Living in God's Kingdom: Discipleship and Dominion
Summary
In our journey through life, we are called to exercise dominion and reign under God's kingdom, reflecting His loving creativity in our work and community. Each of us has a kingdom, a realm of influence where our will is effective, and this is an integral part of our personality. Our work, whether in professions like medicine, law, or ministry, is an extension of God's purpose for us to have dominion. However, when our connection with God is broken, our efforts can go astray, leading to harmful outcomes. This disconnection is evident in the misuse of technology and power, which can lead to destruction rather than creation.
Jacob's dream of a ladder connecting heaven and earth symbolizes the restoration of our connection with God through Jesus. God is always present, even when we are unaware, and He desires a relationship with us. Jesus' use of parables illustrates the gentle approach of God, offering truth to those who seek it. Salvation is an invitation to live in God's kingdom now, with Jesus as our guide. Faith in Christ means trusting Him as the master of the universe and embracing His gentle, transformative presence in our lives.
The gospel we preach should naturally produce disciples, not just consumers of religious services. A gospel focused solely on forgiveness fails to cultivate true discipleship. Discipleship involves learning from Jesus how to live our lives as He would, embracing spiritual formation and whole-life discipleship. This transformation requires discipline, allowing us to become the kind of people who naturally follow God's commandments and live in His power.
The idea of full-time Christian service has often been misunderstood, creating a false dichotomy between sacred and secular work. All work, when done under God's guidance, is a form of priesthood. Disciplines, both of abstinence and engagement, are essential for spiritual growth, enabling us to live righteously and receive God's grace. They help us weave God's presence into every aspect of our lives, allowing us to work and play in His name.
Ultimately, the church exists for discipleship, and discipleship is for the world. Our world cannot function properly without disciples who bring God's presence into every vocation and workplace. Salvation is about participating in the life Jesus is living on earth, setting our affections on things above and living in the reality of His kingdom.
Key Takeaways:
- Our work is an extension of God's creativity and dominion, meant to reflect His love and purpose. When disconnected from God, our efforts can lead to harm rather than creation. We must strive to maintain our connection with God to fulfill our true purpose. [24:31]
- Jacob's dream of a ladder symbolizes the restored connection between heaven and earth through Jesus. God is always present, even when we are unaware, and He desires a relationship with us. This connection is essential for living in His kingdom. [29:50]
- The gospel should naturally produce disciples, not just consumers of religious services. True discipleship involves learning from Jesus how to live our lives as He would, embracing spiritual formation and whole-life discipleship. [35:18]
- Disciplines, both of abstinence and engagement, are essential for spiritual growth. They enable us to live righteously, receive God's grace, and weave His presence into every aspect of our lives, allowing us to work and play in His name. [55:04]
- The church exists for discipleship, and discipleship is for the world. Our world cannot function properly without disciples who bring God's presence into every vocation and workplace. Salvation is about participating in the life Jesus is living on earth. [58:40]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[24:00] - Dominion and Reigning Under God
[25:25] - Human Work as God's Creativity
[26:01] - Professions and Community
[27:28] - Vocation in Community
[28:04] - Technology and Disconnection
[29:31] - Jacob's Ladder and Connection
[31:07] - Parables and God's Approach
[32:29] - Salvation and Kingdom Living
[35:02] - Discipleship and the Gospel
[38:36] - Spiritual Formation and Transformation
[43:02] - Full-Time Christian Service
[49:02] - Disciplines and Spiritual Growth
[55:04] - Engagement and Abstinence
[58:40] - Discipleship for the World
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 28:16-17 - "When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, 'Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.' He was afraid and said, 'How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.'"
2. Matthew 4:17 - "From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'"
3. Colossians 3:1-2 - "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jacob's dream of a ladder symbolize in the context of our connection with God? [29:31]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of professions like medicine, law, and ministry in God's kingdom? [26:37]
3. According to the sermon, what is the natural response to hearing the gospel of life in the kingdom of God? [34:31]
4. What are the two types of disciplines mentioned in the sermon, and how do they contribute to spiritual growth? [55:04]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Jacob's realization in Genesis 28:16-17 reflect our own awareness of God's presence in our lives? [30:38]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our work can become disconnected from God's purpose, and what are the consequences? [28:20]
3. How does the sermon challenge the traditional view of full-time Christian service, and what implications does this have for our understanding of sacred and secular work? [43:02]
4. What does it mean to participate in the life Jesus is living on earth, as described in Colossians 3:1-2? [58:58]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current work or vocation. How can you ensure that it remains an extension of God's creativity and dominion? [24:31]
2. Consider a time when you felt disconnected from God. What steps can you take to restore that connection and align your efforts with His purpose? [28:20]
3. How can you incorporate spiritual disciplines of both abstinence and engagement into your daily routine to foster spiritual growth? [55:04]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you can practice whole-life discipleship. What changes might you need to make to live more fully in God's kingdom? [39:22]
5. Think about your role in your community or workplace. How can you bring God's presence into these areas and influence them positively? [58:26]
6. Reflect on the gospel message you share with others. Does it naturally lead to discipleship, or is it more focused on forgiveness alone? How can you adjust your approach? [35:18]
7. How can you set your affections on things above, as encouraged in Colossians 3:1-2, in practical ways this week? [59:13]
Devotional
Day 1: Reflecting God's Creativity in Our Work
Our work is an extension of God's creativity and dominion, meant to reflect His love and purpose. When disconnected from God, our efforts can lead to harm rather than creation. We must strive to maintain our connection with God to fulfill our true purpose. [24:31]
"And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:28, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally invite God into your daily work, ensuring that your efforts reflect His love and creativity?
