Longing for the Kingdom: Serving to Experience Miracles

Devotional

Day 1: Our Longing for the Divine

Our deep yearning for amazement is more than just a cultural trend; it is a spiritual longing for the divine kingdom of God. This desire is rooted in our creation for a world that was originally perfect and beautiful, as seen in the Garden of Eden. The current world, tainted by sin and death, leaves us with a sense of homesickness for that original state of wonder. This is why we are naturally drawn to beauty, miracles, and stories of transformation—they serve as reminders of our true home and the kingdom of God. Our pursuit of the extraordinary is essentially a search for the divine, a reflection of our spiritual homesickness for God's kingdom. [34:31]

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." (Hebrews 13:14, ESV)

Reflection: What are some moments in your life where you have felt a deep longing for something more? How might these moments be pointing you towards a deeper relationship with God?

Day 2: Miracles as Glimpses of God's Kingdom

Miracles are not just extraordinary events; they are glimpses of God's kingdom, serving as reminders of the world we were created for. In God's kingdom, what we now call miracles are everyday occurrences. These "kingdom samples," such as healing and provision, are tastes of the amazing life God intends for us. Jesus came to restore this kingdom, bringing glimpses of it through miracles that serve as "kingdom samples." These miracles remind us of the world we were created for, where perfect health, loving relationships, and God's presence are everyday realities. [37:55]

"And he said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.'" (Mark 9:1, ESV)

Reflection: Can you recall a time when you witnessed or experienced something that felt miraculous? How did it change your perspective on God's kingdom?

Day 3: The Power of Serving Others

In God's upside-down kingdom, servants are the ones who see miracles. Jesus taught and modeled that serving others positions us to experience the miraculous. By serving, we align ourselves with God's kingdom and open our eyes to His amazing work. Whether it's turning water into wine, feeding thousands, or witnessing the resurrection, those who serve are uniquely positioned to witness the miraculous. This principle is not just historical but applicable today. By serving, we align ourselves with God's kingdom and open our eyes to the amazing. [50:30]

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life can you serve today, and how might this act of service open your eyes to God's work around you?

Day 4: Witnessing Miracles Through Service

Acts of service, no matter how small, can position us to witness God's miracles. Whether it's helping in our community or serving in church, these acts allow us to participate in God's kingdom and see His work firsthand. Serving others is an invitation to experience the miraculous. It doesn't require special talents or grand gestures; simple acts of service can position us to see God's work. By serving, we not only follow Jesus' example but also prepare our hearts to experience the fullness of His kingdom. [59:33]

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one small act of service you can commit to this week, and how might it help you witness God's miracles in your life?

Day 5: Preparing Our Hearts for Easter

As we approach Easter, let's focus on the significance of Jesus' resurrection and the eternal life He offers. By serving others, we not only follow Jesus' example but also prepare our hearts to experience the fullness of His kingdom. The call to serve is an invitation to experience the miraculous. As we prepare for Easter, serving others allows us to participate in God's kingdom and witness His miracles. This preparation is not just about following Jesus' example but also about readying our hearts to experience the fullness of His kingdom. [01:06:34]

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13, ESV)

Reflection: As Easter approaches, how can you prepare your heart to fully embrace the significance of Jesus' resurrection through acts of service?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the deep human longing for amazement and how it reflects our innate desire for God's kingdom. This yearning for the extraordinary is not just a cultural phenomenon but a spiritual one, rooted in our creation for a world that is inherently amazing. In Eden, everything was perfect and beautiful, and our current world, marred by sin and death, leaves us homesick for that original state of wonder. This is why we are drawn to beauty, miracles, and stories of transformation—they remind us of our true home and the kingdom of God.

Jesus came to restore this kingdom, bringing glimpses of it through miracles that serve as "kingdom samples." These miracles are not just extraordinary events but reminders of the world we were created for. In God's kingdom, what we now call miracles are the norm. Perfect health, loving relationships, and God's presence are everyday realities there. Our longing for these experiences is a homesickness for the kingdom, and we can taste it here and now through acts of service.

