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Since 2000 Every Man Ministries has been activating men worldwide to live out their truest identity in Christ through its discipleship resources, live events, and steaming platform.
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Understanding the Kingdom of God 0:01 Welcome to the men's global live stream. If you're joining us for the first time, I want you to hold a spot in Matthew chapter 6 in your Bibles. And if you don't have a Bible, don't sweat it. We have verses that are0:12 gonna appear on the screen so you can follow along. Let me encourage everybody to click the download notes button. That way, you can have an interactive experience. The verses are there. The fill ins are0:24 there. And you'll learn a lot better. As I mentioned, if you're joining us for the first time, we are starting a new series called Behind the Door. We're in part 3 and the big idea0:36 behind the series that we're exploring and that we're really striving to apply is this, that behind the door of the natural, the material,0:48 and the visible life we see and sense, there is a supernatural reality all believers in Jesus belong to. It's called the Kingdom of God. It's the super1:00 humanity that was initiated when Jesus launched his public ministry. And you read about this super humanity in the gospels. He initiated it. He said1:12 the kingdom of God is near. It's also a super adventure that he has invited every follower to participate in. And then lastly, it's a1:23 super story, listen, that's unfolding all around you this very moment. So the goal of every follower of Jesus and especially the goal1:35 of every man of God is to get behind the door of the material invisible, to live in this realm called the Kingdom of God, and then seize your unique1:47 kingdom contribution and kingdom moments that are lying right in front of you in your context. So in part 1, by way of review, we're just1:59 growing our awareness. If you haven't seen parts 1 and 2, go back and watch those. Because in part 1, we talked about, hey, you know what? We gotta be aware of the reality to which we really belong and we have to be2:10 aware of the commission of Jesus who's given us the keys to the kingdom to participate. In part 2, we talked about gaining insight into the dynamics of the2:22 kingdom of God, the forces in play in the kingdom of God, the rhythms of this supernatural reality and realm, and the key truths that we need to apply2:34 in order to navigate the kingdom of God. And Jesus, through the parables that he told, he gave us these secrets to the kingdom of God through2:46 very easy understandable stories. Now in part 3, with that high awareness and equipped with tribal insight from Jesus himself about how2:58 the kingdom of God works, we got to make a shift. We have to move from sort of this intellectual and mental understanding of the kingdom of God now to3:10 the kinetic and meaningful participation part of being in the kingdom of God as a man of God. So as we figuratively3:22 get in the boat for session 3, please understand this. Hear me. There are no bench players in3:33 God's starting kingdom lineup. There's no bench players. If you're a follower of Jesus, you have the keys to the kingdom. He said he's given them to you. And then he's inviting you3:45 to get behind the door of what looks like you're just normal, natural, material life into this other realm where he is at work. So there's no3:57 bench player. All of us are starters with specific assignments. Now for part 3, just to get us moving in the right direction in in our brains, I want4:09 you to think of the top 2 human beings in your life. That would be your Not just your first circle, but your inner first circle. Who are the top 2 human beings in your life?4:21 Could be if you're married, you know, the other person who who has the ring on that's that's connected to you. It could be a super super close friend or a best friend. Now think about that4:33 relationship and then think about how the relationship started. Probably pretty easy. It's 1 thing to start a relationship and that does not pose a real big challenge. Right?4:45 Starting a relationship doesn't pose a big challenge as much as staying rooted and connected in that close relationship. Right? You you have to consciously4:58 seek out a person to experience, listen, the adventures and unique moments that relationship has to offer. Right? So think about your dating relationship with with your wife or,5:10 think about, you know, your best friend and, you know, you you consciously seeking out a relationship and a person for what purpose? To experience the adventures5:22 and unique moments that relationship has to offer. Alright? The same thing is true about your relationship with God, your relationship to his purposes, and most5:33 importantly, your relationship to his kingdom and your part in it. If it is a priority to you, if that relationship is a priority for you and you wanna stay connected and meaningfully5:47 involved in the