Kingdom Values

Thank you again, Mr. Jackson. Well, rather than while at the feast, we all heard some wonderful messages about various aspects of the kingdom of God. I know the feast was very inspiring for all of us who were able to attend. I'd like to extend the feast a little bit today. I'm actually going to give the sermon that I gave at the feast in Anchorage, Alaska, since none of you were there. I think it will be helpful for you.

None of you were there in Alaska. In fact, none of the members went to Alaska. My wife and I were the only ones who went to Alaska from Oklahoma and this congregation. Anyway, that allows me to give this message. Now, brethren, we have so much to rejoice in and to look forward to in God's kingdom. God's kingdom really is like hidden treasure. It is like the Pearl of Great Price that's talked about in the Bible. In fact, let's go to the Bible. Let's look at Matthew 13. Let's consider what it says about the Pearl of Great Price. Let's consider God's kingdom and how it is indeed a Pearl of Great Price.

It's hidden treasure. Matthew 13, verse 44. The fact of the matter is, many people do not understand that God wants us to observe these holy days. They are hidden treasure and they do point us to God's kingdom. Notice verse 44 of Matthew 13. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like hidden treasure in a field, or treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid. And for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and he buys that field.

And then in verse 45, again, the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God, is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who when he found just one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and he bought it. He bought that pearl. Brethren, we must be willing to give up everything that is contrary to God's kingdom. We must be willing to sell it all, so to speak, and give it all up for God's kingdom.

We must learn to value what God values. We must learn to give up the carnal values, that is, the fleshly, temporary values of this world, and we must embrace a different set of values. When we learn to value what God values, we will focus on developing those values in our lives. There are certain kingdom values that characterize God's eternal kingdom. These values will last for all eternity. They are not temporary. They are not fleshly. But they are values that we can learn today. And, frankly, we must learn them today, if we're going to live forever in God's kingdom.

These values will last for all eternity. In order to obtain this pearl of great price, this hidden treasure, this wonderful kingdom of God, the kingdom values must become a part of who we are now. So what are these kingdom values that last forever? And what can we be doing right now to instill those kingdom values in our lives?

Now, frankly, there are many kingdom values. There are too many to cover in one sermon. But I would like to focus on seven kingdom values today. I'd like to share those values with you because these are vital values that we all need to be focusing upon in our own lives. These are values that we need to be developing not only in ourselves, but also in our children. So let's begin with kingdom value number one, and that is righteousness and obedience.

Righteousness and obedience. They go hand in hand together. Righteousness and obedience. So I made them the first value. Only those who learn righteousness and learn to be obedient to God's will will be in God's kingdom. God's kingdom will be a kingdom of true righteousness and obedience. So again, kingdom value number one is righteousness and obedience. Let's go to Daniel chapter seven.

Daniel chapter seven, where the prophet Daniel is actually giving a prophecy here in Daniel chapter seven. Daniel is a fascinating book. It's one of my favorites. And in Daniel chapter seven, he talks about God's kingdom to come. In chapter seven, he speaks of a beast power. Verse 23, he speaks of a beast that shall or a number of actually in this vision that Daniel is interpreting. He speaks of a fourth beast that will rise upon the earth. And there will be 10 horns, as it says in verse 24, which will be 10 kings or the 10 horns that were in the vision represent 10 kings that will come together in this in these last days.

And they will give their power over to the beast. Notice in verse 25, it talks about how this power shall intend to change times and laws. It says, the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. Speaking of the great tribulation, notice verse 27 says, after this time, then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.

Christ is going to return and God's kingdom will be given over to the saints of the Most High who will rule and reign with Jesus Christ. Christ is King of kings. He is Lord of lords and we shall rule with him. Those who are among the firstfruits will rule and reign with Christ. And his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And notice the next part, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

In God's kingdom, all people will come to obey God. They will learn obedience, all dominions, all nations. Remember what it says about those nations who refuse to come up and keep the Feast of Tabernacles? In Zacharias it says God will withdraw the reign from them. God will teach them obedience and they will realize that there are consequences for disobedience. So God's kingdom will be a kingdom of righteousness and obedience. In Hebrews chapter 1, it speaks of a scepter of righteousness, which is God's kingdom. It's speaking of rulership in God's kingdom. Of course, God is perfect. God is righteous. We are to follow his example in Hebrews chapter 1, verse 8. But to the Son, he says, God the Father is saying this to his Son, your throne, so God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness.

In the margin it talks of rulership. Scepter is speaking of rulership. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and you have hated lawlessness. We also must learn to love righteousness and hate lawlessness. Lawlessness is sin. It's the transgression of God's holy and perfect law.

Therefore, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions. Christ is preeminent. Christ is above all. The Father has given him power to rule the nations. So kingdom value number one, again, is that of righteousness and rulership. Now, we're all familiar with the beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5. In verse 10, it speaks of one of these beatitudes, the kind of approach and attitude that we all need to have toward God and his kingdom.

He says, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. In other words, when we are righteous and when we live a godly life, persecution will come. But remember, we are blessed when we suffer persecution for righteousness' sake. It says, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. God's kingdom is for those who practice righteousness and are willing to be persecuted. In other words, we will need to have the courage to stand up to our convictions, and we must be willing to be persecuted if it comes to that and it will come to that, as the Scripture tells us.

