Sunday Sermon
HAVING A RESPONSIBLE KINGDOM ATTITUDE
Date: February 24, 2008
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Numbers 13:27-31
Listen to Audio Sermon

LUKE 4:42-43
42And when daybreak came, He left [Peter's house] and went into an isolated [desert] place. And the people looked for Him until they came up to Him and tried to prevent Him from leaving them.
43But He said to them, I must preach the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God to the other cities [and towns] also, for I was sent for this [purpose].

HAVE THERE BEEN TIMES WHEN YOU COULDN’T WAIT TO GET TO CHURCH? PRAISE WAS JUST BUSTING OUT OF YOU AND YOU WANTED TO JOIN OTHERS IN PRAISING YOUR GOD? WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WOULD FEEL LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME. TODAY WE WANT TO LOOK AT A KINGDOM ATTITUDE AND HOW IT CAN CHANGE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

IN ORDER TO GET THAT WAY YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING AND DOING WHEN HE WAS ON THE EARTH. HE WAS ACTUALLY STARTING TO COLONIZE THE EARTH WITH THE WAYS OF THE KINGDOM.

IN OUR SCRIPTURE TODAY, IN VERSE 43, JESUS SAYS THAT HE WAS SENT TO EARTH TO PREACH THE KINGDOM OF GOD. HE WAS NOT SENT TO START A RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT, BUT TO SELECT PEOPLE AND TEACH THEM TO COLONIZE THE EARTH WITH KINGDOM PRINCIPLES. WHEN WE USE THE WORD “COLONIZE” WE MEAN, THE EXTENSION OF A KINGDOM’S GOVERNMENT AND IT’S BELIEFS, LANGUAGES AND CUSTOMS. COLONIZATION IS SUCCESSFUL AND COMPLETE WHEN THE CULTURE OF THE KING AND THE KINGDOM IS MANIFESTED IN THE PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THIS WAS JESUS’ FOCUS? BECAUSE OF THE THINGS HE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH REGARD TO THE KINGDOM.

FOR EXAMPLE MATTHEW 6:33 –
33But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

HE SAID THE KINGDOM MUST COME FIRST IF YOU WANT ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR LIFE YOU FIRST TASK IS TO SEEK THE KINGDOM. AND WHEN THE APOSTLES ASKED HIM TO TEACH THEM TO PRAY, WHAT DID HE GIVE THEM AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE PERFECT PRAYER,

CHECK OUT LUKE 11:1-2 —
1THEN HE was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, [just] as John taught his disciples.
2And He said to them, When you pray, say: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come. Your will be done [held holy and revered] on earth as it is in heaven.

RIGHT AFTER RECOGNIZING THE HOLINESS OF GOD, HE SAYS PRAY FOR THE KINGDOM TO COME TO THE EARTH.
NOW, DOES THAT TELL YOU ANYTHING?

WE HAVE TAUGHT THAT 1 JOHN 3:8 WAS THE REASON JESUS CAME. –
8[But] he who commits sin [who practices evildoing] is of the devil [takes his character from the evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].
NOW, RECOGNIZE THIS, WHEN THE KINGDOM IS COLONIZED THE DEVIL’S RULE IS BROKEN. SO WE CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A BY-PRODUCT OF PREACHING THE KINGDOM.

LOOK AT MATTHEW 10:7-8 –
7And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!
8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL ARE DEFEATED. DISEASES ARE HEALED, DEMONS ARE DRIVEN OUT WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THE DEVIL IS DESTROYED BY PREACHING AND ESTABLISHING THE KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH IN THE DEVIL’S TERRITORY. ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE WAS NO CHARGE, CONTRARY TO TODAY’S PREACHING. I.E. “ YOU CAN HAVE THIS TEACHING FOR YOUR LOVE GIFT OF” -----

