Episode 6
Finding Your Purpose in the Kingdom
Description: Join Glenn Bleakney, Senior Leader of Awake Nations Ministries, as he unveils a profound understanding of the Church as an embassy of God's Kingdom in this transformative teaching. Glenn draws a powerful distinction between vision and mission—showing how they work together to create lasting Kingdom impact.
The vision is beautifully captured in Jesus' words: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Rather than seeing the Church as merely a building or social gathering, Glenn redefines it as a community where God's presence is tangibly experienced—where His Kingdom is visible through transformed lives. This vision isn't about creating a perfect society through human effort, but about becoming faithful witnesses who provide glimpses of God's coming Kingdom reality.
This compelling vision becomes reality through mission—specifically, the mission Jesus gave in the Great Commission to "make disciples of all nations." Glenn unpacks how discipleship isn't about religious information or church membership, but about forming people who embody and extend God's Kingdom presence. True discipleship involves radical transformation where believers authentically share in Christ's life and operate under His authority.
Discover how vision and mission function together: vision paints the picture of what could be—a community reflecting God's transformative presence and love—while mission provides the practical pathway to realize that vision through authentic discipleship. Learn how like Jesus, we're called to both proclaim and demonstrate the Kingdom, addressing every area of human life with God's restoring power.
This teaching challenges listeners to move beyond being mere observers to becoming ambassadors of God's Kingdom—people who don't just await heaven but actively participate in bringing heaven's reality into our relationships, workplaces, and communities across the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
Awake Nations Ministries | Based on the Sunshine Coast of Australia | AwakeAus.com
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of understanding the kingdom of God and our role within it.
- Listeners are encouraged to recognize that church is not merely an institution but a living community of believers.
- The concept of discipleship is presented as a radical transformation, not simply intellectual agreement or church attendance.
- Advancing the kingdom involves making disciples who embody God's presence and authority in their daily lives.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Welcome to Awake Nations Ministries, based in the beautiful sunshine coast of Australia.
Speaker A:Here, the fire of revival ignites hearts and fuels a supernatural move of God throughout the nations of the earth.
Speaker A:Join us each week for prophetic insights, apostolic teaching, and powerful conversations that will equip you to live fully awakened in your kingdom purpose.
Speaker A:This is more than a podcast, it's a movement.
Speaker A:Learn more about us by visiting awakenations.org now let's dive into today's episode.
Speaker A:So, Mark 1:15, Jesus starts off his ministry.
Speaker A:He says this.
Speaker A:The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand.
Speaker A:Repent and believe in the gospel.
Speaker A:Repentance.
Speaker A:Believe in the Gospel.
Speaker A:And then Matthew 6:10, we talk about the Lord's Prayer.
Speaker A:But it's really our prayer, the prayer of the disciples to pray that your kingdom would come.
Speaker A:His kingdom would come.
Speaker A:Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Speaker A:We are to pray that to the Father.
Speaker A:There's actually four ways that we see the kingdom of God activated on the earth, at least four ways.
Speaker A:One, we preach it.
Speaker A:Preach the kingdom.
Speaker A:Jesus did that.
Speaker A:Number two, we pray.
Speaker A:We pray for the kingdom of God to come in power.
Speaker A:And then thirdly, we demonstrate it in power.
Speaker A:Well, there's a demonstration of the kingdom, right?
Speaker A: Matthew: Speaker A:That's what Jesus said.
Speaker A:And then lastly, and this one is often overlooked, it's actually propagating the kingdom.
Speaker A:And how do we propagate the kingdom?
Speaker A:Well, like propaganda.
Speaker A:We're trying to get people to believe a certain set of values, culture, things that are scriptural, so that we change our thinking, we change our behavior, and we bring it into alignment with what God says in his word, right?
Speaker A:So Romans 12:2 is all about that.
Speaker A:Don't be conformed to the world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Speaker A:So bring it into alignment with what the word of God says and the culture of the kingdom.
Speaker A:So today we're going to be talking about the kingdom.
Speaker A:What is the kingdom of God?
Speaker A:And what is our calling as citizens of the kingdom of God in terms of following Jesus?
Speaker A:So what I would love to just help us understand here clearly is the whole idea of church, the whole concept of church.
Speaker A:You know, Jesus only spoke about the church two times.
Speaker A:Yeah, but over the kingdom, over a hundred times.
Speaker A:Paul did speak about the church more frequently than that, but he also preached the kingdom.
Speaker A:I've heard some people say, oh, Paul never preached the kingdom, he just preached grace.
Speaker A:Well, read the very last verse of Acts chapter 28, when he's in house arrest, people are coming to him from everywhere and he's preaching to them the things of the kingdom.
Speaker A:When Jesus was on the earth after his death and resurrection and ascension for that 40 day period.
Speaker A:It actually says in Acts chapter one that he spoke to them or he taught them many things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Speaker A:So it was all about the kingdom.
Speaker A:So it's really important that we understand kingdom.
Speaker A:Church is part of the kingdom, but the church is not the kingdom.