Now, in Matthew chapter 13, back to the chapter where it speaks of the Pearl of Great Price, there's also a parable of the terrors in Matthew chapter 13. Notice in verse 43 it talks about the righteous will shine forth as the Son in the kingdom of their Father. Again, if we're going to be in God's kingdom, then we must learn righteousness and obedience. So, brethren, what can we be doing now to develop righteousness and obedience in our lives? Well, frankly, we need to surrender fully to God, and we need to just give ourselves up to Him and obey Him.

Just say no when you're being tempted. When Satan is the great tempter, he will tempt you to sin, but you have the power to say no. God will give you the strength that you need if you'll rely on Him and look to Christ for Christ living in you. So, surrender to God fully and simply say no to sin and learn to obey God.

Keep His commandments. That's right, all of them. Not just nine of them. I had an interesting conversation with a man actually from Siloam Springs. He works at, I guess, John Brown University in Siloam Springs. He works in the registrar's office. We had a short flight, but it was the fastest flight I've ever been on. It went very quickly because he asked me what I did.

So, I said, I'm a minister, and one thing led to the next, and he asked me a number of questions.

I do like to share if people ask, they need to be prepared.

So, he probably heard a lot more than he wanted to hear.

But I did point him to our website. We did talk about the law, by the way. We talked about the Sabbath and the Holy Days. He invited me to come by. So, one of these days when I have an opportunity, and I'm going through Siloam Springs, I know his name. I won't give you his name, but I know who he is, and I know how to find him. So, I think I will stop by and see him and see if he's gone to our website. But we do need to keep God's commandments, and we do need to learn not to compromise with God's truth. So, kingdom value number one is righteousness and obedience.

Kingdom value number one, and by the way, I'm cheating a little bit because I'm actually combining a number of values in some of these, but they're closely related. So, that way we get more out of the sermon, right? Okay, the second kingdom value is actually faith, peace, and joy, combined together. Faith, peace, and joy, because they do go very well together. If we really have faith in God and we trust in Him, we're going to be very joyful and we're also going to have peace.

But these are all kingdom values. In Isaiah chapter 9 verse 7, let's go to Isaiah 9 verse 7, and undoubtedly someone at the feast, maybe a number of people, turned to this scripture during the feast. At least, it's quite likely they did. I know in Alaska, I did, and one or two others did. Isaiah chapter 9 verse 7, let's read verse 6 along with it.

For unto us a child is born. Now, remember, unto us a child is born. So, Christ really did come for your sake, for my sake. Christ was born to live a perfect life, to set an example for us, and then to lay His life down for us. He is our Savior. So, for unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of His government and peace. Now, one of the values is peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Now, God is zealous, and God is all-powerful, so we know that this will happen.

God's kingdom will be established. It will be a kingdom of peace. And again, one of Christ's name names is Prince of Peace. Peace is a value that we all need to cherish today. We need to strive to have peace in our relationships with one another, beginning in our marriages. Now, we really need to strive to set an example of a peaceful marriage, one that our children can look to and say, you know, mom and dad really love each other. They get along well. It's not just constant turmoil, but they really are setting an example of peace. We need to be peacemakers.

We need to seek peace and pursue it now, today.

Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end. You know, God's peace, God's government will continue forever. Now, in Romans chapter 14, it uses the values peace and joy together here in regard to God's kingdom. So, let's go to Romans chapter 14, verse 17, and see what Paul says here about the kingdom of God. Romans chapter 14, verse 17. Romans 14, verse 17, For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Some people were tending to put a little too much emphasis on eating and drinking, which is a very human thing to do. We have to eat and drink, but there are spiritual values that are far more important. So, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but it is righteousness, which is value number one, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

God's Spirit is to live in us, to guide us, and to direct us, and in doing so, we will learn righteousness, and we will learn peace and joy. Notice the next verse here.

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace, and the things by which one may edify another. So, peace and joy are values that we need to be developing in our lives.

We need to learn how to treat people with love and treat them with respect, and also we should be careful not to take away another's joy by becoming overly picky in our approach. Sometimes people think their way is the only way to do something. Now, that may not be the case, so be careful not to steal someone's joy by raining on their parade as long as they're not doing anything that's wrong, that's ungodly.

Then back off a little bit, give them some room. There is a time to live and to let live.

In Matthew 13, 44, where we went to the parable of the hidden treasure, it mentions the joy that he had over this priceless treasure. There is great joy in understanding the truth about God's kingdom. If we have true joy and appreciation for God's kingdom, it will see us through any trial that will come along in our lives. So, let's keep our mind focused throughout the year on God's kingdom and our inheritance in God's kingdom. If we do that, it will see us through every trial. Now, let me ask you all a question. How strong is your faith in your faith? Now, have you ever thought about it this way? How strong is your faith in your faith? You know, there's a faith that was once delivered unto the saints. It's God's truth. God has revealed his truth to us. So, how strong is your faith in your faith?

