Sunday Scripture

Jesus answered – “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were – My followers would fight to keep Me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But My Kingdom is not of this world.”

Pilate said – “So You are a King ?”

Jesus responded – “You say I am a king. Actually – I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

In Part 7 of my continuing sermon leading-up to Resurrection Sunday I continue from the Gospel of John – Chapter 18. Today I’m preaching on just those 2 verses – 36 and 37.

The Roman Governor – Pontius Pilate – asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews. He asked Jesus this in order to determine if He was a threat to the Roman empire. Jesus answered that His Kingdom is not of this world. While He was a “King” – He was certainly not a King of an earthly Kingdom. He was no threat to Rome or any other existing or emerging empire. His Kingdom was spiritual. He was a ruler through the devotion and obedience of those who follow Him. He was born and came into this world to testify the truth – God’s Truth.

Christ said “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God.” (John 8:47a)

In John’s first letter he states that he and the apostles belong to God, and those who know God listen to them and agree with their teachings. If they do not belong to God – then they do not listen to them. That is how they know if someone has the Holy Spirit living within – or the spirit of the antichrist. You either have one – or the other.

Last Sunday I preached a unique sermon to my church family. It was a sermon that was entirely unrehearsed and unscripted. It was based on about 30 social media memes. I presented each meme on our screens, and then I spoke on them. That’s it. I had no idea what I was going to say until I actually said it. Dangerous ? Perhaps. Honest ? Definitely. It’s a different way for me to branch out to be a more effective Preacher of God’s Word. It was the second such sermon that I’ve preached over the past 14 months. This meme was not part of it, but it seems to fit right in with my message today: