Jesus Is King, and the Kingdom Is His Way

if you brought your Bible today this is our time we're getting into God's word so get out your Bible and we're going to hold it in the air believing this is a statement this is a sword against the enemy and just every person with all their heart on the count of three we're going to shout word here we go 1 two three word we're going to get into the word that God's word will get into us if you don't have a Bible we'd love to give you one as a free gift would you just find a pastor or prayer team member after church today we'll love to give you one as a gift man I'll tell you it's a treasure uh it it's like a feast and we want you to taste and see that God is good everyone shout kingdom kingdom you can experience the kingdom here and you can experience the kingdom now I want to do a quick scientific pull 100% participation is required if you're

watching online get out those emojis because it's going to be a handheld high if you're voting yes if it's a no just keep your hands down here we go the first question in the scientific poll is this question how many of you by a show of hands and keep your hands up were raised in the church from 0 to 10 you went to church you went to Sunday schools keep your hands up all right look around the room all right just count them up all right all right put your hands down very good how many of you were not raised in church 0 to 10 you didn't go to church hands up hands up come on hands up hands up all right keep them up keep them up all right come on all right very good you can put your hands down it looked like it was about 40 60 does that sound right 60% of you grew up in church we're going to pray for you all right 40% of you you got a clean slate on what church

is I ask you today if you you've been to church or if you haven't been to church because the reality is every single one of us need to relearn what it means to be the church and what God wants for the church the reason I say that is because wherever there are people there are problems and the church is made up of of people so we've got a problem people just mess things up including the church every one of us I'm no exemption you're no exemption there's only one perfect church and that's the one without people and there's no such thing that's a fantasy because the church is actually meant to be made up of people so what does God want for the church well we know what God wants for the church based

upon what Jesus taught us us and there's one common theme that Jesus taught about more than any other theme and that is the theme of the Kingdom this is what he wants for your life the kingdom this is not just spiritual cliche terms that we use in church it's actually what Jesus wants you to put into practice in your life he wants you to experience the kingdom it's the first thing he preached in Matthew chapter 4 verse1 17 from that time Jesus began to preach saying repent repent means stop what you're doing stop change your thinking change your life align your heart with God's heart Jesus says repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand meaning the kingdom is here it's not far it's not one day it's near the

Kingdom of Heaven is here now in This Book of Matthew Matthew writes about the life of Jesus and we read the word Kingdom 53 times just in the Book of Matthew it's only 28 chapters yet the kingdom is mentioned 53 times at the very end of his life before Jesus was crucified he was put on trial before Pilate and pilate began to interrogate Jesus asking why did these religious leaders turn him over to be tried we read in John chapter 18 verse 33 pilate came to Jesus and he asked are you the king of the Jews Jesus answered in John 18:34 do you say this of your own accord

or did others say it to you about me pilate answered am I a Jew your own Nation the chief priests have delivered you over to me what have you done it's in this interrogation that Jesus is being asked what would be so big that he he would be turned over and tried by the Roman government Jesus response in verse 36 Jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world my servants would have been fighting that I may not be delivered over to the Jews but Jesus said my kingdom is not from the world

Jesus acknowledged that he has a kingdom implying he is the king now there is a kingdom of this world that is counter the kingdom of Jesus Jesus explains his kingdom is not of this world so today I want to talk to you about what the kingdom is and what the kingdom is not what the kingdom is and what the kingdom is not if Jesus is the king and he has a kingdom if he told us about the kingdom if the reason Jesus was crucified because he is the king who has a kingdom what is this Kingdom and what is the kingdom not I like how Tim Macky just

simplifies what the kingdom is when he says that Jesus is simply the king and the kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven those are the same phrases we see interchanged from just different perspectives a Jewish perspective or a broader perspective the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of of God is just simply this the kingdom is people and when we think of of God or of Heaven we're not talking about a place Heaven we're talking about a rule or a Reign so Jesus is the king of his people he rules and he reigns in us so if the church is made up of people the kingdom then is Jesus is the king and he has a way for us to live our lives are you tracking with me about three of you are over here I can go back and start over

