21 Jun the blessings and privileges of the kingdom of god | pastor geyser

KEY VERSE: EPHESIANS 4

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Online Giving** Regardless of where and when we will able to gather again, we continue to run our ministries and support our missions which bring the Gospel to a lost and frightened world. We are looking to our church family to continue faithfully giving. For those of you who give manually, please consider giving online at https://waterschurch.org/give/. Otherwise, you can mail checks to Waters Church, 57 John L Dietsch Square North Attleborough, MA 02760 and place your campus’ name in the notation field. We are very thankful for your support and understanding!

41411 – text waterschurch (all one word) to stay updated with info.

FACEBOOK GROUPS:To join the groups, just go to the Waters Church FB page and go to groups and join the ones you want. Make sure you join the Life Group (group) so we can get people interested in joining a Life group. The Heach Coaches and I will be moderating the group and adding topics for discussion.

CLASSES; Baptism class is every 4th Sunday of the Month. at 11:30 / Growth Track runs the first 3 Sundays every month at 11:30 – this is a one and done registrants only need to attend one session / Starting Point runs every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 11:30 – details and descriptions can be found on the registrations which are located under Events on the SGL Hub.

 

 

TELEPHONE LIVE STREAMING – this is now available.  The number to dial is 1-855-352-9749.

We can’t learn from other people’s experiences.  We learn through Real Life Experiences.  The wilderness is an experience intended to teach us.

 

WATERS KIDS ARE BACK: Ignite and Activate – register at waterschurch.org/events

ELEVATE: June 27 at NA – 7-8:30 – food

ENCOUNTER: June 26 – ice cream – 7:00p

ALL KIDS BACK JULY 5!

 

The Blessings and Privileges of the Kingdom of God

Acts 9:1-9

Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee.  Pharisees were religious people and they did everything they could to obey the law of Moses.  They were very legalistic.  Saul was very religious and yet he persecuted Christians. Many were killed because of their faith and it was all in the name of religion.

There are far too many religious people sitting in our churches today.  Religion is manmade.  Spirituality is being born again of the Spirit of God.

God is looking for Spirit filled people with understanding of the times and His word.

Q. What religious or legalistic views might you still carry and why?

Saul never persecuted Jesus physically, but he persecuted the Body, the people of The Way.  When we criticize the Church we are speaking about Jesus because He is the head of the Church.  Saul was transformed and became a brand new creature.  God gave Saul another name, Paul and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul wrote most of the New Testament. Paul suffered for the name of Jesus, he was persecuted for the name of Jesus, but he never faltered.  He stood tall.

Romans 1:16 NKJV

There are many false gospels – good works, prosperity, socialism.  Paul says there is only one true gospel, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NKJV

This is a clear cut proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that he died for our sins and nothing else.

Romans 3:23 NKJV; Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV

Sin is the cause of all problems and issues, it is the heart of man that is the problem and the only remedy for the heart is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prison cannot change people, drug and alcohol rehabs cannot change people.  It is the power of God to change us. 

Q. How would you describe, in your own words, the importance of the Gospel in your life?

It is the responsibility of the Church and every believer to proclaim the Gospel.  We are not to be wishy washy or double minded.  The cross of Jesus we speak about is the complete work of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross.  He has risen, He is alive!

Three Things About the Blessings and Privileges of the Kingdom of God

1. Forgiveness of Sin

He forgives our sins as far as the East is from the West.  He buries them in the sea of forgetfulness.  God does not hold our past against us. We make mistakes and think God remembers them but he washes the slate clean.  This is grace, unmerited favor.  We are not part of the kingdoms of this world, we are part of the Kingdom of God and we should be living according to the Kingdom of God.

We should be experts of forgiveness.

Q1. Are you harboring un-forgiveness toward someone and why is it important for you to forgive?

Q2. Have you had difficulty receiving forgiveness from someone else and why?

2.  He Changes Us

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

If we are in Christ, we are born again of the spirit of God.  We become living members of the Kingdom of God. There are rules that are part of the Kingdom.  We cannot put our energy into the kingdoms of this world because in this world all things will come to not, but His Kingdom is everlasting.  We are not to behave like the world, live like the world, or think like the world but we are to live like citizens fo the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

We are Christians first before what we do.  The highest calling is being a Christian, not a pastor, teacher, or whatever it is that we do. We are not to be conformed but be transformed (Romans 12:2).

Q. How are you conforming to the world and not acting like a citizen of the Kingdom of God?

3. We Have Eternal Life

When we are born-again, eternal life comes in.  We were all dead in our trespasses, we were dead to God.  Our sin had separated us from God.  The only prayer he hears is the prayer calling for forgiveness. The Gospel resurrects us, the power of death is broken!  We have access to His throne.

The grave is not the end, the Lord will return.  All that is happening in our world today are signs He his coming again.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 NKJV; Hebrews 11:10 NKJV

While we wait let’s walk, live, speak, and work for the Kingdom of God.

Q. How are you living, walking, speaking and working for the Kingdom of God?