Living Distinctively in the Kingdom of the Heavens

1) "What if the kingdom that Jesus talked about could be lived out right now? In the days in which we live in each of our lives. What if it was real? What if it was achievable? What if it was doable? And how would we go about that?" [03:04] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2) "You're part of a Wesleyan movement that has distinctives that separate us out from other denominations. And let me tell you why that's a good thing. It's not because other denominations are bad. It's because they too have distinctives that they bring to the table for the purpose of the gospel. The Presbyterians bring a viewpoint and a perspective, something that's distinct to them. The Lutherans do that, the Catholics, the Pentecostals, yes, even the Baptists. I say that tongue-in-cheek. They bring distinctive things. No one has the complete picture of the gospel, but instead we bring viewpoints to it that are uniquely our own." [11:27] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3) "The gospel is about transformation. The gospel is about finding us where we are but not leaving us there. It's about, please, please, don't be yourself. Be who Christ is making you to be. Because if we're ourselves, then our sin and our brokenness controls our lives. It shapes our viewpoints. It makes us see the world in a certain way. If we simply be ourselves, whatever that expression looks like, then what happens is we haven't left Egypt." [15:37] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4) "What you realize, if you look at Sinai and you look at the kingdom, you realize how radical they really are. They're incredibly radical. In the case of Sinai, what God laid out for them in the Torah was, yes, just like the other nations, you're going to observe ritual feasts, but these ritual feasts, this will look much different than the rest of the world. And you are to attend those. And not only that, but you will wear your hair a certain way. You will exercise your patterns of behavior in a certain way. You will abstain from certain foods. You will observe markers of the covenant. You will do that that seems outrageous to us. And that's the point, that it is so unlike the rest of the world that it will both set us apart and also serve as a witness." [19:36] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5) "The world says, hate your enemies. Let me really dial it in for us better. The world says, hate your political enemies. The world says, hate those who don't think like you, look like you, talk like you. Hate those that are different races, different genders, that have different agendas. It says, hate them, not just dislike them, but the world applauds when we hate them. It backs us up. It forms us into tribes. And decides, and then we eat and devour one another. But that's not what Jesus says. Jesus says, love your enemies. Do good to those who despitefully use you. That's radical. That is altogether different." [24:01] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6) "The kingdom is. It's the opposite. It's lay down your life. Give up your rights. Give to those who take from you. Serve those who despitefully use you. Love your enemies. Don't hate them. Try to understand them. Be transformed. By the renewing of your mind. That's the call of the kingdom of the heavens. That we're exploring." [26:22] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7) "I believe it's just the opposite, that people are not followers of Christ. They haven't surrendered their life. They haven't given themselves wholly to the Lord because they know precisely what it will require. And they're unwilling to pay that price. Are we? Are we willing? Do we hunger and thirst? I pray to God that we do." [28:57] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)