Do we really grasp the kingdom of God? Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to ask, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:33 declares, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”I believe the kingdom of God certainly has a future aspect in which it refers to Christ’s return and His earthly kingdom. I believe it also references His eternal kingdom in which God will reign for all of eternity. There is also a present aspect of the kingdom of God in which we are invited to be participants even now. It is unlike earthly kingdoms. It is not a visible kingdom in which we can observe. Luke writes, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). The kingdom of God can only be “seen” when we participate through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Earthly kingdoms can be observed without participation, not so with God’s kingdom. In fact, the kingdom of God is contrary to conventional wisdom. Not only can it not be “seen,” it conflicts with the world’s systems. Consider how these passages conflict with the world…
We must continue to proclaim the Gospel to the world and to ourselves (i.e. Christians)! Should we (Christians) begin to the think of “the Gospel” as something only for the lost, we may become complacent and neglect to seek the kingdom of God in our daily living. I must be reminded that I need to be renewed in the spirit of my mind (cf. Eph. 4:23). Kingdom living, truly requires a change in how we think… “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” Romans 12:2.
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Divine appointments. I see them every day. As a pastor, I see opportunities for ministry each and every day. I haven’t always seen them. I will never forget church members (a mother and her daughters) watching me drive passed them as they were broken down on the side of the road (I missed that one). Since then I have asked God to help me keep my “ministry radar” alert. There are many things that I can mess up and things will be just fine, but listening to the voice of God is not one of them. I don’t want to miss God’s voice. Souls are in the balance. When I sense the prompting of God’s Holy Spirit, it’s important to listen to His guidance. I am thankful for the many “divine appointments” that I have encountered just this year. I wish I could share them with everyone, but I want to respect the privacy of others. These appointments strengthen my faith incredibly. Instead, I simply pray that you too can see the activity of God around you.
As I was reading through the book of Acts, I wanted to identify the “irreducible minimum” of the church. Here’s what I mean by that term. The irreducible minimum is a philosophical term used to define the least amount of attributes necessary to maintain function and identity. For example, consider the parts of a tree (i.e. leaves, branches, trunk, roots). Can the leaves be removed and still have a tree? Can some or all of the branches be removed and still be a tree? Can the trunk be removed and still be a tree? It seems reasonable to say that once you chop the trunk away, you no longer have a tree but you have a stump. Therefore, you cannot remove the trunk without changing the very essence of the tree.
In a similar way, there is an “irreducible minimum” of characteristics that define the church. If we neglect or cease to demonstrate that particular characteristic, we cease to be a church. As you read through the book of Acts with this particular lens, you begin to notice the first characteristic (i.e. irreducible minimum) is the church’s focus on Jesus. The church must remain focused on Jesus. If a church loses focus of Jesus, it has ceased to be a biblical New Testament church. |
AuthorDr. Chris Dortch has been in vocational ministry since 1993. His blog is aimed to "equip the saints for the work of ministry." Archives
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