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Topic: Kingdom of God
Opting Out Of The “Who’s The Greatest” Game
Jesus came both to save us and to reveal the character of God to us. Rather than coming in great power God came and served. Jesus calls us to “opt out” of the worldly desire to be better than others and learn to love them even when we profoundly disagree with them. Read More
Compassion And The Kingdom
Efrem Smith preached about how being a Christian means participating in the Kingdom of God in between the first coming of Christ and the second. He used Matthew 25 to help us grasp this. Read More
Turning Jesus Over to Caesar
Jesus was being set up by some schemers who were trying to trap Jesus. They asked him whether or not Jews should pay taxes to Caesar or not. His answer undermined the game the schemers were playing and will challenge the way we relate to our own government.
The Stone The Builders Rejected
By telling a parable Jesus prophesied that he would be rejected and killed. Nevertheless, he also claimed he would be the cornerstone for the coming Kingdom of God. This was shocking to his followers and enraged the religious leaders of the time. Read More
I am a Hypocrite
Jesus and his followers had very different ideas about what would happen when Jesus finally got to Jerusalem. These differences were so serious that everyone abandoned Jesus when his path took him to the cross. It may be tempting to judge Jesus’ followers as short-sighted hypocrites, but Greg challenges us with the question of whether we really would do differently under similar circumstances.
The Danger of Goodness
Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man raises the question of what a person must do to get into heaven. Is it good deeds? Is selling our possessions and giving to the poor enough? No, it is embracing the love relationship with God that is extended to us through Christ. Read More
The Kingdom is Here and Now
When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus gave them an answer they didn’t expect, and it’s very relevant for us today. Instead of spreading Christian ideas and values through laws, politics and force, Jesus reminds us that we’re called to be the Kingdom by loving, serving and sacrificing for the people around us. Read More
The Upside Down Invitation
Blessed are those who share in God’s Kingdom meal – what an awesome experience! But who gets in on it? Those of us who think that we have the inside track might be shocked at how Jesus turns our expectations upside down. And some of us who are sure we’re “out” will be surprised at Jesus’ open invitation. Read More
The Kingdom: It’s Really Upside Down
God’s unique way of growing his kingdom isn’t what we may expect from a king. In fact, many times he flips our expectations completely upside down. In a conversation with the Pharisees in Luke 14, Jesus demonstrates this beautiful uniqueness and reveals the impact it can have on how we relate to each other in our everyday activities. Read More
The Mustard Seed Kingdom
Jesus described God’s Kingdom like a mustard seed and like yeast. What did he mean? And what do Jesus’ unusual parables have to do with our lives today? When we consider how his original audience would have heard Jesus’ words, it helps us discover just how challenging his teachings are for us today. Read More