Speaker A:The church is really an agent of the kingdom and we're called to be the ecclesia, or we could say ambassadors of the kingdom.
Speaker A:But it's about his kingdom, it's not about us.
Speaker A:Church is a people, it's not an institution.
Speaker A:And we made it an institution in many places.
Speaker A:We made it a building.
Speaker A:Do we still say that?
Speaker A:I do.
Speaker A:Hey, I'm going to church.
Speaker A:Oh, really?
Speaker A:You are the church?
Speaker A:What do you mean you're going to.
Speaker A:Oh, okay, I'm going to hang out with God's kids, with his people.
Speaker A:Right, that's true.
Speaker A:But it is in a building.
Speaker A:But whether it's in a.
Speaker A:It's not in a building.
Speaker A:It is a building.
Speaker A:The building we met in formerly doesn't matter.
Speaker A:It's him and it's about his kingdom first and foremost.
Speaker A:So it's really important that we get this.
Speaker A:So church for many of us is perhaps a building where we attend for weekly services, a place for moral guidance or even somewhere to maintain social connections.
Speaker A:But what if, yeah, these elements, they're elements, they're part of it.
Speaker A:But what if, what if church is meant to be something far more profound and revolutionary?
Speaker A:What if church is actually meant to be an outpost of an entirely different kingdom in the midst of our world?
Speaker A:An outpost.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Now do you know what an outpost is?
Speaker A:It's a place.
Speaker A:Protection.
Speaker A:It's a place where you obviously are with people, but ultimately you don't stay in the outpost, you don't live there permanently.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so there's a place for gathering.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And we've talked about that.
Speaker A:We're not advocating, oh, we don't need to go to church.
Speaker A:Whoever said that doesn't know the word of God.
Speaker A:We do need fellowship, we do need one another.
Speaker A:But what has happened as we've made this gathering, we made this coming together.
Speaker A:We made preaching, we made worship, we've made ministry the focus rather than his kingdom.
Speaker A:And all of these things are just simply, they're meant to be at their very Best an offering of worship to God.
Speaker A:When we preach, it's still an offering to God.
Speaker A:It's still a service that we do unto the Lord.
Speaker A:Yes, we preach the gospel, we equip the saints, we build up the body of Christ, we preach the gospel, see, people come to Jesus.
Speaker A:But ultimately everything we do is to advance his kingdom.
Speaker A:It's to advance his kingdom.
Speaker A:And that's something very significant.
Speaker A:So Jesus preached about the kingdom.
Speaker A:He told us we're to pray that his kingdom would come and his will would be done on the earth.
Speaker A:Now, throughout Scripture, we find this powerful vision captured in one really poignant way.
Speaker A:It's in Habakkuk, chapter 2, verse 14.
Speaker A:And we're familiar with this verse, many of us, if we've been saved for maybe more than a few months, it says this, that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Speaker A:Right, we know that.
Speaker A:But I want to read it to you from the new living translation.
Speaker A:It's a little bit different and it really helps us to understand God's intention.
Speaker A:It says, for as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.
Speaker A:Now that's a promise.
Speaker A:That's a promise.
Speaker A:One day the earth will be filled with an awareness.
Speaker A:Doesn't just say with the glory, the knowledge of the glory, an awareness of the glory.
Speaker A:Now, spoiler alert, we don't believe that this is something that that's going to be realized here, fully, completely, while we're on the earth.
Speaker A:When Jesus returns, only then will we see the consummation of the kingdom.
Speaker A:Only then will there be no more death, no more suffering, no more sorrow.
Speaker A:Only then.
Speaker A:But we do have a role to play now in advancing the kingdom.
Speaker A:George Eldon Ladd wrote a great book.
Speaker A:It's a classic on the kingdom of God.
Speaker A:And he refers to this paradox as the kingdom now, the kingdom not yet, but the kingdom future.
Speaker A:So there's a kingdom already, but there's a kingdom not yet.
Speaker A:That's what I meant to say.
Speaker A:There's a kingdom already.
Speaker A:Yes, we're in the kingdom, but the kingdom hasn't fully manifested on the earth.
Speaker A:Neither will it until Jesus comes.
Speaker A:You can read about that in 1 Corinthians 15.
Speaker A:Final enemy that will be defeated is death.
Speaker A:Then everything's put under his feet.
Speaker A:Then he turns the kingdom back over to the Father is what it says.
Speaker A:It's really profound.
Speaker A:So we do have a role to play right now, though, and that role is this.
Speaker A:That God has invited us to be faithful witnesses to what his kingdom looks like.
Speaker A:We become living previews or movie trailers that give glimpses of what it looks like.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So look at us if you want to see the kingdom.
Speaker A:The kingdom of God is in the midst of his people.
Speaker A:We carry the kingdom, we manifest the kingdom, we embody the kingdom.
Speaker A:We live in the kingdom.
Speaker A:We'll unpack that more.
Speaker A:So it's a powerful reality that we have to come to grips with because many believers have no idea of what the purpose is for their lives or even the mission of the church.