A few years ago, back in 2007, Ian Leach wrote a book. It's entitled, Life Before Death, a Restored, Regenerated, and Renewed Life. I'd like to share just a couple of paragraphs from this book because it brings out the point that I want us to consider now. He says, a businessman asked me if I would speak to his staff. Now, this man was a minister, not a minister in our church, but a minister. Undoubtedly, he is blinded to a number of very important truths, but undoubtedly also has some insight. So, I wanted to share this with you. He said, a businessman asked me if I would speak to his staff, and I readily accepted. One of his staff asked me if he could talk privately. She said, Ian, when I was 22 years old, I was in a serious car accident, and my boyfriend was killed. I've gone through a lot of surgery myself, and I'm now doing well, but when that happened, I lost my faith. When her boyfriend died and when she was seriously injured, she says, I lost my faith. Leech says, what do you say to someone like that? Well, I prayed and I said as kindly as I could, you know, when they built the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth and the QE2, the Queen Elizabeth II, they did not test them in dry dock. They didn't leave them in dry dock and get big hoses on them to see if they would leak.

They got those ships out in the open ocean to put them through sea trials. These trials were not intended to sink the ship. These trials were to prove that the ship was seaworthy. The only way you know whether your faith is real or not is when the pressures of life come when you go through trials. That's when you know whether or not your faith is real.

Then you know if you are seaworthy or not. Can I ask you honestly, did you lose your faith or did you find that you had none? She said, Ian, I guess you're right. I had none.

What about you? How strong is your faith in your faith? Are you willing to stand up for God's truth? Are you willing to die for God's truth? How strong is your faith in your faith?

In the 40 years I've been in God's church, I've seen many people walk away from this way of life. They're no longer living it. Evidently, they did not have real faith in their faith and what God was revealing to them. They walked away from it. I would encourage all of us to consider our faith, to draw closer to God, and to really prove what it is you believe. Prove what it is you believe. If you haven't studied into the Bible in all these various doctrinal beliefs that the United Church of God holds, you should do that. You should study them. You should be sure that this is what you believe. Back in 1994 and 95, we were tested in that regard, weren't we? Those of us who were around were tested in that, and we had to live up to the test. Many people, frankly, didn't. They're no longer with us. So, again, kingdom value number two is faith, peace, and joy.

Faith, peace, and joy. These are all values that will last forever.

Real faith in God and in His kingdom, that's going to last forever. Real peace. Christ is the Prince of Peace. That's going to last forever. And joy. That's a fruit of God's Holy Spirit.

In fact, all three of these are fruits of God's Holy Spirit. Faith, peace, and joy.

So, strengthen your faith in your faith by proving all things. Hold fast to that which is good.

Be a peacemaker. Don't stir up strife. Unless, of course, you have to because it's important to stand up for God's truth and God's way. Sometimes persecution and strife will come, but make sure it comes for the right reasons. And, brethren, always be thankful and full of joy that you are called to be one of the firstfruits of God's glorious kingdom.

You know, that is a wonderful high calling. And, frankly, very few people are being called chosen and faithful these days. Being called is not enough. You know, we have to be chosen because we respond to our calling, and then we have to remain faithful. We have to endure to the end.

So, again, kingdom value number two is faith, peace, and joy.

Ask yourself, are you faithful? Are you peaceful? And are you joyful?

The third value that we'll talk about, a kingdom value, is actually a bit long, so bear with me.

It's justice and judgment, balanced with forgiveness and compassion. Let me say it again. It's justice and judgment, balanced with forgiveness and compassion. These are kingdom values.

God is a God of justice. God is a God of judgment. He judges righteously.

He wants justice. He is just, and He wants us to become just.

But it is all balanced with forgiveness because God knows our weakness. You know, Christ came in the flesh, and He lived among us, and He suffered as one who was in the flesh, so He knows what we go through. Christ suffered pain. He suffered emotional turmoil.

He was crucified. He had to stare that in the face.

So, justice and judgment, balanced with forgiveness and compassion. Back to Isaiah 9, verse 7. We already read it. I'll just read a part of it. He says, "...to order and to establish His kingdom with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever." So, God's kingdom is a kingdom of judgment and a kingdom of justice. In fact, when is your time of judgment as one of God's called out at this time? What does the Bible say? It says, judgment has begun at the house of God. This is our time of judgment. It's not the world's time of judgment. Now, they are judged to a point, and God, frankly, will pour out His wrath upon a sinning people in judgment. But now is our day of salvation. It isn't the time of salvation for all people. In fact, I gave a sermon last Sabbath about that topic about, once saved, always saved. You know, people have this idea that you're once saved, always saved, and many people think they're saved, but they don't really know what salvation is. And they're, frankly, not saved at this point, but now is our day of salvation. God is calling us today. Judgment has begun, and we are being judged.

In 2 Timothy 4, verse 1, it says, God will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom. When Christ returns, He's going to judge the living and the dead, those who have died in Christ, those who are alive in Christ. That will end our judgment period, won't it? That's the time, if we've been faithful, if we have God's Spirit dwelling in us, we will be changed. If we're alive, we will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. Those who have died in Christ will actually rise first, and will all rise to meet Christ in the air. So, God is judging us now. He will pass judgment at His return. And then we know after the millennium there will be a great white throne judgment period, when people who have not known God and have not known Christ. In fact, we got into that subject also on the airplane. So, we covered a lot of ground. I'm sure I didn't convince Him of everything, but at least I exposed Him to certain things for Him to think about.

