Sermon - April 25, 2010
From Here to Kingdom Come 4: Power
Personified
Daniel 7:13-14, 1 Corinthian 4:20, Luke 9:1-6
We have
been exploring the Kingdom of God: God's rule on earth through Christ
and His own: believers, disciples, the saints. Even before Jesus began
His public ministry, His forerunner, John the Baptist, announced His
coming by preaching “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near!” The
first words of Jesus preached were the very same, “repent for the
Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Jesus did not preach heaven, but the
kingdom of heaven. We tend to think of our salvation in terms of the
afterlife, Jesus meant salvation in terms of life here and now: Not just
power to raise us out of this world, but power to overcome the world
where we live.
We all want power. Video games capitalize on wielding power. People
are hungry for power to make life secure and free from threat: threat
from loss: be that money, position, health, looks, youth – you add to
the list. We spend millions on insurance to hedge against disaster,
millions beauty aides to fade age lines or hide the gray. Our culture
honors youth, money, status, but most of all power. And yet most
Christians are oblivious to the awesome power that is already ours in
Jesus Christ.
Jesus not only preached the
Kingdom of God, teaching it in words, He demonstrated it in real time.
Healing, casting out demons, raising the dead, changing water to wine
and all the other miracles, were samplings, advertisements, of the
Kingdom which He came to bring to earth. The very same Kingdom Adam
lost through disobedience, Jesus brought to earth within our reach
through His obedience. Jesus is the man! Jesus called Himself the Son
of Man, the sole title holder, that extends far beyond mere humanity.
We read one three descriptions of the Son of Man in the book of
Daniel. Daniel was a spectator in his own vision: I looked and there
before me was one like a son of man, coming with clouds of heaven. He
approached the Ancient of days and was led into His presence. Dn. 7:13
The Ancient of Days is a reference to God found only in the book of
Daniel. God is present everywhere and He sees us always, but we do not
see Him – at least not in all His glory. The flesh cannot withstand the
fullness of God's glory. But Jesus, the Son of Man, knew God's glory,
for He says so: Jn. 8:38 “I'm telling you what I have seen in the
Father's presence.”
Daniel recounts what happens in the
heavenly court: the Son of Man is awarded authority: He was given
authority, glory, and sovereign power; all peoples, nations, and men of
every language worshiped Him. vs. 14 . Jesus' unveiled glory was
seen by Peter, James, and John high on the mount of Transfiguration.
They immediately fell down and worshiped Him.
Jesus' ministry was so powerful, the priests and elders
publically interrogated Him in the temple courts: “while he was
teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him.
"By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who
gave you this authority?" Mt. 21:23. Jealousy blinded them from
Truth.
Jesus wasn't just a charismatic figure.
People were drawn by the winsomeness of His glory. They
wanted to be near him, hear him, believe him. Children loved being in
His presence. Five thousand people followed him for three days into the
wilderness, without food, just to hear Him teach. A well-to-do, highly
respected pharisee risked the criticism of his peers to come to Jesus at
night. “Rabbi, we know your are a teacher who has come from God. For
no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not
with him.” Nicodemus didn't come looking for a person. He knew where
Jesus was staying. He came looking for what Jesus had to buy in.
What did He tell Nicodemus? “No
one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” That is the
first crucial step. Believing in the Son of God, the Son of man. Without
that first encounter, the Kingdom of God has no access.
Jesus said, “I am the gate;
whoever enters through me will be saved.” That is Gospel truth, but
not all of it. Folks, we tend to leave it at that. Once we come to
Jesus, we're saved. Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks.
Once you let Him in, He is the door through whom we
enter into the Kingdom. But many venture no
further than the gate, than Jesus Himself.
Jesus is the embodiment of the power of the Kingdom of God.
If He dwells in your heart, by faith through the Holy Spirit His power
dwells in you as well. Life eternal is a gift beyond measure, but the
power of eternal life, here and now is what we so deeply need and
disparately long for.
