The Kingdom Mandate

  8 July 2007

 

1.      Introduction:

·   Each believer needs revelation:

Ephesians 1:17-19  - Paul’s prayer for wisdom, revelation and understanding.

-    How to see life – How to live life – How life really works.

-    God’s purpose for us – God’s inheritance in us – God’s power through us.

 

·   God’s design in creation:

Genesis 1:1  -  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.

-    God is the owner of all that can be seen by right of creation.

-    Because God is the owner – His authority is absolute over all creation.

-    God has a divine right to do as He will – to give it to who He will.

-    Daniel 4:25, 34-35  -  “No one can restrain His hand”.

-    Romans 1:20  -  “The hand of God is evident in all he has created”.

 

·   God’s design for man:

Genesis 1:26  -  “Let us make man in our image and likeness”.

-    Man is created a spirit being who lives in a human body.

-    The DNA of God is imparted into how man is designed to operate.

-    Luke 17:21  -  “The Kingdom of God is within you i.e. DNA.

-    We are designed to operate according to the life, principles and values of Kingdom.

-    Ambassador = a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by one sovereign state to another as its resident representative.

=  Person sent to represent his country and fulfill a mission.

= A governmental minister appointed to live in another country, to speak and act on behalf of its government.

-  Man = God’s ambassador – Family member sent to advance Family  Business.

 

2.      The Original Mandate/Mission:

·   Genesis 1:26-28  -  “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, let them have dominion”.

·   Blessed = To speak or proclaim, to confer success or prosperity upon.

·   The mandate is global – fill the earth.

·   Man is called to occupy the Land God owns and colonize it.

·   God’s design is to bring the life, values, ways, and presence of heaven to earth.

·   Jesus’ Prayer – Matthew 6:10 – “Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth...”

·   Colony = A group of people who leave their native country to form in a new land, a settlement subject to the Governments of their own nation.

= a group of people having similar interests and values coming from their country to establish the values, culture and government of their government in another territory.

·   Man is changed with colonizing earth with heaven and extending the government and culture of heaven throughout the earth.

·   Man is called to extent the culture and government of God into every area of life – finance, culture, sports, government, education, health.

·   Adam’s disobedience – violating the law of God cost him his authority to rule and his connection with heaven.

·   Romans 5:12,17-19  - One mans sin – Death reigned = to rule, have dominion.

 

3.  Jesus Ministry -  Restore the Man and Renew the Mandate:

·   Matthew 4:7  -  “Repent, the Kingdom of God is at Hand”.

·   Jesus came to restore the relationship with God.

·   Repent = have a change of mind, attitude, values, lifestyle – obedience.

·   God wants us to change how we see life and how we live life.

·   People want to be blessed by God – God’s desire is change.

·   Luke 4:18  -  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… acceptable year of the Lord”.

·   Acceptable year of the Lord is same as OT year of Jubilee.

·   OT – The land belonged to God men were stewards of God’s land.

·   Year of Jubilee – All debts released – people restored to their land – Leviticus 25:23-24.

·   Jesus came to restore relationship, inheritance, and mandate.

·   Matthew 28:18-20  -  “All authority – Go – disciple all nations – teach and obey”.

·   The Great Commission is the restoration of our mandate – Global.

·   All believers are called to advance the Kingdom of God.

·   Culture = attitude, beliefs, values, customs that distinguish people.

·   Agriculture = soil that has been tilled => set of traits ploughed into people.

·   Culture – shapes, who we are, how we think, relate and live – it imposes.

·   Ephesians 2:2  -  The culture of the world – varies from group to group.

-    Character by disobedience.

·   The spirit of the world operates through culture and imposes it on everyone.

·   Our mandate: “Teaching then to obey”.

·   Jesus loved his disciples – but required them to change.

·   Spirit of the world is Anti-Christ – against the rule of Christ: “If I like, agree, then will do

·   The Spirit of the World works through “Opinions”

 

4.   The Kingdom of God and the Church:

·   Matthew 16:13-19  -  “Who do men say I am?  Who do you say I am?”

·   Opinion = personal idea, belief, attitude, prevailing way of seeing things.

·   Opinions reflect belief and how I want to live.

·   Many opinions about Jesus – He is the Christ – The Son of the Living God.

·   Peter got revelation but still opinionated how to live life.

·   Matthew 16:22-23  -  “Pity yourself – offensive to the Kingdom of God”.

·   Jesus is the Anointed – He is King, He rules, He leads – I will follow.

·   Jesus not receptive to Peter’s opinion – wanted him to yield to Kingdom.

·   Peter wanted position and power – Jesus required obedience to the will of God.

·   Peter had “opinions” about what it meant to be King – ideas from his culture.

·   Our King is a Servant King – Matthew 20:25-28

·   The Church = ecclesia = called out ones – Greeks = Senate.

-  The Church is the governing people of God – chosen by Him to advance His Kingdom throughout the world.

·   Matthew 5:13-16