But it is wonderful to know the truth that all the people who have lived and died for thousands of years are not, well, they're not writhing in hell right now, tormented in hell.

That's a wonderful truth. Frankly, the truth does set us free. We don't have to be concerned about our great-great-grandfather, who never accepted Christ as a Savior, and wonder if he's burning in hell, or our grandfather, or our father, or members of our family. So, again, God is going to judge the world, but He's going to judge us first. So, now is our day of salvation.

Let's go to Matthew chapter 18, and let's bring in this balancing factor here of forgiveness.

God is judging us, but He's also very forgiving. You know, we all fall short of God's glory, do we not? None of us are perfect in this life. We're still in the flesh. We're subject to the flesh, as Paul says in Romans chapters 6, 7, and 8. And we know that we do fall short. We are still sinners.

We still need forgiveness, don't we? We all need forgiveness. So, in Matthew chapter 18, beginning here in verse 21, Matthew chapter 18, then Peter came to Christ, he came to Him, and he said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me? And I forgive him. Up to seven times? I'm sure Peter thought that was quite sufficient.

Seven times is more than enough. Jesus said to him, I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Now, that's 490 times if I have my math correct, but does it mean on the 491st time we no longer have to forgive?

Now, that's not the principle that God wants us to understand. He wants us to know that we must always be willing to forgive if someone is truly seeking repentance. Now, we might think surely by 490 times, you know, He would stop whatever He's doing. Notice verse 23, Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. Now, people, that's a lot of money. That's a lot of money today. That was an awful lot of money back in those days. He owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold with his wife and children and all that he had, and that the payment be made. The servant, therefore, fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with me and I will pay you all.

Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion. He released him and he forgave him the debt. Now, of course, we know that this master is symbolic of God the Father.

He forgave him the debt, but that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. Now, that's a little bit of money. That's not a whole lot of money. That's a few cents in comparison to the talents, the many talents that were owed previously, the ten thousand talents, a few hundred denarii. And he laid hands on him. This is this servant who had been forgiven, grabs him by the throat, lays hands on him, took him by the throat and said, Pay me what you owe! He wanted to get the uttermost farthing out of this poor man.

So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, just as this other man had done, he begged him, saying, Have patience with me and I will pay you all. And he would not, but he went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servant saw what had been done, they were grieved, because what did they see?

They saw a lot of hypocrisy, didn't they? They saw a man who was hypocritical. He was very grateful to be forgiven himself, but he was not willing to forgive others. So they came and told their master all that he had done. And his master, after he had called him, said to him, You wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you beg me to.

Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you, should you not have forgiven him? And his master was angry, and he delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father also will do to you, to each of you, from his heart, I'm sorry, he will do to you if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother, his trespasses. So have you learned to be forgiving?

Are you a forgiving servant? Do you forgive others? Or are you a little bit like this servant here who was hypocritical, was grateful to be forgiven his sins, but was not willing to forgive others? This is a very powerful lesson, brethren, that we all need to learn, because God's kingdom is going to be a kingdom of justice and judgment, but it will be balanced with forgiveness and compassion. And the fact of the matter is, all of us who enter God's kingdom will have to be forgiven, won't we? Every last one of us.

We're all going to have to be forgiven our sins, and we're going to have to be willing to forgive others, because the scripture is clear that we will be forgiven how? In the same manner as we forgive others. So it is very important to learn this lesson, and I think God's been teaching me a little bit about this lesson through the cats that we have. Now, I don't know if I've talked to you about our cats much. Okay, let me share a story with you about... I'm kind of a cat lover. I've always had cats. I know some people hate cats. I'm not one of them. I kind of like cats, even though they don't really listen well, and you know, they've got their problems.

Well, I had three male cats, and I was really pretty happy about that, because when you have male cats, you shouldn't have any babies, right? If all you have is male cats. But the problem is my neighbor had like 20 cats, and one of them decided to make our home his home or her home, I should say, so she came over. And she brought with her another... she brought with her two kittens at the time, and one was a female. And I did all that I could do to run her off.

You mean, because she was the nastiest meanest cat I've ever seen in my life.

I mean, she was so mean that she actually ran off one of my favorite male cats.

He just... I saw him out in the field one day. He was too afraid to come close. And he just took off and went another direction. So she was really nasty to all of the male cats I had. And she was... she didn't want them to eat any food until she had all of her food. She was just really nasty, but she was kind of... she was nice enough to me. But I didn't like the way she treated the other cats. So I decided I was going to run her off. I didn't want her around. I was going to have all these kittens. So I tried stoning her. Not... I didn't want to hurt her, but I did toss some stones in her direction. I did toss some stones in her direction trying to discourage her from sticking around. That didn't work. She kept coming anyway. And then I decided I would try to starve her. So I would bring my cats in the house and feed them. My cats are not indoors cats, but I have a game room upstairs. So I brought them in. I'd feed them, and she was on the outside.

That didn't seem to matter either. She still wouldn't leave.

And she was still... she had been mean and nasty. But you know, after I starved her...

you know, I was ready to... basically before this, I was ready to cast her in the lake of fire.

I mean, I had gotten to the point I had pretty much judged her as incorrigible.

