What is your goal?What is your goal?

The Kingdom of God The Kingdom of God and its implications for and its implications for

ChristiansChristians

The Gospel of Success?The Gospel of Success?What is a true What is a true measure of measure of success?success?

Every athlete wants Every athlete wants to be successful.to be successful.

Every businessman Every businessman wants to be wants to be successful.successful.

Every soldier/servant Every soldier/servant of Jesus Christ wants of Jesus Christ wants to be successful.to be successful.

How is success How is success measured in the measured in the kingdom of God? kingdom of God?

How will you measure you life’s How will you measure you life’s achievements?achievements?

By the world’s By the world’s standards?standards?Wealth, power and Wealth, power and fame?fame?

By the standard By the standard Christ taught in the Christ taught in the gospels about the gospels about the Kingdom of God?Kingdom of God?At the end of your At the end of your life, will you hear life, will you hear those words “well those words “well done thou good done thou good and faithful and faithful servant” from the servant” from the lips of the Master?lips of the Master?

How does God measure success?How does God measure success?

Genesis 1 verses 1- Genesis 1 verses 1- 31 The record of 31 The record of Creation.Creation.

Let’s look at what Let’s look at what He did to see how He did to see how He measured His He measured His success.success.

After the sixth day After the sixth day God saw all that He God saw all that He had made and said had made and said “it is very good”.“it is very good”.

So what did God do So what did God do that made Him that made Him successful in His actssuccessful in His acts

of Creation?of Creation?

God created something beautiful God created something beautiful from dust?from dust?

Psalm 103 verse 14Psalm 103 verse 14

“ “He himself knows our frame, He himself knows our frame, He is mindful that we are but He is mindful that we are but dust….” dust….”

- Genesis 2 verse 7 “ The Lord - Genesis 2 verse 7 “ The Lord God formed man of dust God formed man of dust from the ground, and from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man breath of life, and man became a living being”.became a living being”.

God’s pleasure and God’s pleasure and success was measured in success was measured in His ability to transform the His ability to transform the rejected, the despised, therejected, the despised, the

insignificant andinsignificant and make them make them something of beautysomething of beauty and value.and value.

We despise dirt and dust…..We despise dirt and dust…..As humans we despise As humans we despise dirtiness and dust.dirtiness and dust.God took that which was God took that which was despised by mankind despised by mankind and made it into the and made it into the climax of His creation.climax of His creation.His superb genius was His superb genius was in the act of making dust in the act of making dust a living human spirit.a living human spirit.

God speaks from a different God speaks from a different perspective in the Bible…perspective in the Bible…

Proverbs 17 verse 5Proverbs 17 verse 5““He who mocks or despises He who mocks or despises the poor reproaches his the poor reproaches his Maker”Maker”Luke 6 verse 35 Luke 6 verse 35 Jesus says “Love your Jesus says “Love your enemies and do good, and enemies and do good, and lend, and expect nothing in lend, and expect nothing in return, and your reward will return, and your reward will be great, and you will be the be great, and you will be the sons of the Most High; for He sons of the Most High; for He himself is kind to ungrateful himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men”.and evil men”.

What can God do with you and that What can God do with you and that which you despise?which you despise?

God does not reject, he God does not reject, he loves, accepts and loves, accepts and transforms…everything into transforms…everything into something new.something new.As His servants He wants us As His servants He wants us to love the unlovely and see to love the unlovely and see them transformed.them transformed.What or who is your dust?What or who is your dust?How can you cooperate with How can you cooperate with God to transform your dust, God to transform your dust, that which you despise, into that which you despise, into something beautiful for His something beautiful for His glory?glory?

God requires a deep and radical God requires a deep and radical degree of change in our lives…degree of change in our lives…

To experience the unconditional To experience the unconditional love of God for the despised love of God for the despised requires a deep interaction requires a deep interaction (called incarnation) with the (called incarnation) with the despised, feeling their pain, despised, feeling their pain, bearing their shame, suffering bearing their shame, suffering their experience of injustice.their experience of injustice.Jesus showed this act of Jesus showed this act of incarnation in His ministry incarnation in His ministry preparation in the wilderness, preparation in the wilderness, His life on earth, and finally in His life on earth, and finally in His death on the cross.His death on the cross.

