The Rule And Reign of Christ

Real life presents the Jack Hibbs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture. Wherever Christ is it is the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is in your heart for those of you who believe in you. Isn't that amazing? Many says the kingdom of God is coming. Wow what is it? Here's the answer. Somebody asked you what's the answer to this kingdom of God question. The answer is the rule and reign of Christ. In your heart, in your family, in your mind, the rule and reign of Christ. You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to Jackhibbs.com slash podcast. Today if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ then make sure you leave us one of those five star ratings. To us that's like saying amen or yes. Then that rating will encourage others to listen. Now open your hearts to what God's word has to say to you. Here is Jackhibbs. Remember now when the day of Pentecost had fully come what does this mean? It means that the feast of Pentecost celebrated as one of the seven great feast or celebrations of the Old Testament given by Moses, given by God to Moses to the children of Israel, Pentecost. So when the day of Pentecost had fully come when the celebration is at its apex at the peak something happened that directly involves you today. They're all in one accord in one place. They're all in one place with one mind unified. These are the people of God and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they're appeared to them divided tongues. This is a bizarre miraculous manifestation. I mean people saw this strange appearance what looked like tongues of fire over their heads and once sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with other tongues. Watch what happens. As the Spirit gave them utterance. In other words as the Holy Spirit directed each of them individually each of these will find out in a moment their Galileans which means their farmers and fishermen. That's all it means. Galileans are from the north and they would be what we would say today they're the country bumpkins. Do you know what that means everybody? Do we even use that term anymore? These are not city folk. They're not refined like us. These are farmers and fishermen up in Galilee. You know we're all the like illiterate people come from. That's who these Galileans are. So how's this happening? Watch what transpires. And so verse five and they were dwelling in Jerusalem. So the spectators are these Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. Why? Because it's the feast of Pentecost. And when this sound occurred the multitude came together and they were confused. Now this work confused doesn't mean that they were confused like you and I think of confused. They were absolutely puzzled and mesmerized as to what in the world is going on. Why? Because it was it was foggy and mysterious. No the exact opposite. They were completely mind blown because what was happening in front of them was so crystal clear. They couldn't believe it. Because here's the reason why were you confused? Because everyone heard them speak in their own language. What? Then they were all amazed and marveled saying to one another. Look are not all these who speak Galileeans, country bumpkins, fishermen and farmers. And how is it that we hear each in our own language in which we were born? Is this awesome? Are you as excited about this? These are just uneducated people who the Holy Spirit came upon and they started speaking. Each one started speaking in a language that is not known to them. But it was known to some of the spectators that were there from whatever country they were from. Can you imagine Holy Spirit come in upon you and you start speaking fluent French? You say, I never studied French. That's the point. The Holy Spirit is announcing to all those who understand French the wonderful works of God. Look what happens. It says, do we not hear them in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes. Elamites. Those dwell in in Mesopotamia, Judea, in Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, all of the ancient known world, Phrygium, Pemphilia, Egypt and the parts of Libya, adjoining Cyrene. Visitors from Rome, both Jews and cross the lights, Creedons and Arabs. What's the deal? Why are you guys all excited? We hear them speaking in our own tongues or languages, the wonderful works of God. Don't you think that the wonderful works of God is that Jesus died in the cross and rose again from the dead? Don't you think the wonderful works of God was the gospel? These people had come from all over the known world to the face of Pentecost and Jerusalem and what do they hear? They hear the gospel in their own language. Wow. So they were all amazed and perplexing to one another. Whatever could this mean? Verse 13, others, mocking said, they're full of new what? They're drunk. But Peter standing up with the 11 raised his voice and said to them, men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and heed my words. And he went on to announce everybody that Christ had come into the world. They were convicted of their sins. They gave their lives to Christ. Their lives were changed. They all went back home and the gospel was spread throughout Asia and into Europe. What an amazing moment that was of the day of