I mean, desperately wicked. She's not going to change. So I was basically ready to cast her into the lake of fire figuratively. But after trying the starving action, she was a different cat. I don't know if she woke up and she repented of her bad behavior or what, but she was actually starting to be nicer to the cats. She would let them eat. And by this time...

by this time again, she was already pregnant. She was pregnant again. Fat, pregnant. She brought kittens with her. Now she was pregnant again. And right before the feast, I knew she had her kittens, but I never saw them. They were hidden for like four or five weeks. And then right before the feast, I'm walking out looking on the back porch and here's five little kittens just playing in the backyard. So now we have... we've gone from three cats to... actually, I think my big cat ran off his brother. He didn't like the competition, so he disappeared. So I've got a couple of male cats. No, I've got just the one male cat. I'm not sure what the kittens are because they're wild.

And I don't know if I've got boys or girls. But anyway, it is kind of nice to watch the family out there. And she repented. She's getting along okay now. So it's a big happy cat family.

So I guess the point I learned from that is you can't write people off because you can't even write cats off. You know, sometimes cats will change. Sometimes people will change. So we have to be careful that we don't write them off. Really, I didn't think she would ever change and that I didn't think she'd ever fit in well at our home. But now she's actually pretty nice and she tries to come in the house every chance she gets, which I don't like that. But anyway, this third point was justice and judgment, balance with forgiveness and compassion.

We need to learn to treat others fairly and equitably. We need to be just in all of our dealings with one another. And we also need to remember that we will be forgiven in the same manner that we forgive others. So don't give up on each other. You know, this is a small congregation and frankly, I hope this congregation will continue to grow. You know, we've seen some growth here lately, some new people that are attending, and that's very encouraging. And what's really encouraging is when you see that continue to happen over a number of years.

Because I hope one day we'll fill this room and we'll have to go somewhere else, because we just won't have enough room. That's a good problem to have. So let's pray for one another and let's learn to really love each other and realize that we are a part of God's family. This is God's family here in northwestern Arkansas, and we need to be a very vital, vibrant family. Not a dysfunctional family, but a vital, vibrant family of God. So point number three is justice and judgment, balance with forgiveness and compassion. Number four, kingdom value number four is that of humble selfless service. Humble selfless service. That is a value that's going to last forever. It's a value that we can all learn today, because God's kingdom will be a kingdom based on humble selfless service. It will be at the foundation of God's kingdom.

In Hebrews 12, verse 28, it speaks about a kingdom that cannot be shaken, a kingdom that cannot be moved. Notice that the people in God's kingdom will learn to serve God.

They will be selfless in their service toward God and toward His people.

Hebrews 12, verse 28. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, God's kingdom is a kingdom that will never be destroyed. It's a kingdom that will last forever. It will never be shaken. Therefore, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. We need to fear God in the right way. We need to have respect for God. We need to honor Him and reverence Him. We need to see Him as He is. He is our Creator. He's the Lawgiver. As it says here, by which we may serve God acceptably. God wants us to serve Him acceptably, not the way you want to serve Him necessarily, but the way He wants to be served. God will grant us humility if we will seek Him and we will learn to revere Him and to fear Him properly. In Matthew chapter 20, Christ was teaching His disciples a lesson about humility and about service. Let's go to Matthew chapter 20.

Here we'll see human nature, whereas one of the disciples, or two of the disciples, and their mother, I suppose the mother was directing this in some ways, but the boys were going along with her. Matthew chapter 20. Let's notice this. Matthew chapter 20 verse 21.

Well, in verse 20 it speaks of the mother of Zebedee's sons. They came to Him with... they came to Christ. She came to Christ with her sons and she knelt down and asked something from Him. And He said to her, What do you wish? She said to Him, Grant that these two sons of Mine may sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? Now, Christ knew that He was going to have to lay His life down. He knew He was knew He was going to be crucified. He knew He was going to be persecuted.

They said to Him, We are able. Now, they had no idea what was going to happen.

So that was a, you know, it was a presumptuous answer, really.

So He said to them, You will indeed drink My cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. But to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give. But it is for those to whom it is prepared by My Father. So when the Ten heard it, what kind of reaction did they have?

Well, they wish they had gotten to Him first and asked to be on the right. Actually, they were displeased with the two brothers, and Jesus called them all together. And you see here, Christ is a peacemaker because strife was developing within this small family of disciples. So Christ called them to Himself, and He said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. You know, Christ set the perfect example of humility.

Here He is, the Son of God, and He allows Himself to be taken and to be crucified.

He was all-powerful. He could have stopped that in a second. And yet Christ was humble.

He was at one with the Father. He was willing to do His Father's will.

Humanly, He was not all excited about dying and going through the pain and the agony of crucifixion.

But He was also God, and He was willing. Not my will, but your will be done, Father. He was willing to do His Father's will. He learned obedience. He learned righteousness.

So the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.

So this is a kingdom value, this humble service, humble, selfless service.

Humidly, it's very easy to be selfish, isn't it? Is there anyone here that's conquered selfishness completely?

I don't think so.

So again, let's strive to be humble, to be selfless, and to learn to serve God as He desires to be served.

