Pastor's Notes
Rev. Dexter Compton : Sermon
Kingdom Focused Church SUNDAY 3-25-2018
Kingdom Re-focus: When Doing What’s Good Ain’t Enough
Matt. 7:18-21
“If I do it, will it keep me out of heaven?” This is a common question of a believer when dealing with the thought of sin. Obedience isn’t about rewards or consequences. It’s about the nature of our relationship with God.
Why have rules? Two reasons: to provide boundaries to protect from harm; and to keep us from incurring an unseen limitation.
Focusing on rewards and consequences means we focus on self; we miss the Kingdom. The devil tells us, “What’s the worse that can happen?”
Jesus tells us that a good tree must be attached to a good seed. It must be attached to the One Source. Let’s look at our lives; what are we producing?
What happens when good is not enough? It goes back to our relationship and the quality of our service. It’s about our relationship.
Is it a good idea or a God idea? The devil doesn’t mind good deeds as long as it’s not about God. Sometimes you have to give up right for righteousness. God must ordain our actions. Everything of God is good, but everything that seems good is not of God. David had a good idea: to build a temple for God. But, that’s not what God wanted. It was a good idea, but it wasn’t a God idea.
Is it service seeking or is it servant minded? We can look at and aspire for something, but we don’t always know the price that was paid to get there. If we want to be great, it’s not about being served—it’s about serving.
In the Kingdom, there is wait time—Gal 6:9 says, “in due season.” We don’t want to wait. We believe in self-service, we want to be independent. But, we are supposed to be totally dependent on God!
Is it promotion motivated or is it purpose aligned? Everything we do must be aligned with he will of the Father. Jesus told us not to do things to glorify self—worshipping in public to show how holy we are. God doesn’t expect us to worship in lip-service; it’s about the relationship. We pray to our Father—we must be aligned with His will.
If God is our Father, that makes Jesus our brother. Jesus’ brothers are the ones that of the will of His Father.
It not about doing good for reward or disobeying because of lack of consequences. Is it His will? We must pray, meditate, and listen to the Holy Spirit. Does it align to His plan for us and further His purpose? If it doesn’t glorify Him, it’s not in His will. Is it about His calling or our comfort?
It’s about doing the right thing, the right way, in the right time, for the right purpose. That’s the Kingdom Focus
Rev. Bobby Rhodes Sermon
First Union Baptist Church March .11. 2018 ·
Kingdom Recommitment
Exodus 19:3-9 KJV
God’s chosen people have always been an oppressed people
We have been in certain situations in life that God has delivered us, even though we were not worthy. God only requires that we obey His voice and keep His covenant.
Do we study God’s word? It requires obedience.
Obedience-when we submit to the instructions of one who’s in authority.
Submit-God gave us free will. We are allowed to say ‘no’ to God. Therefore, we have an issue with submission—we want to do what we want to do.
How can we submit to instructions if we don’t know the instructions? We can’t apply what we don’t understand.
Authority-we won’t obey who God put in charge.
Bible study is important, but it seems the same few take it seriously. We have an issue with obedience.
He is our God; we are His people. That is the covenant. If we love Him, we will be a peculiar treasure. God wants to show the world that he can take a downtrodden people and raise them above all others!
No matter who’s in charge, God is in control. He promised that one day, His chosen people will be on top. It will only happen if we obey.
The Kingdom is in us; we represent the the Kingdom today. Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. We are a reflection of the Kingdom of Heaven: we ought to have prosperity and health. He gives us access.
We should be healthy! We are sick because of how we treat our bodies—the temple of God. We have access to remain healthy.
A Kingdom of priests; a holy nation. A king has authority (male and female). We have control over circumstances and situations that occur in life. The Kingdom of God ought to be worry free.
We are a Kingdom of priests; we ought to be presenting to God sacrifices of praise. We ought to be a living sacrifice—holy and acceptable to God. We worship God with our lifestyle.
A holy nation—holiness is integrity. It means that we do what we say. God is holy— whatever God says, He’ll do. When our will aligns with God’s will, that’s holiness.
We need to commit to God. Once the message is preached and the word is spoken, it is on us! Once we know better, we should do better.
Similar to the governors in the Roman empire, Jesus represents the Kingdom of God. He is a constant reminder of our place in the Kingdom.
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3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.