The Gospel of the Kingdom

Well visiting us with this morning this morning is this morning's preacher our brother and friend pastor Brian Garcia. So please brother come and bring us the word.

Opening Greeting and Prayer

Well, good morning reformed Baptist Church, how are you this morning? Are you guys good? Yeah. What's that? No, it's biblically accurate. I like that. I was testing you. Well church if you would be so gracious in joining me in a word of prayer before the preaching of God's Word father.

We're so thankful for today's arrangement that we get to worship you in your house amongst the Saints. We're so thankful Lord that we also get to receive from you this morning a word a word from your word from the Bible from the Holy Scriptures.

Father God, may you bless the preaching of your word and bless those who are here to hear it. We ask God that your power your word would go forth in power and authority and reach hearts and minds and ears.

Give us receptive hearts to receive that which you've laid before us this morning in Jesus name. Amen. Well church this morning I had the privilege of sharing my testimony with some here at the church.

Testimony, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Coming to Christ

I want to begin again by doing likewise as I see some new faces here in the congregation. First and foremost, my name is Brian Garcia. I'm a pastor in Wisconsin. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Anyone here ever heard of the Green Bay Packers?

I think a few of you have a man. I think they're a little bit Doing a little bit better last season than your homegrown team. What's the team here again? The 49ers? That the four that's one of them. And so just a friendly reminder that That God loves you, even though you have the 49ers as your team.

Go Packers, I'm actually more of a of a Patriots guy myself. So you may not like me even more after hearing that. But I want to share with you guys my testimony this morning and I want to give you a word from God's Word as well.

As some of you have already come to know I grew up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah Witnesses are a unique American religion that are actually all around the world today. You'll find Jehovah Witnesses in about 235 nations around the world.

They print more literature than all the Christian churches combined and They are well known for a couple of things. One of them being that they show up at your door. Knocking Asking if you know anything about God and his kingdom.

Well at the early age of four I remember knocking on doors and giving people pamphlets and preaching about God's Word and kingdom. Yet God did a remarkable work in my life. He brought me from the kingdom hall their place of worship to the kingdom of God.

God gave me a sinner. The opportunity to truly know and preach the riches of his glory. Through Christ and not through a righteousness of my own Jehovah Witnesses, you may be wondering what's the big deal?

Well, they are distinct in that they deny everything that you hold dear to as a Christian. So think of any major Christian doctrine whether it be the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Whether it be the divinity of Jesus.

Whether it be heaven or hell whether it even be the the person and work of Christ himself or who God is. They believe in something totally different. Instead of Christianity. I like to call them twisty Anity.

They take everything that you and I believe and they put a little twist on it. So they say hey, we're Christians. We believe in Jesus, but who is their Jesus? Well, they'll say we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

But what they truly mean is that Jesus Christ is a created being. That he was the first thing that God created and that in fact, he's Michael the Archangel. You see a Christian would hear someone like a Jehovah Witness say hey.

We believe Jesus is the Son of God and we'd say amen. We do too, but we believe in two very different things when we say those things, don't we? They also believe that Christ was resurrected not in bodily form as the Bible says.

But instead that he was raised as a spirit creature. They also believe that Christ's second coming is real and tangible, but it already happened and you just missed the boat. It happened in the year 1914 and if you guys alive during that time, I don't think so not even the pastor, right?

You weren't born 1914 not quite but instead what we understand and see is that the Jehovah Witnesses teach and believe that the Second-coming happened over a hundred years ago. Have you have you noticed have things gotten better under Christ's rule?

No. Everything that you believe and hold dear to as a Christian they believe just a little bit differently with a twist. Now why is this important why do I bring this up? Well, God again brought me from the Kingdom Hall to the kingdom of Christ.

And My story though it may sound unique on the surface. It's really no different than some of your own. I was once lost and Now I'm found. I was once blind. But now I see. You see at the as a teenager. I began to study God's Word for myself and I asked God.

I want to know who exactly is Jesus. Is Jesus Michael the Archangel or is Jesus the living Abiding Word of God who created all things who brought all things into existence. And as I shared earlier in the Bible study this morning.

