Today we continue our new series entitled, “Heaven on Earth,” by teaching on God’s Kingdom.
For the next few days we will look at something the Apostle Paul told the believers in Ephesus. This is what he said:
“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 3:17-20 NIV)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. In Ephesians 3:17-20 the Apostle Paul juxtaposes citizens of this world, and how they live, with citizens of heaven, and how we are supposed to live. He makes it clear that people who are merely citizens of this world are focused on earthly things. As a result, Paul says, “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.” He then goes on to say, “But our citizenship is in heaven.” We were born from above. We have been washed in the Blood of Jesus. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. We are called according to God’s Kingdom plans and purposes. We were given Kingdom citizenship. Heaven is now our home and we are assigned to live as Ambassadors from heaven to this world. When you fully embrace this truth, everything changes.
2. Allow me to talk about citizenship for a minute and how it applies to the Kingdom of God.
a) I know people who came to the United States illegally. They put their lives on the line to enter this country, and endured dire circumstances doing so, just because they believed the opportunities here are better than where they came from. I am an advocate of legal immigration and I am not condoning their actions, but I am making a point. People will go through hell and high-water to get to the United States of America because of the opportunities this country offers and they won’t even be citizens. Even an undocumented alien is able to benefit from the opportunities this country has to offer. Now, if they ever become full-fledged citizens, they then have access to a myriad of legal benefits offered to citizens.
b) I was the first of my family to be born in the United States, so I am a U.S. citizen by birth. But my mother (and many in our family) and my wife (and many in her family) immigrated to the United States legally and then lived here for years before become full-fledged citizens. My mother and my wife had to pledge their allegiance to the United States of America to become citizens. Once they did, they lost the citizenship they had in their countries of birth and they received a NEW CITIZENSHIP, with all the privileges and benefits offered to citizens of this nation. Don’t miss the analogy. This is a picture of what happens when we pledge our allegiance to Christ.
c) Like the migrants who have come to the United States, but they have failed to actually immigrate, there are people who visit churches Sunday after Sunday and Wednesday night after Wednesday night, and they have not committed. They don’t know Jesus. They are not citizens of heaven. They want the benefits of Kingdom citizenship, but they don’t want to make the commitment.
3. In God’s Kingdom there is no greatness without sacrifice.
a) In the Kingdom, God attaches service to citizenship. You will never get the full benefits of your Kingdom citizenship unless you: 1) acknowledge Jesus as Lord, so you can become a citizen, and then 2) commit your life to God so you can advance His Kingdom agenda on this planet.
b) Many want the benefits of God’s Kingdom, but they don’t want to make the sacrifice required to untap their full potential.
c) To get the most of your heavenly citizenship you must be willing to DIE to the citizenship and life you had before declaring your allegiance to heaven.
d) Many preachers today have taken the Blood and the Cross out of their messages. They preach a “nice” Gospel. They don’t want to offend anyone. As a result, we have churches full of people who are there for the benefits, but they have never even become citizens of heaven. They are not Born-Again. The last thing I ever want to do is teach unGodly people how to live better lives without ever coming to know Jesus!
e) God has never required any LESS than ALL of you! The secret to getting the most of Your Kingdom citizenship is not more trying, it is more dying!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for sending Jesus to die in my place. I have acknowledged Jesus as my Lord. I am dead in Him and He is alive in me. I am now in Your Kingdom and Your Kingdom is in me. I am not attempting to get benefits without sacrifice. I have pledged my allegiance to You. I have released my old citizenship. I am a citizen of heaven. I am born from above. I am on this planet to advance Your Kingdom agenda daily. I enter this day as an Ambassador and I will represent You in all that I do! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
