KINGDOM EYES

"Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
-John 3:3

Did you wake up today seeing the Kingdom of God?

Saul was hot on the trail of Jesus followers. It didn’t matter where they ran or hid. It didn’t matter if they left Jerusalem and fled as far as Damascus - 300km/200mi away. Saul had their scent and was hunting them down as judge, jury, and executioner (see Acts 7:58).

Recanting wasn’t an option. They’d encountered Messiah, the risen Christ. Immanuel wasn’t a bedtime story invented for cultural pacification or religious ethics. 

The false reality sin and Satan had erected was undone. The illusion. The props. The curtains. The stage - all exposed for the vile pretense, the affront and abomination, they are against God our Creator. No “red pill” option available.

On the way to more persecutions and murders “justified” under the auspice of religious zeal, something happened to Saul, changing both the trajectory of his terrestrial sojourn and eternal residence:

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples… As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me…” Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus…

Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized… Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”
-from Acts 9

There’s no talk, explicit or implied, of "personal salvation" or "decisions for Jesus" in Acts 9. Instead, there’s mention of “The Lord’s disciples,” those belonging to “The Way.”

There’s mention of perseverance and multiplication despite persecution and murder. There’s Jesus telling Saul and Ananias what they must do for Him. There’s no talk of earthly prosperity, material wealth or physical health - but talk instead of obedience and suffering for His Name.

There’s talk of the Holy Spirit’s filling, of scales falling, of baptism, of humility, of radical transformation, of strong opposition, of boldness and courage in proclaiming the Gospel, of edification and encouragement throughout the Church, and the literal seeing of the Kingdom in the present - and participating in it.

In John’s Gospel it’s revealed that becoming a child of God isn’t a human thing in the least, but rather an external, transcendent, and supernatural act of the Holy Spirit:

“But to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor the desire or the will of man, but born of God.”

-John 1:12-13

"Truly I tell you, unless someone is born-again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

-John 3:3;6

When we are truly born-again by the Spirit of God, we are no longer who we once were. We are no longer captives of sin, shame, and death.

We are no longer selfish narcissists and personal glory-seekers consumed by our addictions to mammon and flesh. When the Spirit comes we are remade in Christ - not for health, wealth, and personal blessings, but for His glory, His name, and His Kingdom.

Born-again means a new, immediate, and active reality. It’s as true for us as for Saul - the great missionary, New Testament writer, and Apostle known as Paul. It means courage and perseverance in the face of opposition and persecution - today. It means an unquenchable passion to hear His voice to teach and bless transgressors - today.

It means a desperate dependency for the Spirit’s filling and leading in every thought and every step - today. It means baptism straight away - not for salvation, but as a testimony of immediate obedience and eternal identification.

It means radical transformation from who we once were into who God always intended and created us to be - today. It means His Kingdom isn’t an idyllic or delayed promise for tomorrow but an active and present reality in the now. It means those born-again immediately “see the Kingdom of God” through new eyes with the scales rebellion removed.

It means seeing others with the eyes of Christ’s grace and love, whom, by His blood purchased us from every tribe, language, people, and nation. It means advancing the Kingdom for His Name’s sake regardless of the cost - today.

That’s what the Bible has to say about those who are born-again - those who see His Kingdom presently, who are personally, passionately, intimately invested and involved - doing as a result of seeing - and seeing as a result of being.

Did you wake up today seeing and serving the Kingdom of God - or yours? Therefore, are you born-again by your definition or His?

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers!”
-Matthew 7:21-23

Blessings,
-Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

THE GREATEST

Ali or Tyson? Jordan or James? Consider any subject or topic and debates rage on about "The Greatest." Ultimately, the bottom line is that Jesus, Immanuel, put all the debates and noise to bed long ago...

In Luke 22, when questioned by His disciples about who it would be, Jesus said it'd be the ones who served as He served. But Jesus didn’t leave it open to subjective thoughts about mere philanthropy, humanitarian efforts, saving whales, or any of our twisted ideas or opinions about “service.”

