City on a Hill Community Church - Indian River
AS IT IS IN HEAVEN // Week 1 // April 19, 2020
The kingdom of God has entered into this world with the ministry of Jesus, and Christians are a part of that kingdom. // Matthew 13:1-45
Locations & Times
City on a Hill Community Church - Indian River
Sunday 9:00 AM
QUOTE
"The physical world felt less like ultimate reality. I had the strange sensation of living inside a cardboard box that had been painted to look like a castle—the kind a child would build with great relish—while, all the time, my little cardboard box was sitting inside the great hall of a real castle. There was a distinct sense of something larger and permanent peeking through the chinks in the physical world"
C.S. Lewis, Shadowlands and Songs of Light
"The physical world felt less like ultimate reality. I had the strange sensation of living inside a cardboard box that had been painted to look like a castle—the kind a child would build with great relish—while, all the time, my little cardboard box was sitting inside the great hall of a real castle. There was a distinct sense of something larger and permanent peeking through the chinks in the physical world"
C.S. Lewis, Shadowlands and Songs of Light
QUOTE
"I think the most important thing I could say about the kingdom of God that would help people make sense out of all the uses is that the basic meaning of the word kingdom in the Bible is God’s reign — R-E-I-G-N — not realm or people. The kingdom creates a realm, the kingdom creates a people, but the kingdom of God is not synonymous with its realm or its people.
For example, consider Psalms 103:19: “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” You can hear the basic meaning of the word kingdom as rule. It doesn’t mean that his kingdom rules over his realm; it means that God’s reign or rule governs all things."
John Piper, What is the Kingdom of God?
"I think the most important thing I could say about the kingdom of God that would help people make sense out of all the uses is that the basic meaning of the word kingdom in the Bible is God’s reign — R-E-I-G-N — not realm or people. The kingdom creates a realm, the kingdom creates a people, but the kingdom of God is not synonymous with its realm or its people.
For example, consider Psalms 103:19: “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” You can hear the basic meaning of the word kingdom as rule. It doesn’t mean that his kingdom rules over his realm; it means that God’s reign or rule governs all things."
John Piper, What is the Kingdom of God?
QUOTE
“How can the kingdom of God be both not yet present and already present? He says, “Pray for it. It’s coming. It’s not yet here. It’s not going to be immediate, and yet already, it’s present in your midst, upon you, at hand.” How can he say all that?
The answer is, the kingdom of God is God’s reign — his sovereign action in the world to redeem and deliver a people and then at a future time finish it and renew his people and the universe completely.”
Pastor John Piper
“How can the kingdom of God be both not yet present and already present? He says, “Pray for it. It’s coming. It’s not yet here. It’s not going to be immediate, and yet already, it’s present in your midst, upon you, at hand.” How can he say all that?
The answer is, the kingdom of God is God’s reign — his sovereign action in the world to redeem and deliver a people and then at a future time finish it and renew his people and the universe completely.”
Pastor John Piper
1. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE...a man who sowed good seed
LESSONS FROM THIS PARABLE:
(1) There will always be opposition to the work of God.
(2) If there is deception among God's truth, we must be on guard.
(3) There will be harvest and God will sort it out. It's not our job, our job is to follow after God.
(1) There will always be opposition to the work of God.
(2) If there is deception among God's truth, we must be on guard.
(3) There will be harvest and God will sort it out. It's not our job, our job is to follow after God.
2. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE...a mustard seed and leaven
The mustard seed //
Jesus presents the kingdom of God as a mustard seed—one that will grow exponentially from a very small and insignificant stature.
Leaven //
The kingdom is indeed active though not fully visible to the world, because it begins with the inner transformation of the heart.
Jesus presents the kingdom of God as a mustard seed—one that will grow exponentially from a very small and insignificant stature.
Leaven //
The kingdom is indeed active though not fully visible to the world, because it begins with the inner transformation of the heart.
QUOTE
“Some interpreters suggest that since leaven is nearly always a symbol of evil in Scripture (see note on Mark 8:15), it must carry that connotation here as well. They make the leaven some evil influence inside the kingdom. But that twists Jesus’ actual words and violates the context, in which Jesus is repeatedly describing that kingdom itself as the pervading influence.”
John MacArthur
“Some interpreters suggest that since leaven is nearly always a symbol of evil in Scripture (see note on Mark 8:15), it must carry that connotation here as well. They make the leaven some evil influence inside the kingdom. But that twists Jesus’ actual words and violates the context, in which Jesus is repeatedly describing that kingdom itself as the pervading influence.”
John MacArthur
3. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE...treasure
THE BIBLE PROJECT // Gospel of the Kindgom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmFPS0f-kzsCONCLUSION
Be encouraged to live in the hope promised to us by our ever faithful Savior. He’s given us a foretaste of His coming kingdom—a kingdom where Scripture tells us He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.(Revelation 21:4)
Be encouraged to live in the hope promised to us by our ever faithful Savior. He’s given us a foretaste of His coming kingdom—a kingdom where Scripture tells us He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.(Revelation 21:4)
Giving // Offering
We would greatly appreciate your continued (or first time) tithes and offerings during this time of social distancing. You are welcome to continue giving through cash and check, which can be sent to: City on a Hill Community Church - P.O. Box 1066, Indian River, MI, 49749 // BUT, if you would like to use our online platform, click the link below and then click the 'donate' button at the top right corner of the page!
https://www.cityonahillir.com/