adventure that relationship has to offer, then that requires seeking out that person. Choosing relationship with that person5:59 to experience the adventures and unique moments this relationship has to offer. Now, everybody who wants a meaningful relationship6:10 with someone, and the adventures and the experiences that relationship has to offer. Has to have a shift in priority, a shift in attitude, and a6:22 shift in focus, listen, that prioritizes that relationship. In fact, you have to shift your focus from yourself6:34 to something greater than yourself. And what's greater than ourselves in our relationship with God is this whole adventure and experience of the purposes6:46 of the Kingdom of God. And so that's what we're gonna look at today. Let somebody tell you where we're gonna be going. We're gonna intentionally review. We're gonna intentionally embed6:59 the definition of the kingdom of God by defining it again, then we're gonna see clearly what this relationship, with God has to offer, what it assumes,7:11 and the adventure that it implies, then we're gonna explore this shift in attitude and focus to something greater that's connected to this7:23 relationship which Jesus calls for. And then lastly, we're gonna look at the specific God specific ways that that God's men seeks the Kingdom of God to stay in the Kingdom of God. Alright.7:35 So by way of review, let's go back to the very beginning, the foundation, and define what the kingdom of God is. Okay? It's at the top of the note. It says this. The kingdom of God is the7:47 supernatural realm in reality where God's purposes, God's presence, and power are present, operating, and alongside the natural, the material,7:59 invisible everywhere I am. Okay? Very important. So there's a king, there's a kingdom or a realm that's laying just behind the door of8:11 your reality, in your context, in your network of relationships, where you work, live, pray, and play right this moment. So there's this whole thing going on that is8:23 right alongside like a railroad track. There's the natural material invisible and there's a kingdom of God. Now Jesus, by way of review says, I want you in there. I want you behind the door.8:35 Listen to what he says in Matthew 16, our key verse for the series. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose8:47 on earth will be loosed in heaven. So there is this on earth dimension that is called the kingdom of God and we're supposed to open doors and get behind the8:58 door and then start shifting environments by binding what is not the kingdom of God and then losing what we know to be the kingdom of God. So let's9:10 unpack some new foundational truths related to the kingdom of God. Okay? Number 1, we have a new identity rooted in King and9:22 Kingdom. Right? Remember where coach Paul the Apostle says in second Corinthians 5 17, old things passed away, new things have come. Well, the main9:34 new thing that comes is in your identity. You are a son of the king now through Christ. You are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven9:47 through Christ. So this whole idea of participation in the Kingdom of God is rooted in who I really am. Secondly, there is a new awareness9:59 that I belong to the kingdom of God. If you've walked with Jesus Christ for any length of time, you will have these moments where you're like, what just happened right10:11 there? Who is that talking using my mouth and lips? How did that situation come about? How did that conversation? And there's this growing awareness10:23 that there's this other thing, okay, that sometimes you're conscious of, sometimes you're not conscious of, but it's called to the Kingdom of God. And why are you conscious and aware of it? It's because you10:35 belong to it. It's actually a more strong reality than what is natural, material, and visible. This is the 1 that lasts forever. The earthly realities, that's all gonna10:47 change and go away. But your supernatural, belonging to the Kingdom of God, that goes on forever. So what you feel in the Kingdom of God is eternal, is powerful, it's transcendent.10:59 Number 3, we receive new insight parenthetically from Jesus how to actively participate. Okay. Jesus tells us both11:11 through parables and direct instruction. Listen, you belong to this. This is advancing. It's opposed, and your job is to do this, this,11:22 this, this, and this. This is how you participate. Okay? And then lastly, what's fundamental is that we have an ongoing responsibility, right, to always11:35 seek the Kingdom of God. The Bible says that we are not just citizens of heaven, but that we are citizen ambassadors who represent11:47 our king. We represent his interests, and we are called to advance them in our context. The spaces and places that you uniquely11:59 occupy and that I uniquely occupy. So there's some new foundational truths. And these truths and this reality concerning my identity and how my12:11 identity commands my best energy into seeking is what we're gonna cover next. And in your notes it