the Kingdom of God

KR16: The Good Seed

/ K. Sutter / Leave a comment

Jesus said, “the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom.” (Matt 13:38)

The message of the Kingdom of God is contained within people. When Kingdom Disciples group together and commit to love one another and obey Jesus’ commands—life and growth bursts forth.

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Though we quoted it before, E. Stanley Jones’ words bear repeating, “The most absolutely potent thing on this planet is a small group disciplined to great ends. The people of the Kingdom are the seeds of the new order. They do not give the message—they are the message. They do not seek an answer—they are the answer, the Kingdom in miniature. There is nothing so absolutely potent as a group unbreakably bonded to each other and unreservedly given to God. ”

Let’s plant these seeds of the new order. Let’s plant Kingdom Seeds! Keep it simple: Gather together. Listen to Jesus speak through His Word and His Spirit. Do what He says. Growth and fruit will come.

I call this Jesus-Centered Fellowships taking Kingdom-Focused Action.  What would Jesus have you and your group, team or fellowship do either nearby, or where the needs are greater—so that everyone has access to:

  • The message of Jesus Christ presented in a way they can understand.
  • God’s Word in their own language.
  • Fellowship with disciples of Jesus: to freely worship Him, learn to obey Him and join in His global purposes.
  • Education that equips their children for godly living.
  • The basic necessities of life: food, clean water, clothing, shelter and health care.
  • Opportunities to lead a productive and fruitful life spiritually, mentally, socially, emotionally, and physically.

Jesus promises, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am among them.” (Matt 18:20)  To those eager to obey, He will speak through His Word and His Spirit. To reinforce this truth for myself, I wrote additional words to a popular worship song called, “Come Now is the Time to Worship.”

Come, now is the time to listen
Come, now is the time to hear Your voice
We come, just as we are to listen
We come, just as we are to hear Your voice, we come

One day Your great Kingdom will be fully revealed
Love and peace will finally reign.
Yet today please tell us what You’d have us to do
As we work together toward that aim.

I sing this nearly every day.

Maybe I will keep singing it…until all have seen and heard the Good News of the Kingdom.

Kingdom ReflectionQuestion for reflection: What would Jesus have you do today as you work together with Him toward the aim of revealing His Kingdom? Is now the time to listen?

Kingdom prayer: Lord Jesus, throughout this world, please multiply groups and fellowships centered on You and who willingly follow You in taking Kingdom-focused action. Amen

KR1: How can I describe the Kingdom of God?

/ K. Sutter / Leave a comment

In a few days, coworkers from out of the area would arrive for strategy meetings at our home.  Our main theme:

“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it….” (Matthew 24:14) We therefore go to nations who have not heard–introducing Jesus and His Kingdom through both our words and our deeds. What does this mean for us and how can we do this best?

Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?” (Mark 4:30) This is what I had been wondering too. I was asking the same question. One morning I went for a run on the beach. The tide was out, leaving a thin layer of water about 100 feet wide, from the edge of the surf to the dry sand dunes. It stretched out before me for a few miles.

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On Earth as in Heaven

As I ran on the wet sand, I marveled at the blue sky and white clouds above me, reflected on the watery surface under my feet. Though the reflection was imperfect, it almost made me feel like I was running across the heavens….   “That’s it!” I thought. “I can see on earth what is in heaven. This is one way I can describe the Kingdom of God.”

During our strategy meeting I used the illustration. Truly this is what we all want to see: God’s Kingdom reflected here on earth—among the unreached—as it is in heaven. It will always be an imperfect reflection, yet still we work for it and plead for it, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

The better we understand and see God’s purposes revealed in His Word and by His Spirit, the better we’ll work together in reflecting His Kingdom on earth.

This will be our theme in Kingdom Reflection. This is the first of many Kingdom Reflections related to launching indigenous movements of self-multiplying Jesus-centered fellowships that spread the blessings of God’s Kingdom within their families, among their neighbors, throughout their societies and across nations.

Question for reflection: How would you describe the Kingdom of God?IMG_0648

Kingdom prayer: Lord Jesus, make us part of a massive workforce to unreached people, spreading the blessings of Your Kingdom as we obey You, our King. Amen.