Anyone can “serve” when it suits them. Even Christians will gladly serve on mountain tops when there's a badge, button, crown, legacy award, news article, recognition dinner, or other "selfless" reason to be in the spotlight.

But what about faithfulness in the Valley of Death? What about for no other reason than God commanded it? What about when the storms of life hit? When the winds blow? When the floods come and the waters rise - and continue rising even above our heads?

Are we still in? Are we still standing on the unshakable Rock or do we shake our fists, grind our teeth, mock, scorn, and abandon Him for fair-weather?

In Luke 22:38 Jesus added a wrinkle oft-overlooked or blatantly ignored due to the inconvenience and conviction involved. He objectively and authoritatively defined the greatest as “...those remaining with me in My tests and temptations.”

As it turns out, the greatest in God’s view and economy aren’t self-absorbed drama-queens perpetually digging sin-holes to make everything all about me-me-me.

Instead, the greatest are those intimately and intentionally involved and invested in Jesus, His vision, His mission, His kingdom, and His peirasmós (trials and temptations) - not our endless, self-inflicted, autobiography entitled, "Drama in Depravity."

Want to know if Christ is truly alive in you? Ask God, as did Job, Moses, David, and Paul, to examine your heart - to teach and instruct you. Ask, “Lord, how much of my life, my time, and my finances over the last year have gone directly and intentionally for Your glory vs mine?” Then lean way in, silence the noise, and listen patiently.

Oswald Chambers once wrote, “Watch when God shifts your circumstances, and see whether you are going with Jesus, or siding with the world, the flesh, and the devil.”

The greatest? Jesus said, “...those remaining with me in My tests and temptations.”
Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

ON PURPOSE

“The Lord God took the man and dedicated him in the garden of Eden to serve her and watch over her.” -Genesis 2:15

At PBC we've been in a sermon series, “Back to The Basics,” in which, we've explored the distinction between purpose and function and how wonky things get when we forget that.

When function (preaching, worship, evangelism, mission, etc.) supplants purpose- things get ugly in no time, e.g. splits, schisms, persecutions, insurrections, grudges, gossip, factions, envy, jealousy, hatred, malice…

Galatians 5 is pretty clear about the outcome of all that sinful nonsense - and that’s within our churches (people, not denominations, institutions, organizations or buildings)!

Q: What’s the difference between purpose and function? What happens to our testimony as followers of Christ when we twist that around?

Our purpose is to glorify God in all things, at all times, forever. We see that throughout Scripture (Ps 34:3; 86:12; Dan 4:37; Rom 15:5-13; 8:28). The manner with which we accomplish that, i.e. how we glorify God, is our function.

Therefore, it's critical to understand our purpose, as human beings, disciples of Christ, followers of Jesus, and fishers of men is NOT to preach, NOT to worship in Spirit and truth, evangelize to the lost, minister to the broken, pray without ceasing, sing, serve, love, teach, disciple, or any other activity or ministry.

Our purpose is quite simply to glorify God in all things, at all times, forever. How we accomplish that is function.

Q: Why is it so easy for us to make function the chief thing? What are the inherent dangers?

In Genesis 2:15 the Lord God dedicated Adam in the garden of Eden to glorify Him as the pinnacle of the Creator’s creation. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s “poema,” His masterpiece, handiwork, and craftsmanship! Humanity alone was created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26).

Humanity alone is recorded in Scripture as having the breath, wind, the Spirit of God breathed into us (Gen 2:7). Then God dedicated the man in the garden of Eden to glorify God by functioning as God intended - to “awbad” (i.e. serve, minister, worship) and “shamar” (i.e. guard, watch over, protect).

Let’s focus on three aspects of function here: Context, Content, and Consequences.

The CONTEXT is God-ordained relationships, i.e. our relationships with Holy Trinity God, our sovereign Creator, with others, with self, and as stewards of God’s creation.

