What I want my grandkids to know - Part #4 of 5

Over the past few days, we established that within the creation story, in Genesis, are concealed four principles. Each of them begins with the letter “R”.

We mentioned how that the purpose that was lost in the creation story, was restored to us in the redemption story. Or as the bible puts it, what was lost in the first Adam was restored in the Last Adam, Jesus.

Understanding each of the 4 principles, will help us restore God's original purpose.

They will enhance and enrich our lives. It is also reassuring to know simply why we exist, and the reason why were created in the first place.

Okay, without further ado let us unpack the third letter ‘R’ of purpose, by reading key scripture texts together

Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 & 28 

v26 says And God said, ...and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth... And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ...v28 and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth

Subdue means "to put under"

Have Dominion over means "to subjugate, prevail over, rule over, reign or dominate"

Mankind in the First Man Adam was given authority to rule over the animal kingdoms. In contrast, the Last Adam, Jesus, he demonstrated his rule, his authority and power on earth. -  Over disease he brought healing, over death he brought resurrection life and over sin he brought righteousness.

The third letter R of purpose therefore is Rule or what I like to call Ruler ship.

I haven’t time to cover all the relevant verses on the podcast, so check out the blog 

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Psalms 145:13 - Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

Daniel 4:3 - How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

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This thought of Dominion or Ruling, and Reigning is found in the word Kingdom.

A good illustration of this is the rule of the Queen whose United Kingdom reign extends over the British Commonwealth.

King Jesus rule and reign extends within the lives of his followers.

Luke chapter 17 verse 21 ... for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you

If you forget everything else today, simply remember what the King-dom has two syllables and reversed they are Dom-King - the Dominion of the King. It is the Rule and Reign of King Jesus,

Matthew 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:23/9:35 - And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people

Matthew 6:10 - Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

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Matthew 6:13 - And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you

Matthew 12:28 - But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Matthew 16:19 - And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

Matthew 18:4 - Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:5 - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God

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A large part of the reason why all our immediate family belong to a Vineyard church, is Vineyard churches root their theology in Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God. 

For the theologians reading, we embrace an ‘inaugurated eschatology’ – which simply put, is God’s beautiful future breaking into our present experience.

As empowered evangelicals, when we pray “your kingdom come,” we are saying that we want this situation to be like what it would be like, if you, Lord, were in charge, if your will was done.

We say the kingdom has come when the Lord totally has his way, when he is running the show.

Today I would like to look at 5 distinctives related to Rule or Kingdom within the Vineyard Movement. 

They are:

1. Church Planting

2. Contemporary Worship

3. Gifts of the Spirit

4. Everyone gets to play.

5. Encountering Jesus

1. Church Planting

 "We believe that the best way to expand the Kingdom of God is through the planting of local churches."

We have been privileged to be part of the 60 or so people who pioneered Lagan Valley Vineyard church plant. It has since grown under God to become a community of over 500 people.

2. Contemporary Worship

Vineyard Churches embrace a contemporary style of worship in their Sunday services.

This style of worship makes contemporary Christian music a central element of the worship — giving it concert-like. Check us out if you’re free sometime.

3. Gifts of the Spirit

As Christians we belong to the Kingdom of God and have been delegated authority to pray in Jesus name. 

The Vineyard movement does not believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased after the time of the apostles. 

Rather we are "a people of the Kingdom of God who partner with the Holy Spirit."

This partnership includes demonstrating the gifts of the Spirit and endeavouring too, to embody the fruit of the Spirit.

4. Everyone gets to play

Another Kingdom value is that everyone gets to play. We aim to create opportunities for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. The action is not always on the stage, but all around the room or auditorium. We train people to learn how to pray for one another and to begin discerning how to hear God’s voice.

The goal of the Vineyard has always been to ‘equip the saints for the work of ministry’ (Eph. 4:12a). To train ordinary people to do extraordinary things – that has always been the idea behind the calling of the Vineyard movement throughout the world.

5. Encountering Jesus

Beyond simply reading the Bible or listening to a Sunday sermon, the Vineyard movement seeks to encourage its members to encounter the risen Jesus in every day of their lives.

Such experiences can be found through participating in various church ministries, (like foodbanks), or participating in weekday home worship groups. At LVV we call these smaller get-togethers tribes and huddles.

As Christians we belong to the Kingdom of God and believe we have been delegated authority from God, to act in Jesus’ name.

If Jesus is Lord and he has all power and we have the Holy Spirit, then we have this delegated authority to both proclaim and demonstrate this Gospel of the Kingdom.

That's partly the reason why I am involved with the H.O.T.S. Team - Healing On The Streets, where we pray for the sick.

The Kingdom of God is what things would be like if Jesus ran everything. 

The Kingdom of God is here, but it hasn’t yet replaced every other kingdom. 

We recognise our human limitations while recognising too that with God all things are possible.

Therefore, we refer to the Kingdom of God as "The now and not yet kingdom"

So, we have covered a lot today in our 5 minutes.

To summarize, (over the last few blogs), we have unpacked Purpose as 

1.Relationship and 

2.Resemblance and today the 

3.Rule and Reign of Jesus, what I like to call Rulership.

Tomorrow in our series we shall look at the 4th letter “R” of purpose - lost in Adam and restored in Jesus.

God bless you.