1996 SINGLE SERMONS
STRIVE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
DR. JIM DIXON
FEBRUARY 18, 1996
1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27; MATTHEW 6:31-33
In the year 1005, soldiers stopped to water their horses at a public well on the outskirts of the city-state of Bologna. These soldiers were young. They were impulsive, and on a whim they decided to steal the bucket at the public well. They took the bucket back to their own town of Modena. It wasn’t long before the people of Bologna discovered that the bucket had been taken from the public well. They heard that soldiers from Modena had taken the bucket. Now, of course, the bucket didn’t have much value, but a principle was involved here. And so, the people of Bologna sent diplomats to Modena to seek to retrieve the bucket. But words were exchanged, tempers flared, and the people of Modena refused to return the bucket. Pretty soon, one thing led to another, and the hostilities were great. Soon these city-states of Modena and Bologna were on the brink of war.
Now, incredibly, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Henry II, had ties to Modena and he was concerned for the city. He thought maybe the Bolognese would attack Modena in order to get the bucket back. And so, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Henry II, asked his son, who was King of Sardinia, to take his armies to Modena to help protect the city in case the Bolognese should attack.
Well, in the year 1006, the Bolognese did attack. They came with their armies. They came with vast power and there was a great war. Thousands died and blood covered the earth, but the people of Bologna couldn’t get their bucket back. They did, however, manage to take captive the emperor’s son, the son of the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. They captured him and they took him back to Bologna and they incarcerated him in a dungeon. The emperor was concerned. He was gravely concerned. He wanted his son released, so he offered to the King of Bologna a gold chain (that was said to be seven miles long) if only he could get his son back.
Now, most historians doubt the length of the chain. They doubt that the length was so great, but they do not doubt that the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire offered great wealth to the King of Bologna if he could just get his son back. But the people of Bologna refused. The government of Bologna refused. They said, “We won’t return your son until we get back our bucket.” So the war continued. For 18 years, the bloodbath continued. Thousands more died. Blood continued to cover the earth. Finally, after 18 years, in the year 1024, the emperor’s son died in that dungeon in Bologna. Only two months later, the emperor himself, Henry II, died. He died in grief.
Today you can travel to Modena in Italy and you can go to the great cathedral there. In an iron cage, you can see the bucket—the steel bucket—still there today, a bucket that caused war for 18 years and cost thousands of people their lives, a bucket which historians tell us caused a war which drained the treasuries of two once-great city-states.
We cannot help but think of a passage of scripture, Jeremiah, chapter 2, verse 5, where God said to Israel, “You have striven after worthless things and therefore you yourselves become worthless.”
This is the state of the world. We live in a world where people are giving their lives in the pursuit of worthless things. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes chapter 1 that the people of this world are striving after wind. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” And, of course, we live in a world where there are many people who are striving, giving their lives in the pursuit of money. And the Bible say it is striving after winds.
Our Lord Jesus Christ told the story of the rich man and his barns and how this man labored, how this man strove for wealth. He accrued wealth and he then placed all of that wealth in his barns. He said, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Take your ease. Eat, drink, and be merry.” And God said to him, “You fool! This very day your life, your soul, is required of you. And the things which you have accumulated, whose shall they be?” Jesus said, “What does it profit a person if that person gains the whole world but forfeits his soul?” It is a striving after wind.
And, of course, there are some people in this world who seek fame. People seek glory in some measure, but the Bible says, “All flesh is like grass, all of its glory like the flower of the grass. And the grass withers and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord abides forever.”
This morning as you sit there, perhaps you know that you’re really just striving after wind. Maybe you want your life to have some significance. Maybe you want your life to count for something. You don’t want to just strive after wind. And so, this morning we have this word from God. There’s only one thing, above all else, that we should strive for, and that is the kingdom of God. If you don’t want to strive after wind, if you want your life to count, our Lord Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God.” The Greek word for seek is the word zeteo, and it means “to strive.” Strive for the kingdom of God.
I think the problem is that many Christians aren’t aware of what it means to strive for the kingdom of God. I mean, we’ve all heard that admonition, “Seek first the kingdom of God,” but do we really understand what that means, to strive for the kingdom of God?
