Just what value have you placed on the importance of the Kingdom of God? Is there any way to determine on Earth just what we should be doing for God, Christ and the Church? If so, how may we know and just what is the source of our understanding of these things? Well listen in to our lesson today, as our pastor / teacher Landis Fisher provides some interesting insight into these questions and more, as we return to our study through the gospel of Mark, in a lesson that he calls: “Executing Your Position in the Kingdom” So, open your bibles and listen in, as we pray along with our teacher.
Old Testament Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 17:1 – 16 (KJV)
1 Ki 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 1 Ki 17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 1 Ki 17:3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 1 Ki 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 1 Ki 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 1 Ki 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. 1 Ki 17:7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 1 Ki 17:8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 1 Ki 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 1 Ki 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 1 Ki 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 1 Ki 17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 1 Ki 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
1 Ki 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
1 Ki 17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
1 Ki 17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Mark 10:35-45 (KJV)
Mark 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. Mark 10:36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? Mark 10:37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. Mark 10:38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? Mark 10:39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: Mark 10:40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. Mark 10:41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. Mark 10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: Mark 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Transforming Power Statements: #1) In order to perform our position as a “kingdom citizen” we must learn to determine the principals of kingdom living from instruction from the Word of God and from the leading of the Holy Spirit, Who is given to equip believers with spiritual gifts and kingdom aspirations.
#2) Believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ must learn to see themselves as “ambassadors for Christ” in order to act with Kingdom authority against the opposition to the written progress of the work of God on Earth through His Church.#3) Perhaps the greatest and therefore most difficult character traits of Jesus that we as saints of God must learn, are those written about His humility, selflessness, and total devotion to the will of the Father at the expense of any personal gratification. In other words, total abandonment to execute the will of God rather than our own.