Now, I don't think we'll take much time going to Matthew 25, but this is a very powerful chapter. It talks about the parable of the talents, how God gave one servant five talents, He gave another servant two talents, He gave another another servant one talent, and to those that went out and produced five, you know, He gave one produced five more, the one who had five produced five more, the one who had two produced two more, and basically to them He says, He said to them, well done, good and faithful servant. Because they were faithful, they grew what God had given them. They used what God had given them to produce more. Whereas the one who had only been given one talent basically hid it, because he feared God in a wrong way. He was afraid of God in a wrong sense. And so he basically hid from God and he hid the talents, and he did not do anything with it. To him, he basically said, I will cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. God wants us to use what He's given us. He wants us to produce the fruits of His Spirit. God grants us His Holy Spirit. We are to stir up the Spirit of God. We are to produce the fruit of God's Spirit. So if we want to be good and faithful servants, then again we need to stir up God's Spirit within us.

Let's go to Matthew 25. I will look at this last part here. We're all quite familiar with these verses. Matthew chapter 25. Let's begin reading verse 24. Matthew 25, I'm sorry, verse 34. Matthew 25 verse 34. Then the king will say to those on his right hand, Notice their attitude and their approach. They're not trying to take credit for something they didn't do. They didn't think they did this, so they weren't seeking to get credit for it. Verse 38. When did we see you a stranger or take you in or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you? And the king will answer and say to them, Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.

So when we serve one another, we are serving Christ. When we come to one another's aid, when we help each other, when we are thoughtful and when we take initiative to help someone, then we are serving as Christ serves. We are humbling ourselves and we are learning to become like Christ.

You know, in God's kingdom, there isn't going to be a need for tight control. Some people let power go to their heads. If they've been given some authority, then they like to exercise that authority over others. But the fact of the matter is there will be no need for tight control in God's kingdom when we're all spirit and we have God's mind and we have God's heart. We're all going to be service-minded. Service and not a controlling spirit is at the foundation of the kingdom of God. You know, God is not one who controls us, is he? God gives us free moral agency. He allows us to make decisions. He allows us to pay the price also for the decisions that we make. If we obey God, then there are blessings. If we disobey Him, there will be curses that will come along just by virtue. We do reap what we sow. That is a law that's in effect. We do reap what we sow. Now, God is often merciful and we don't reap what we deserve. Frankly, none of us reap what we deserve. The wages of sin is death. God allows us to live. He's giving us all life. So God is very merciful. He's very gracious to us.

We need to realize that service is at the foundation of God's kingdom. God is a servant. Christ is a servant. Even though they have all authority and all power, they serve us. For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son. And Christ loved us enough to die for us. You know, greater love has no man than this, than to lay down His life for His friends. God calls us. Christ calls us friends. So this is an important principle, learning to serve selflessly.

Everyone's going to have self-control, by the way, in God's kingdom, too. That's another fruit of God's Spirit. We'll all learn to control ourselves, or we won't be in God's kingdom. So rather, look for ways to serve others without being seen, without being noticed, without trying to take the credit for it. But sometimes, the only way to help someone is to become known. And if that's the case, then do it anyway.

The main thing is that you're able to serve and help another person. Don't worry about what other people think so much. If you see a need, then fill it without being asked to do so.

Kingdom value number four is that of humility and selfless service.

Now, God's kingdom will be a kingdom that will always be spiritually expanding and growing. So kingdom value number five is spiritual growth.

We've already talked about that some already, that God wants us to grow. He wants us to overcome.

We spoke about the parable...

Well, actually, we did not speak about the parable of the sower.

But the parable of the sower shows that some seed is going to grow and yield abundantly year after year. And that's the way we are to be like that. We are to be fertile, abundant. We are to produce good fruit abundantly every year.

Now, let's go to Matthew 13 and look at the parable of the mustard seed. Matthew chapter 13.

Excuse me, a mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds. Matthew chapter 13 verse 31.

Another parable he put forth to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and they nest in its branches.

A mustard seed will grow large, and we are like mustard seeds that need to also grow large when it comes to spiritual growth.

And then again in Matthew 13 verse 33, the parable of the leaven.

Another parable he spoke to them, the kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leaven.

Yeast spores are very, very tiny, aren't they? You can't see them.

And yet they leaven the lump, as it says. You know, sometimes leaven is used in a positive way, as it is here. Sometimes it's used in a negative way because it also represents sin.

But in this case, it's representing something that grows, that expands. And God wants us to be growing and expanding.

We already read Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7 a couple of times. Again, it says, of the increase of his government, there will be no end.

God is actually expanding himself and his son.

And we are expanding as we understand God's truth.

So study God's word to grow in grace and knowledge, and to be approved as one who rightly divides and understands the word of truth, and how it should be applied in our everyday life.

God wants you to grow spiritually. Remember, it says in the Bible, in the book of Revelation, a number of times, to he who overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne. It says, to he who overcomes will I give the white garments.

To he who overcomes I will give a crown of life.

God wants us to be overcomers.

We should not be content when it comes to our spiritual growth. We should continue to grow spiritually.

So that's kingdom value number five, spiritual growth.

By the way, I could have talked a lot about some of the values the world has, some of the negative values.

We could have spent a lot of time discussing that, but that's not the focus I want us to have today. I want us to have a positive focus. Yes, there's a lot of negative that goes on in the world. There are lots of values that we don't want to learn, we shouldn't want to learn, and our children, we certainly don't want them to learn. So we have to focus on the things that are positive. As it says in Philippians 4-8, whatsoever things are good, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are praiseworthy. Praiseworthy, think on those things.