This morning I have two teachings, and these two teachings are designed to help us understand what it means to strive for the kingdom of God. The first teaching is this: the kingdom of God is relational. Now, we’ve all studied kingdoms. We’ve studied historical kingdoms. We’ve studied historical kingdoms as we sat in classrooms in schools. We’ve studied the Roman Empire, all of us. We’ve studied the Roman Empire temporally, determining the length of time that the Roman Empire existed on the face of the Earth. We’ve studied the Roman Empire spatially and geographically. We’ve looked at maps and we’ve seen the Roman Empire outlined, perhaps at the zenith of its power. We’ve seen the geographical land space that the Roman Empire encompassed.
We didn’t just do this with the Roman Empire. We did this when we studied other historical empires. We studied the Greek Empire. We studied the Medo-Persian Empire. We studied the British Empire. We’ve studied the Empire of Alexander the Great and the Empire of Genghis Khan. We’ve studied the Empire of Constantine. As we’ve studied these empires, we’ve always been able to outline the geographical land space encompassed by the empire, but you can’t do that with the kingdom of God. You can’t describe the kingdom of God geographically and spatially. You can’t get out a globe and outline a section of the Earth that comprises the kingdom of God. In fact, the Bible tells us that the devil is the ruler of this world and right now God doesn’t have a lot of real estate. You cannot outline the kingdom of God on this globe, but the kingdom of God, the Bible tells us, has invaded this Earth.
At this point in time, the kingdom of God is relational. One day the kingdom of God will come in power. Christ will come again. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, the Bible says, and He will reign forever and ever. But right now, the kingdom of God simply exists relationally. That’s why the gospel is called the gospel of the kingdom. It’s called the gospel of the kingdom because it invites men and women to enter into the relationship of the kingdom and to enter into relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Wherever the gospel is preached, men and women the world over are invited to enter the kingdom of God, to enter into relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. If you would seek first the kingdom of God, that’s where you must begin: with this relationship. If you would seek first the kingdom of God, you must respond to Jesus Christ and invite Christ to be your Savior from sin and the Lord of your life, and then through Christ become a child of God, entering the kingdom of God and having relationship with God.
But that’s only the beginning. Many of you believe already. If you would seek first the kingdom of God, then you must seek to cultivate that relationship with Him. I mean if you’re really striving for the kingdom of God and you understand His kingdom is relational, then you’re seeking to deepen that relationship. You’re seeking to make that relationship with God and with His Son, Jesus Christ, all that it can be. You’re also, if you’re really seeking first His kingdom, inviting other people to enter this relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If you’re really striving for the kingdom of God, you’re beginning to do the work of an evangelist. You’re beginning to share your faith with other people in this world, that they might enter into this kingdom relationship with God Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Now, this church is affiliated with the EPC, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and that means many things. But one thing it means is that those of us who are ordained in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church must attend, periodically, presbytery meetings. Now these presbytery meetings are sometimes kind of mundane and to some extent they’re kind of boring. I mean, there are certain things you’ve got to take care of governmentally. But one part of the presbytery meeting that is always special is the time in the presbytery meeting where we see candidates for the ministry come before us seeking ordination and we get to hear their testimonies. That’s always exciting.
Bob, last week, mentioned somebody who appeared at our last presbytery meeting, a young man named Setahn Lee. Setahn Lee is form Cambodia. He came out of the killing fields of Cambodia where hundreds of thousands of Cambodians died. As he was seeking escape from Cambodia and he was in the boat traveling towards Thailand where he hoped to find some kind of freedom, he heard the gospel for the very first time. Setahn Lee’s grandfather had been a Buddhist monk and Setahn himself was a Buddhist. He had never heard the name Jesus, but then on that boat, for the very first time, someone who was in relationship with God through Christ shared his testimony with Setahn Lee and the Holy Spirit worked. Setahn Lee was so excited. He never knew before that you could actually enter into relationship with God. He didn’t know that the Spirit of God could actually come and dwell within you. He didn’t know you could have your sins forgiven. I mean, this was so great, and he was so convicted by the Holy Spirit that right there on the boat, between Cambodia and Thailand, he gave his heart to Jesus Christ and invited Christ to be his Savior and Lord. He became a child of God and entered into relationship with God.
He was so excited there on the boat that he began to share what had just happened with other Cambodians and 33 people accepted Christ through Setahn Lee, right there on the boat on the way to Thailand. In that first day, 33 people accepted Christ. In the next six months, Setahn Lee got together with a few friends, and they began to evangelize and they led 35,000 people to Jesus Christ.
