Embracing the Kingdom: Power in Humility and Service
Summary
In the book of Acts, we witness the emergence of a new form of the Kingdom of God, distinct from the political and cultural institutions of Israel. This Kingdom is not bound by human constructs like nationality or position; it is a divine reality available to all humanity. The early church, as depicted in Acts, represents a life that transcends worldly systems, offering a glimpse into a life empowered by the Holy Spirit rather than human authority or recognition. The disciples initially misunderstood Jesus' mission, expecting a political kingdom that would overthrow Roman rule. However, Jesus redirected their expectations, emphasizing a spiritual kingdom characterized by power through the Holy Spirit, not through political or social positions.
This power is unique because it does not rely on human status or approval. It is a power that comes from living in alignment with God's Kingdom, a life that Jesus introduced to the world. This life is not dependent on human recognition or appointment, as illustrated in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Judges. God's Kingdom operates independently of human hierarchies, inviting believers to step into this divine reality through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commands. The power of the Kingdom is accessible to all who choose to live by its principles, regardless of their earthly status.
Paul's description of Christians as the "off scourings of all things" highlights the paradox of the Kingdom: true greatness is found in servanthood, not in worldly accolades. Jesus taught that the greatest among us is the servant of all, a concept that challenges our natural inclinations towards seeking power and position. This Kingdom life calls us to embrace humility and service, trusting that God's power will manifest as we align ourselves with His purposes.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Kingdom of God transcends cultural and political boundaries, offering a divine reality accessible to all humanity. It is not limited by human constructs but is a spiritual kingdom characterized by the power of the Holy Spirit. [10:23]
2. True power in the Kingdom of God does not depend on human positions or recognition. It is a power that comes from living in alignment with God's will, independent of worldly status. [12:52]
3. The life introduced by Jesus is one that does not rely on human appointment or approval. It invites believers to step into God's Kingdom through faith and obedience, experiencing divine power in their lives. [14:02]
4. The paradox of the Kingdom is that true greatness is found in servanthood. Jesus taught that the greatest among us is the servant of all, challenging our natural inclinations towards seeking power and position. [15:11]
5. The book of Judges illustrates how God's Kingdom operates independently of human hierarchies, emphasizing that divine power is available to those who live by the principles of the Kingdom, regardless of their earthly status. [13:43]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[09:34] - Introduction to the Kingdom of God
[09:48] - The New Historical Situation
[10:07] - The Birth of the Church
[10:23] - A Kingdom for All Humanity
[11:07] - Power Without Position
[11:22] - The Disciples' Misunderstanding
[12:09] - Jesus' Redirection
[12:28] - Receiving Power Through the Holy Spirit
[12:52] - Living from Another World
[13:13] - The New Life in Jesus
[13:43] - Lessons from the Book of Judges
[14:02] - Stepping into the Kingdom
[14:29] - Paul's Description of Christians
[15:11] - The Paradox of Greatness
[15:24] - Embracing Humility and Service
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Acts 1:6-8
2. Matthew 20:25-28
3. Judges 6:11-16
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Observation Questions:
1. In Acts 1:6-8, what were the disciples expecting Jesus to do, and how did He redirect their expectations? [11:39]
2. How does the book of Judges illustrate the operation of God's Kingdom independent of human hierarchies? [13:43]
3. What does Jesus say about power and position in Matthew 20:25-28, and how does it relate to the concept of servanthood? [15:11]
4. How does Paul describe Christians in terms of worldly status, and what does this imply about the values of God's Kingdom? [14:29]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for the Kingdom of God to transcend cultural and political boundaries, and how does this challenge our understanding of power? [10:23]
2. How does the concept of receiving power through the Holy Spirit, as mentioned in Acts 1:8, differ from worldly notions of power and authority? [12:28]
3. In what ways does the life introduced by Jesus challenge the need for human recognition or approval? [13:31]
4. How does the paradox of greatness in servanthood, as taught by Jesus, confront our natural inclinations towards seeking power and position? [15:11]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you sought recognition or approval in a worldly context. How can you shift your focus to align more with the principles of God's Kingdom? [13:31]
2. How can you actively embrace the role of a servant in your community or workplace, following Jesus' teaching that the greatest is the servant of all? [15:11]
3. Identify an area in your life where you rely on human status or approval. What steps can you take to depend more on the power of the Holy Spirit? [12:28]
4. Consider the cultural and political boundaries in your life. How can you live out the reality of God's Kingdom that transcends these boundaries? [10:23]
5. Think of a situation where you felt powerless due to lack of position. How can you draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to influence that situation positively? [12:52]
6. How can the lessons from the book of Judges about God's Kingdom operating independently of human hierarchies inspire you to live out your faith boldly? [13:43]
7. Reflect on Paul's description of Christians as the "off scourings of all things." How does this perspective influence your understanding of true greatness in God's Kingdom? [14:29]
Devotional
Day 1: The Universal Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God, as revealed in the book of Acts, is a divine reality that transcends cultural and political boundaries. Unlike earthly kingdoms, it is not confined by human constructs such as nationality or social status. This Kingdom is accessible to all humanity, offering a life empowered by the Holy Spirit. The early church exemplified this new form of the Kingdom, living a life that went beyond worldly systems and expectations. Jesus' mission was not to establish a political kingdom but to introduce a spiritual one, characterized by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Kingdom invites everyone to experience its divine reality, regardless of their earthly circumstances. [10:23]
Acts 10:34-35 (ESV): "So Peter opened his mouth and said: 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.'"