One day I decided not to put my Bible down until I discovered who this Jesus was. And I decided I'm going to continue to read the Bible and and and as I was reading the scriptures I found Acts chapter 7 where Stephen is about to be martyred and killed for his faith, and it says that he entreated and said Lord Jesus.

And at that moment I discovered you know what I could ask Jesus. Who he is? And so I said you know I'm gonna pray to Jesus which is against the teachings of the Jehovah Witnesses. They believe that you can only pray to the Father and you can use you can pray to God in Jesus name.

But you cannot pray to Jesus and I said Lord Jesus and at that moment I knew that I had found the true and living Jesus. I Knew as I confessed that those words Lord Jesus. That I had passed from death to life that God had given me the gift of everlasting life.

And ever since then I've devoted my life to preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of you have got to meet my wife and kids and my wife. And I have been living as missionaries for the past eight years.

Eight years ago almost we were called to missions in Canada and in Canada we got to work with the homeless population there in Edmonton. And we also got to share the gospel and help restore lives of those who were struggling with addiction.

We also had the privilege of starting two churches in the city of Edmonton and Now I'm pastoring a church in rural, Wisconsin in a little town named Sturgeon Bay, so Green Bay Packers Are only about 45 minutes away from where I live and so even though I've actually never been to a Green Bay Packers game I'll be honest and make a confession.

I'm not really much of a sports guy. I'm more of a Jesus guy, and so if we have Jesus in common. We'll have much in common amen and so God has called us now to a Possibly a new journey, and so we're seeking God and I covet your prayers.

And I'd love for you guys to be praying for my family and I during this time as to leading us What God has in store for us? And so at the moment however That I received Jesus I also received the call To use my life in service to the one true God and his kingdom.

The Kingdom of God in Luke 13:18–21

And that's what I want to speak to you this morning about is God's Kingdom. If you have a Bible, please turn to Luke chapter 13. We're gonna be examining Just a few verses in Luke 13 verses 18 to 21. May you hear you the word of the Lord this morning.

Luke 13 18 to 21 says and he said therefore What is the kingdom of God like? Into what should I compare it? There's like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden it grew and became a tree and the birds of the air made nests in its branches and Again, he said to what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

It is like a leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all.

Leavened you see. This kingdom is.

The most important kingdom that you can know about. You may be an American. You may be from a different country. You may be from anywhere on the face of the earth, but if you are in Christ this morning Your citizenship isn't solely here in this nation or in another nation.

Your citizenship is indeed in the kingdom of heaven. And that's the kingdom. I'd like to talk to you about this morning. You see I'm a servant of this kingdom. But what exactly is the kingdom of God and why is it so important?

Why am I devoting this time this morning to tell you and to talk to you about God's kingdom? Well, first and foremost God's kingdom is a real vibrant tangible government of God. It is God's government of rulership over the nations and over the heavens and over the cosmos.

We as Christians believe and affirm the Sovereignty of Almighty God that God is sovereign and a sovereign implies that there's something there's a border in Which he has control over. America is sovereign over its nations, but can I tell you God is sovereign over all that he has made.

That would include Everything you and me are part of the parameter and borders of God's rulership and his right to rule. See the kingdom of God is again. It's a government. It's his divine order. It's laws precepts economy servants rulers and subjects in Simple terms the kingdom of God is what the world looks like when King Jesus gets his way now the kingdom is in the hands of a ruler in the hands of a king and This king has a name.

His name is Jesus. Do you know him this morning? The Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ is indeed the central theme of the Bible. It was in fact the central teaching of Jesus's earthly ministry in the meta narrative of the Bible.

We see the outworking of the conflict between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of darkness. We see this conflict even very early on in the scriptures in Genesis in the first three chapters you see God creates a heavens and the earth and Immediately there is there is one who comes to arise in opposition against God's right to rule.

This was the serpent the original serpent Satan the devil. And Satan begins this conflict with Almighty God with his rulership with his kingdom. In the Garden of Eden we see when the serpent led humanity down to sin and ruin and disobedience to the laws of God.

We see the begin the first assault on God's right to rule or his kingdom. Now in Luke chapter 13. Verse 18 we see the incarnate one the Lord Jesus Christ. He asked this simple question. He said therefore in verse 18 Luke 13.