Now I think it’s safe to say that most of us will live and die and never lead 35,000 people to Christ. I think the question this morning is this: are you leading anybody to Christ? Now, we know theologically that only the Holy Spirit can truly lead someone to Christ, but are you seeking to be used of the Holy Spirit? Are you willing to do the work of an evangelist? Do you understand that the kingdom of God is relational? Have you entered into that relationship? Are you trying to cultivate that relationship and are you involving others to enter into that relationship?
I know it’s not easy. Sometimes, you know, people come up to me and they say, “You know, Jim, are we really leading people to Christ here at the church? What’s the number of people in the 14-year history of the church that have accepted Jesus here?” Of course, I don’t know the number. I know many people have accepted Christ here and I’m so grateful. I know that’s the mercy and the grace of God and the power of His Holy Spirit, but I don’t know the number of people who have come to believe in Jesus Christ here. But sometimes I want to respond (I hope you understand this) that the primary purpose of this church is not to lead people to Christ but to take people who have come to Christ and build them up in Christ. The primary purpose of this church is to be a place where Christians come and are built up in their faith and grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ and in their ability to serve Him in this world. That’s the primary purpose of this church: to do the ministry of discipleship.
Now certainly, we’re concerned with evangelism and we, therefore, seek to be “seeker friendly” and we oftentimes give opportunities for people to invite Jesus into their heart as Lord and Savior because we, too, want to see people enter into this relationship with God and we want to be faithful to preach the gospel.
But I hope you understand that the primary work of evangelism is yours. The primary work of evangelism is yours as you got out into the world, as you leave this place and you go out into the world and into your workplaces and into your neighborhoods and into whatever your sphere of influence is. The primary work of evangelism is yours. As Jesus once sent out the 12, and as He then sent out the 70, so I promise you He sends you forth today into this community, into this culture, into this city, into this nation, and into this world, that you might do the work of an evangelist and you might share your faith in Jesus Christ. I know it’s not easy, but do you want to spend your life striving after wind or do you want to strive for the kingdom of God, understanding that that kingdom is relational? He calls us into relationship. He wants us to grow in relationship and He wants us to invite others into that relationship.
Well, secondly and finally, the kingdom of God is transformational. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” You see, this relationship of the kingdom is meant to transform us. Jesus said in Matthew 13:33, “The kingdom of God is like leaven which a woman hid in three measures of meal until it was all leavened.” Yeast transforms dough. The kingdom of God has transforming power.
Some theologians, particularly those who have called themselves “postmillennialists,” have interpreted this verse to mean that the gospel of Christ and the church of Christ is going to completely transform the world so that, when Christ comes back, we’ll have done all the work and everything will be set up for Him. We know that that’s not what this verse means. The Bible is very clear that in this age of the world the kingdom of Christ is not going to be able to transform the world. In fact, the Bible tells us that good and evil will grow together simultaneously until Christ comes again. But this passage of scripture refers to each individual life. The kingdom of God has the power to transform your life. It has the power to transform my life like yeast transforms dough, as leaven transforms dough. It has power to transform us. If you would seek first the kingdom, if you would strive for the kingdom of God, then you must strive for that transformation. You must seek that transformation.
You know, sometimes Christians will ask, “Well, what’s the key to transformation? Is it the power of the Holy Spirit?” The Apostle Paul says, “We all, with unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed. We are being changed from one degree of glory to another, and all of this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit transforms us. The Holy Spirit changes us.
Is that the key? Or is the key the Bible? Is the key to transformation the Word of God? Is it the Bible? Because the Bible says, “Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” The Bible says of itself, “All scripture is inspired of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man or woman of God might be complete (perfect), equipped for every good work.” So is the key the Holy Spirit or is the key the Bible, the Word of God? Or is it some combination of the Holy Spirit’s power with the Word of God?
You see, this is all too simplistic. I promise you that the Holy Spirit, even in combination with the Bible, cannot transform you. The Holy Spirit, even in combination with the Bible, cannot transform you unless something else is also happening in your heart.
I want to tell you a little story. It’s a true story. It began in 1808. That’s when Napoleon conquered Spain. When he conquered Spain, the King of Spain, Ferdinand VII, was cast down. Napoleon put his own brother, Joseph, on the throne of Spain. Ferdinand VII was incarcerated. He was sent to prison. He was sent to that infamous prison called The Place of the Skull, one of the most infamous prisons in the world. This one-time king named Ferdinand VII, who had lived a pampered life, suddenly found himself in this little cell, one room surrounded by filth and vermin. He had never seen anything like this, and for six years he lived in that cell—for six years, until he was released in 1813 and he reascended the throne of Spain.
