June 3, 2007 / Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland

POWER IN GOD'S KINGDOM

Various Texts

"Anyone wanting to be the leader must first be the servant. If you want to lead, first you must serve."  Adapted from Matt. 20:25-28                  Pastor Phil Roland

“But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority (ex-ouse-ia) 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, and to give His life a ransom for many."             Matthew 20:25-28

Kingdom Power is found and expressed in at least two ways:

I.  THE POWER OF INFLUENCE = "Ex-ou-seeia" = Matt. 28:18-29

           “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has

been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them

in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching

them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you

 always, to the very end of the age."

          Power that is expressed through order and structure and delegated authority

                        A. The Power of Influence is Expressed Two Ways:

                        1. Service – Mark 9:35

                        “And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires

                        to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

                        “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

                                    a. “Find a need and fill it. Find a hurt and heal it.”

                                    b. Meeting deepest needs in others

                        2. Sacrifice – John 12:32

                        “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

                                    a. Sacrifice draws influence

                                    b. Eg.  Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa of Calcutta

            B. Exousia influences followers of Jesus to healthy choices and directions

II. POWER IN GOD’S KINGDOM - "Dun-a-mis" = Acts 1:8

          "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you

shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the

end of the earth."

Explosive Power that operates from the inside out

            God's Divine Ability or enablement from within

A. Power of Salvation, Healing and Deliverance

            B. Power of the Holy Spirit - Luke 24:49

          "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of

Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

                   1. Tarry           2. Be Endued

POWER IN GOD’S KINGDOM, cont.

C. Power of the Gospel - Romans 1:16

          “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to

salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

          D. Power of the Kingdom - Matt. 6:13; Mark 9:1; Rom. 15:18,19

          “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is

the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Mark 6:13

"Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste

death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not

accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient;

in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from

          Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

          E. Power of Resurrection - 1 Cor. 15:42,43

          “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is

raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in

weakness, it is raised in power.”

          F. Power of the Age to Come    - Rev. 5:8-14

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four

elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of

incense, which are the prayers of the saints.9  And they sang a new song,

saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were

slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue

and people and nation, 10  And have made us kings and priests to our God; And

 we shall reign on the earth." 11  Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many

angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of

them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

12  saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive

power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

13  And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth

and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and

honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb,

forever and ever!" 14  Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the

 twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”