Kingdom People, Week 1

Message Notes

INTRO: Who we are and why we exist. Introduce myself + family (picture). Three
questions. Identity? Belonging? Purpose?

Middle school and high school me. Head on a swivel. Rules in school and out of school.
Who? Fighter. Where? Nowhere. What? I chase girls and get into fights ... Wasn’t until I
was 19-years-old that those answers changed ... Becoming a Christian.

Series: Kingdom People. 8 weeks learning how to follow Jesus faithfully in our crazy
and complicated world. Best place to discover identity, belonging, purpose.

TRUTH: Matthew 4 - Context: Baptism - Temptation - Withdrawal to Galilee -

Announcement - Calling - Demonstration - Teaching

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has
come near.” Matthew 4:17 NIV

Repent - Change your life and turn to God.

Kingdom of heaven - realm where God rules. People + King.
Come Near - not us going there, but heaven coming here. (Righteous + Justice -
foundation of throne. love and faithfulness - go before)

Kingdom of heaven vs. Kingdoms of the world (Contrast these two)

A better kingdom. A better King. And a radically different way to live as human beings.
Centered around what’s good and true and loving and just.

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called
Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were
fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for
people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he
saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a
boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and
immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22
NIV

1. We are a people led by Jesus.

“Those who aren’t following Jesus aren’t his followers. It’s that simple. Followers follow,
and those who don’t follow aren’t followers. To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus into a
society where justice rules, where love shapes everything. To follow Jesus means to
take up his dream and work for it.” —Scot McKnight

Follow the Leader Illustration. Who are you following? Where is that taking you?

2. We are a people shaped by grace. (unearned favor of God)

“The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become. That’s
what you will take into eternity.” —Dallas Willard

Discipleship is the process of becoming like Jesus for the sake of others.

Jesus calls fishermen. Not the best and brightest. Went to a Wal-Mart parking lot, not a
Harvard graduation. Imagine what Jesus could do with you.

The presence of unfiltered grace always changes us. Mandy story.

3. We are a people moved by love. (not affirming feelings)

“Only love gets close enough to know.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good
news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with
various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having
seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Matthew 4:23-24 NIV

It’s really easy to preach the truth from a distance. It’s much harder to practice love up
close. Because it’s messy. Jesus was never afraid to get His hands dirty. He got close
enough to know.

CONCLUSION: Kevin’s life was a mess ... (picture) Someone got close enough to know
... led by Jesus. Shaped by grace. Moved by love. Someone did that for Kevin. Now
Kevin does that for others.

Call Kevin on stage to pray. Transition into “Come As You Are.”