The key to experiencing these kingdom samples is serving others. Jesus modeled this through His life, teaching that in God's upside-down kingdom, servants are the ones who see miracles. Whether it's turning water into wine, feeding thousands, or witnessing the resurrection, those who serve are uniquely positioned to witness the miraculous. This principle is not just historical but applicable today. By serving, we align ourselves with God's kingdom and open our eyes to the amazing.

The call to serve is an invitation to experience the miraculous. It doesn't require special talents or grand gestures; simple acts of service can position us to see God's work. Whether it's in our homes, communities, or church, serving others allows us to participate in God's kingdom and witness His miracles. As we prepare for Easter, let's focus on the significance of Jesus' resurrection and the eternal life He offers. By serving, we not only follow Jesus' example but also prepare our hearts to experience the fullness of His kingdom.

Key Takeaways

1. The Human Longing for Amazement: Our desire to experience the amazing is a reflection of our spiritual homesickness for God's kingdom. This longing is rooted in our creation for a world that is inherently beautiful and perfect, as seen in Eden. Our pursuit of the extraordinary is a search for the divine, reminding us of our true home. [34:31]
2. Kingdom Samples: Miracles are glimpses of God's kingdom, serving as reminders of the world we were created for. In God's kingdom, what we now call miracles are everyday occurrences. These kingdom samples, like healing and provision, are tastes of the amazing life God intends for us. [37:55]
3. The Role of Service: In God's upside-down kingdom, servants are the ones who see miracles. Jesus taught and modeled that serving others positions us to experience the miraculous. By serving, we align ourselves with God's kingdom and open our eyes to His amazing work. [50:30]
4. Experiencing Miracles Today: Acts of service, no matter how small, can position us to witness God's miracles. Whether it's helping in our community or serving in church, these acts allow us to participate in God's kingdom and see His work firsthand. [59:33]
5. Preparing for Easter: As we approach Easter, let's focus on the significance of Jesus' resurrection and the eternal life He offers. By serving others, we not only follow Jesus' example but also prepare our hearts to experience the fullness of His kingdom. [01:06:34]
** [66:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Opening Prayer
[02:00] - The Power of Words
[05:30] - Generational Slang
[10:00] - The Overuse of "Amazing"
[15:00] - Our Craving for the Extraordinary
[20:00] - Created for God's Kingdom
[25:00] - The Loss of Amazing
[30:00] - Miracles as Kingdom Samples
[35:00] - Jesus' Mission to Restore
[40:00] - The Role of Service
[45:00] - Servants See the Miracles
[50:00] - Biblical Examples of Service
[55:00] - Modern-Day Miracles
[60:00] - Invitation to Serve
[65:00] - Preparing for Easter

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**

Matthew 20:25-28
John 13:12-15
Luke 24:1-8

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**Observation Questions:**

In Matthew 20:25-28, what does Jesus say about leadership and servanthood in God's kingdom? How does this contrast with worldly views of leadership?
According to John 13:12-15, what example did Jesus set for His disciples, and what was His purpose in doing so? [50:30]
In Luke 24:1-8, who were the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection, and what were they doing that positioned them to witness this miracle? [59:33]
How does the sermon describe the role of miracles as "kingdom samples"? What do these samples remind us of? [37:55]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

How does the concept of "kingdom samples" help believers understand the nature of miracles in their lives today? What does this suggest about the world we were created for? [37:55]
In what ways does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 20:25-28 challenge the conventional understanding of power and authority? How might this teaching apply to modern-day leadership within the church?
Reflecting on John 13:12-15, why is serving others considered a key to experiencing the miraculous in God's kingdom? How does this align with the sermon’s message about the role of service? [50:30]
Considering the women who first witnessed the resurrection in Luke 24:1-8, what does their experience teach us about the importance of serving in God's kingdom? How does this relate to the idea that "servants see the miracles"? [59:33]