That's where we should put our focus.

So, Kingdom Value number 6 is kind of a no-brainer. It's godly love.

Godly love is a value that we should all strive to emulate or to become. In fact, the Bible says God is love in 1 John 4-8.

God is love, and we are to become like God, are we not? We are to become like Him. In fact, it says we're to become like Christ, and we will see Him as He is at His return, and we're going to become like Him. We're going to be changed from physical to spirit.

We will have a spiritual body, no longer weighed down by this fleshly body, by this carnal fleshly body. God is love, and we are to become like Him. The Bible clearly says, how do we know Christ's disciples by the love that they have for one another? That's how we're really going to know if you're truly a disciple of Christ. Do you really have love for each other? And the two great commandments, what are they? Love toward God first, love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your might.

And the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself. So God wants us to practice godly love. He wants us to become love. And there are many aspects of godly love. You know, when you stop and think about it, the fruits of God's spirit begin with love, don't they? Love is the first one that's listed. Love, joy, peace, patience, and so on. Love is listed first.

I think it may well be because all the other fruits are summed up in true love. You know, if we love each other, then we're certainly going to be joyful. We're going to have peace. We're going to have patience and self-control. God is love, and God has all these attributes, the fruit of God's spirit. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, and let's read this together, because this is so powerful.

This is the love chapter. 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 1. Paul says, But have not love, it profits me nothing. Verse 4, love suffers long in its kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself. It is not puffed up. Love does not behave rudely. It does not seek its own. It's not selfish. It is not provoked. And it thinks no evil. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but it rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. So when we really learn to love each other, then we'll know that we cannot fail.

Love never fails. So if you will just practice love in your life, you can know that it's all going to work out fine. Because love never fails. If you put love first, then it will never fail you. Even if someone doesn't appreciate it, it will never fail you. Because love never fails. So when you're tempted to strike back at someone, don't do it. Because love never fails. But hatred will fail. And you'll get much better results in the long run.

If you learn to do as Christ said. Christ said in Matthew 5, in the Sermon on the Mount, Love your enemies. In fact, let's go to the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5. Again, we're talking about godly love here. And Christ again set the perfect example of godly love. In Matthew 5, verse 43, Christ says, You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Now, the Bible doesn't tell you to hate your enemy. But that's what people say, isn't it? You know, that's...we have wars because we have enemies and we go to war with them. But I say to you, love your enemies and bless those who curse you.

Do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. They certainly need your prayers. So that kind of a person? Then they desperately need to repent of their sins and of their way of life. So pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His Son rise on the evil and on the good. He sends rain on the just and on the unjust. No, God does allow that, doesn't He?

Sometimes that's confusing to people that God allows the wicked to prosper at times. Of course, in the long run, they won't prosper. They won't live forever in God's kingdom. They'll have to repent of their sins. But for a time, God will rain on the unjust. Verse 46, for if you love those who love you, what reward have you? It's easy to love someone who loves you, isn't it? I suppose even Hitler had certain ones who loved him because he favored them. Although, I don't know, he probably treated them like dirt, too. I mean, it seems like he was so twisted that you couldn't turn your back on him, I don't think, without worrying.

Anyway, again, it's not that hard to love those who love you. Do not even the tax collectors do the same. And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so. Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. God is love, and we are to become like him.

So we shouldn't rest until we truly are like him. And that won't be until God's kingdom, until we're changed and born into his family. In James 2, verse 5, James, Christ's own brother, here, says, Listen, my beloved brethren, has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him?

God has promised his kingdom to those of us who truly love him. In Colossians chapter 1, verse 13, let's go there briefly, Colossians chapter 1, verse 13. Colossians chapter 1, the Apostle Paul says that he has delivered us from the power of darkness. Colossians 1, verse 13, he has delivered us from the power of darkness. He's speaking about how God the Father will deliver us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.

I and my Father are one, Christ said. They loved each other since the very beginning. For all eternity. We are being delivered from the power of darkness. Satan is the Prince of darkness. We are being delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. We are saved by grace. We are saved because we are forgiven. Brethren, we are going to be in God's kingdom because of the Father's love. And as I already mentioned, also the Son's love. God so loved us, he gave his only Son.

And Christ laid down his life for us. It's because of God's love that we will be in his kingdom. So let us all seek the love of God in our lives. Let's desire to be just like God and have the love of God in us. So put on love and become like God. Become love in how you treat one another.

Kingdom value number six is Godly love. Now the last one that we'll cover today is, I believe, a very important one. God's kingdom is going to be a unified, united kingdom that will last forever. So kingdom value number seven is unity. Now we have a name. We call ourselves the United Church of God. Now I am longing for the time when we truly live up to that name and that we no longer divide. Because frankly, we've had some divisions in our history. And the Bible says that those things will happen. And God uses these things to test us and to prove us.

But wouldn't it be nice if we got to the point where we were all tested and proven? And at least not have any major divisions in the future. Some may leave us, but these major splits, they really mess up our growth, don't they?

I mean, in Tulsa, we would have over 200 people attending in Tulsa. If we didn't have the various splits that we've had over the past 15 years. We'd have well over 200 people. And I think there's a synergy that comes, too, with unity.

