Anticipating the Kingdom of God

    [I preached this sermon on 8/12/12 at FBC, Cornelia.  It introduces my sermon series called Thy Kingdom Come as much as it begins a study on God's Kingdom.  See what you think]

          In May I found myself on my annual sermon planning retreat in the mountains outside Franklin, NC.  After spending the first day reading and praying in the borrowed, isolated mountain cabin, I ventured out to discover the mountain river behind the house.  Wearing my Tevas, I climbed over the railing beside the river and began to rock hop up the river.  Around each bend, I uncovered a new waterfall or cascade.  I kept going until I found myself in a small gorge, the mountain severed years before to allow a river to run through.  Now, the mountain walls rose hundreds of feet up on both sides.   

            I sat on the rock watching the waterfall at the opposite end of the small gorge.  Soon, I found myself praying for First Baptist Cornelia.  I began mediating on our theme verse for the year from II Corinthians 5:7:  For we walk by faith, not by sight.  I began to picture the many ways we were already walking this new faith journey.  The ways this verse and faith challenge have begun to burrow into our actions and language as a church. 

            Soon – it was time to leave this holy space and I began the walk back down the river to my cabin.  I began to quietly sing – I can do this in the isolation of the mountains – a scripture chorus I learned long ago.  “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and his righteousness – and all these things shall be added unto you – Alleluia.”  The song began to find resonance in my voice and spirit.  I continued singing it – louder and louder until even the birds heard my voice.  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness – and all these things shall be added unto you – Alleluia.” 

            A year earlier I had planned a sermon series on the Kingdom of God and the day before I had been reading about God’s kingdom.  Now, as I walked and swam down this river, this song and its challenge began filling my mind.  This simply challenge had been in my brain for decades and I had missed it – Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.  Seek first …  The  words had come into one ears and left before they were ever realized. 

I’ve always added more to this command.  Surely – there should be more things we should seek as individuals and as a church than just God’s Kingdom:  growing a church, leading worship, pastoral care, raising our kids, paying the bills.  But Jesus says – seek first.  It began to dawn on me:  Does this mean Jesus really desires for our church and us – to be the people of God who seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness first –before we seek after anything else?

            These words come from the Gospel of Matthew 6:33 – in the middle of the Sermon on the Mountain.  Jesus is teaching on trust and its opposite worry.  “Do not worry about your life – what you shall eat or wear or drink.  Trust God to provide for your needs.”  Instead of worry, Jesus says focus on one thing – and one thing only.  Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness – and then all the things you worry about – well – they will be provided. 

            This one verse seems to answer so many questions for us as individuals and as a church.  If we seek God’s Kingdom and his righteousness – all the things we need and the all the extras – will be provided.  Simple, right. 

      But here’s the kicker – what is this kingdom we are supposed to be seeking?  If you are like me, I image many of us are illiterate when it comes to God’s Kingdom.  In spite of the fact that Jesus references the kingdom of God (or heaven – same thing) throughout his teaching and the Gospels, we hear the term and fail to absorb it.  

On your worship guides – since we are so close to the start of school this week – I’ve given all of us a short pre-test on the Kingdom of God.  Only 2 questions: 

·         Have you ever heard of the Kingdom of God

·         In your words, what is the Kingdom of God?

Take time to write down a sentence or two. 

Personal

            Let me pose this question to us:  Where are we going when we walk by faith?  What is our direction? 

            As I walked down that mountain river in May I realized the power of these two ideas together:  walking by Faith and Seeking First God’s kingdom.  Do you remember the old Rescee’s Peanut butter Cup commercial.   A person carrying peanut butter walks down a street and runs into a person carrying a chocolate bar.  Instantly, they discover the joy of bringing these two treats together. 

            What would happen in our lives and church if as we walk by faith, we seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness?  Jesus promises - all these things be added to us. 

            Seeking God’s Kingdom first and walking by faith – both call us to a spiritual life of trusting in God.  This week, I have found myself burdened and stressed for our church – I have felt more overwhelmed than overcoming as John so well put it last week.  I have been stressed about our church budget – seeing us spend our budget, but not seeing our receipts match what we need to come it.  I have been stressed about our worship attendance – as a family of faith we have been scattered over the summer – falling out of the habits of coming to Sunday School and worship.  I found myself trying to solve all of these problems by trying harder to be in control. 

Last night, as I struggled with these words of scripture again - I felt humbled.  Can I not listen?  Have I not realized the secret has been before me all week?  “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added.” 

      I am coming to understand the challenge to our budget and to who we are becoming as a church as an opportunity – a faith forming opportunity – a chance to walk by faith.  God wants to know if we will be a people who truly seek the Kingdom of God first. 

For example, when it comes to our budget - Yes we must be smart.  We need to watch what we spend.  We keep our wits about us.  And Yet – it means that we trust God when God says he will provide for our needs.  God doesn’t say – seek first a balanced budget. 

In times like these – we all have a choice – as individuals and as churches.  We must decide if we will walk by faith seeking first the kingdom of God.  I am convinced if we had all we need as a church or as individuals – we would never learn how to walk by faith.  Why would we need to?  All we have to do then is managed what we have – it’s much safer – but not nearly as spiritually exciting.  This way – we get to see God at work.  Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteous, Jesus tells us – and I will provide all that you need. 