Huge gold ornate gates enclose the
expansive lawns of Versailles, the palace built by Louis the 14th
in Paris, France. You can see the sprawling palace from the gates, but
in your wildest dreams you could not imagine the interior chambers, the
hall of mirrors, the chapel of the royal family, or the court of the
king. You have to fully enter the palace to comprehend the overwhelming
riches and power manifested in it's over the top oppulance and glory.
So it is with the Kingdom of God. You
cannot image what we have through Jesus. So you have your foot in the
door! Praise the Lord and thank you Jesus! I preach and teach that all
the time: That if you confess with your mouth,
"Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the
dead, you will be saved. Those are the bare
basics, the bottom line. If More than Conquerors in Christ was a video
game, that would be just the first level. You wouldn't have gotten even
far enough for the armor, sword and a anointing. But the Lord has so
much more for you, for living, for overcoming. And it's God's good
pleasure to give it to you. The only restrictions are those you apply
yourself. How willing are you to be humble, surrendered, and completely
subject to Christ's love and will? Many people, even openly professing
Christians, tend to think that their life is the main event and their
faith is secondary, a side light. Not according to the Scriptures. Jesus
preached the Kingdom of God as the main event, center stage, and
everything else in life, the means by which we proclaim it.
Monday night I was at a very loud,
very rock, totally Christian concert. Only it wasn't a concert
really...it was worship. The stage at the Wells Fargo arena was flanked
on either side by the largest HD screens I'd ever seen. And the drop
behind the stage had about 15 smaller screens. Floods and colored lights
flashed in rhythm. Images blinked across the board with the words of
songs to the left, to the right and dead center. But everything, sights,
sounds, singers, audience, focused on the glory of God. The power of the
Holy Spirit was undeniably present hosting the celebration of the
Kingdom of God. The thousands of worshipers were mostly young people.
Hands went up to receive Christ. But hands had been up all evening
singing, praising, even dancing, worshipping the King. Jesus was lifted
high and exalted.
The disciples had been with
Jesus about two years when He sends them off to boot camp: training in
the trenches – preparing them to carry on His ministry after His death
and resurrection. 'When Jesus had called the twelve together, He gave
them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
and He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the
sick. First notice when Jesus called, the disciples did not
hesitate. They dropped whatever they were doing and came together with
Him. And He gave them power and authority. The exceptional leader shares
authority with those He trusts. Jesus did not at that point give them
all of His authority, but the power they needed for the task at hand:
casting out demons, and curing diseases to demonstrate the Kingdom of
God which they were to preach. Then He told them, “Take nothing for
the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.
Don't even take a sweatshirt or a second pair of Nike's. Time and time
again, Jesus had demonstrated trust in God's provision: whether feeding
five thousand on two fish and five loaves, or paying tax with a coin out
of the mouth of a fish. Disciples are to learn to depend upon God for
everything needed. A highly lauded traveling evangelist was coming to
speak at a church I was serving. When I met him at the airport I was
astonished by all his luggage. Besides the his carry on, a huge steamer
type suitcase, he boasted a set of golf clubs, tennis racket, and ten
pairs of shoes. Take no bag?
“Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.”
Disciples also learn humble acceptance of where God leads them, and
not seek after the best accommodations in the neighborhood, the
plushest church, or the trendiest congregation.
Finally, Jesus instructs them,
“If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you
leave their town as a testimony against them.” That was one of the
toughest lessons I personally learned in ministry. After three years of
praying, hoping, working, and disparately trying to preach the gospel to
a concrete congregation hard set in their prejudices, I finally saw the
wisdom in just getting out of Dodge.
The disciples went from village to village preaching the gospel of
the Kingdom of God and people were healed everywhere. To get through the
door and enter the kingdom of God means you are available to bring
light, and light, and blessing to where you live among the people you
know, and to whomever crosses your path. Until Christ returns, that is
how His Kingdom comes and is experienced on earth. If you're in the
Kingdom, you've got the power. That is the power which our world needs,
that is what we hunger for, that is what we plead when we pray “Thy
Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And that
is what this dear little one, Amyllia Sampson receives in Baptism. Jesus
Christ, our risen Lord, our Commander and Chief, our King, the power of
God personified, instructs: All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
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