Reflection: How can you embrace the inclusivity of God's Kingdom in your daily interactions with people from different backgrounds and cultures?
Day 2: Power Beyond Human Recognition
True power in the Kingdom of God is not dependent on human positions or recognition. It is a power that comes from living in alignment with God's will, independent of worldly status. This power is unique because it does not rely on human approval or appointment. The life that Jesus introduced is one that invites believers to step into God's Kingdom through faith and obedience, experiencing divine power in their lives. This power is accessible to all who choose to live by the principles of the Kingdom, regardless of their earthly status. [12:52]
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
Reflection: In what ways can you seek to align your life more closely with God's will, rather than seeking human approval or recognition?
Day 3: Living a Life of Faith and Obedience
The life introduced by Jesus is one that does not rely on human appointment or approval. It invites believers to step into God's Kingdom through faith and obedience, experiencing divine power in their lives. This Kingdom life is characterized by a reliance on the Holy Spirit rather than human authority or recognition. The book of Judges illustrates how God's Kingdom operates independently of human hierarchies, emphasizing that divine power is available to those who live by the principles of the Kingdom, regardless of their earthly status. [14:02]
Judges 6:14-16 (ESV): "And the Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?' And he said to him, 'Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.' And the Lord said to him, 'But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.'"
Reflection: What steps can you take today to live more fully in faith and obedience, trusting in God's power rather than your own abilities or status?
Day 4: The Paradox of Servanthood
The paradox of the Kingdom is that true greatness is found in servanthood. Jesus taught that the greatest among us is the servant of all, challenging our natural inclinations towards seeking power and position. This Kingdom life calls us to embrace humility and service, trusting that God's power will manifest as we align ourselves with His purposes. Paul's description of Christians as the "off scourings of all things" highlights this paradox, emphasizing that true greatness is found in serving others rather than seeking worldly accolades. [15:11]
Mark 10:43-45 (ESV): "But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Reflection: How can you practice servanthood in your daily life, and what specific actions can you take to serve others in your community?
Day 5: Embracing Humility and Service
The Kingdom of God operates independently of human hierarchies, emphasizing that divine power is available to those who live by the principles of the Kingdom, regardless of their earthly status. This life calls us to embrace humility and service, trusting that God's power will manifest as we align ourselves with His purposes. The book of Judges illustrates how God's Kingdom operates independently of human hierarchies, inviting believers to step into this divine reality through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commands. [13:43]
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can intentionally practice humility and prioritize the needs of others over your own desires?
Quotes
"Actually the book of acts is just a picture of the life that is not of this world. It's just a picture, and of course much of it is new. Not all of it would translate directly into where we are today because there was a new historical situation that was being instituted in a certain sense. The church was coming to birth here as a new thing on earth. The kingdom of God was taking a form that it had never taken before." [00:09:48]
"Of course a major part of the story of the kingdom of God is precisely that it now becomes, if you wish, a totally human thing from the human point of view. It isn't Jewish, it isn't Greek, it isn't so forth, it is and so on. It's just for human beings now. Of course that's wrong to say because it's not just human, that's the whole point. It is not of this world but it is available to all human beings." [00:10:47]
"And that is that the kingdom of God has no reference at all of what we would recognize as human positions. The request, Jesus is in their midst teaching, and the request that comes to him in verse six, 'Lord, is it at this time that you're restoring the kingdom to Israel?' Well, you know these folks had just been expecting him to kick the Romans out and set up a government and they actually had some ideas about which office they would hold in the new government." [00:11:22]
"Listen to what he says: 'It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed in his own story, authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and even to the most remote parts of the earth.' What's it talking about here? It's talking about something that is not known among human beings and that is power without position." [00:12:28]
"But you see when you're living not from the world though you're in the world, but from the other world you do not need position to have power. You understand what I'm saying? This is absolutely vital to understand the new life, the life that came into the world in Jesus and broke upon the earth, is one which does not depend on human recognition or human appointment." [00:13:13]
"The book of Judges is one of the most interesting books to read to understand the real nature of how God's kingdom is present among human beings. It does not depend on human appointment. Our standing in this world when we are of the other world does not wait on anyone to permit us or say we can or say we can't or anything else." [00:13:43]
"It just says step into the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ, but begin to do his commands and his deeds, and the power will be there. Think about that verse carefully: you shall receive power, no position. In fact, Paul describes the Christians himself leading them in one passage as being the off scourings of all things." [00:14:02]
"Paul actually describes him, see he was, Jesus said that too, you remember he said, 'He that is greatest among you is the servant of all,' and the servant of all is precisely the one on the bottom of the pile. No position except go for it. You know, go for it. Gene and I like to watch the end of the movies because you get to listen to the music but you also get to read who's up there." [00:15:11]
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