Jesus is the king can you just say that with me Jesus is the King Jesus is the king so if Jesus is the king he must have a way that he rules that's his kingdom that's the way now not everybody is excited that Jesus is the king who are the ones that aren't excited it's often the religious Jesus was challenged by the religious leaders of his day they didn't understand him they didn't want what he had to offer in fact the Bible tells us they were indignant towards Jesus they were angry at Jesus they didn't like what Jesus represented they didn't like where Jesus went they didn't like what Jesus did they didn't like what Jesus said it was the religious of Jesus day that tried to stop Jesus from what he was doing now why were they so upset at Jesus because these religious people

they had expectations of what a Christ should look like now a Christ is just another way of saying messiah messiah means the chosen one of God God the anointed one of God the Hebrews would use the word hamashiach that's where we get our English word Christ which comes from the Greek form it just simply means God's saving one the anointed one the one God would send to save the world now the religious people of Jesus day had an expectation that Christ would look this way it was a time when the Roman government ruled it was a time of Empire when Caesar was King and when Jesus came as the Christ he didn't look like what they expected and when you're expectations aren't met you often are upset now if we get relentlessly real today which we ought to so many of us

get upset at God as well because he doesn't meet our expectations we too think that God should move in a certain way or do things a certain way so many of us think that God should answer our prayers the way that we expected him to answer our prayers and much like the religious people of Jesus day they were upset at God they were upset at Jesus God In the Flesh because he didn't meet their expectations now this same religious ex spirit in the day of Jesus still exists today I call it a religious spirit because it's demonic it's a spirit of religion see the devil would love for us to be religious and miss a living relationship with God the the devil actually doesn't mind

religion because religious people think they have God figured out it it's often church people that can talk about Grace but they've never experienced the fullness of Grace and if you've never experienced the fullness of understanding how depraved and wicked and what kind of wret you are then you won't give that kind of Grace away and so as long as you have God compartmentalized in certain terms that you see in the scriptures and you say I think I understand who Jesus is I understand how the Holy Spirit works I understand Grace is then we're giving ourselves over to the wrong Kingdom because Jesus the king steps into our story almighty God Eternal all knowing the creator of all stepped into our story and became a man and he completely eradicates what we

think God looks like instead he demonstrates for us who the Christ really is for he is the Christ and he willingly gave his life on the cross now Jesus Jus wants us to make sure that we understand this so he would often tell us stories they're called in the scriptures Parables and as Jesus prepares to go to the Cross his Parables get even more intense because he's speaking to the religious he's giving them an opportunity to receive Grace we have a great God of Grace if you ever go to the last book of the Bible Revelation it's a really intense one and you'll see judgment and you'll you'll see Justice served and one might ask why would God

do this and every single time it's because of Grace he gives us Grace when you go through judgment when you when you get an opportunity to see God for who he is he's just simply giving you an invitation right now to turn your hearts to repent and see him for who he clearly is it's in the Book of Matthew 21 verse 28 through 32 Jesus tells this Parable this short fictional story with a big spiritual truth he says 'what do you think speaking to the religious a man had two sons so he have three characters in the story a father with two sons he went to the first son and said Son go and work in the vineyard today and the son answered I will not but afterward the son changed his

mind and he went and he went to the other son and said the same and he answered I go sir but he did not go now Jesus says in Matthew 21:31 which of the two did the will of his father the religious answered they said the first Jesus said to them truly I say to you the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you for John came to you this is John the Baptist not John the disciple that hung out with Jesus this is John the Baptist

that went out into the Wilderness we're told he wore camel's hair he ate Locust and honey this is John the Baptist that baptized hence he gets the name John the baptizer this is the one that preached the same message that Jesus preached repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand this is the one that people from all walks of life from the entire region of Galilee came to see him and Jesus said for John came to you in the way of righteousness and yet you did not believe him but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him even when you saw it even when you saw them raise their hands and say

yes even when you saw the prostitutes and the tax collectors turning their hearts to God you did not afterward change your minds and believe him now normally Jesus would not explain his Parables but to prove his point about the kingdom in this particular Parable one of the three he speaks to the religious before he goes to the Cross he explains what he's talking about as he's approaching the cross he's going to get blunt in verse 31 he simply asks the question do you know which of the ones did the will of his father and in a parable here in this particular case he's talking about the father representing God and the children in the story The two sons represent our