Speaker A:They think it's, oh, go preach the gospel.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's part of it.
Speaker A:Teach people the word of God.
Speaker A:Yes, that's part of it.
Speaker A:Pray for the sick, help the poor.
Speaker A:That's part of it.
Speaker A:But that's not the main calling of the church.
Speaker A:That's not the vision of God's kingdom.
Speaker A:So vision is all about this.
Speaker A:Are you ready?
Speaker A:We're going to put this on the screen.
Speaker A:The vision of the kingdom, which is what Jesus taught, which the scriptures clearly show us, is this.
Speaker A:These are my words.
Speaker A:So they're not necessarily the best words, but it's this that we as God's people, as is ecclesia, we would be a community where God's kingdom is visible and experienced.
Speaker A:Visible and experienced.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:A people who reflect, demonstrate and extend God's transforming presence, power and love as we participate in the work of bringing his kingdom and will to earth as it is in heaven.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Give Jesus a hand, would you?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:That the earth will be filled with the knowledge, the original commission, the garden, right?
Speaker A:Out, out, out.
Speaker A:Take new territory.
Speaker A:Fill the earth with his presence, with its power everywhere.
Speaker A:That's in not only cities and nations, but even smaller than that.
Speaker A:It's in your place of work, it's in your home.
Speaker A:It's not just in a building on a Sunday or whenever, but it's everywhere that we would see, we would exemplify, we would reflect, we would manifest and demonstrate his kingdom so that others come into that kingdom, so that the kingdom is ever expanding of the increase his government, right.
Speaker A:There should be no end.
Speaker A:So his rule, his reign is to increase.
Speaker A:God's a God of increase.
Speaker A:Hello.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:The only time there was subtraction in the Bible is when people really stuffed up badly and threatened his kingdom.
Speaker A:Now you're not going to take out my kingdom.
Speaker A:You're not going to do this to my people, right?
Speaker A:So God deals, but it's always about increase.
Speaker A:Read the book of Acts.
Speaker A:May I challenge you to do that.
Speaker A:Read two, three chapters every day from the book of Acts.
Speaker A:Notice, especially in the beginning, we see the expansion of the church in Jerusalem, right?
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A: Day of Pentecost,: Speaker A:Whoa.
Speaker A:Then guess what?
Speaker A:And the Lord added daily, right?
Speaker A:And then we read in the fifth chapter, it says, great multitudes were being added.
Speaker A:And it moves.
Speaker A:In chapter six, do you know what actually changes?
Speaker A:Moves from believers to disciples.
Speaker A:And it shifts from addition to multiplication.
Speaker A:It says believers were added.
Speaker A:Then in chapter six of Acts, it says disciples were multiplied.
Speaker A:And then In Acts, chapter 9, verse 31, it says churches were multiplied.
Speaker A:Churches grew, and churches were multiplied.
Speaker A:He's a God of expansion.
Speaker A:He's a God of increase.
Speaker A:It's not us.
Speaker A:Four and no more.
Speaker A:It's not about a nice holy huddle.
Speaker A:Well, I like small churches.
Speaker A:It's not about a small church.
Speaker A:It's not about you.
Speaker A:It's about his kingdom advancing and more people coming into his kingdom.
Speaker A:And the natural consequence of that is there will be an overflow in the gathering place.
Speaker A:People will come in, people will be changed.
Speaker A:Isaiah 54 is all about that, what Lynn just read.
Speaker A:And it is indeed a call to see the family grow, to have new people in the family.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:It's all about that.
Speaker A:It's a powerful reality.
Speaker A:That's the heart of the Father.
Speaker A:So the vision of the kingdom, the vision of the kingdom, the vision of the Lord is to see his kingdom expand, to literally increase, increase, increase, increase, increase, increase.
Speaker A:Somebody says, we have a.
Speaker A:You know how many times I've had.
Speaker A:If I had a dollar for every person.
Speaker A:Well, maybe $10.
Speaker A:$10?
Speaker A:Inflation, right?
Speaker A:For every person that told me, we have enough churches here.
Speaker A:Why are you planting a church?
Speaker A:We're not planning a church.
Speaker A:That mindset is this.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Oh, there's already enough people, enough churches.
Speaker A:Oh, really?
Speaker A:90% of the people here don't go to church.
Speaker A:And dare I say, probably less than that.
Speaker A:Truly know God.
Speaker A:I'm not the judge, but ultimately we know by the fruit.
Speaker A:So the fact is, we need places that are preaching the gospel, places that are discipling people, and we don't have enough just by the sheer volume of people and the people that are moving here.
Speaker A:Hello.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I mean, someone said to me the other day, because we moved from Melbourne, you must struggle with the coffee up here.
Speaker A:I said, actually, the coffee is getting better and there's hope because half of Melbourne's moving here.
Speaker A:So true story, right?
Speaker A:I mean, just how many people in the room came from Melbourne?
Speaker A:I bet you half of the people in this room.
Speaker A:Look at this.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So there's hope.