says, self or God, what will I seek first? Jesus12:23 knows this great challenge of focus and attitude and mentality that that our natural inclination is to focus12:35 on self and that the focus on self can rob the focus on God. And if the focus on self robs the focus on God, then the kingdom12:47 suffers. Right? We're we're decommissioned when you're focused on self. He speaks into it in Matthew 6. He says this, so do not worry, saying, what shall we12:58 eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? For the pagans, non believers, run after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them. But seek13:10 first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each13:22 day has enough trouble of its own. So let's just simply unpack this war of focus13:35 that Jesus is describing. Alright? What is he saying? What's Jesus saying? What's God saying right now to you and I? Number 1, God's saying, stop taking13:46 on the future. Okay? Why? Because that'll rob you of your focus on the kingdom of God. You know, as a13:58 mental health professional and as a pastor and as someone who has done thousands of psychological assessments with people and thousands of counseling appointments, usually14:10 when people come and they say they're anxious or they're worried, it's usually connected to something out here in the future. So they're taking on something that14:22 their shoulders are not able to bear the weight of. Future's heavy. And when you take on the future and you set it on a limited,14:34 broken human being, it is going to put pressure on you and it's going to create worry and it's going to create anxiety because your14:46 shoulders were never intended to carry the weight of the future. There is only 1 person whose shoulders are big enough to14:58 handle the future and it's not you. It's God. Only God can handle the future. So when human beings take on the future, that then15:10 creates pressure that manifests in the form of anxiety and worry that is blinding, and so we can't see the kingdom doors because we're too busy trying to be15:22 God. I know I'm I know I'm speaking to some of you right this second. You're worried about what's happening here. You're scrambling to make moves, make15:33 decisions, make and you're taking the future on, and you're suffering from anxiety and panic and worry because that's too big15:46 for your abilities. And we're gonna learn in just a minute here how we shift that weight over to God, rest in15:58 his ability and capacity. Right? And that's where we we go next. So stop taking on the future. Start, write this down, trusting in my God's awareness, capacity, and16:10 wisdom. Right? Gotta have the shift. Stop taking on the future and start trusting in God's awareness of what's going on in your life, God's capacity16:22 to carry the weight of the future, and his wisdom in unfolding your future day by day and trusting him with tomorrow.16:33 Why? So that your focus can stay on participating in the present. He's got the future, so I can participate in the present.16:46 He's got me. He's got it. I can focus on who's in front of me, what's going on in front of me, the situation in front of me, and I can see God in that. Third, stop16:58 being controlled by self preservation, worry and fear. Okay. So that's really how we take on the future. What happens when we take on the future? We start getting controlled17:10 by self preservation. What do I mean by self preservation? Well, Jesus says it. What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? You know, basic provision,17:23 basic self preservation. Right? God's saying, I'm responsible for that. Let me control that and then you can stop being17:35 controlled by worry and fear. Then lastly, if I stop being controlled by self preservation, worry and fear, I can start fulfilling God's purposes and enjoying17:47 what he has provided. I know I'm speaking to many of you right now. You're not enjoying all the blessings around you because your head is so stuck in the future and putting17:59 the pieces and the building blocks together to build some future that's going to provide all these things. And you know what God's saying? Start enjoying what I'm providing and start fulfilling18:11 my purposes. Amen? Amen. Now Jesus gives practical guidance on sort of how we we we stop taking on the future, how18:23 we start trusting in God's awareness, capacity, and wisdom, how we stop being controlled by self preservation, worry, and fear, and start getting into this rhythm of, okay, God,18:35 I have what I have. I'm gonna enjoy what you provide and what you have given me, and I'm gonna be content with that. And then I'm gonna now I'm free to focus on your purposes. Listen to what Jesus says in the18:47 Lord's Prayer. He says this, this then is how you should pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be18:59 done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Now Jesus, who is the king of heaven, is19:11 sharing with us the priorities of Heaven for us and encouraging us to pray the