hearts so which one is the Father which one is God happy with well the first one didn't start off doing what his dad asked him to do the first one thought he had it figured out the first one said I don't have time to go out into the field today dad but at some point Jesus says in the story the first one that said I will not said you know what my dad's way is a better way I'm going to do what my dad asked me to do I I want to fulfill the will of my father so I'm going to actually do what I said I wouldn't do are you still tracking with me the second one he looked really good he looked his father in the eyes with his work close on he says I will go but when it came to doing what his dad asked him to do he didn't

do his father's will so simply put in Matthew 21:31 which one did the will of the father and they answered correctly the first Jesus now teaching them the principle of the story said truly I say to you the tax collectors the ones you thought could not be saved the prostitutes the ones that were the the most unclean of the day they're getting into the kingdom first there's so much we learned from the story it doesn't matter who you are doesn't matter if you're child or if you're in your old age you can be a child of God it doesn't matter if you're a doctor or a philosopher a bartender or a

barista you might be a prostitute or you might prepare taxes for a living it doesn't matter who you are you have an invitation to the kingdom of God and just because you have an invitation to the kingdom of God does not mean that every person will embrace it some will accept the invitation and some will say I'm going to go but they're not going to actually experience the kingdom this tells me that God wants every one of us to know the hope of his way that means the kingdom is a way of life that he invites us into and it doesn't matter who you are you might be bluecollar or you might be upper class you might be houseless and even the president of the United States of America needs the kingdom of God because we're talking about King Jesus we're talking about the

way of Jesus we're talking about the hope of Jesus this is not hope for some people this is not hope for religious people this is not hope for Americans This is hope for everyone absolutely everyone no Wonder Jesus talks so much about the kingdom he is the ultimate hope dealer he wants every one of us to know about his hope even the religious people he doesn't give up on them he gives them an opportunity to experience Freedom he gives them an opportunity to have true and Living Hope but instead they often rejected it because their expectations weren't met with what's in front of them here's the kingdom it comes down to this the kingdom is full of paradoxes

over and over just it doesn't make sense you got to be careful that you got the kingdom figured out because the kingdom is full of paradox the last are first the weak are strong love your enemies pray for those who persecute you none of this is natural none of this in the world that we live in is normal this is not the way of our government this is not the way of the world this is not what happens naturally when you're born and you just try to do things your own way you can say I'm going to do it but when it comes down to

the kingdom it's just a paradox when Jesus speaks to the church in the Book of Revelation chapters 2 and three he writes seven letters to the church and to two different churches he he says something similar to one church he says you think you're rich because they had money but he said you're actually poor and he was talking about their heart spiritually you you are missing what matters most you you think you're rich but you're not you're poor and then to another church they were totally poor they had no money and Jesus looks at them and says you think you're poor but you're actually rich because you're living for something that will never be taken away from you you're living for an eternal reward you're living for an inheritance that's

Incorruptible so Jesus warns us that on this Earth the things that we have and he says this over and over Matthew chapter 6 why do you worry about what you're going to wear what you're going to eat don't store up Treasures on Earth where moth and rust can destroy or thieves can steal start living for something that matters this is the Paradox of the world that we live in Jesus explained this oh you need to hear this right now in this political season the greatest is the servant now we could say oh this good Bible story let's teach our kids this lesson no Jesus he didn't just preach this he put it into practice the greatest is the

servant so what we see as great money power prestige good looks means nothing to God he's never been impressed with a billionaire like wow you did really well he he's never looked at the talented and said wow I haven't seen that done before America's Got Talent compared to like the angels in heaven you start looking at the sarapin with their six wings and eyes all over it's like we've got nothing compared to the goodness and the glory of who God is is this is why it's so important that you see this and you need the Holy Spirit to help you here rich people are not happier than poor people money is not what makes you

happy talented people are not more satisfied than people who are not talented some of the most depressed people in the world are the most talented athletes in the world their identity is wrapped up in who they are think about this it just let the Holy Spirit speak to you here the most creative people on the planet poets artists musicians commit suicide wait you've got all the talent in the world yet you think you're not wanted in the world that's because you're not made to be talented or beautiful or Rich that's not the kingdom unless we be mistaken God's not

looking up uh from Heaven down to earth and saying well I love poor people with no Talent who can't do anything that's not the kingdom either the kingdom is the way of Jesus as the king allowing him to rule and Reign through his people now I tried to make this clear at the beginning if you need to preach it to your neighbor you can it works best if you preach it to yourself people have problems just look at your neighbor and say you're a problem all right you're you're the problem it's not me it's you I see this all the time I always hear in miserable marriages one side of the problem I'll