Now, during those six years, Ferdinand VII was only allowed one possession, and they gave him a King James Version of the Bible. So, there he was in that little cell for six years with nothing but a Bible. During those six years, Ferdinand VII read the Bible through hundreds of times. He had nothing else to do. So, he read the Bible through hundreds of times.
At the end of the six years, he came out of that cell and he reascended the throne of Spain. Now, when they went into the cell, they were surprised. They were stunned to see that Ferdinand VII had taken some metal object and he had scribbled on all the walls. Every wall of the cell was just covered with his scribblings. The floor of the cell was covered with his scribblings. He had just scribbled down all kinds of biblical information.
He wrote on the wall, for instance, “There are 33,214 verses in the Bible.” He had counted them. “There are 774,746 words in the Bible. There are 838,380 letters in the New Testament. The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalms 117. The longest verse in the Bible is Esther chapter 8 verse 9. Ezra 7:21 contains every letter of the English alphabet except the letter J. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible.” And it just goes on and on. All the walls were just covered with this stuff. And what a tragedy. For six years he just played Bible trivia. That’s what he did for six years.
I want you to understand that Ferdinand VII was a professing Christian. He had asked Jesus Christ from his youth to be his Savior from sin and the Lord of his life. We must assume he had the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. He had the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and for six years he was locked in a room with the Bible, and he read it hundreds of times. Historians tell us today that when Ferdinand VII went into that cell, he was a jerk. And when he came out of the cell, he was still a jerk and he remained a jerk for the rest of his life. How can that be? I mean, doesn’t the Holy Spirit have any power? Doesn’t the Bible have any power? How can that be?
Something was wrong in his heart. I promise you, he did not seek first the kingdom of God. He did not strive for the kingdom of God. He did not long for relationship with God. He did not hunger and thirst after righteousness. Jesus said, “Seek first My kingdom and its righteousness.” Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. They shall be satisfied.”
This morning the only question God would ask you is, “Where is your heart?” Are you striving after wind, or are you willing to make a decision that you’re going to seek first His kingdom, seeking that relationship, that it might be all it was meant to be? Are you willing to invite others into that relationship for His kingdom’s sake? Are you hungering and thirsting after righteousness that you might experience the transformational power of the kingdom of God?
I would like to conclude with a little story. It’s a true story. In fact, it just took place about two months ago. It was December 20, 1995, when Flight #965 from Miami, Florida, to Cali, Columbia, crashed into the mountains of Columbia. You probably read about it in the newspapers. 160 people died. Incredibly, four people and a dog survived. Today, aviation experts are trying to determine what caused that crash. Preliminary reports indicate that the crash was caused by what they call “pilot error.” Apparently, as this plane was on descent into Cali, the pilots were not aware of where they were, and they programmed the flight computer for a beacon that they had already passed. So, the plane then, under the control of the flight computer, began to do a 180 and it just turned and went right into the side of a mountain. Before they hit the mountain, the verbal warning systems sounded and these words were proclaimed: “Terrain, terrain. Pull up. Pull up.”
From the moment that warning was sounded, they had nine seconds to the point of impact. Nine seconds. But they didn’t respond quickly enough, and when they did respond, they tried to reprogram the flight computer for maximum lift. You see, the problem is that the flight computers on those airlines are designed for passenger comfort and maximum lift on a flight computer is not really maximum lift. So, they needed to disengage the computer immediately and manually give full thrust and lift to that airplane. They just didn’t do it.
Now, decisions are critical. I mean, that’s true whether you’re flying an airplane or you’re driving a car. That’s true in a company or corporation. Decisions are critical. Decisions are part of life. In fact, each of you make decisions every day. This is how God has made us. He has given us volition. He has given us autonomy, and that is why we are culpable. That’s why God holds us accountable.
Today, God is asking you to make a decision. He’s asking you to make a decision, and it’s more critical than any other decision you’ll ever make. Do you want to just strive after wind, or do you want to seek first His kingdom? Today Christ is inviting you to seek first His kingdom, which is relational and transformational. Let’s close with a word of prayer.