Speaker A:Coffee, culture, hope.
Speaker A:So, all right, seriously now, let's get back into the word.
Speaker A:Okay, so let's talk about mission.
Speaker A:That's vision.
Speaker A:Let's talk about mission.
Speaker A:How do we pursue our vision?
Speaker A:Vision becomes reality through mission.
Speaker A:Vision becomes reality through mission.
Speaker A:Vision is what we see prophetically as God reveals it through his word.
Speaker A:And he says, hey, this is my intention for my people, this is my intention.
Speaker A:This is what I want to do.
Speaker A:And mission is how we implement that, how we sit that, become a reality.
Speaker A:It's nice to get up and preach and go, yeah, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Don't send me, Lord.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And we're doing nothing to make that happen.
Speaker A:We're called to see this vision become a reality by partnering with him.
Speaker A:He's not going to do it on his own.
Speaker A:He can do it, but he's not going to.
Speaker A:He's chosen us to partner with him so that we have a role.
Speaker A:It's called a commission.
Speaker A:Did you hear that?
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:We call it the Great Commission.
Speaker A:A commission.
Speaker A:Not the Great Mission Commission, meaning there's two individuals or two parties involved.
Speaker A:And who's involved?
Speaker A:God.
Speaker A:He does his part, but then we as his people, we do our part.
Speaker A:So it's a commission.
Speaker A:It's cooperating.
Speaker A:It's collaborating with God.
Speaker A: Mark: Speaker A:So it's a commission.
Speaker A:How are they going to hear unless someone preaches?
Speaker A:That's the fact.
Speaker A:That's the reality of Scripture.
Speaker A:So Jesus gave his followers a mission as well.
Speaker A:Not only a vision.
Speaker A:Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Speaker A:But he gave us a mission.
Speaker A:How to see that kingdom become a reality.
Speaker A:So the question is, how do we eat an elephant?
Speaker A:One bite at a time.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:How do we see the earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord?
Speaker A:One person at a time.
Speaker A:One.
Speaker A:One family at a time, One city at a time.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Whatever it may be, wherever your sphere of influence is in the marketplace or wherever it may be, that's how it happens.
Speaker A:We do that now.
Speaker A:Here's the calling.
Speaker A:Are you ready?
Speaker A:The mission.
Speaker A:The CO Mission.
Speaker A:Go therefore.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Make disciples of all nations baptizing them.
Speaker A:Notice the word in the name of the Father and the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that have commanded you and the latter part of verse 20 says, Lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the age.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:So what does that mean?
Speaker A:In this particular verse, two verses, 19 and 20A, there are what looks like four verbs, four action words.
Speaker A:There's go, there's make, make disciples, there's baptizing, and then in verse 20, there's teaching.
Speaker A:Interestingly, in the New Testament language, there's only one verb.
Speaker A:There's only one commandment.
Speaker A:It's an imperative commandment.
Speaker A:A verb, only one.
Speaker A:There's three prepositions.
Speaker A:The prepositions support the verb.
Speaker A:They are how the verb is executed or fulfilled.
Speaker A:The verb is make disciples.
Speaker A:That's the only verb in the Greek.
Speaker A:In that passage, go, baptize and teach.
Speaker A:Or prepositions how the verb is fulfilled.
Speaker A:So the Great Commission, very simply, is what make disciples.
Speaker A:Well, someone says, doesn't that mean, you know, we're to heal the sick?
Speaker A:Yeah, disciples heal the sick.
Speaker A:Doesn't it mean we're to show mercy to people?
Speaker A:Yes, disciples show mercy to people.
Speaker A:Does it not mean that we are to help the poor?
Speaker A:Yes, disciples help the poor.
Speaker A:Does it not mean that we're to preach the gospel?
Speaker A:Yes, disciples preach the gospel.
Speaker A:Does it not mean yes, disciples do those things?
Speaker A:Angels don't do those things.
Speaker A:Disciples do those things.
Speaker A:And what are disciples?
Speaker A:Are you ready?
Speaker A:Those who observe all that I've commanded right now I'm going to take it deeper because if we leave it at that, it's just legalism.
Speaker A:But he didn't say teach them doctrine.
Speaker A:He said teach them what?
Speaker A:To observe or to obey?
Speaker A:Teach obedience.
Speaker A:If we know the word of God, but we don't know the God of the Word, we have to be obedient.
Speaker A:We have to know what the Word says and live it out.
Speaker A:Now that you know these things, Jesus said, you will be blessed if you do it.
Speaker A:If you keep the word of God, if you obey what Jesus said, not out of a heart of legalism or compulsion or even fear, but out of a place of.
Speaker A:I love him so much.
Speaker A:He did so much for me.
Speaker A:He's so good.
Speaker A:Of course I'm going to do what's pleasing in his eyes.
Speaker A:Now we go absolutely.
Speaker A:In fact, in the original, it says, as you're going make disciples.
Speaker A:That's what it says.
Speaker A:So the expectation is we're all going.
