My sermon notes for Sunday morning, April 7th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:30 on Facebook. We also provide the services through YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.
Luke 13:18-21
Intro
- The coming of the Messianic Kingdom
- The kingdom of God – The sovereign rule and reign of God over His creation.
- Matthew 6:10 – Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
A false view of the Kingdom
The Israelites were waiting for the messianic kingdom to be ushered in by a charismatic King and deliver them from the bondage of the Roman Empire.
- Obvious, powerful.
- Military, political, social, economical impact
Yet, the Kingdom of God is just the opposite. It is not a “man” driven dynamic (From the outside in), but God ordained (from the inside out). This is one of the main issues the religious leaders had with Jesus. He did not fit their understanding of the change that was to come.
The Mustard Seed
Smallest in size yet grows to large bush/tree
- Able to allow birds to permanently live
The early church started with just a handful. No spectacular visible significance. Yet grew into the visible church.
Yet, when He returns… it will be very visible. Revelation 19:11-16
The Leaven
Hid – Not obvious to the world (the worlds perception)
Has the power to TRANSFORM the dough
- Over time, Serving its purpose
From a small and seemingly insignificant beginning, the kingdom of God grows—at times invisibly and almost imperceptibly—until it reaches all nations with its transforming power.
Philip Graham Ryken, Luke, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, vol. 2, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2009), 30.
THE WHAT NOW
The spread of the Kingdom
Acts 1:8 – slow, steady growth, WHERE YOU ARE. KEEP IT GOING
- A true church growth model. THE EARLY CHURCH
The power of the Kingdom
Romans 1:16
- For those who believe (all who believe) TARGET GROUP
- Power of the Gospel. BRING CHANGE
- Completely, totally, eternally
- IN IT the righteousness of God
The Influence of the Kingdom
1 Timothy 3:15
- Household of God
- We are individual members of a family
- Nurturing, Love, Support, Discipline, Structure
- A Christ is the head. Col. 1:15-20
- Church of the living God
- Church of… His possession.
- A living God. Jeremiah 10:10
- Therefore…His Church Is Alive! A spirit filled empowered group of people
- A living body with a real mission and purpose. To fulfill the Great Commission… it is that simple.
- Pillar and Buttress of truth
- The foundation and protector of truth
- The temple in Ephesus as the backdrop… the truth of God’s Word is the foundation of what the Church is built upon
- No sound foundation = No sound structure
- Our thinking, Our believing, Our Doctrine
- OUR THEOLOGY DRIVES OUR METHODOLOGY
- WHAT WE BELIEVE DETERMINES HOW WE LIVE
- A ministry of change.
- Counseling/Discipleship
- Sola Scriptura
The Success of the Kingdom
Philippians 2:10-11
Because of His Incarnation and Exaltation
- We have been redeemed
- We have been filling with the Holy Spirit
- We have the power of the Gospel
- We are the church of the Living God
- EVERY KNEE WILL BOW
bow … confess. The entire intelligent universe is called to worship Jesus Christ as Lord (cf. Ps. 2). This mandate includes the angels in heaven (Rev. 4:2–9), the spirits of the redeemed (Rev. 4:10, 11), obedient believers on earth (Rom. 10:9), the disobedient rebels on earth (2 Thess. 1:7–9), demons and lost humanity in hell (1 Pet. 3:18–22). The Greek word for confess means “to acknowledge,” “affirm,” or “agree” which is what everyone will eventually do in response to Christ’s lordship, willingly and blessedly or unwillingly and painfully
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), Php 2:11.