Jesus, full of the Holy SpiritJesus, full of the Holy Spirit

Luke 4 verse 1 Luke 4 verse 1 “ “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit

(agape, unconditional love) (agape, unconditional love) returned from the Jordan and returned from the Jordan and was led by the Holy Spirit into was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness”the wilderness”

For forty days he faced the For forty days he faced the temptations of the devil. He temptations of the devil. He overcame them in the power overcame them in the power of the Spirit, using the of the Spirit, using the authority of the Word of God, authority of the Word of God, and thru’ prayer and fasting. and thru’ prayer and fasting.

Jesus was tempted with all that the Jesus was tempted with all that the world offers us....world offers us....

Wealth Wealth “ “The devil offered Him bread fromThe devil offered Him bread from

stones” Luke 4 verses 3-4stones” Luke 4 verses 3-4

FameFame ““The devil offered Him Lordship The devil offered Him Lordship

over the earth” Luke 4 verses 6-8over the earth” Luke 4 verses 6-8

PowerPower “ “ The devil offered Him the power The devil offered Him the power

to save Himself from death” Luke 4 to save Himself from death” Luke 4 verses 9-12verses 9-12

Jesus ministered in the power of Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit…the Spirit…

Luke 4 verses 16-20Luke 4 verses 16-20 Jesus returned to Galilee Jesus returned to Galilee

in the power of the Spirit, in the power of the Spirit, and entering His and entering His hometown synagogue in hometown synagogue in Nazareth, and he opened Nazareth, and he opened the scriptures at Isaiah 61 the scriptures at Isaiah 61 verses 1-2verses 1-2

AnointedAnointed to preach to the poorto preach to the poorIsaiah 61 vs 1-2 (Luke 4 vs 18 -20)Isaiah 61 vs 1-2 (Luke 4 vs 18 -20)

“ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor (preach the gospel to the poor (the the despised), despised), He has sent me to He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives proclaim release to the captives ((the despisedthe despised), and economic ), and economic recovery to the blind (recovery to the blind (the the despiseddespised), to set free those who ), to set free those who are downtrodden (are downtrodden (the despisedthe despised), ), to proclaim the favourable to proclaim the favourable ((successfulsuccessful) year of the Lord….” ) year of the Lord….”

This was Jesus announcing His This was Jesus announcing His mission statement....mission statement....

Jesus makes it clear what He will Jesus makes it clear what He will focus on in the next three years focus on in the next three years of His ministry; He will reach out of His ministry; He will reach out to;to;

““The poor, the blind, the demon The poor, the blind, the demon possessed, and the unjustly treated possessed, and the unjustly treated people of His nation and of the people of His nation and of the Gentile nations neighbouring Israel”Gentile nations neighbouring Israel”

He then sets off to minister to He then sets off to minister to the despised Samaritans in the despised Samaritans in Capernaum in GalileeCapernaum in Galilee

What did Jesus despise…and what What did Jesus despise…and what did he do to transform those did he do to transform those

things?things?He despised the Jewish legal He despised the Jewish legal system for its concern with system for its concern with the law and not with justice…the law and not with justice…

He transformed it into the He transformed it into the law of love, mercy and grace.law of love, mercy and grace.

He despised the cross and its He despised the cross and its shame … and transformed shame … and transformed death into eternal life for all death into eternal life for all who believe. Hebrews 12:2who believe. Hebrews 12:2

JesusJesus showed the standard of showed the standard of justice in the kingdom of Godjustice in the kingdom of God

Justice is not justice if it Justice is not justice if it does not deliver justice does not deliver justice to the unjustly treated to the unjustly treated in our society.in our society.Jesus was grieved at the Jesus was grieved at the injustice of the Jewish injustice of the Jewish (godly) society and their (godly) society and their indifference to the poor indifference to the poor and despisedand despised

Jesus full of the Spirit was Jesus full of the Spirit was moved with compassionmoved with compassion

Matthew 9 verse 36Matthew 9 verse 36 “ “Seeing the multitudes, He felt Seeing the multitudes, He felt

compassion for them because they compassion for them because they were distressed and downcast like were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd”. Then sheep without a shepherd”. Then he said to his disciples, “The he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plenteous, but the harvest is plenteous, but the workers are few, Pray therefore to workers are few, Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest to thrust the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth labourers into the harvest forth labourers into the harvest force”.force”.