Luke 13 18. It says he said therefore what is the kingdom of God like and To what shall I compare it? Here's a phenomenal opportunity for the Lord Jesus Christ to Exam to give us a picture of what God's kingdom is like.

The incarnate one the one who existed before time who reigned and ruled in God's sovereign kingdom in heaven Is now giving us an insight into what it looks like. What could he compare it to? What can he use.

What imagery is he going to use. The imagery of the might and the power of the Roman Empire? Is he going to use the the majesty maybe of the Egyptians and all their architecture and all their grandeur and all their glory.

To what shall Jesus compare the kingdom of God? Something grand. Maybe he'll even compare it to the stars and how powerful and brilliant they are. To what shall he compare the kingdom of God to? Verse 19 it is like a grain of Mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden and it grew And became a tree and the birds of the air may nest in its branches.

Christ decides to take something small almost incomprehensibly small to compare the kingdom of God to Church this morning. I want to give you three Principles about the kingdom of God that Jesus is revealing to us through these words when Jesus begins to To share with us what the kingdom of God is like in the imagery of the mustard seed.

You know what Christ is revealing to us. That small is Formidable in the kingdom of God. Small is formidable. You take notes. I want you to write that one down. Small is formidable in the kingdom of God.

Small Things Can Be Formidable in God’s Kingdom

And verses 18 and 19 We examined that Jesus could describe the kingdom of God and many strong big and even cosmic ways but he chooses instead to describe the kingdom of God as one of the smallest and lowliest things known to his disciples.

A Mustard seed if you ever seen a mustard seeds almost looks like a little grain of sand. It's very small. Doesn't seem like it would amount to much of anything but a mustard seed has great potential.

That in the right hands under the right conditions that little mustard seed when it's put into the ground. It's tended to can be become something grand and big. That even the birds of the of the heavens would lay their nest in.

Small is indeed formidable in God's kingdom. So why would Jesus though describe his kingdom was such a small insignificant seed? To demonstrate that smallness has great potential. That the size does not dictate significance and that God uses that which is small.

To be formidable and to be a formidable force in his kingdom. Jesus is in the business of using the small to make a large and lasting impact. Amen. Now you may be wondering yourself this morning. Well, hey, well, you know, our church here is small.

Could God do something? Incredible through the hands of a few. The answer is yes. Did you know that the Lord Jesus turned the world upside down beginning of only 12 disciples? Did you know that Jesus started of movement that has outlasted kingdoms and kings and in governments and rulerships.

We belong to a king in a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Amen. We belong to a king who uses that which seems insignificant that which seems small that which seems lowly to do incredible things. Smallness and weakness and meekness Are spiritual currencies in God's economy.

And so we don't have to look down upon that which is small, but instead recognize that in smallness lies great potential. There's great opportunity for advancement. There's great opportunity for growth in God's kingdom and economy.

I want you to look at also this next verse with me in Luke chapter Luke chapter 13 verse 18 and 19 again. I'm gonna read that. What is the kingdom of God like and to what shall I compare it? It's like a grain of mustard seed that a man now.

That's the part important part I want to focus on that a man took and sowed in his garden and it grew. Became a tree and the birds of the air made nests in its branches. Here's the second principle. I want to share with you this morning from this text.

In the kingdom of God an uninvested faith is desertion. As we focus on verse 19, this is the seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. You see a seed Needs a farmer. It needs and requires the labor of another.

Without the farmer that seed has very little potential to grow and to become anything of significance. A seed needs a farmer and Jesus did not identify That a the potential of the mustard seed apart from the effort of the laborer.

You see there's consequences for not tending the seed. If you just simply allow a seed to fall into the ground and you don't tend to it It could easily be choked up. It can fall on the wrong soil. If it's not taken care of it will quickly wither away and not leave any lasting impact.

In the kingdom of God an uninvested faith is Desertion. That is to say if we're not tending to that which God has placed in our hands. If we're not good stewards of that which God has given us here in his kingdom here at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church.

Then an uninvested faith, a faith that does not tend to the seed is a desertion and a misuse and a misservice of God in his kingdom. You see a good farmer or our faith needs constant cultivation and attention in order to reap the reward of fruit.