priorities of Heaven in this order.19:23 Okay? Jesus, Jesus' words are perfect words and they're perfectly ordered. So we lift up God, we connect with the father,19:35 we honor his name, and then we focus our present lives where we are today on the kingdom. We invite the kingdom of heaven to come down to19:46 Earth. We invite God's will, which comes from the kingdom of heaven, to inhabit the spaces that we inhabit on Earth as it is in heaven. And then19:58 we trust God, right? So we focus on the kingdom of God as we are concurrently trusting God with daily provision20:10 for daily needs. Give us this day our daily bread. You see that rhythm God wants us in? He doesn't want the daily provision for the daily20:22 needs to rob us from our focus on his kingdom coming and his will being done. I love what John Piper says. He20:33 says, if my goal is to do God's will, then it's his job to provide the resources I need to do it. Amen, brother. You go, John Piper.20:45 I love that because this this sets our mindset in the right framework, in the framework of what Jesus says it should be. Right?20:57 What's your goal? Is your goal to do God's will or is your goal to take care of yourself and take on the future and take on all the worry and the anxiety that shouldn't belong to you21:09 because your shoulders aren't big enough. Alright? It's a good question to ask. So our goal is to do God's will and to be Kingdom people and then God says, guess21:21 what? I got that other thing. You trust me with focusing on on on doing this for me. It doesn't mean that you neglect your daily duties and responsibilities. What it means is21:33 that in the context of you doing your daily duties and responsibilities, Your primary focus is how can I show love for God and people in this context and how can I21:45 participate in the Kingdom in this context? While you're doing your daily duties and responsibility. Alright. See that's that's different than you obsessing over21:57 what's gonna happen tomorrow, the next day, the next day, the next day, the next day. God's got the future. Okay. Now again, we love God's word because it teaches us how to stay behind the door,22:09 stay in the kingdom, and stay in this this rhythm of being kingdom people, advancing God's kingdom in the spaces and places we occupy, while22:20 we participate in our natural material and visible lives and get behind the doors in these different dimensions of that life. Talks about this in22:32 Philippians chapter 4. Says this, don't be anxious about anything. What does anything mean? Anything. But in every22:44 situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. So talk to God about your about what's going on. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds22:56 in Christ Jesus. And then just a little further along in that passage, coach Paul the Apostle says, And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his23:07 glory in Christ Jesus. So it's very similar, Paul the follower of Jesus, Paul the 1 who's learning this kingdom rhythm of my identity23:19 is rooted in King and Kingdom, I'm aware that I belong to the Kingdom, I'm getting insight in how I participate in the kingdom and this is23:31 how I seek the kingdom. And then he's living it out himself and then he's kind of coaching these other believers on, okay, this is the rhythm. It's just like the Lord's Prayer, right?23:44 Give the future and the things that concern you and might give you a fever, might lead to worry or anxiety. Push those things onto God's shoulders and put them into23:56 God's pile and trust that he is going to meet all your needs keyword. Remember, he's wise. He24:07 knows what you need when you need it and in the form that it needs to come. He'll meet all your needs from his riches and for his glory. Okay? So that's what we trust in.24:19 We trust in his awareness. We trust in his capacity. We trust in his wisdom. So when we look at these last passages of scripture,24:33 it begs the question and God is asking right now, who or what is controlling your energies today?24:47 2 options. Either the kingdom of kingdom of self, my life, my needs, my provision,24:59 I gotta pull it off, worry, trying to control the future, it's on me or it won't happen. That could be controlling25:10 your mental and physical energies or the kingdom of God could be controlling your perspective, your mindset toward your needs, that25:22 your identity is in Christ, that God is over your provision and your future, and it is on25:35 him. We might even wanna just say as a community and just go, Lord, my future is in you and on you.25:48 My needs will come through you and you're responsible to meet them. I stop controlling or trying to control that26:01 so that I can focus on what your kingdom purpose is for me today in me and through me in my context. See what's great about the Lord is that26:13 he's with us right now. He sees your thoughts. He might even be responsible for that tension in your gut because this is speaking to you.26:26 You answered the question, who or