Q: Why is it so important to understand the relational context of our function and the priority of those God-ordained relationships (God, others, self, and creation)? What happens when the context gets out of order?

The CONTENT of function was explicitly communicated by the Lord God to Adam (prior to Eve’s existence) in no uncertain terms:

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” -Genesis 2:16-17

Scripture doesn’t tell us how much time transpired between the creation of the woman (Eve), at the end of Genesis 2, and her casual theological frolic with the crafty serpent when Genesis 3 begins.

We do know Adam failed in epic fashion (Rom 5:12). The Lord God established Adam’s function (serve and watch over) prior to fashioning the woman. Adam was to glorify God (purpose) by serving, ministering, worshiping, and guarding, watching, protecting God-ordained relationships in Eden.

Q: What is significant about Eve not yet having been fashioned from Adam when the Lord spoke to him in 2:16-17? Why is the time aspect irrelevant between the close of chapter two and the start of chapter three?

Even before sin entered the mix, humanity couldn’t grasp the concept of purpose. We’re better at -doing- (function) than -being- (purpose) because we love our idols, and we love idols because we, like Satan, love ourselves more than our Creator.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. -Genesis 3:6

Romans 5:12 convicts us all along with Adam. We too allow function to supplant purpose and invite things to go sideways. Means become the end. Apathy waxes. Compassion wanes. We defile Eden again, and again, and again…

Q: What is revealed about humanity in Genesis 3:6? What does it revealed about YOU?

The CONSEQUENCE is death (Rom 6:23). That’s not metaphor, merely “spiritual,” deferred or delayed, but literal, actual and immediate. Our expulsion from Eden, i.e. God’s Presence, is death by God’s own definition.

Q: What’s the problem with reinterpreting the consequence of sin as merely a “spiritual” death rather than a literal and immediate one? Since we all sinned, and we all fall short of the glory of God, we all come into this world in what condition?

God was neither surprised nor thwarted by our sin. Graciously, He didn’t leave it there. The Lamb was slain before the cosmos was created by the Creator (Rev 13:8). Amid God’s wrath and judgment, mercy burst forth!

While condemning the meddling serpent to eternal defeat and torment,and all who follow suit, God simultaneously revealed the Savior would come to reconcile and redeem those who would humble themselves, repent, and follow Him!

So the LORD God said to the serpent… “cursed are you… And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (excerpt from Genesis 3:14-15)

Q: Read Romans 14:23 and John 3:16. What is required by us to reverse the curse of sin? What’s the difference between belief and faith? Read Matthew 7:21-23. Why doesn’t Jesus know them? Read James 2:19. What distinguishes demons, who believe in Jesus, and those attending the wedding banquet of the Lamb in Rev 19?

APPLICATION: Our exclusive purpose is to glorify God in all things, at all times, forever. Our function is to serve and watch over God-ordained relationships. That's what it means to love God and love others. With this in mind, how are you doing? Are you glorifying God in all things, at all times? Are you serving and watching over all of the God-ordained relationships in your life -or pursuing only the stuff that pleases you? Is “church” merely a place you go from time-to-time on weekends or is it the God-ordained relationships you humbly and intentionally invest in at all times - especially when things don't go your way (Matt 5:43-48)?

Are you actively submitting yourself to the authorities God has appointed over you (Heb 13:7)? Are you forsaking meeting together (Heb 10:25)? Are you truly Christ’s martyr/witness and disciple as the Gospel to everyone you meet, thus fulfilling your purpose - to glorify God in all things, at all times, forever - or are you pursuing your own agenda and covering it with religious activities, ritual, ceremonies, and traditions? Consider the life, ministry, humility, and obedience of Jesus.

Are you allowing God to conform you into the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, or are you conforming Christ into an image and preference that suits you?

"Even the demons believe, and tremble."

Blessings,
-Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com