Pr. Jeremie Marinakiza (Burundi)
Before we talk about the Kingdom of God let us talk about what is not the Kingdom of God:
- The Kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom like the kingdom of Romans, the kingdom of Judah or the kingdom of Babylon. You cannot locate the Kingdom of God in a certain place. As God is spiritual even the Kingdom of God is spiritual, As God is eternal even the Kingdom of God is eternal.
- The Kingdom of God is not the Church. The church is not the totality of the kingdom but it is the part of the Kingdom of God.
- The Kingdom of God is not heaven. Heaven is also a part of the Kingdom, but not the totality of the Kingdom.
Even though the Church is not the totality of the Kingdom of God it has a big role to play in the Kingdom of God. The Church is the primary agent of proclamation and application
of the Kingdom of God.
The church has to apply the principles of the kingdom by becoming the salt and the light of the world.
So what is the kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God means the rule of God over all creation (His reign, His action, His lordship, His sovereign governance).
It means that He sits as a King on His throne of the universe, and He governs all things.
- Psalms 103:19: “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”
So to receive Him as King is to receive His kingly rule, in your life and over your affairs. Though the Kingdom of God is not a place, the Kingdom of God manifested on Earth through God made in flesh in Jesus Christ. “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:10-13
How do we enter the kingdom of God?
When ordinary people like you and I receive forgiveness of sins and are born again, it opens access to “see” and “enter” the Kingdom of God
“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:3, 5
*The Contrast between the Kingdom Mindset and the Church Mindset ?*
◼️Example 1
- A pastor with a church mindset is a pastor who merely trains people to serve in a church building on Sundays, he only trains people for church life. He thinks that church life is based only in the meetings the “church” has.
Someone said that: “Only 2-3% of the congregation is called to be full-time church pastors, ministers, and missionaries…” This is totally mistaken, because for God every believer is a minister.
- But a pastor with a Kingdom mindset is a pastor who releases all the saints as ministers in the marketplace. He trains them for all of life.
◼️Example 2
- With a church mindset churches embrace and love only converted individuals within their faith communities.
- But With a Kingdom mindset churches embrace and love their surrounding unchurched communities.
◼️Example 3
- A pastor with a church mindset consider the rule of God through deacons, elders and other ministers over those in a church congregation.
- But a pastor with a church mindset consider the rule of God over the entire created order.
*Joseph Materra states that* “Many churches currently have no place for believers called like”. Believers call like are those who are not called to be 100% involved in the affairs of the church.
· Joseph - the prophet economist who saved Egypt and Israel (Genesis 37-50),
· Daniel - who, as a prime minister prophet brought transformation to Babylon and Persia),
· Nehemiah - a politician who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.
The Kingdom message allows parents to recognize that not all of their children are called to be “full-time church ministers” but all of their children are called to serve as ministers in the Kingdom!
We now understand that the Bible is not really a book about heaven, it says very little about heaven! But a book about God’s people stewarding the earth and in His Kingdom.
Our mission is not to go to heaven but our mission is to bring the Kingdom to earth, until all the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of God and His Christ.
“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”” Revelation 11:15
Karen Kircker states in her book “Called to Influence:: How to become a kingdom-style leader in your workplace” that:
a) Jesus clearly commissions every son and daughter of God to go and make disciples, heal the sick and set people free
b) She says that serving God does not always mean becoming a preacher. Your ministry may be in health, education, construction, media, government or politics.”
c) She insisted that the Kingdom of God needs ambassadors in every area of society.
The Kingdom message, if received and preached again by the majority of true believers, would most definitely result in us redeeming cultures, transforming cities, and bringing biblical reformation to whole nations.
The Kingdom or the Word of the Kingdom is the only message that makes disciples of Jesus that really follow Him and become like Him.
#JSalum
#ASONE
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