what is controlling your energies today? And you You are honest with yourself and with God. He said, kingdom of self versus the kingdom of God.26:38 And that's really the beauty of this community of men as we gather is that all around the world, God is speaking to us individually through his word. Jesus is speaking to26:50 us, and he's shifting us toward who we truly are and the reality to which we actually belong. And he wants us in that super27:02 adventure and experiencing the the adventure relationship with him has to offer, and it's far more satisfying than the kingdom of self. Okay. So now we're27:13 gonna wrap this up today by talking about how seeking the kingdom of God, which is what the instruction is. Don't get caught in the weeds of the world. Don't chase after the things27:25 that the pagans chase after non believers. You're a believer. You're a son of the King. You you belong to his kingdom. Let's get into this rhythm of seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness so that we27:37 can stay in the Kingdom of God. So we gotta talk about what it means to be seeking the Kingdom of God. Number 1, I seek God by being with God.27:49 Kind of makes sense, right, to have that rhythm of connecting with Jesus, right, to advance his kingdom, making time for Jesus,28:01 right, and that rhythm of being with Jesus, and to connect to our King, to advance his kingdom. You know, Jesus was the28:13 initiator of the kingdom of God on Earth moving forward, and he had to do this. I mean, we read about it in Mark chapter 1 says this, while it was still night, way before dawn,28:25 he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, everybody's looking for you. So28:37 Jesus lived as the son of God on earth, advancing the kingdom of God on earth. There were demands28:49 and in order to keep advancing the kingdom of God in the spaces and places that he went he was in, he had to seek God by being with God.29:01 Now he has passed that along to us. Seek first the Kingdom of God. How do I do that? Number 1 way to do that is to seek God by being with God and to be in a rhythm29:13 like Jesus was of being with the father as he advanced the kingdom. The same thing is true for us. We need to be with Jesus, connect to the king, and as29:25 we connect to the king, we learn and sense these realities that we belong to and responsibilities and we start advancing the kingdom, getting behind the door.29:38 Now a good example of kind of pressing the pause button on all the distraction and being with God is 1 of Jesus's close friends. He was close friends with a29:49 family that lived in Bethany. It was the family that included Lazarus and Martha and Mary. And in Luke 10 it talks about how 130:01 of those 3 really emphasized being with God and Jesus affirming that. It says this in Luke 10, Martha30:13 opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord's feet. Listening to what he said, Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset30:25 about many things, but few things are needed Or indeed, only 1. Mary has chosen what is better and it30:37 will not be taken away from her. And what I want you to see is Jesus just clarifying this principle of kingdom living. There are the30:49 many things we could devote our seeking to, and then there's the 1 thing. And the 1 thing in31:01 this context involves Mary as the example, and where is she? She sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he31:12 said. Martha Martha, you're concerned and upset about many things. Few things are needed indeed only 1. Mary's chosen what is better. He's31:24 affirming the priority that he then later gives to his followers which is seek first the kingdom. Seek this relationship.31:36 Consciously seek me and seek to be with me. Choose relationship with me, connect to me the king of the kingdom and you'll learn how to advance31:49 his kingdom. Alright. The second way that we seek the kingdom of God, to stay in the kingdom of God, after I seek God by being with God is I seek God by believing what he says. Okay. So32:01 we're with God to hear and listen and internalize what Jesus says to us when we're with him. And then we we build a bridge and we32:13 go, that's for me. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 7 24. Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his32:25 house on the rock. See it's it's as simple as this. We say yes to what God says. We say it32:37 first in our hearts and we have internal agreement and then that leads to external action. That's true belief. It's not 1 or the32:49 other. It's both. Belief is my internal agreement and my external action. God says it. I act on it. That's belief. Right? Now it33:01 talks about God's people in the Bible and how God has this place, this realm that we enter that's available through33:13 relationship with him, but there is this problem of, well I hear I hear what you say, but you know, I'm not making the next step of believing what you say saying, yeah that's33:25 for me. And having it go from an auditory experience