tell you how miserable my spouse is they're absolutely terrible until I hear the other side and there's another terrible person in that marriage too I don't know how that happens two Sinners get together and join in holy man atrimony see the problem is the Bible says we're born in sin and and sin it leads to death it's separation from God because God is Holy Holy Holy he's completely separated perfectly good so how can we have the kingdom if God is Holy and we're nothing but messed up people how can he actually love us well Romans chapter 8 gives us a good glimpse of the Kingdom one of the best chapters in all of the Bible and it starts off by saying here's what we have now in Jesus there is therefore now someone shout now now no condemnation for those who are in

Christ Jesus this this is the kingdom here that when you come before Jesus you're not known as a sinner you're not condemned for what you've done you're not judged based on the family you were born into God doesn't look at your religious list and say wow look how many times you went to church in Sunday school no he looks at you and says do you have Jesus because if you have Jesus you're set free here if you have Jesus you've received the gift of Grace if you have Jesus you have the king and there's no condemnation if you have Jesus how can you have no condemnation in Jesus here we go verse Two for the law of the spirit of life this is God himself the holy spirit for the law of the spirit of life he is a living God When You Believe In Jesus you get the holy spirit for the law of the spirit of life has set you

free in Christ Jesus there's freedom in Jesus not condemnation you are liberated so the moment we try to condemn someone else because of their sin you don't have the kingdom inside of you you try to condemn someone else oh shame on you look at what you've done look what that looks like we're missing the kingdom of God because this the the law of the spirit of life is Set Me Free so what do I want for you I want you to be set free from the law of sin and death this world is dying we have the hope of of Jesus Christ that's what we should be sharing right now not that stupid meme about the other political party and how you're

right and everyone else is wrong this is the time to start living out the Kingdom look at verse three for God has done what the law weakened by the flesh could not do by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for our sin he condemned sin in flesh God loves you so much John 3:16 that he sent his only son into this world world that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life listen God did not send his son into the world to condemn us but that we would understand what real love is he who is without sin that this God loves you so much would step into our story and die on the cross his blood was shed his body was broken he had the crown of thorn thrust upon his head mocked as a king the true king of

all Kings beaten with ipped spit upon his beard ripped out why to set you free to liberate you from the the the kingdom of this world so that you would look at the Kingdom of God in order that verse four Romans 8 ver4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit the kingdom is this Jesus the king did for you what needed to be done so that you no longer go back to your old ways which is the flesh you no longer go back to the world's ways which is the flesh that's the natural is what that means by the term flesh but you now go to God in the

spirit Jesus the King has done for us what none of us could do that's what the kingdom is Jesus Took upon every one of our sins so that we no longer have to bear those sins that's what the kingdom is the kingdom is coming coming back to Jesus and receiving the Holy Spirit over and over that's the kingdom there is no Kingdom without a king so the kingdom is embracing Jesus in every area of your life not some areas and that flesh will creep in quicker than you might realize but I also want to testify to this today Jesus is a much greater King than you realize at the end of the Bible the Book of Revelation chapter 19 we get this

great glimpse of The King and I love how John describes what he sees on his robe and on his thigh Jesus has a name written king of kings and Lord of lords Jesus is the king of all Kings he's greater than any president or prime minister or any Kingdom that this world has ever seen king or queen I'm telling you he is still the king that Reigns today and he came to to reveal his will and his way to your life here's where it gets personal before Jesus went to the Cross he explained that he's going to prepare a place and there was some confusion even with his own followers and Jesus wanting us all to know who he is he proclaimed Jesus said I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to

the father except through me so the kingdom is the way of Jesus what the kingdom is is not a democracy let's all vote which way we want to go the kingdom is not a republic what's good for you is not good for me what's true for you is not true for me the kingdom is not socialism where I force you to follow King Jesus the kingdom is the way of Jesus and some of us have to relearn this we live in a great country don't we God Bless America that we live in a country where we get to be a part of what happens I'll tell you you should vote this fall you should pray going into the

election you ought to be a Praying person we live in a great country but I'll tell you the kingdom of God is nothing like America this isn't the place we protest and we persuade the heart of God because of what we want we ain't going to burn down some building and God say okay okay enough is enough I'll tell you one day you will see rightly who God is and you will understand what the kingdom of God is notall it's nothing like this world when Paul was writing to the Romans in chapter 14 he's persuading if you're a Christian you don't live like the world therefore if if eating a particular food would make someone else stumble don't eat that food if someone else is eating that food