Speaker A:Now that's where we get this wrong.
Speaker A:What does that mean?
Speaker A:Some people think and teach that we have to get in a plane and fly to some far off land.
Speaker A:That's not necessarily True, we need to take the gospel to people that have never heard the gospel.
Speaker A:But how many know there's people right here in this nice community that have never heard the gospel?
Speaker A:Gen Z's the first unreached generation right post Christian.
Speaker A:And then we have people from other countries and nations, different religions, have never heard the gospel.
Speaker A:They're right here.
Speaker A:So I'm not saying it's either or, it's both.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:But the point is this.
Speaker A:We go as we go.
Speaker A:As you're in the shopping center, as you're in the gym, as you're in your workplace, wherever it may be, preach the gospel, make disciples.
Speaker A:And not just like, oh, put up your hand, say this nice little prayer.
Speaker A:It's not about decisions.
Speaker A:It's about discipleship.
Speaker A:There's a decision.
Speaker A:But, oh, no, I won't go there today.
Speaker A:I have a whole teaching where I just rip all of that apart and show you from Jesus on the apostles.
Speaker A:Can I just tell you one thing?
Speaker A: call didn't happen until the: Speaker A:There was no altar call.
Speaker A:Charles Grandison Finney in upstate New York preached what was known as the first altar call.
Speaker A:Gave the first altar call.
Speaker A:But it wasn't a, hey, put up your hand if you want to accept Jesus.
Speaker A:It was come to the front, the altar, and prevail and travail and in prayer until you have assurance of your salvation.
Speaker A:That was the original altar call.
Speaker A:And they would pray sometimes into the wee hours of the morning, even all night, until they would walk away from assurance.
Speaker A:Ah, Jesus is my Savior.
Speaker A:He's forgiven me.
Speaker A:I'm a new creation.
Speaker A:That was the original altar call.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But what do we do?
Speaker A:We McDonaldize the church.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And we no longer teach the Word.
Speaker A:But we're just looking for people to put up their hand, show up on Sunday, you know, serve on a roster, chuck some money in.
Speaker A:It's not about that.
Speaker A:It's about discipleship.
Speaker A:It's seeing people conform.
Speaker A:Now, here's where.
Speaker A:Conform to the image and likeness of Jesus.
Speaker A:Here's where it gets deep.
Speaker A:Can we go back to that slide, please?
Speaker A:Matthew 28.
Speaker A:Notice that I have underscored the word in.
Speaker A:In the Greek language.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:The word is okay, is literally, is a proposition that more.
Speaker A:Most times is more accurately translated into not in.
Speaker A:But it means to move into something.
Speaker A:So what does that mean, baptizing them?
Speaker A:By the way, baptizo in the Greek language is a word that means to immerse.
Speaker A:Remember when Jesus was sitting at the.
Speaker A:The table or.
Speaker A:Well, they probably didn't have a table.
Speaker A:That's Leonardo da Vinci's painting.
Speaker A:But they were literally there.
Speaker A:And, you know, he said, hey, the one who takes the bread and dips it is the one who betrayed me.
Speaker A:Guess what the word dip is?
Speaker A:Baptizo.
Speaker A:So it's like taking bread and dipping brush in grape juice or wine.
Speaker A:Guess what happens when you do that.
Speaker A:Soaks it up.
Speaker A:It saturates it.
Speaker A:So baptizing people into the name of the Father, baptizing people into the name of the Son.
Speaker A:Baptizing people into the name of Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Whoa.
Speaker A:That's all about the sacred dance of oneness.
Speaker A:Some writers call it oneness with the triune God, becoming one with him.
Speaker A:Now, this is really powerful.
Speaker A:We need to understand this.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father and Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:It's far more than just a ritual.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:The name name in scripture represents the nature, character, and authority of the person to be baptized into.
Speaker A:God's name means to be immersed.
Speaker A:Immersed into his very life and character, sharing the Father's authority as his children, the Son's redemptive work, and the Holy Spirit's transforming power.
Speaker A:It's not just taking a dunk.
Speaker A:Romans 6, 4 says, at water baptism, we're raised.
Speaker A:We identify with Jesus, death, we're buried with him.
Speaker A:But then we're raised to newness of life.
Speaker A:I think I've said it before on several occasions.
Speaker A:There are two words in the New Testament for new.
Speaker A:One means an improvement, an upgrade.
Speaker A:The other one means completely new.
Speaker A:Like a new, in essence, new.
Speaker A:New in terms of an item or thing.
Speaker A:So the word that says new, we become new creatures in Christ, we have newness of life.
Speaker A:Is that word Kainos is the word.
Speaker A:It means to be new, entirely new, unprecedented.
Speaker A:Something never seen or experienced before.
Speaker A:Like, you can make your car look nice, can't you get it detailed?
Speaker A:Looks nice.
Speaker A:Go.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Looks like that's like a new.
Speaker A:Looks like a new car, you know.
Speaker A:It's not a new car.
Speaker A:That's the different word.
Speaker A:That's naos in Greek.
