Seeking The KingdomSeeking The KingdomNo: PP 57/1015

What in Life is importantWhat in Life is important

Education?Education? Homes?Homes? Cars?Cars? Computer?Computer? Children?Children? Marriage?Marriage?

I guess they all have an importance I guess they all have an importance levellevel

But what is most importantBut what is most important

Well the Bible tells us to firstWell the Bible tells us to first Matthew 6:32-34 But But seekseek firstfirst his his kingdomkingdom and his and his

righteousness, and all these things righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.will be given to you as well.

So Shouldn’t that be First?So Shouldn’t that be First?

But is itBut is it

And Where should we lookAnd Where should we look

Every WhereEvery Where In our HomesIn our Homes In our WorkIn our Work In our Church meetingsIn our Church meetings In our FamilyIn our Family In our CountryIn our Country In our committeesIn our committees

What does the Kingdom look likeWhat does the Kingdom look like

The prayer that Jesus taught gives us a clueThe prayer that Jesus taught gives us a clue Luke 11 Matt 6:9Luke 11 Matt 6:9   1 THEN HE was praying in a certain place; 1 THEN HE was praying in a certain place;

and when He stopped, one of His disciples and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, [just] as said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, [just] as John taught his disciples.    2 And He said to John taught his disciples.    2 And He said to them, When you pray, say: Our Father Who them, When you pray, say: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your Your kingdom comekingdom come. . Your will be doneYour will be done [held [held holy and revered] holy and revered] on earth as it is in on earth as it is in heaven.heaven.

What do you think the Kingdom in What do you think the Kingdom in Heaven is like?Heaven is like?

Without peaceWithout peace Without JoyWithout Joy Without JusticeWithout Justice Without RighteousnessWithout RighteousnessI don’t think so…I don’t think so…Actually so Actually so when we findwhen we find Peace, Joy, Peace, Joy,

Justice, Righteousness, then actually Justice, Righteousness, then actually you have found a little bit of the you have found a little bit of the Kingdom of Heaven on EarthKingdom of Heaven on Earth

InterestinglyInterestingly

Often times when Jesus put thing Often times when Jesus put thing that where wrong right likethat where wrong right like

Healing the sickHealing the sick Forgiving sinsForgiving sins

He would say the Kingdom of God is He would say the Kingdom of God is amongst you, the Kingdom of God is amongst you, the Kingdom of God is here!here!

So how can we actively find the So how can we actively find the Kingdom of GodKingdom of God

Knowing what we are looking forKnowing what we are looking for Putting wrong rightPutting wrong right Peace, joy, righteousness, sins Peace, joy, righteousness, sins

forgiven, Justiceforgiven, Justice That is what we are looking forThat is what we are looking for

We can actively find itWe can actively find it

We can pull the Kingdom downWe can pull the Kingdom down Into our time space WorldInto our time space World The church prepares usThe church prepares us Life prepares usLife prepares us We are prepared by each otherWe are prepared by each other

LET US DO ITLET US DO IT

Seek the KingdomSeek the Kingdom Are you going to look for itAre you going to look for it Are you willing to be a puller down of Are you willing to be a puller down of

the kingdom of God to where you arethe kingdom of God to where you are You should be Kingdom seekersYou should be Kingdom seekers You should be Kingdom FindersYou should be Kingdom Finders Pull it downPull it down

The challenge is therefore to be kingdom-minded. The challenge is therefore to be kingdom-minded. This quote from Howard Snyder is a useful This quote from Howard Snyder is a useful summary, summary, “The church gets into trouble whenever “The church gets into trouble whenever it thinks it is in the church business rather than the it thinks it is in the church business rather than the Kingdom business. In the church business, people Kingdom business. In the church business, people are concerned with church activities, religious are concerned with church activities, religious behaviour and spiritual things. In the Kingdom behaviour and spiritual things. In the Kingdom business, people are concerned with Kingdom business, people are concerned with Kingdom activities, all human behaviour and everything God activities, all human behaviour and everything God has made, visible and invisible. Church people has made, visible and invisible. Church people think about how to get people into the church, think about how to get people into the church, kingdom people think about how to get the kingdom people think about how to get the kingdom into the world. Church people worry that kingdom into the world. Church people worry that the world might change the church, Kingdom the world might change the church, Kingdom people work to see the church change the world!”people work to see the church change the world!”

Someone has also said,Someone has also said, “The Kingdom is a “The Kingdom is a dynamic greater than the church. If you pursue the dynamic greater than the church. If you pursue the church you won’t find the Kingdom, but if you church you won’t find the Kingdom, but if you pursue the Kingdom you will find the church.” pursue the Kingdom you will find the church.” Simon MarkhamSimon Markham

Adrian L HawkesSwitzerland 3rd October 2007Manchester College 12 February 2008London Tamil church 20th September 09Lordship Lane church 18th May 2010

(Elaine Lamaswala)New Strong Tower Scarborough Toronto Canada September 2012Venice church Florida USA September 2012Paalam Church Wattella Sri Lanka 7th April 2013