THE WORLD IS INUNDATED WITH RELIGIOUS TRICKS AND FALSE TEACHING WHICH JESUS NEVER TAUGHT. RELIGIONS KILL MORE PEOPLE THAN HELP. CHECK IT OUT, 9/11 WAS AN ACT OF RELIGIOUS FANATICS WITH WRONG TEACHINGS, HOW ABOUT THE CRUSADES AND ALL THE SENSELESS DEATHS.? THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BURNED AT THE STAKE THOSE WHO DID NOT AGREE WITH THEIR TEACHING. MATIN LUTHER WAS PERSECUTED WHEN HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT SALVATION BY GRACE AND NOT WORKS. DENOMINATION DETESTING OTHER DENOMINATIONS. THERE IS NO END TO THE TERRIBLE THINGS RELIGION HAS BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD.

THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE RECOGNIZES GOD AS OUR KING, MASTER AND OWNER AND AS SUCH HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO US, JUST AS THE KINGS OF OLD.

MATTHEW 18:23-27 –
23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants.
24When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [probably about $10,000,000],
25And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.
26So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything.
27And his master's heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [cancelling] the debt.

WHAT THIS EARTHLY KING DID IS WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO TO OTHERS, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE WORLD OF SELFISHNESS DID BY READING MATTHEW 18:28-35 –
28But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe!
29So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you all !
30But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt.
31When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master.
32Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to.
33And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you?
34And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed.
35So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses.

YOU SEE GOD WILL FORGIVE US BUT WE DON’T ACT LIKE HIM, WE DON’T MANIFEST HIS GOODNESS AND KINDNESS. THAT MAN WAS NOT COLONIZED HE DID NOT MANIFEST THE KINGS WAYS. HE OWNED 10 MILLION TO THE KING, HE WAS OWED ONLY 20 DOLLARS FROM HIS FELLOW SERVANT.

WE HAVE GOT TO BE JUST LIKE OUR KING BECAUSE THAT IS A KINGDOM PRINCIPLE. HOW DO WE DEVELOP A RESPONSIBLE KINGDOM ATTITUDE? WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WAS DOING IN JESUS AND WHAT HE WAS WANTING TO DO IN US EVEN TODAY.

LET’S GO BACK TO GENESIS 1:26-31 —
26God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth.
27So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.
29And God said, See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the land and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.
30And to all the animals on the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the ground--to everything in which there is the breath of life--I have given every green plant for food. And it was so.
31And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

GOD WAS WANTING TO CREATE A PHYSICAL KINGDOM AND WANTED TO PLACE MAN IN DOMINION OVER IT. GOD WANTED MAN TO HAVE DOMINION OVER EARTH. HE WANTED EARTH TO BE JUST LIKE HIS HEAVEN KINGDOM. WITH MAN AS THE GOVERNOR /ADMINISTRATOR. INSTEAD OF TAKING AUTHORITY OVER EARTH, EARTH TOOK AUTHORITY OVER HIM. SINCE THAT TIME WHAT HAS COME OUT OF THE EARTH, PLANTS (MARIJUANA, ETC). AND THE MANY DRUGS AND ALCOHOL , WHICH DERIVE FROM THE EARTH HAVE AUTHORITY OVER HIM. AND WHERE IS MAN’S LAST RESTING PLACE? UNDER THE GROUND! ALL BECAUSE MAN WANTED TO RULE HIMSELF. HE WANTED TO MAKE HIS OWN DECISIONS.

TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS TODAY. THE KING’S PLAN IS FOR A MAN TO TAKE A WOMAN FOR A WIFE. BUT MAN SAYS I WANT TO TAKE A MAN. THE KING SAYS THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM GOD. MAN SAYS IT’S NOT TIME FOR THIS KID TO COME ALIVE, SO LET’S KILL IT. WE DON’T NEED OR RESPECT GOD’S GIFT.
THAT CAN BE DONE IN RELIGIONS WITH SOME DENOMINATIONS EVEN ORDAINING HOMOSEXUALS. BUT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IT’S NOT SO. IN RELIGIONS MAN CAN DIVORCE HIS WIFE WHEN HE TIRES OF HER BUT IN THE KINGDOM IT IS NOT SO. ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME TODAY.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP A RESPONSIBLE KINGDOM ATTITUDE.

