Post on 26-Dec-2015
transcript
Matthew 11:12Matthew 11:12 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
Competing Kingdoms
Salt
Mountains of salt come from the ground and the sea, but only a few grains can make the blandest food taste better
A Small Light Can Make A Difference
Even a small flashlight can make a big difference when everything around is dark
Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt looses its saltiness, how can it be made
salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out
and trampled by men.
Matthew 5:14-16You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a
lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 13:33
…The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all
through the dough.
Kingdom of Heaven as a ForceMatthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been
forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it. (NIV)
We Are the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus is our King and we are His kingdom We are the salt that makes the world palatable We are the light that shines God’s justice into
every dark corner We are the yeast that raises this world and are
a significant force for righteousness, goodness, compassion and mercy
One Person Can Make a Difference
Dietrich Bonheoffer C. S. Lewis William Wilberforce William Tyndale Harriet Tubman
Martin Luther King Mother Teresa Jim Elliot Louie Giglio Elijah (James 5:17-18)
World’s Expectations Step Back Blend In Be like everyone else Tolerance and acceptance of the world’s
lifestyles
God’s Expectations Amos 5:24 – But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never failing stream. Micah 6:8 – He has showed you, O man, what
is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
God’s ExpectationsI Peter 1:15-16 …just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
True righteousness takes courage and a willingness to stand up to
and confront those who are perverting justice.
What Can We Do? Say only what is true Practice honesty in business or classroom Verbally uphold God’s moral code Mold your life to Jesus’ character Help someone who is weak and powerless
without expecting anything in return Practice sexual purity