don't think that that's what stops them from getting into heaven that that's a hard principle I have to think about that every time I float the river and I smell cannabis okay you understand smoking weed does not keep you out of heaven or get you into heaven are are we in agreement with that it's not what you do that gets you into heaven too too many times we think it's what you do don't go to bad movies don't smoke Don't drink don't go with girls you do then you get to go to heaven that's not the Kingdom so so what is the kingdom here here's what Paul would say to the Christians who who were in Rome he said for the kingdom of God for the kingdom of God is not everyone shout not it's not a matter of eating and

drinking Jesus would say something similar it's not what goes into a man that makes him unclean what does God actually care about he cares about your heart so what comes out of your mouth reveals where your heart is it's not not matter of eating and drinking but here's what the kingdom of God is the kingdom of God is of righteousness and peace and joy where do we get all this in the holy spirit let me just clarify this because here's what the kingdom of God is Not and here's what the kingdom of God is now Paul distinguishes there's going to be a point where you think the kingdom of God is about doing something it's not about doing something now this is where people always get caught up and say but I thought we're supposed to love our neighbor I thought we're supposed to treat other people the way we want to treated yes but if you don't have the

Holy Spirit that's just religion so if you don't find joy in serving other people you miss the sacrifice so so the point of this it's not a matter of doing eating or drinking now eating and drinking represents who we are someone shout amen you know you're thinking about what you're going to have for lunch today come on uh there's just something about food it's it's why we serve fresh homemade donuts every week There's always people that says processed sugar is not good for you so we also serve tangerines so we we try to be a Greek to the Greek and a Jew to the Jew okay we want you to know there's a place for you here but there's something about food just there it's our whole lives revolve around food our biggest

buildings in our city we go and buy food when we think about what we're going to do and spend time with someone well let's go eat where are we going to eat we our whole lives revolve around food so the author here he's trying to recognize why does your life revolve around food Jesus speaks of this in Matthew chapter 6 too because you're made for this you're made to Crave You're Made for This you're made to hunger but here's the problem if you think that the things you could touch see feel your senses will satisfy you you miss the kingdom nice clothes will never give you the joy that King Jesus can give you you might be satisfied for a moment but then they go bad and there's a new style and there's something

new let me tell you every person that gets addicted to any substance no one grows up as a child anding I hope I'm just an addict someday and I can't break this at one point they were a cute little kid that was hurt they were traumatized and they're just trying to satisfy something in their heart they're trying to numb they're trying to heal they're trying to be happy and so we take a substance could be a narcotic it could be alcohol and all of that is to do for you what only the kingdom of God can do for you so what Paul's saying is the kingdom of God is not a matter of the things you go after because that will never be enough how do you have enough money how do you have enough sex how do you have enough Career Success how could you have enough kids to make you have those

aren't the things that make you happy the things that will satisfy you is the kingdom which he says is righteousness peace and joy and you're not going to get any of those without the Holy Spirit God himself has to invade your heart to show you the priority of What You're Made for that you would go after that as much as you would go after food so if we cared as much about King Jesus as we did about a double bacon Smashburger this world would be changed oh this church this world is so messed up we give Google reviews for churches like somehow you can give a review for the bride of Christ the church ain't a restaurant

we're not here to satisfy you coming people weren't very nice in there the music wasn't what I thought it would be the preaching could have been better you tell Jesus that you see what he says about that [Applause] the church is meant to be the hands and the feet of Jesus Amen you're not supposed to act like the world you're not supposed to leave here be like oh four stars three stars that's not the way it works you go to God and you say I cannot believe that I get to sing to you I cannot believe that my kids get exposed to something I didn't get exposed to I can't believe that you've given me a Living Hope in a Dying World I can't believe that you would take a sinner

like me and turn me into a saint I can't believe you would see potential in me that I couldn't see in myself that's why the kingdom 2 Corinthians 5:21 Christ suffered Jesus God himself became a man he suffered for you so that you would be righteous for our sake God made him Jesus to be sin 2 Corinthians 5:21 he he made him God made him to be sin who knew no sin none of us can fathom that you take the penalty for something you didn't do you go to prison you get the death sentence for someone else

