The Kingdom First

My message this morning is complementary to the Reverend Yvette’s message yesterday. When I first heard her title and how she started up, I said, well, why do I have to redo my message? But then I realized that it would be complementary to each other.

So I start with a question: how much do you buy your citizenship in the kingdom of God? Do you prize it more than your American citizenship or any other earthly citizenship? Last Sunday, as Pastor Rod asked, how much is the kingdom of God worth to you? And he indicated that we often treat the kingdom of God as if it is not worth much to us. As believers, the kingdom of God should be foremost in our lives. Matthew 6:33 again says, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Jesus’ life exemplified that. He did not come to earth just to be a sacrifice for our sins. He came to teach us about the kingdom of God and model how we should live as citizens of that kingdom.

Luke 4:42-43 says, “Now when it was day, he departed and went into a deserted place, and the crowd sought Him and came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. But he said to them, I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

And Luke 8:1 says, “Now it came to pass afterward that he went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the good tidings of the kingdom of God. He went to every city and village preaching the good tidings, or the good news, of the kingdom of God.”

The kingdom of God was a very important part of Jesus’ ministry, and he made it an important part of his disciples’ ministry also. You see that when he sent them out in Luke 9:1-2 then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

The kingdom of God was a new concept in the first century, and all we need to know about that kingdom has been preserved for us in the New Testament. So ignorance of the requirements, benefits, and responsibilities of the citizens of that kingdom is not an excuse for believers today.

There are benefits both in this life and in the life to come when we engage in kingdom work. You see that in Luke 18:28-30. Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed you. He’s talking to his master, Jesus, at this time. We have left all and followed you.”

So Jesus said to them, “Surely I say to you, there is no one who has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present life and in the age to come eternal life.”

For the sake of the kingdom, if you leave anything for the sake of the kingdom, you shall receive many times more in this present life and in the life to come. Without assurance from Jesus, who would not want to engage in kingdom work? We do not have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom of God. We can enjoy them on this side of eternity by engaging in kingdom work.

The kingdom of God was so important to Jesus that he started his ministry teaching about that kingdom, and he ended his ministry doing the same.

Acts 1:1-3 says, “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day in which he was taken up. After he, through the Holy Spirit, had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom he also presented Himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

After his resurrection, during the forty days that Jesus was out, he spoke to the disciples pertaining to things of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is very important. Jesus spent his last days speaking to his apostles about things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

And then we see with the apostle Paul. The apostle was careful also to preach about the kingdom of God. This is what it says in Acts 19:8 says, “And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. That was in Ephesus.”

And in Rome Paul did the same thing. Look at Acts 28:30- 31-“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”

The kingdom of God should be important to us as it was to Jesus and his apostles. We must know what is required for us to be good citizens of that kingdom.

Because entering the kingdom is free. John 3:3, Jesus speaking to Nicodemus, said this: Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Being born again is a spiritual birth that occurs when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It’s a free gift of God.

But once you become a citizen of the kingdom of God, there is, as Bishop always says, a maintenance cost. There’s a maintenance cost, and it’s all in the New Testament. So you have no excuse for not knowing what that cost is.

I’ll close with some scriptures that tell us about life in the kingdom of God.

Mark 9:47 – “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”

Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

The kingdom of God must be our priority. We have to know what’s required of us, and there’s no excuse for not knowing.

Matthew 6:33 once again says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. We are to seek that kingdom first so all things we need in this life will be added to us.”

Thank God. We thank you, Lord, for your word this morning, that it puts before us the kingdom and what should be our priority.

In this world, in this life, where so many things are competing for our attention and often drag us away from you, we want to refocus always on the same thing.

And thank you that the Holy Spirit is in us. You have blessed us with your Holy Spirit in us to point us in the right direction. As a compass points to the north direction all the time, so the Holy Spirit will point us to the Lord Jesus and the kingdom of God requirements at all times, if we would heed.

So we pray that we would take this into consideration and remember at all times where our priorities should lie.

So we give you all the praise, all the glory. We thank you for this opportunity.

So we say thank you in advance as you respond to each request according to your will and your timing.

We give you all the praise, all the honor, and all the glory. In Jesus’ name I pray with thanksgiving.

Amen. Amen and amen.