The more unified we are, the more people want to be a part of us. So this unity is a very, very important principle. In Matthew 12, let's go to Matthew 12. A very, very important principle is given here about unity. Notice what Christ says about unity. Matthew 12, verse 22. Then one was brought to Christ, one was brought to him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute.

And he healed him so that the blind and the mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, could this be the son of David? Now, when the Pharisees heard it, they said, this fellow does not cast out demons. And basically, they were asking, could this be the son of David, the son of God?

Could this be the Messiah? The multitudes were amazed and said, could this be the son of David? Now, when the Pharisees heard it, now these were the religious leaders of the day, those who had authority. They said, this fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons, by Satan himself. But Jesus knew their thoughts and he said to them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.

How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Now, certainly the kingdom of God was upon them in the sense that Christ was the king of the kingdom. He was right there with them. He was the one who healed this man. He says, or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man?

Verse 30, He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad. So, a principle is given here. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Christ cast out demons. Satan and the demons were restrained and were imprisoned, or will be restrained and imprisoned for a thousand years when Christ returns.

That's what he's going to do first. He's going to restrain Satan the devil. We keep the Day of Atonement, which pictures the binding of Satan the devil. The kingdom will be free of demonic, satanic influence for a thousand years. But at the end of the thousand years, what's going to happen?

Satan's going to be released. And what's going to happen? Division. Immediately. People will follow Satan. Even though they've lived here and they've seen the fruits of a thousand years of God's way of life, there will be some, in fact, quite a few.

Unfortunately, that will follow Satan the devil. They would have never known Satan. Many of them would have never had Satan's influence. So there will be division in God's kingdom for a short time. God is going to put away that division. He's going to cast Satan and his demons into outer darkness. Now, there will be no division in the kingdom of God, or it would not last forever, would it?

Now, we're talking about forever values, kingdom values that last forever, so there will be no division in God's kingdom. If we don't learn this lesson of unity now, we won't be in God's kingdom.

So it is important that we all grasp what God wants us to understand. We are to become a church, as it says in Ephesians 5, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Now, we've got some growing yet to do. I think unity is one of the important principles that we need to understand.

We need to be pure in thought, and we need to be pure in deed. We need to learn about God's love and about His unity. In the beginning was God, and the Word was with Him, the Word was God. They were completely unified. Christ says, I and my Father are one. If you've seen me, you've seen the Father. They were totally unified. So again, as a small church here in northwestern Arkansas, let's not give up on each other so easily. If you're good enough for God, then shouldn't you be good enough for each other?

If God has called you out of this world and opened your mind to His truth and given you His Spirit, shouldn't you be good enough for each other, or do we have to divide sometime down the road? Because something's wrong with others? Isn't that oftentimes what motivates a separation, a split? We begin to look at other people as inferior. We begin to look at them as not quite up to par. Listen, none of us are up to par. We all have to repent of our sins.

So why not let's stick together and learn these lessons together rather than divide and hurt ourselves all the more? So let's not give up on each other. Let's strive to love and understand our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let's make allowances for differences in approach as long as we're not compromising with sin. So let us all live up to our name, the United Church of God. I would love to see that happen. I would love to see unity prevail. When I was at the home office, frankly, we have come a long ways in the last few years.

We are certainly more unified. We have greater unity today. We are starting to march in the right direction and we're starting to see the fruits, too. The income is up. Things are looking good. When we're pleasing God, then God blesses us. So I hope we will continue to do that. Frankly, God is all about family. God is all about us learning to love each other as one big happy family, frankly. If we want to be in God's family forever, then we need to learn to love and respect each other today. We are indeed brothers and sisters in Christ.

Even though brothers and sisters might fight a little bit, once in a while, we should always come back together in love. We shouldn't split up and divide and wreck our families. The Kingdom of God will be composed of loving, loyal members of the family of God. The first fruits will marry Christ at His return. God is building a family and He wants us to learn principles that will last forever. The principles that we've talked about today will allow us to live forever.

God's Kingdom is one of great power, for God Himself is all-powerful. He's almighty. So how much are we tapping into that spirit of power right now? How much are you tapping into the spirit of God? How much are you using God's power to obey? To live peaceably, to live joyfully, to practice justice and righteous judgment, and also to practice forgiveness and compassion. How powerfully are we utilizing God's Holy Spirit to serve selflessly, humbly, and also to grow spiritually? And how powerful is God's love and His unity in each and every one of us? If we're going to be given power over the nations, if we're going to rule and reign with Christ, if we're going to have power that will last forever, God will be looking at how we use that power today. How are you using the power of His Spirit? Do you neglect the power of His Spirit? Do you abuse the power of His Spirit? Where are you using God's Spirit to fulfill the purposes and values of God's Kingdom? Are you coming out of the world? The Bible says that the world needs to be our enemy. That's what it says. We need to come out of the world because the world is, frankly, contrary. The world is going down a path that will lead to destruction. We need to go down the path that will lead to life eternal. So are you actively rejecting the false values of this world? If you produce and live by the Kingdom values now in this present life, you will indeed be given great treasure. That hidden treasure that we talked about. You will be given the pearl of great price. And as the Scripture clearly says, you will dwell in God's Kingdom forever. So learn to practice those Kingdom values today.