As we become Walking by faith Kingdom Seekers – we need to become experts in this thing we are seeking – God’s Kingdom.  Over the next couple of weeks, we will talk about the foundations of the Kingdom of God.  Then, towards the end of fall – we will come back and I’ll teach a sermon series on Kingdom Priorities. 

      Briefly, this morning, Let us start our introduction to the Kingdom of God in one of the other most familiar places we find the Kingdom of God referenced – the Lord’s Prayer. 

      Look again with me at the passage from Luke 11. 

            Father, hallowed be your name.

   Your kingdom come.

   Give us each day our daily bread.

   And forgive us our sins,

     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’

            The prayer here is different than the one we often repeat or sing in worship.  That prayer comes from Matthew 6 – with an added benediction.

            Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer is simple and straight forward – almost like a bullet point prayer.  At the center of this prayer – Jesus invites us to pray for God’s Kingdom.  Pray for this Jesus says:  Thy Kingdom Come! 

Jesus asks us to pray with anticipation for God’s Kingdom. 

The kingdom of God is one of the most fruitful yet controversial concepts in Christian theology. It has been employed to uphold the status quo, and it has been a revolutionary ideal used to break social forms and customs.

In the New Testament the concept signifies the sovereignty or kingly rule of God. Its basic intent is to affirm the fact that God reigns in all aspects of personal and social life. It is not a general, but a unique, kind of rule or reign.

Neither the Old Testament nor Jesus ever states a definition of the Kingdom of God.  Instead – they describe God’s Kingdom.  In chapter 11, Isaiah anticipates God’s Kingdom this way: 

The wolf will live with the lamb,

    the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;

    and a little child will lead them.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy

    on all my holy mountain,

When Jesus arrives – he announces the Kingdom of God has arrived.  Listen to Mark 1: Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Isaiah anticipates and Jesus announces the Kingdom of God has come.  Yet, Jesus still invites us to pray “thy Kingdom Come.” 

Here’s the tension – God’s Kingdom has been initiated with the coming of Jesus.  The Kingdom is already  - and yet, the Kingdom is not completely fulfilled – the Kingdom is not yet. 

Already – Not yet:  This is key to understanding the Kingdom of God.  God’s kingdom has already broken into the world with the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus – But it is not yet complete.    

When Jesus asks us to pray “Thy Kingdom Come” he is asking us to participate in God’s Kingdom – to be Kingdom seeking people.  Kingdom people experience the Kingdom already established and work with him to help bring his kingdom to completion. 

Look at the two phrases I listed in your sermon guide – these get at the not yet part of God’s Kingdom. 

1.         Praying “Thy Kingdom Come” reminds us that God’s realm is not of this world.    

2.         Praying “Thy Kingdom Come” invites God to intervene into this world, to usher in his Kingdom.

Already – not yet.  God’s world has already broken into our world – and we are inviting God to continue to intervene.   The Kingdom of God becomes a future reality that exists already in part.  It’s a place beyond space and time – place where God’s will is done completely and unchallenged. 

            Praying Thy Kingdom Come anticipates this future – God’s future for our lives and our world. 

            This summer we have been learning to listen to God through discernment.  We are tuning our spiritual eyes and ears to look for signs of God’s Kingdom breaking through.    

            Reggie McNeal says the church exists as a Kingdom outpost – an earthly manifestation of another world. 

            Eugene Peterson says the same thing in different words.  Church is a colony of heave in the country of death, a strategy of the Holy Spirit for giving witness to the already inaugurated Kingdom of God. 

Our message as a church points to a future – a future when God’s Kingdom extends the rule of the creator.

            Often, though we miss this.  As a church and as individuals we lower our gaze.  We measure organizational goals and work hard to keep the status quo.  What will happen to us when we begin praying “thy Kingdom Come” and seeking God’s kingdom first?  How will we do church differently?

            One of my key ministry this week has been to the kids and family affected by the drowning of Jordan Phimmachack in Tallulah Falls Lake on Monday.  Jordan was a Counselor in Training this year during Camp Agape.  Yesterday, I had an opportunity to speak during his family’s traditional Laotian/Buddhist service.  After the monks had their chants – the family offered me the honor to proclaim the Love of Jesus to a room full of hurting teenagers.  As a church – we don’t have a way of measuring the Kingdom impact of this ministry.  Instead we get chance to participate in the work Jesus is doing in these lives. 

Church as a kingdom outpost is a place where the Kingdom of God is anticipated, experienced and proclaimed. 

            Today, I invite us to make the first steps in becoming Faith walking Kingdom Seekers:  Learn to Pray “Thy Kingdom Come.”  Anticipate God’ participation in our lives and our church.  This is more than just looking for signs of God’s movement – this means actively praying for God to break through – in our lives and the life of our church.  Anticipating God’s action and trusting God to provide for our needs. 

            God has a preferred future for all of us.  God is shaping us and calling us into this future.  As we pray “Thy Kingdom Come” we are recognizing this future.  We anticipate a time in our lives when God has complete control of us as we move from being me-center to Jesus-centered.  As we leave today – I invite you to reflect on this challenge:  What hopes do I have for God’s Kingdom – in our church and in your life?

            Over the next several months, we will dig deeper into God’s Kingdom.  It will be an adventure in trust and expectation.  I invite you to join me.  Amen.