer truths… fresh enlightenments… more fun and and adventure…. not satisfied with the simple truths taught by the Church of God.

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