that's what Jesus did for you so that in him we might become the righteousness of God that's the kingdom he exchanges our sin for his righteousness he takes my lowly life and he lifts me up this is the Paradox he takes the dead spiritually and he makes them alive Jesus Likens it to being born again it's new life it's a new purpose for the kingdom of God is not a matter of EAS eating and drinking the kingdom of this world is full of

greed and the reason it's full of greed is it's about me I'm My Own King but the kingdom of God is about generosity God gives us his righteousness the Prince of Peace gives us his peace Jesus who said I came that you might have joy and have it to the full he wants to give you Joy that you would have what matters most the world today needs a savior do you agree with that yes you need a savior I need a savior our governor of Oregon needs a savior the current president whoever

gets elected needs a savior there's there's no exemption from this like in the eyes of God the kingdom is a Level Playing Field let me read to you what John says in 1 John 4:14 1 John 4 verse1 14 and we have seen and testify I just heard a lot of yeses here today that the father has sent his son Jesus to be the savior of the world we need a savior and I've got good news for you we've got a really good savior this is the best news ever this is good news that you don't have to have it figured out you don't have to have all the answ answer you don't have to be good enough you don't have to be born into the right family you don't have to go to church enough Sundays what you really need is a savior because if you gain everything in this world and you don't know

Jesus that's a loss in the Kingdom Jesus put it this way in Mark 8:36 Jesus said for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul you know how much Jesus cares about you he wants you to live for that which is right he wants you to know his kingdom he doesn't want you to wait for another day he wants the kingdom to be here and he wants it to be now he prioritizes this for us there's no one overlooked with Jesus you you might seem like you're overlooked by someone else but you're not by Jesus he loves you more than you can imagine that is God loves you more than you can fathom in your mind and you have to do nothing to get that love

nothing but believe in Jesus but I have to warn you because you came to church today or because you're watching church today it is not about going to church or doing anything that will get you into heaven those are not the things that God's impressed with people all the time find out I'm a pastor and they'll have this overwhelming guilt and shame and condemnation ah it's been a long time since I've been in church I'm like I I'm not keeping tally of who's at church and who's not too many times people tell me after church service you were looking at me the whole time no I wasn't these lights they blind

me I can see this first row really well second row a little bit third row after I can't see you that's why last week I made a mistake God brought about Redemption right he's a redeeming God it's not about us but I have to warn you of this Jesus said it twice in the Book of Matthew chapter 7 and chapter 25 there will be a lot of people that when they die they're going to face the judge which every one of us will you're going to die and you're going to face Jesus and there'll be a lot of people that thought because they did things for Jesus they did what they knew how to do they were simply repeating what they saw other people repeat Jesus says these shocking words then I will declare to

them I never knew you depart from me you workers of lawlessness there's a real heaven and there's a real hell and you don't get to heaven because you do enough or you did enough he's not looking for really good people that do Miracles and sing really loud songs the kingdom is being known by the king the kingdom is knowing the king I love that we studied Ephesians early this year here's salvation right here it's by grace through faith it's just accepting the free gift of Grace that's who gets the kingdom I would hope there would be like a yes that that's an amen if this city is going to be saved

if we're going to see Central Oregon saved it's because we believe that the kingdom is for taxle ctors and prostitutes that we believe it's not going to church that gets you saved it's Jesus Christ that saves you that every single one of us Jesus put it this way blessed are those who hunger and thirst not for food not for another paycheck not for a bigger house not for more of anything blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied he made you for this so go after God he wants you to know him and so I leave you with this in Matthew 6 Jesus said of all the things you could seek for in your life you're meant to

hunger you're meant to thirst but if you go after the things you can see in this world you're going to miss it you go after the things you can't see King Jesus you're going to get it he said in Matthew 6:33 I absolutely love this he said seek first the kingdom seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and you know what will happen all all these things will be added you what are all these things all these things you say I just want more go to the next verse is all the things you're worrying about he says stop worrying maybe you should get on your knees and pray get off your phone and pray quit talking and pray just prioritize and pray last week we talked about prayer and I only had

