Freedom Christian Center : 100117 Expanding the Kingdom

100117 Expanding the Kingdom

Tim Franklin

Introduction:

We have been looking at our mission statement this year: Expressing Our Worship, Equipping the Saints, Expanding the Kingdom.
This week we will dive into Expanding the Kingdom. To do that we have to answer a few questions: What is the Kingdom? What does it mean to Expand the Kingdom? Why Should I be concerned?
Luke 13:18-19 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches." NKJV
That is a picture of Kingdom Expansion—a small seed becoming a big tree. Let’s look at the first question.

What is the Kingdom?
1. This phrase Kingdom of God is used over and over throughout the Gospels and across the NT.
  1. Jesus uses it repeatedly in the parables of the Gospels. The Kingdom of God is like: a mustard seed, a man who scatters seed, is like a child, it is like yeast, treasure hid in a field.
  2. It was the message he preached at the start of his ministry, it was the message he sent the 12 out to preach, it was the message he sent the 70 out to preach it, it is the message we are sent to preach.
2. In a concise answer the Kingdom of God is His authority at work in His people. God in us the hope of glory.
  1. Col 1:27-28 God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. THE MESSAGE
3. The Kingdom of God is something more than a kingdom or grim assent to a dominion without us and over us; So many despise the Kingdom of God because they feel they lose their rights to run their own life and enjoy the pleasures of sin. I have been down that road and the pleasures I experience within the Kingdom of God far outweigh any pleasures outside of it.
  1. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of glad consent to a dominion within us.
  2. The Kingdom of God is God’s reign in man’s heart through Jesus Christ. In other words, God’s Kingdom is God’s redemptive age in and through Jesus His Son.
    1. The Kingdom is full of love.
    2. The Kingdom is full of healing.
    3. The Kingdom is full of forgiveness.
    4. The Kingdom is full of restoration.
  3. The Kingdom is all about His authority in us and through us. It is about being submitted to His authority and exercising His authority.
What Does it Mean - Expanding?
1. Defined
  1. From websters 1828—expand= to open, spread, enlarge, extend. Increase = to augment, or make greater in bulk, quantity or amount;
  2. Dictionary.com = to increase in extent,, size, volume, scope etc.; to spread or stretch out; unfold; to express in fuller form or greater detail.
2. The Bible is full of expansion.
  1. Gen. 1:26 and 28-- Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." NKJV
    1. Two aspects of expanding in that verse from the beginning.
      1. Be fruitful and multiply
      2. Have dominion--rada-Hebrew for rule. To rule over creation, and later to Israel to rule over its enemies.
      3. Isaiah 14:2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors. NKJV
  2. Abraham in Gen. 15:1 found the Lord to be his reward. When that happened he increased. His herds, flocks, and servant increase so much that he and his nephew were forced to go separate ways.
  3. His son Isaac, Gen 26:12 sowed in the year of famine and increased—he became very rich.
  4. Dt 28 the blessing of walking in covenant with God is full of increase and expansion.
  5. Isaiah 54:1-6 "Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman," says the Lord. 2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. 3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited. 4 "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. 5 For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. 6 For the Lord has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused," Says your God. NKJV This passage is fiercely full of increase and expansion!
3. Authority of God is the issue in all of these passages. When we get to the NT it is all about the Kingdom of God and how it brings expansion to those who find it.
  1. John the Baptist preached Kingdom—Expansion-prepare or make room for the Lord
  2. Jesus preached Kingdom –Expansion –message is for all take it to hiways and alleys.
  3. The 12 preached Kingdom
  4. The 70 preached Kingdom
  5. Paul preached Kingdom
  6. They all preached bring yourself under the authority of God and the authority of God will bring you out of bondage.
  7. It is a Kingdom character trait—if you are of the Kingdom you will be increasing—body, soul, and spirit.
Why Should We Be Concerned?
1. If we are not in a ‘be fruitful and multiply’ and take dominion mode, then we are surrendering—our morals, our culture, health, our finances. That is not good for us or for our children.
2. Expansion begins in me. John 7:37-38, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Jn 14:21 greater work than these shall he also do. Rivers and Greater works are two very influential things.
3. If it works itself into me it will work itself into my family. And it will work itself into my community.
4. It starts small like a mustard seed. But it grows big enough for birds to build nests in. A little leaven goes through the whole lump of dough.
5. Justice is about righting everything that is wrong. Sickness-health. Poverty-more than enough. Bondage-freedom. Broken relationships—restored relationships. Victims of human trafficking—restored value, self-worth and dignity. When the authority of God is released over each of these situations the Kingdom of God has come.

Conclusion:

As a church we are called to advance the Kingdom of God.
We are called to bring Kingdom influence to the 7 sphere of society: church, family, education, business, media, arts, government. These seven spheres shape our culture. Only a small portion of people rule over each area and if the church would get out of its four walls and back into our world as salt and light we would make a difference.
Invitation to let Jesus expand in your heart, and family.

Mark 4:26-27 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. NKJV

Pastor Tim Franklin, 1/17/2010