FROM THE TIME OF ADAM’S FALL GOD’S PLAN WAS TO GIVE THE KINGDOM BACK TO MAN. BUT JESUS COULDN’T COME UNTIL PEOPLE HAD A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT A KINGDOM WAS. THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS THE FIRST KINGDOM THAT WAS WELL ORGANIZED AND SO WHEN JESUS TALKED ABOUT A KINGDOM, PEOPLE KNEW WHAT HE MEANT. IN OUR CULTURE IN THE U.S. AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT NEVER HAD A KING, IT’S HARDER FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND KINGDOM PRINCIPLES AND ATTITUDES.

IN A KINGDOM, KINGS DON’T ASK FOR ADVISE, THEY GIVE COMMANDS. IN A KINGDOM, PEOPLE HAVE THE ATTITUDE OF THE KING AND THE MORALITY OF THE KING. IN A KINGDOM, PEOPLE WORSHIP THE KING, BUT IT’S NOT THAT WAY IN A DEMOCRACY OR REPUBLIC. SO WHAT MYLES MONROE IS SAYING IS THAT WE NEED TO REDISCOVER THE KINGDOM .

IN A KINGDOM THE KING OWNS EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE, PROPERTY, RESOURCES ETC. PSALM 24:1-2
1THE EARTH is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it.
2For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers.

THAT IS WHAT JESUS CAME TO DO, THAT IS TO RE-EDUCATE THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU REALIZE WHAT THE KING IS, IT’S EASY FOR YOU TO WORSHIP AND BOW DOWN. IT’S EASY FOR YOU TO SURRENDER AND HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE BECAUSE THE KING WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL THINGS.

THAT FOOD YOU ATE TODAY, IT BELONGS TO THE KING, THANK YOU LORD, THAT CLOTHES YOU ARE WEARING, IT BELONGS TO THE KING, THANK YOU LORD. THAT HOUSE YOU LIVE IN IT BELONGS TO THE KING, THANK YOU LORD. THAT CAR YOU DRIVE, IT BELONGS TO THE KING, THANK YOU LORD. THE AIR YOU BREATHE, IT BELONGS TO THE KING, THANK YOU LORD. IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT JUST TRY TAKING ANOTHER BREATH WITHOUT AIR. ARE YOU GETTING THIS AT ALL? WORSHIPING GOD IS BEING THANKFUL TO HIM BECAUSE HE LET US USE HIS PROPERTY AND PRAISE IS RECOGNIZING THAT HE IS THE OWNER.

AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE, WE SEE THE KING GIVES US MANY THINGS TO HELP US COLONIZE THIS EARTH WITH THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLES. HE HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY OVER THE PRINCE AND POWER OF THE AIR IN LUKE 10:17- 22
17The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!
18And He said to them, I saw Satan falling like a lightning [flash] from heaven.
19Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.
20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are enrolled in heaven.
21In that same hour He rejoiced and gloried in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and understanding and learned, and revealed them to babes (the childish, unskilled, and untaught). Yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will and choice and good pleasure.
22All things have been given over into My power by My Father; and no one knows Who the Son is except the Father, or Who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son may choose to reveal and make Him known.

THE ONE WHO TRICKED MAN IS NOW THE ONE WE HAVE AUTHORITY OVER. HE CANNOT TRICK YOU ANYMORE ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT AND THAT GOD IS KING AND THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOW IN US TO HELP US CONTINUES THE COLONIZATION. LET’S THANK GOD FOR HIS PERFECT PLAN
AND FOR TEACHING US TO HAVE A RESPONSIBLE KINGDOM ATTITUDE AS WE WALK THROUGH LIFE. HE IS THE KING, LET US BOW DOWN BEFORE HIM FOR THE ENTIRE KINGDOM IS IN HIS HANDS.