Without attention without proper cultivation. There will be no fruit. Therefore a good farmer invests in his crop or his lack of investment becomes desertion and Same is true of our faith and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we're not investing in our faith by regularly attending church by regularly attending prayer services or Reading the scriptures or praying together of our family. We are missing an important part of God's kingdom work in our lives.

The principle here is one of stewardship as Christians. We're all part of God's kingdom and have a sacred kingdom assignment of obedience. Not that we're saved by obedience. Not that obedience is the Mechanism by which we get into right relationship with God.

But here is the scriptural teaching of the Bible that you and I are born miserably in a fallen condition. That apart from Christ we have our federal head as Adam and in Adam all die and are perishing.

In Adam we are desperately without hope. But God has made a way for us to receive life hope and salvation. By sending into the fullness of time one born of a virgin Who lived a life that you and I could never live?

He was holy and as John the Baptist saw him coming to the waters of the Jordan He says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He says that this Jesus Would be a sin offering for the people and not just for the people of Israel but for the world.

And in Jesus we received this gift of everlasting life that all those who'd call the name of the Lord would be saved and That in Jesus we have everlasting life without end. But this is a free gift. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2 that though you were dead and your Trespasses and sins and the way that used to walk according to the Prince of the power of the air.

God being rich and mercy made us alive in Christ. He seated us in heavenly places. You see you may be sitting here today in this church in these pews. But you're actually spiritually in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Brothers and sisters remember that an uninvested faith is desertion. Do not hold with contempt the most holy and glorious faith that Jesus has entrusted to you. That though we be small though. We be lowly.

God can do incredible feats by his grace. Through you and me and you know what's super exciting about that text in Ephesians 2 that Paul talks about he goes on to say. That though we're saved by grace through faith.

You cannot earn it. It's not of works not of your own doing so that you may boast but instead it is the gift of God. But it goes on to say in verse 10 that you were saved for such a thing to walk in good works that he's laid for us beforehand he has laid before you those of you who know the Lord Jesus Christ an incredible task an incredible mission to live for the king and his kingdom and This is why again an uninvested faith is desertion of the kingdom.

Now forsaking the gathering the Satan the Lord's day participating in the Great Commission work are all important things for us to be reminded of as obedient followers of King Jesus. But again, this is not a salvation of works, but works are indeed the fruit of our salvation.

Are they not? Are we not saved on to good works? To share the glories and the majesty of Jesus in his kingdom. I'll use an analogy of Football as already mentioned. I'm not a huge sports guy, but I know enough to make this analogy if you are Attending a 49ers game.

Maybe they're playing against the Packers. Okay, and you've got both sides cheering and booing and you've got people who are wearing the jerseys on either side. And when one team wins, you know the guys who are wearing the right jerseys, you know what they say.

We won. Really? What did you do? What did you contribute? Were you on the field? You see Christianity is not a game that is played on the sidelines. It is a game that is not even a game, but it is that which is played in real life that which is invested in by or being obedient to the gospel to the Word of God as Kingdom.

Proclaimers, we're not called to be spectators. But we're called to be participators in God's grand plan of salvation. So don't play it safe. Don't play on the sidelines. Invest in your most holy and precious faith as the Lord Jesus as we see the words of the Lord Jesus here in Luke 13 where he says that the that it is like a grain of Mustard seed that a man verse 19 that a man took and sowed in his garden.

It grew and became a tree and the birds of the air may nest in its branches. That's the potential of God's kingdom and a faith that's invested verse 20 and he again said To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

He says it is like 11 that a woman took and hood and hid in three measures a flower. Until was all leavened. The third principle I'd like to share with you this morning. Is that in the kingdom of God?

Influence Is Viral

Influence is viral. Now you guys may know a thing or two about going viral being here in Silicon Valley. You work for companies and maybe social media companies that things are accustomed to going viral in this place.

But leaven or yeast during a time of Jesus Looked a little different from what you and I may envision today. It wasn't a simple ingredient that was kept separate for later use instead. It was a dough that already had activated yeast and it was infected dough.

They would later would go on to infect everything that it would come in contact with. You see yeast is a funny thing. It can appear it can appear to be virtually Invisible innocuous. Yet it radically transforms everything it comes into contact with.