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**Application Questions:**

The sermon suggests that our longing for amazement is a reflection of our homesickness for God's kingdom. Can you identify a moment in your life when you felt this longing? How did you respond to it? [34:31]
Jesus modeled servanthood as a way to experience the miraculous. What are some simple acts of service you can incorporate into your daily life to align yourself with God's kingdom? [50:30]
Reflect on a time when you witnessed or experienced a "kingdom sample" or miracle. How did it impact your faith and understanding of God's kingdom? [37:55]
The sermon emphasizes that serving doesn't require special talents or grand gestures. What are some practical ways you can serve in your home, community, or church this week? [01:02:03]
As we prepare for Easter, how can you focus on the significance of Jesus' resurrection in your life? What steps can you take to prepare your heart to experience the fullness of His kingdom? [01:06:34]
The sermon mentions that servants are uniquely positioned to see miracles. How can you position yourself to witness God's work in your life and the lives of others? [59:33]
Consider the story of Paul and Lauren serving the family from Mongolia. How does their example inspire you to serve others, and what specific actions can you take to follow their example? [01:02:03]

Sermon Clips

And I think it's important for us to see that because I think it points out something really important about what it is to be a human being. And that is that we love. We seek, I think, inside of us. We crave seeing the awesome. Deep down, we want to experience the truly swell. [00:33:22] (25 seconds) Edit Clip

Why do we sense this need to describe but also to just see and just to experience amazing? And I think, I think it's because we were created for God's kingdom. That's the world that we were created for. And that world by default is amazing. [00:34:58] (23 seconds) Edit Clip

But then humans and sin and Satan and death killed a lot of the amazing in our world. And I think, I think that's why now we try so hard to even name it. And why we try so hard to find it and experience it and see it. Because somewhere deep in us as human beings, we miss awesome. [00:35:54] (29 seconds) Edit Clip

In God's kingdom, perfect, healthy bodies and minds are not called miraculously healed. They're called normal, and perfect loving relationships between people and between us and God, that's not amazing. That's just Tuesday. That's every day because in God's kingdom, every moment is what we now call a miracle. [00:37:55] (31 seconds) Edit Clip

We just wanna experience what we were created for, God's kingdom and that's why we like to call those miraculous events, those amazing things, kingdom samples and helping people experience the kingdom is one of the core values of our mission statement at this church. [00:38:36] (22 seconds) Edit Clip

Part of the reason that God's coming kingdom is so amazing is because nobody's hungry there. And nobody's sick there. And nobody's blind there. People are going to be here. Even if you want to go to the other side. I'm not just right here. I'm just so happy. Thank you. [00:41:15] (14 seconds) Edit Clip

So here, this world, we don't get to experience amazing all the time. And when we do, it's a miracle, it's amazing. We get to experience these kingdom samples. And here, those samples of what it's really like every day in God's kingdom are these miracles like healing in your body or in your mind or in your relationships. [00:42:36] (24 seconds) Edit Clip

Servants see the miracles. That's it. Servants see the miracles. John 2 is the story of Jesus' first miracle here on earth. You guys know the story? It's the wedding at Cana. So there's this wedding going on. They're out of wine. It's a big social disaster. [00:51:09] (17 seconds) Edit Clip

They were blessed because they got some great wine or whatever, but for all they knew, it was just a great wedding planner, right? For all they knew, they just had plenty of wine in the first place. They didn't see a miracle. Who saw the miracle? The servants. They were uniquely positioned to see the miracle. [00:52:44] (22 seconds) Edit Clip

So if you would like to have some samples of God's coming kingdom in your life here and now, and if you would like to spend less time in the plain and mundane and more time in the totally tubular, in the far out, in the rad and bussin, if you want to experience amazing, if you want to see more miracles, remember, servants see the miracles. [01:02:39] (36 seconds) Edit Clip

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