to, experience of God's will. Talks about, this33:36 in Hebrews chapter 3. It says, and to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed?33:48 So we see that they were not able to enter, keyword key phrase, because of their what? Unbelief. Right? So we've been talking about34:00 how Jesus is the door through Jesus. We enter into the kingdom. Jesus is very clear that it it's it's important that we believe what34:12 God says is true about, hey, do this first. I'll take care of the rest. If we believe that, then we enter into this other space and get to participate. But34:24 it hinges on, do you believe that or do you not believe that? And are you acting on it? You see that's that's the sum of what belief is. Right? It's it's your hypothalamus34:37 connected to your hippocampus. Okay? It's it's an intellectual mental thing going to an internal experiential thing where it's yes on the inside and34:48 yes in actions on the outside. So how do we seek God? By being with God, by believing, key thing, what he says so that we can enter. And then third, we seek God35:00 by becoming like Jesus. And these follow in sequence. I'm being with Jesus, I'm believing what Jesus says, and as I'm being with Jesus in relationship,35:12 choosing relationship, believing what he says, acting on what he says, I start to become like Jesus. Now in Matthew nine:nine, he's with actually Matthew the35:24 tax collector and he emphatically says, punctuated by an exclamation point, he says, Follow me.35:36 Matthew's at work. He's in the tax booth and Jesus just declares, commands Matthew to follow him. Now it's important35:48 to unpack what follow me means in the context in which those words were spoken. Very, very important. Follow me wasn't like, hey, get in line and walk around with35:59 me. No. When you're a rabbi or a teacher and you speak an imperative like that to somebody that that uses those specific words, follow me.36:11 What it meant was this, and you can maybe write this down next to follow me. It means be with me to become like me. So teachers,36:23 prophets had disciples. John the Baptist had disciples. Gamaliel, the famous rabbi, had disciples. Hillel had famous disciples.36:35 Teachers had disciples and when they said follow me or a disciple would say I follow Jesus or I follow Hillel, that meant that I'm with him36:47 to hear what he says, believe what he says, and then become like him. And Jesus clarifies sort of this dynamic of following him in Luke 6 40. He says, the student is not above the teacher, but36:59 everyone who is fully trained, listen, will be like their teacher. So it's not about just words and instruction, but it's believing the words of instruction37:11 to become like the teacher in thought and action. That's when you go, oh, you look at that person and you go, oh, he's a disciple of Jesus. Why? Because37:22 he's heard the words of Jesus, he's been with Jesus, He believes the words of Jesus and he's becoming like Jesus in word and thought. Now, if you're becoming37:36 like Christ after being with him and believing what he says, if you're becoming like Jesus in the way you think and in your character, guess37:47 what? The conduct takes care of itself. And as as you believe what he says and as you're with him and you start becoming like him, you're37:59 transformed. Alright. Talks about this in second Corinthians 3 18. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah. Our lives gradually becoming38:11 brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. Like him how? In character38:23 and in conduct. We become like him on the inside. We have the mind of Christ. We have his words. We have relationship with him. He enters38:35 our lives. In fact that's that's what it talks about in Galatians chapter 5 verse 5 and Romans chapter 5 verse 5. It says that God has poured this pours the spirit of his son38:47 into our hearts and we are transfigured and transformed on the inside and then that leads to transfiguration and transformation on the outside.38:59 Right? And so what does that involve? Well, guess what? If Jesus is advancing the kingdom and Jesus is in us and we're becoming more like Jesus, then we're gonna start39:11 going through the doors. We're gonna start seeing people in front of us differently. We're gonna start spending time with the father, letting him have the rest of our needs and the future. We're gonna believe what he39:22 says to us in his word and in prayer and through the impressions of the Holy Spirit that he gives and then we're gonna become like our teacher and when we enter spaces and places, man, we're39:34 advancers because Jesus was an advancer of the kingdom. If this is Jesus and Jesus is in us, this is us. The fourth way we're gonna seek God to stay in the kingdom of39:45 God is I seek God by behaving in alignment with what he says. And this is just the natural domino that I was alluding to under the last point. AndShow more In this video 0:00 Understanding the Kingdom of God5:34
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