What a perfect way to envision the transformative power of the gospel of the kingdom of God. What a phenomenal way of Showing how viral the kingdom of God can be something that is small Innocuous that you don't even know is there.

Until it changes the whole world and that's how the early Christians transformed the world and Civilization. They began as a ragtag group of disciples. 12 of them became 70 70 became 120 120 became 3 ,000.

3 ,000 became 5 ,000. And the next thing you know Rome is turned upside down by the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom of God. You see why it was it so radical? For these Christians to go into a Roman occupied world and say we have a king and his name is Jesus is because that was a statement of treason to Caesar and Caesar demanded absolute allegiance and Here is where our King Jesus comes into the picture.

We live in a in a culture in a time that the culture demands absolute allegiance to its theology to its philosophies and to its way of being and thinking. If you're not woke. Then you're in trouble and I suspect Here in Silicon Valley.

That is even more true than where I live in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin you have a Opposition of kingdoms that's in display here in Silicon Valley. Where is your allegiance? It's your allegiance to the kingdom of man or to the kingdom of God as your allegiance to Christ as king or to wokeness as king is your allegiance to God's people or to the people that hates the church.

May it be so that we have our allegiance With King Jesus because what is a kingdom without a king? Every kingdom Needs a king and our king is not up for re-election in four years. Amen. Our king is not one who goes tossed to and fro by every wind of opinion.

Our king is not one who is in stable. Our king is not one who needs to be reckoned with but instead our king is the one who lives forever and Ever and the one who holds the keys of death and of Hades.

This is the king who we worship. Amen. Does that get you excited? Knowing that our King Jesus has all Authority in heaven and on earth and he has given us such a thing as the Great Commission. To go ye therefore into all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all That he has commanded.

He doesn't just tell us to go. But he gives us a promise of that Commission and that promise is this. Behold and I will be with you even always until the end of the age. What a hope we have in Jesus brothers and sisters know this.

That this kingdom is Real this kingdom is here and you are a part of that kingdom. Therefore don't live life on the sidelines. Don't live life on the terms of this world but instead be radically transformed to be disciples of King Jesus.

Be faithful in Proclaiming his gospel. Be bold in preaching this good news. When we say the word gospel understand and recognize this truth that gospel Simply means good news. And when we talk about the good news of the kingdom, we're talking about the message that Jesus brought forward.

Jesus says in Matthew 24 14 that this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the earth as a witness To the nations and then the end will come. This is the kingdom message that there's a king.

His name is Jesus. He offers salvation today kiss the Sun lest he be angry, but there's a day coming a day of judgment when the Lord Jesus Christ will come forth from heaven and he would judge the living in the dead.

In Church, it is your responsibility to warn others of this coming kingdom. The same kingdom that the Lord Jesus Christ told us to pray for when he says our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name thy kingdom.

Come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Are you agents of this kingdom and if so May you be bold and proclaiming the greatest truth that ever existed. The truth that Jesus Christ reigns and he reigns forever.

The Hidden Work of God and a Final Charge

Church, I want to leave you this final word. We cannot always perceive what God is doing and how he is working in our lives until we look back and see the fruit of transformation similar to how when Jesus is using these analogies of the of the mustard seed and Leaven things that are small insignificant we don't always see what God is doing in the midst of that until we take a step back and see all that he Has accomplished and done through that which is small.

You may be asking yourself and wondering What is God doing here at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church? We're small. Maybe look insignificant in terms of the world or in comparison to other churches but can I tell you God is at work in you and He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.

That is a firm foundation. We have also this truth Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church that God desires you to be formidable. That he wants you to be a formidable force for his kingdom. Though you be small He will make you mighty.

The Lord wants you to invest in your most holy faith that you may be strong for the task ahead. God is calling you to be a great commission focused church. Where you bring the fragrance of his influence everywhere becoming so viral that it fills this land.

Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church may the Lord richly bless you as You live for and proclaim His eternal kingdom and dominion. Until we enter the world without end. May it so be even come Lord Jesus.

Thank you for allowing me to preach on to you the Word of God this morning. And may he richly bless the preaching and reading of his word. Amen.