Sunday 6th April 2014 - Discipling individuals and nations - Nick Nicholson

Discipling individuals and nations God so loved the world that He gave... Agape - unconditional love, love by choice and by an act of the will. Never seeks anything but the highest good for the person loved. Love that does not need chemistry, an affinity or feeling. A word, and therefore love, that is virtually unknown to writers outside the NT. God never runs out of anything! We are in a world that has limited resources, in a creation that grows old, and that in itself that has a limited time. We must not become confused in our thinking relating what we see and know around us to influence what God says about HImself. He lacks nothing. He doesn't need anything. He's entirely and completely self-sufficient and self-sustaining. Because He loves all day doesn't mean that He has less love with which to love by the end of the day! He has as much then as when we get up! 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and commissioned you and me to demonstrate that.’ Gen 1 v 27-28 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” i.e. have dominion/rule over all things Ps 24 v 1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it Ps 37 v 7-9 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in/wait on the Lord will inherit the land/earth. Matthew 5 v5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit/possess the earth. Meek does not connotate weakness but rather controlled strength, controlled dominion. The word carries the ideas of humility and self-discipline. I'm on a quest to understand how, and then do, discipling of nations: What I see so far: 1. we have to be disciples ourselves first and foremost. Then we can be self-disciplined! If we are self-disciplined and humble in God's hands then we can inherit/possess the earth!!!! 2. we need to disciple individuals - active 'on the job', in everyday life, skin your knees with me, fly with me….. 3. we have to be prepared to catch the wind of the Spirit, lead where He blows and trim the sails to steer the course. 4. demonstrating the Kingdom in society is much more than just leading people to Christ. It is that of course - that is first and foremost - but it’s clear the the Kingdom of God has a King and the rule and reign of the King is not simply over an individual but over the structures, culture and values of the society in which that individual lives. So for the Kingdom to come we need to push out into streams and spheres of society, making disciples of individuals as we go, and establishing the values and culture of the Kingdom in all the spheres of influence. Tell me about your God-given dreams and visions and how you see them taking shape. The Kingdom is at hand..... How do you use your hands? - that's where the Kingdom is to be seen through you. You use your hands - the Kingdom is at your hands.