Speaker A:But the word kainos means, hey, that car is nice.
Speaker A:But here's a brand new Lamborghini.
Speaker A:How's that?
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Whatever it may be, you fill in the blank.
Speaker A:Whatever car you want, it's a brand new one that's new.
Speaker A:It's different.
Speaker A:It's not something you've experienced before.
Speaker A:That's what it means when we experience newness of life.
Speaker A:Come on.
Speaker A:So good.
Speaker A:So good.
Speaker A:I'm definitely preaching better than you're responding.
Speaker A:We try it again.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Now I'm getting warmed up and I hope you guys are too.
Speaker A:You ready?
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Making disciples is not.
Speaker A:It isn't about teaching religious information or recruiting church members.
Speaker A:It's about forming people who embody and extend God's kingdom.
Speaker A:People whose entire lives reflect and release God's presence, who live out their calling to obey all Christ taught from their new identity in him, and who teach others to do the same.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:So that's a powerful reality at its core.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Discipleship goes way beyond intellectual agreement, theological understanding.
Speaker A:It's not about these things, or even church attendance, serving, using your gifts, etc.
Speaker A:Etc.
Speaker A:At its core, discipleship is about radical transformation.
Speaker A:Radical transformation.
Speaker A:Dying to your old ways and experiencing new life in Him.
Speaker A:It means a third.
Speaker A:Authentically sharing in Christ's life and living out of our oneness with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:That's deep.
Speaker A:Living out of our oneness with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:That's what Jesus did.
Speaker A:He said, I only do the things I see my Father doing.
Speaker A:Only say the things I hear my father saying.
Speaker A:He lived out of that oneness.
Speaker A:The Father and I, we're one, right?
Speaker A:He said it repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly.
Speaker A:It's all about that.
Speaker A:So what I'm saying is this.
Speaker A:You ready?
Speaker A:That we're talking about a commission that has to do with advancing God's kingdom.
Speaker A:It's all about seeing.
Speaker A:I think we have a slide for that.
Speaker A:I may not have it in my notes.
Speaker A:When we look at our mission, should be a slide that says mission.
Speaker A:If not, I'm going to wing it.
Speaker A:Keep going, keep going, please.
Speaker A:Keep going, keep going.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Yes, go back to that one, please.
Speaker A:There we go.
Speaker A:To make disciples immersed in the life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who proclaim and demonstrate the kingdom, walk in their God given identity that's an authority in Christ and are continually transformed as they advance.
Speaker A:God's kingdom reign on the earth.
Speaker A:So we talk about discipleship, but you know that there's discipleship and then there's becoming a disciple.
Speaker A:And by discipleship, some people think it's reading a book, it's going through stuff.
Speaker A:But real discipleship, the way Jesus did it was in real life, in real time, in relationships.
Speaker A:It wasn't, read this book.
Speaker A:It was, come and follow me, watch me.
Speaker A:I'll speak into your life.
Speaker A:I'll teach you things, I'll challenge you.
Speaker A:You'll observe and you'll change.
Speaker A:That's why you could never grow optimally into the fullness and likeness of Jesus by not being in community.
Speaker A:Can't happen because you're not called to be a body part.
Speaker A:We're called to be part of the body.
Speaker A:Some people think they're just a random body part.
Speaker A:Hey, I'm an arm.
Speaker A:That looks weird.
Speaker A:That looks freaky, like if we saw an arm just sitting on the ground.
Speaker A:Hey.
Speaker A:But when an arm's attached to the body, it's quite normal.
Speaker A:So sorry for freaking you out there.
Speaker A:I know that's weird, but it's true.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So this is what it's all about.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:So advancing the kingdom by becoming and making disciples.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:It's not just like we're called to become disciples first and foremost.
Speaker A:People say, well, no, my identity is a son of God.
Speaker A:Yes, you are.
Speaker A:But the analogy and the language that Jesus used is to say this.
Speaker A:Can I get a little deep?
Speaker A:Is that all right?
Speaker A:Throw around some more Greek words here for a moment.
Speaker A:Okay, so there's two primary words that are used for a son in the New Testament language.
Speaker A:The first one is technon.
Speaker A:The second one is Wios.
Speaker A:Technon is this.
Speaker A:You're my kid.
Speaker A:Weos is this.
Speaker A:This is my beloved son, with whom I'm well pleased.
Speaker A:What's the difference?
Speaker A:This is my fully responsible, mature son who now carries my name and all of my responsibilities.
Speaker A:If you've seen me seen the father, they would come with.
Speaker A:We are son.
Speaker A:With.
Speaker A:Would be.
Speaker A:Now, here's the business.
Speaker A:Here's the family business.
Speaker A:You take it.
Speaker A:You're responsible for the family business.
Speaker A:When the Bible says we're sons of God, guess what?
Speaker A:We're born as technons, but we have to grow to become we?
Speaker A:Us.
Speaker A:Come on now.
Speaker A:Have you heard me say it before?
