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Jan 1-7, 2023
Marco Ambriz & "Joey" Alan Le, Ph.D.
Introduction
Introduction
We begin the year reflecting on the many facets of what it means to follow Jesus Christ. This week, we contemplate how to live as citizens of the kingdom of God.
OPEN: Were you born into your citizenship, or were you naturalized into your citizenship?
OPEN: To what nationality/ethnicity do you feel like you belong?
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
Pick one of the Scripture passages below and discuss how it illuminates the meaning of being a citizen of God’s kingdom.
Philippians 3:10-21
Philippians 3:10-21
3:20 OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. What is the difference between what earth has to offer versus heaven?
Being a citizen of heaven does not mean that we will go to heaven when we die. What Paul means is that King Jesus will come from heaven to earth to change the present broken state of his people (Wright 111).
The Roman citizens of Philippi did not expect to go back to the mother city of Rome. Instead, they expected the emperor to come from the mother city to give the colony its full dignity, to rescue it if need be, to subdue local enemies and put everything to rights (Wright 145). How have you witnessed God rescuing his people?
The ultimate hope of a good Roman citizen was not to go to Rome but to help establish more Roman influence in the communities where one lived.
The kingdom of God stands in stark contrast to the Empire of Rome and all other earthly kingdoms. Rome expanded through violence and subjugation whereas the Kingdom of God expands by love, good works, and invitation into God's family. What are some practical ways citizens of God’s kingdom can establish Christ’s influence in their own contexts?
Matthew 5:3-12
Matthew 5:3-12
What are the eight blessings, and eight responsibilities, of being a citizen of God’s kingdom? (Stott 34)
Matthew 6:33
Matthew 6:33
The Gospel of Matthew mentions God’s “kingdom” 56 times. What kind of kingdom did Jesus envision and describe in his teachings?
How does one become a citizen of God’s kingdom?
Kingdoms usually consist of a king, a rule, a people, a land, and a law (McKnight 205). Can you translate that to the church?
Hebrews 11:13-16
Hebrews 11:13-16
How would you define faith? What does faith have to do with a home and city?
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob did not see God’s promise of land and nation fulfilled. How does their faith make them fit for God’s ultimate kingdom?
Kingdom Citizens
Kingdom Citizens
This world is not our permanent home. We are pilgrims passing through. God's purpose for us includes much more than enjoyment of this present earthly scene. Both our citizenship and our destiny are in heaven. But biblical other-worldliness never implies indifference to what is happening in this world; nor does it ever become an escape from involvement in its problems. Rather it is precisely the other-worldliness of Christian faith which provides the leverage for meaningful action within this world (Frisk 159). How does a vision of God’s coming kingdom influence how you live today?
McKnight defines “kingdom citizens” as “Jesus-redeemed humans, people who have been saved from sin, liberated from cosmic powers, and who are conquering systemic evil through the power of the Spirit” (McKnight 207). Can you think of anything else that makes a person a citizen of God’s kingdom?
In what ways does belonging to a particular nation/society/culture correspond with belonging to the Kingdom of God? In what ways does it conflict?
McKnight asserts that the kingdom is the church, and the church is the kingdom. They are the same even if they are not identical (McKnight 206). Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Application: Leveraging Earthly Citizenship
Application: Leveraging Earthly Citizenship
In Acts 16:16-40, Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, flogged, and imprisoned for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. But instead of invoking their Roman citizenship to avoid suffering, they endured what people without Roman citizenship had to endure daily under Rome’s unjust judicial system. In short, Paul and Silas leveraged the privilege of their Roman citizenship to stand up for those without privileges.
What privileges are connected to citizenship?
How can you leverage your earthly citizenship to testify to God’s kingdom of love and justice?
Sermon Reflection
Sermon Reflection
Where do you want to grow in understanding the good news of the kingdom of God?
Where do you see the need for God's kingdom to show more here on earth?
Where is God calling you to be a better Kingdom citizen here on earth now?
Works Cited
Works Cited
Frisk, Donald C. Covenant Affirmations: This We Believe. Covenant Publications, 2003.
Gilliard, Dominique DuBois. "Paul and Silas: Leveraging Privilege to Create Systemic Change." Subversive Witness: Scripture's Call to Leverage Privilege, Zondervan, 2021.
McKnight, Scot. Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church. Brazos Press, 2014.
Stott, John R. W. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). InterVarsity Press, 1985. Christian Counter-Culture.
Wright, Tom. Surprised by Hope. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2007.
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