one point does anybody remember that point pray there is power in persistent prayer see prayer doesn't change God he cannot change prayer starts to change you like oh I was like a little childish kid going to Santa Claus I need to keep praying so that I would mature so that I would see God work in a different way so today wherever you are the kingdom is yours but we have to know what the kingdom is not we have to know what God wants for you and today I want to just give you a great invitation here's the thing about Jesus Jesus will transform a person like me and and a person like you he takes drug cartel and he transforms their lives he's done it with prime ministers

he's done it with presidents he's done it with Kings he's done it with Queens here's the crazy thing about Jesus he will take a prostitute and put her in the lineage of Jesus right so if there's anything in your mind that you wonder is there a place for me in the Kingdom there's a place for you and Jesus is just waiting for you to say yes the Bible says it's so simple all you have to do is call upon the name of Jesus and you will be saved it's Jesus that saves you it's not your prayer it's not a preacher it's Jesus but you have to believe in Jesus so if you would believe today that he did die for all your sins if you'd believe today and confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord on the third day he rose from the grave that's why we worship on this day it's a reminder that

he's alive he's risen on the first day of the week he he rose from the grave and he breathed on those who were afraid and they've received the spirit would you allow God's breath over your life today if you feel spiritually dead he can make you alive if you want that today this is your moment I can't assume because you came to church that you've done just that going to church does not save you I've got to repeat that being good does not save you Jesus saves you do you want that salvation today it's yours I want to ask you if that's you just right where you are you're you're in the midst of family right now if you have never surrendered your life to Jesus and today you're saying I'm done with my sin I want to be forgiven would you just raise your hand nice and high and keep it up so I could see it I just

want to know today who is it the saying yes my my old life is gone my new life has come raise it nice and high I want to know who that is cuz there's somebody here today that praise be to God come on yes come on this this is a game changer man of God receive the promises of God you are who God says you are not what you said of yourself you got to start learning the promises of God you are man of God this is the beginning of greater things for you just like being bold and raising your hand now you got to keep being bold the Lord told Joshua be strong and courageous I repeat those words to you today be strong and courageous in Jesus he's given you the

Holy Spirit to do so anyone else today you're saying yes come on praise be to God yes come on let me tell you do you know this this whole service I look over here I've seen you this whole time and I've wondered do you know that you're seen by God he sees you and he loves you I'm so grateful you came to church today so God could just remind you I love you the Lord's never stopped loving you ever never ever ever stopped loving you ever ever ever ever when you thought that he didn't love you and you wondered he was singing over you he was loving you he's never stopped loving you that's the message God wants you to hear today he loves you he loves you he loves you he loves you he loves

you I believe the Holy Spirit right now is just say you're my beloved you're my beloved I will never stop loving you receive the love and Grace of Jesus today let the Holy Spirit fill you eradicate the lies of the enemy today praise be to God I'm so so so proud of you anyone else today just say yes to Jesus you never too old you're never too young this is it sometimes we worry about what other people think but only person you should care about is Jesus you got to really consider that if you care about what other people think you're always be persuaded God's looking for a young generation that's going to rise up and not care about what anybody else thinks but Jesus is there anybody else today you say

Yes Man okay I got to pray and wrap this up because we got another service but I see Zach over here I see these young women right up here I just today I just want to pray for those who just gave their lives to Jesus I want to pray for the young people in this church can we do that I want to just pray that God would light a holy fire in the teenagers hearts and the kids' Hearts so let's just right now Lord I Thank you for those that said yes I thank you for this young woman and this young man saying yes to you Jesus and this is the day Lord You've set them free from their sins Holy Spirit would you fill up their lives and remind them of the hope of eternal life that they would not live for the kingdom of this world but live

for your kingdom God which is imperishable it cannot be taken from us so God we thank you for those lives but right now just out loud would you pray for young people we pray for the young people in this church God that you would light a fire in their hearts God I'm desperate and I pray for my own kids God that there would be encounters and experience you with you the Living God I'm asking Church would you pray out loud for the Youth and the young people of this generation Lord we right now lift up those that are in the city of Ben and Central Oregon and say God would you light a fire in the young people in this city would you light a fire the young people of Central Oregon we declare out loud God they are yours you have authority over their lives and we say give them a spirit of boldness give them a spirit of repentance give them a spirit of fire god that they would unashamedly live out your gospel in

their generation oh Father I thank you so much for what you've done and who you are I thank you for your kingdom come and your will to be done help us be the church that you've called us to be in Jesus mighty name amen and amen and amen praise God