Jesus focussed on ministering to Jesus focussed on ministering to the despised…transforming them…the despised…transforming them…

Matthew the tax collectorMatthew the tax collector

The 12 lepersThe 12 lepers

Mary Magdalene the prostituteMary Magdalene the prostitute

The children rejected by His The children rejected by His disciplesdisciples

The demon possessedThe demon possessed

The Roman CenturionThe Roman Centurion

Peter the lowly fishermanPeter the lowly fisherman

Sadly there were those Jesus could Sadly there were those Jesus could not transform…not transform…

The rich young ruler who The rich young ruler who would not sell what He had would not sell what He had and give it to the poorand give it to the poor

The proud Jewish Governor The proud Jewish Governor HerodHerod

The self-righteous PhariseesThe self-righteous Pharisees

The unrepentant thiefThe unrepentant thief

Judas – the lover of moneyJudas – the lover of money

The measure of great people down The measure of great people down thru’ the ages has been in their thru’ the ages has been in their

understanding of God’s concern for understanding of God’s concern for the poor (the despised)… the poor (the despised)…

King DavidKing DavidKing SolomonKing SolomonThe Apostle PaulThe Apostle PaulMother Teresa of Calcutta Mother Teresa of Calcutta

-Nobel Peace Prize -Nobel Peace Prize Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIRabindranath TagoreRabindranath Tagore

-Bengali Poet -Bengali Poet James D. Wolfensohn a former James D. Wolfensohn a former President of the World BankPresident of the World Bank

A Psalm of King David..A Psalm of King David..

Psalm 41 verse 1Psalm 41 verse 1““How blessed is he who How blessed is he who considers the poor, the considers the poor, the Lord will deliver Him in Lord will deliver Him in a day of trouble, The a day of trouble, The Lord will protect him Lord will protect him and keep him alive, and and keep him alive, and He shall be called He shall be called blessed in the earth”….blessed in the earth”….

The Psalm of King SolomonThe Psalm of King SolomonThe wisest and richest King of The wisest and richest King of Israel prophesied in Psalm 72 Israel prophesied in Psalm 72 verses 12-14verses 12-14

““ The Righteous King will The Righteous King will deliver the needy when he deliver the needy when he cries for help, the afflicted cries for help, the afflicted also, and him who has no also, and him who has no helper. He will have helper. He will have compassion on the poor and compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy, and the lives of the needy he will save. He will needy he will save. He will rescue their lives from rescue their lives from oppression and violence and oppression and violence and their blood will be precious in their blood will be precious in their sight”.their sight”.

The Apostle Paul wrote…The Apostle Paul wrote…

On what it means to On what it means to follow Christ he follow Christ he reminded us;reminded us;

““though He was rich, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by became poor, so that by His poverty you may His poverty you may become rich”become rich” 2 Cor 8:9. 2 Cor 8:9.

Mother Teresa of the Missionary Mother Teresa of the Missionary Sisters of Charity in Calcutta said…Sisters of Charity in Calcutta said…

““I see Jesus in the face of I see Jesus in the face of the poor”.the poor”.

““I see the broken body of I see the broken body of my Lord (Christ) in the my Lord (Christ) in the destitute and dying on destitute and dying on the streets of Calcutta”.the streets of Calcutta”.

Pope John Paul II said..Pope John Paul II said..October 27October 27thth, 1999, 1999““The love of Christ moves The love of Christ moves us above all towards the us above all towards the poorest of the poor….as poorest of the poor….as Christ was invited to give Christ was invited to give the good news to the the good news to the poor…so the Church poor…so the Church surrounds itself with surrounds itself with affectionate care for those affectionate care for those afflicted by human afflicted by human weakness…..”weakness…..”

Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote a Gitanjali as a song wrote a Gitanjali as a song

offering….offering….

““God loves the humble and God loves the humble and lives among them. Those who lives among them. Those who want to meet God should look want to meet God should look for him among the poor and for him among the poor and lowly. Loving service to them lowly. Loving service to them is the best form of worship of is the best form of worship of God”.God”.

James D. Wolfensohn former James D. Wolfensohn former President of the World Bank said…President of the World Bank said…

““Poverty Reduction Strategy Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers are a critical element Papers are a critical element in the wider effort to in the wider effort to enhance opportunity for enhance opportunity for which the poor cry out, and which the poor cry out, and the social and economic the social and economic justice that they deserve”.justice that they deserve”.““Voices of the poor showed Voices of the poor showed us that the groups most us that the groups most trusted in poor communities trusted in poor communities are the faith communities”.are the faith communities”.

What is the goal of your life?What is the goal of your life?To make money?To make money?

To have a great career?To have a great career?

To gain a high education?To gain a high education?