Day 2: Restoring Connection Through Jesus
Jacob's dream of a ladder symbolizes the restored connection between heaven and earth through Jesus. God is always present, even when we are unaware, and He desires a relationship with us. This connection is essential for living in His kingdom. [29:50]
"And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!" (Genesis 28:12, ESV)
Reflection: How can you become more aware of God's presence in your life today, and what steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him?
Day 3: Discipleship Beyond Forgiveness
The gospel should naturally produce disciples, not just consumers of religious services. True discipleship involves learning from Jesus how to live our lives as He would, embracing spiritual formation and whole-life discipleship. [35:18]
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you can begin to practice living as Jesus would, and how can you start today?
Day 4: Spiritual Disciplines for Growth
Disciplines, both of abstinence and engagement, are essential for spiritual growth. They enable us to live righteously, receive God's grace, and weave His presence into every aspect of our lives, allowing us to work and play in His name. [55:04]
"Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one spiritual discipline you can incorporate into your routine this week. How will this practice help you grow closer to God?
Day 5: Discipleship for the World
The church exists for discipleship, and discipleship is for the world. Our world cannot function properly without disciples who bring God's presence into every vocation and workplace. Salvation is about participating in the life Jesus is living on earth. [58:40]
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." (Matthew 5:14-15, ESV)
Reflection: How can you be a light in your workplace or community this week, bringing God's presence into your interactions and tasks?
Quotes
"Human work is intended to be an extension of God's loving creativity, and we develop that through community in which there is division of labor. Human beings are made interdependent by their need to cooperate with others to fulfill the God-appointed dominion that they have been given." [00:25:31]
"Now when that connection is broken, then we lose our way, and professions can go wrong, and human efforts at military or other devices in government and social relations will go wrong. Things will go bad. We have technology now that allows terrorism in the form that we now know it." [00:27:42]
"Jacob running from the results of his bad behavior winds up in a ditch, sleeping with a stone as his pillow, and in the night he dreams and he dreams of a connection between heaven and earth, Jacob's ladder, you remember. Jesus himself invokes that picture in describing what was going to happen as he restores the connection." [00:29:25]
"Faith in Christ means confidence that he is the one who is totally in charge. He is the maestro of the universe, and as you see the gospel is opening up, you see him coming in gentle forms, little baby, the son of the carpenter, the carpenter, and so on." [00:33:25]
"We become disciples of Jesus by hearing the gospel of life now in the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Being a disciple is the natural response to that message. The master of life has come to town to give life and to take us in." [00:34:27]
"Are we preaching a gospel that has a natural tendency to produce disciples, or do we simply preach a gospel that generates consumers of religious goods and services? A gospel of mere forgiveness does not produce disciples." [00:35:12]
"Spiritual formation is the process that happens to those who are in the status of a disciple. As a disciple, I am being transformed in all dimensions of my personality toward the goal of loving God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, with all my strength, and my neighbor as myself." [00:38:32]
"Disciplines do not earn anything; they are not righteousness; they are wisdom. They help us to live righteously in God's power and under his direction. The good Wesleyan term is means of grace, and that's what they are. They enable us to receive grace and to empower our lives with the presence of God." [00:55:56]
"Spiritual disciplines enable us to weave the presence of God throughout the texture of our lives and carry out our work and our play in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. It enables us to do that." [00:57:07]
"The church is for discipleship, but discipleship is for the world. The world under God, our world will not work without disciples. Salvation is participating in the life Jesus is now living on earth." [00:58:40]
"Salvation is participating in the life Jesus is now living on earth. Paul says in Colossians 3, if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." [00:59:01]
"Disciplines, both of abstinence and engagement, are essential for spiritual growth. They enable us to live righteously, receive God's grace, and weave His presence into every aspect of our lives, allowing us to work and play in His name." [00:55:04]
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