Speaker A:Sometimes just because we're showing up doesn't mean we're growing up.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:2 Peter 3, 18.
Speaker A:Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker A:It's a commandment.
Speaker A:Make sure you're growing.
Speaker A:Make sure you're eating the meat and all that you need to do to ensure that you're changing and you're becoming more like Jesus.
Speaker A:Guys.
Speaker A:Sitting under the teaching of the Word, they devoted themselves to the apostles.
Speaker A:Teaching the apostles doctrine Acts chapter 2.
Speaker A:Sitting under teaching will transform your life.
Speaker A:Teaching that's revelatory, that comes from the heart of the Father and his kingdom.
Speaker A:Focus.
Speaker A:It would change your life.
Speaker A:You can just miss a Sunday and honestly, it'll be like, whoa.
Speaker A:This week was more difficult.
Speaker A:I mean, just accumulate it.
Speaker A:Accumulate it.
Speaker A:Accumulated.
Speaker A:Compound it.
Speaker A:And what happens is you begin to just pile up revelation and things that God teaches you.
Speaker A:And they're like weapons, like arrows in a quiver.
Speaker A:Whatever you need, you pull it out.
Speaker A:At that time, God gives it to you and you understand what to do because you've sown the word into your heart, your spirit, consistently.
Speaker A:Yes, read the Bible.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:But we need both.
Speaker A:We need both.
Speaker A:Alright, so kingdom is crucial.
Speaker A:Let's talk about kingdom for a moment.
Speaker A:There's three aspects of the kingdom.
Speaker A:The etymology, kingdom, okay, in English, comes from the word king and also the word domain and the word dominion.
Speaker A:Now let's look at that.
Speaker A:The kingdom of God equals the king's domain and the dominion of the king.
Speaker A:So there's a kingdom.
Speaker A:Every kingdom has what a king.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And they also have a domain, territory, country, or what we might say is, I guess a kingdom.
Speaker A:And ultimately in that domain is where that king exercises his authority.
Speaker A:The jurisdiction happens, that kingdom.
Speaker A:Now, Anthony Albanese, by the way, there was an election yesterday.
Speaker A:I don't know if anybody heard about.
Speaker A:Look, we had too.
Speaker A:I was at the Canada election, which was very disappointing for us.
Speaker A:But anyway, I won't preach about politics and then we have an election here.
Speaker A:I can't vote in it, so I have no comment.
Speaker A:Next year, probably be able to vote.
Speaker A:So what has happened is we have Anthony Albanese as the.
Speaker A:Not the president, not the king, the Prime Minister of Australia.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Can he go to Canada or New Zealand and just say, all right, I'm implementing new laws here, this is what we're going to do?
Speaker A:No, it's not his domain.
Speaker A:Donald Trump can do that.
Speaker A:No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker A:But 51st state, Greenland.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker A:All right, you can remove that from the video, please.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:Just have a joke.
Speaker A:It's not funny.
Speaker A:It's Canada.
Speaker A:No, I'm some.
Speaker A:Those are fighting words.
Speaker A:1812, we won against America.
Speaker A:I don't know if you realize that or not, but we did.
Speaker A:We were Britain then, we weren't Canada.
Speaker A:But all right, I've gone too far.
Speaker A:Is there any coming back out of this now?
Speaker A:All right, so what we're talking about though is in every kingdom, there's domain, there's territory and there's dominion.
Speaker A:The king's dominion happens in the realm of his kingdom.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So when you're born again, you enter the kingdom.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You transferred Colossians says from the kingdom of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of his dear son.
Speaker A:So we move into a new kingdom.
Speaker A:But then we have a responsibility to learn how to live in that kingdom, that's discipleship.
Speaker A:Discipleship.
Speaker A:We could use a synonym and say, becoming a responsible kingdom citizen.
Speaker A:How do you live as a responsible kingdom citizen?
Speaker A:Now think about this.
Speaker A:You may have power, but power.
Speaker A:The devil has power, but he really doesn't have authority over us.
Speaker A:You know, we were in the Gold coast this week, earlier this week, and it was very interesting.
Speaker A:We're in Broad beach and you're walking, and then there's some places where.
Speaker A:Where there's the.
Speaker A:The zebra stripes, right?
Speaker A:You can cross and you just step out and everything stops, right?
Speaker A:But then there's some other spots when you cross the street, there's no zebra stripes and almost got killed.
Speaker A:Like, because in North America, people stop like, zebra stripe.
Speaker A:No zebra stripe.
Speaker A:They stop, right?
Speaker A:Usually.
Speaker A:But what I'm like, well, no, no, hang on.
Speaker A:So what does that mean?
Speaker A:There wasn't anything about me or you when we cross that intimidates people.
Speaker A:People like, I better stop for that person.
Speaker A:They're scary.
Speaker A:But it's the authority that the government is sanctioned, that this is a law.
Speaker A:You have to do it.
Speaker A:It's responsible.
Speaker A:So this is something that we have to do because of the authority, the backing of the government.
Speaker A:I can walk out with confidence knowing that people are going to not run me over.