To marry a beautiful person To marry a beautiful person and have a beautiful family?and have a beautiful family?

Where does God’s purpose for Where does God’s purpose for your life fit into your plans?your life fit into your plans?

Are your goals self-centred or other Are your goals self-centred or other people centred or God Centred?people centred or God Centred?

If your goals are self-If your goals are self-centred the only persons centred the only persons who will be blessed by who will be blessed by your life will be yourself your life will be yourself and your immediate and your immediate family.family.God’s intention is that God’s intention is that our lives will bless our lives will bless countless numbers of countless numbers of other people. He wants other people. He wants us to be fruitful, and us to be fruitful, and bless us so we can be a bless us so we can be a blessing. blessing.

What does God require of you?What does God require of you?

What does the Lord What does the Lord require of you?require of you?

“ “ to do justly, and to love to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”humbly with your God”

Micah 6:8Micah 6:8

To proclaim by word and action the To proclaim by word and action the gospel of the Kingdom of God….gospel of the Kingdom of God….

The gospel of the kingdom of The gospel of the kingdom of God is a holistic gospel of God is a holistic gospel of transformation for the whole transformation for the whole person;person;

- directed first to the poor- directed first to the poor

- moves from the least to the - moves from the least to the greatestgreatest

- ushers in the will of God on - ushers in the will of God on earthearth

- is found in righteousness, peace - is found in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spiritand joy in the Holy Spirit

What is your response to the call of What is your response to the call of God on your life?God on your life?

You belong to Him – Christ You belong to Him – Christ purchased you with His precious purchased you with His precious bloodbloodYou are called to imitate Christ You are called to imitate Christ not only in your character but also not only in your character but also in the way you livein the way you liveHe wants you to be full of He wants you to be full of compassion and mercy for the compassion and mercy for the poor and the despisedpoor and the despisedYour life is yielded in His handsYour life is yielded in His handsHe wants to make you a blessing He wants to make you a blessing to the poor in all nationsto the poor in all nations

Abraham understood God’s call Abraham understood God’s call and expressed it in a covenant and expressed it in a covenant

with God…with God…

Genesis 12 verses 1-3Genesis 12 verses 1-3““Go forth from your Go forth from your country, from your country, from your relatives, to a land God will relatives, to a land God will show you, and He will show you, and He will make you a great nation, make you a great nation, He will bless you, make He will bless you, make your name great, so you your name great, so you will be a blessing, and in will be a blessing, and in you all the families of the you all the families of the earth will be blessed”.earth will be blessed”.

God’s measure of success in God’s measure of success in Abraham’s life..Abraham’s life..

He was from a pagan idol He was from a pagan idol worshipping familyworshipping familyHe became a tent dwelling He became a tent dwelling nomadnomadHe was to express incredibly He was to express incredibly generous hospitality to all races generous hospitality to all races He metHe metBy His faith he was blessed in By His faith he was blessed in His relationship with God and His relationship with God and then knew how to bless othersthen knew how to bless othersHe became wealthy to be able He became wealthy to be able to bless the nationsto bless the nationsHis posterity would touch all the His posterity would touch all the nations of the earth.nations of the earth.

Where will this life lead you?Where will this life lead you?

To minister to the despised, To minister to the despised, poor and destitute?poor and destitute?To transform dust into glory.To transform dust into glory.To the goal of the prize of the To the goal of the prize of the high calling that is in Christ high calling that is in Christ Jesus.Jesus.There is “no fear” in this call There is “no fear” in this call because faithful is He who because faithful is He who has called you to accomplish has called you to accomplish this goal until the end.this goal until the end.

Will you do something meaningful Will you do something meaningful with your life???with your life???

King Solomon who had King Solomon who had everything said “All is everything said “All is vanity, it is futile”vanity, it is futile”

What will be a What will be a meaningful way to use meaningful way to use your life?your life?

What did God create What did God create you for?you for?

Where will your life Where will your life lead you?lead you?

Has God spoken to you in this Has God spoken to you in this message?message?

Let us pray for those who Let us pray for those who want to be successful in want to be successful in blessing the poor, the blessing the poor, the despised, the sufferers of despised, the sufferers of injustice.injustice.We will pray that God’s We will pray that God’s grace; which is “His grace; which is “His unmerited favour and His unmerited favour and His enabling power” will come enabling power” will come upon us and empower us to upon us and empower us to turn the despised into turn the despised into vessels for His glory.vessels for His glory.