Pentecost. And people were changed. They were changed. You have to ask yourself, I have to ask myself, with my level of Christian witness today, am I changing the world? Like they changed the world? What are we doing to change the world? It doesn't fall upon one person. Listen, it falls upon the body. We're all made up of the individual members. Some of us are mouths. Some of us are feet. Some of us are knees. Do you get that? It's not, listen, church should never be a show. That's what's wrong with the church in America. It's become a production. No. And we must get this right. There's too much at stake here. Are we truly believers? Are we truly followers of Jesus? Number one, if it's true, we're going to love our brothers and sisters. And we're going to love our enemies. We're going to love those who hate us. You might know why? Because we're playing for keeps, people. We're playing for keeps. By the way, our friends and our enemies may not be playing for keeps. They may not understand it. But the Satan, the devil that is blind to them, he is playing for keeps. He wants their souls forever because he knows that's how he can inflict pain in the heart of God. We are God's ambassadors to go out and rescue them. You say, wait a minute, the person, I can't stand that person. I'd rather just see them burn up and hell. You can't, you cannot know Jesus and think like that. It's impossible on that person. I just, I don't want them in heaven. Oh, it ruined everything. Let me be the first to tell you because nobody, look, nobody told me you were going to be here today. So I'm not picking on you. I mean, you're telling you right now, you do not know God if that's your attitude toward those who hate you. That is our attitude in our natural man. That's how we naturally think. Supernaturally, the Holy Spirit causes us to think and to love and to be supernaturally. That's why none of us can walk around and say, hi everyone. Yes, it's true. I love like God. Can't help it. No, none of us are going to do that because we're the ones. It's like, what's happening to me? What is happening to me? I never liked that person before. And now I care about their welfare. Now I care about their end. I think it's safe to say that all of us as Christians, we care more about our enemies, eternal soul than they do. And this is why it's important. Luke chapter 6, verse 46, I'm going to give you a long line here, but just watch this. You see that picture on the left? This is shocking. Hear me out. On the left is the Broadway. Notice the sign. It says, I believe in God. Notice the sign on the right, the narrow way. I obey God. It is probably safe to say that no matter who you might stop in the street or at the beach or at the fair or on the mountain that you might ask them, hey, do you believe in God? What do you think their answer is going to be? 90 plus percent of the people are going to tell you according to statistics. Yes, I believe in God. And we walk away thinking all as well. And we know nothing about what they believe. God who? Which one? The Bible says in the book of James, Satan believes in Christ and so do the demons and they tremble. But Satan and the demons are going to hell. The answer is I obey God. Do all of us obey God perfectly? Of course not. That's why we have grace. Jesus said it this way, but why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to me, by the way, you have to come to him to get to heaven. You got to come to him. And here's my sayings and does them. I will show him, show you whom he is like. He is like a man built in a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house and could not shake it for it was founded on the rock. Isn't this who you want to be? It's who I want to be. But he who heard and did not or did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation against which the stream beat vehemently and immediately it fell in the ruin of that house was great. It's a profound morning. No doubt about it. Question is what are you building on? Well, how do I know? Is God prompting your heart to love your brothers and sisters? To give yourself to him to live like him where he can use you. Next slide here. This is Matthew's account. Enter by the narrow gate for why does the gate Jesus said, broad is the way Jesus said that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it. Wow. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it. Verse 15, Beware false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly they're ravenous wolves. They'll eat you up. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from fissiles? The answer is no. Even so every good tree bear is good fruit but a bad tree bears bad fruits. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Verse 19, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. So how do people know us? How do people know me? Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my father in heaven. Many will say, oh my goodness church listen, will this be me? Will this be you? Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in your name? Cast out demons in your name. Done many wonders in your name. Verse 23 and then Jesus said, I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. This is the Bible and not only the Bible. Those letters are in red. It's Jesus speaking. Serious stuff. There's a high probability that you haven't heard such verses in a long time if ever in a church setting because this causes reality to hit you right in the nose. Am I in hot pursuit of God? If I am, God wants to love other people through my life and that means I'm to give up me. I'm to surrender myself to him and say to him, Lord do what you want with me but this one thing I know I want to be on the straight and narrow and if I'm not pick me up and put me on it because I don't want to live my life and come to the end of it all and I'm lost. Notice they called him Lord Lord but never did the things he said, do you believe in God or do you have a heart to obey God? Only you know the answer to that. Only I know the answer to that. In public and in private is my heart hot and wanting to please God and with the few moments remaining verses 16 to 18 we see that we're in hot pursuit of the kingdom of God. Hallelujah for this. Folks listen, this is where we're going. Now let me explain. Jesus said the kingdom of God is among you. What was that all about? When Jesus was on earth he brought the kingdom of God around him. That's why the dead was raised up from the dead. That's why the lepers were cleansed. That's why those that were blind and couldn't speak or hear were healed. The kingdom of God was present in Christ. How about this? Wherever Christ is it is the kingdom of God. And then he says the kingdom of God is in your heart for those of you who believe in you. Isn't that amazing? And then he says the kingdom of God is coming. Wow what is it? Here's the answer if somebody asks you what's the answer to this kingdom of God question? The answer is the rule and reign of Christ. Are you guys awake? The rule and reign of Christ in your heart, in your family, in your mind, your home. Is he the one we're following? Now I'm going to say something that's going to upset people. How do I know? I'm not a prophet. I just did it last service and I know how it goes. You do know that the kingdom of God is not lined with American flags. You do know that God is not in heaven and there's the throne with the angels and there's the Constitution of the United States behind the throne of God. I mean I'm not making fun of our Constitution. It's the greatest document that man has ever crafted on earth. There's no doubt about it. I got to tell you this. God's not a Republican and he's absolutely not a Democrat. God, listen, God is a monarchist. Did you know that? He's king and heaven, the kingdom of God, yeah, the kingdom of God is never going to come in any political party and I said this year's ago and it kind of got well known and it is this. The Messiah is not coming. He's not going to arrive on Air Force One. We need to remember that folks. Look, am I grateful for the incredible stuff that's going on in our country right now? Yes, I am, but we need a spiritual awakening. And no politician, no human is going to pull that off. It's got to be the work of God and the kingdom of God. You and I are ambassadors. The Bible says of his kingdom. You and I walk, live, move everything about us is the politic of heaven. And America is not going to bring in the kingdom of God. Should we do the right thing? Of course. Should we be good citizens? Should we love yes, all that, but don't think that the kingdom is going to come by some political power. That is wrong thinking. It says in verse 16, therefore, do not let your good be spoken of as evil for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. I love it. Watch, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, for he who serves Christ in these things is accepted to God and approved by men very quickly. I'll wrap it up this way with the few moments we have left. It is this that don't let your good be spoken evil of it means this. Whatever you do, good. What is what is that saying? No good deed ever goes unpunished. In this world, when you do the right thing, it's going to be rejected and hated by people. That's okay. Don't let that stop you from continuing on doing the good thing. Just because people criticize you and they try and they'll label you and make fun of you and say all kinds of evil against you doesn't mean that you're supposed to stop doing the right thing. In fact, if anything, I should encourage you to keep doing the right thing. Right? You can know a lot about somebody if you know who their enemies are. So don't let that critel or happy withhold doing good. Don't allow your good to be spoken evil of it. It doesn't mean you punch somebody in those who disapproves. No, it means you keep doing the good thing. Look, you can contact your senator and do a good thing by protecting children's lives. If you don't want to do that, that's on you. I blew the trumpet warning you. I invited you. We gave it. You gave you a QR code for credit. I love it. But God, I didn't see the QR code. It was right in your face on the screen. Do you care enough? Do you care enough to love the things that God loves and God loves the innocence of children? And he wants them protected. This is an opportunity for you to do church in the sense of righteousness is simply doing the right thing. Righteousness. This Jack Hibbs podcast as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities are listener supported. 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