Speaker A:So that's the difference between authority and power.
Speaker A:Now watch this.
Speaker A:In the kingdom, we have both dominion.
Speaker A:We have authority, but we're also called to be submitted to the dominion of the king.
Speaker A:Now it's like this.
Speaker A:We have authority because we're submitted to authority.
Speaker A:Remember the story of the centurion?
Speaker A:Luke, chapter seven, verse seven and eight.
Speaker A:He says, hey, you know what?
Speaker A:Just say the word, Jesus, and my servant will be healed, right?
Speaker A:Just say the word, not worthy that you come to my home.
Speaker A:The Jews said he was worthy.
Speaker A:You know, he loves our nation, even built us a synagogue.
Speaker A:He's worthy, but he's like, no, I'm not worthy.
Speaker A:Just say the word.
Speaker A:Because why?
Speaker A:Because I know you're a person who's under authority.
Speaker A:What was he referring to?
Speaker A:Let me read it.
Speaker A:Therefore, I did not presume to come to you, but say the word and let my servant be healed.
Speaker A:For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me.
Speaker A:And I say to one, go.
Speaker A:And he goes, and to another, come.
Speaker A:And he comes, and to my servant do this.
Speaker A:And he does it.
Speaker A:So he knew that Jesus was submitted to the authority of the Father.
Speaker A:He recognized that Jesus had an authority.
Speaker A:It wasn't just him doing this on his own.
Speaker A:And so he said, oh, I know.
Speaker A:All you have to do is say the Word.
Speaker A:And Jesus marveled.
Speaker A:And he literally said, I haven't seen such faith, not even in all of Israel.
Speaker A:Amazing.
Speaker A:He understood this principle.
Speaker A:Are you submitted to authority?
Speaker A:Are you under authority?
Speaker A:Are you yielded to his authority?
Speaker A:There's so many ways we could unpack that.
Speaker A:But ultimately it all goes back to the authority of God.
Speaker A:And he does appoint others into places of authority.
Speaker A:So we submit to authority, and then when we do that, we have authority.
Speaker A:If I'm being rebellious against the Lord, if I'm being defiant, the Bible says that if I don't treat my wife properly, my prayers would be hindered.
Speaker A:That's a kingdom principle.
Speaker A:And if I'm not under God's rule of authority, my prayers will be hindered and my authority will be diminished.
Speaker A:This is a powerful truth.
Speaker A:So the centurion recognized this.
Speaker A:So similarly, when we submit to Christ's lordship and participate in his authority, so we have this authority not to control others, but to serve and release his healing presence.
Speaker A:It's a powerful thing.
Speaker A:All right, now let me end with this question.
Speaker A:The gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of the king's dominion and the king's domain.
Speaker A:He's come to bring his kingdom.
Speaker A:He wants to drive out the rule of the enemy from individuals, lives, from families, from people.
Speaker A:Bring his kingdom, which is, the Bible says, righteousness, peace and joy.
Speaker A:The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but it's righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:So it's a change, it's a transformation that we experience when we come into the kingdom.
Speaker A:But not just, okay, I'm in the kingdom.
Speaker A:No, no, no, no.
Speaker A:The more you submit and yield yourself to the lordship, the dominion, the authority of Jesus Christ and come under that, the more authority you have.
Speaker A:This we talk about, yielded vessels, living sacrifices, those who lay down their lives, those who walk before God in a way to honor him and bless him and.
Speaker A:And to be.
Speaker A:Be.
Speaker A:To walk worthy of his calling.
Speaker A:It says in Ephesians 4, verse 1, walk worthy of the calling.
Speaker A:There's a calling.
Speaker A:Walk worthy of it.
Speaker A:It's a powerful thing.
Speaker A:So the question is, will we just be an observer of the kingdom or will we become an ambassador in the kingdom?
Speaker A:We're called to do both.
Speaker A:So we have a calling.
Speaker A:We have a vision and a mission that is part of what it is, exactly what Jesus taught us, what the Scriptures teach us.
Speaker A:And so why would we write a new vision or, you know, craft some form of vision or mission when in actuality, Jesus has already given it.
Speaker A:Now, we might articulate it in different language, we might focus on certain aspects of it because of our gifts and our calling.
Speaker A:But ultimately, we all have a role to play in seeing his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and become disciples fully submitted to him that walk under his lordship, that are baptized into the very person and nature of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:And out of that place of intimacy and oneness, we obey everything he commands us.
Speaker A:And guess what the promise is.
Speaker A:And lo, I'm with you always.
Speaker A:Even to the end of the age.
Speaker A:Those type of people like Kathryn Kuhlman, John G.
Speaker A:Lake and others were so yielded and so one with Christ that they carried his presence and his power wherever they went.
Speaker A:And miracles happened every day.
Speaker A:This is not a call to build a church, but it's to be faithful to God, to be faithful to him, who he is, what he did for us, and then to see that vision become a reality.
Speaker A:The earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.
Speaker A:That's the call.
