What do I believe?

Is the gospel about going to haven ….

You are a sinner. You are going to hell.

If you believe our message and say a prayer, you will go to heaven.

It’s very easy, free, and convenient.

… like fire-insurance?

The contemporary gospel is primarily

INFORMATION ON HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN

AFTER YOU DIEwith a large footnote about increasing your personal

happiness and success through God.

with a small footnote about character development

with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience

with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

What if we have become confused about what the gospel of Jesus Christ really is?

What if there are two gospels being proclaimed within Christianity?

What if we are proclaiming a gospel about Jesus, but not the gospel Jesus proclaimed?

Shouldn’t we let Jesus define the gospel?

?

The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near.

Repent and believe the good news!Mark 1:15

Remember: Kingdoms were contemporary realities in Jesus’ day!

There was no problem with proclaiming a new religion - but proclaiming a new kingdom would get you killed!

To proclaim a new kingdom meant a new supreme authority … and it meant a new way of life.

Jesus proclaimed a radically different framing story … Good news of the

Kingdom of God.

The Gospel / Good news - announcement of a new regime, administration, victory.

Kingdom - reigning, relationships, values, laws, customs: the unified whole

The gospel of the kingdom of God …

A God who forgives …A God who includes …A God who notices …A God who serves …A nonviolent God who reconciles …A God who heals …A God who transcends boundaries …A God who sides with the poor …A God who is present …A God bigger than organized religion …

It is clear that “kingdom of God” (or heaven) does NOT mean “heaven after you die,” because the Lord’s prayer teaches us to pray …

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

It does NOT teach us to pray …

May we come to your kingdom when we die.

May we all go to heaven where, unlike earth, your will is done.

Jesus doesn’t send us out to make “Christians” - but to make “disciples.”

Therefore go and make [spiritually form] disciples [apprentices] 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.

The gospel of the kingdom must produce disciples who learn a

radical new way of life.

As disciples, we learn to live the way of life that Jesus lived - life in the

kingdom of God.

Two gospels …

One of evacuation

One of transformation

Gospel of saving individuals from hell, and abandoning earth to destruction.

Gospel of saving earth from human sin, beginning with us.

or:

Gospel of saving earth from human sin…

What if “sin” isn’t a long list of culturally unacceptable behaviors….

What if “sin” is anything short of failing to love God/Others more than yourself?

Imagine what earth would be like if *everybody* loved each other & God more than themselves?

Would it be Heavenly?

What if Jesus gospel is not about toning down and repressing your God-

given life force?  

What if He called us to something pure and true and good, something

that connects us with God, with others, with the world?

What if it is an simple as “love”?

The contemporary gospel is primarily

INFORMATION ON HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN

AFTER YOU DIEwith a large footnote about increasing your personal

happiness and success through God.

with a small footnote about character development

with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience

with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

But Jesus Gospel was

Love God / Others more than yourself to bring forth His Kingdom. Now!

Be a disciple – surrender to radical love, like Jesus.

Christ like selflessness and love requires radical faith.

God’s Holy Spirit lives in you to help

Repent for selfish acts and return to the joy of a union with Jesus which weakens the desire to do things contrary to His heart

Even pray for suffering to be more like Christ

Haven is waiting for you when you are dead.

Jesus Gospel

is Love

But which “Love”?

I love chocolate

I love football

I love my wife

God loves me

Jesus Love is… selfless

Luke 6:32-36 (The Message)

Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then

grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

I tell you, love your enemies. Help and

give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.

Unconditional selfless love can only happen if you fully surrender to God

• God wants all or nothing• Nobody will be perfect• This is not done out of “salvation by works”

but by an awesome love of God

”A lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there's no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are `lukewarm' are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven.” – Francis Chan in Crazy Love

Is the path to salvation

say a prayer

repent and surrender to God’s commandments; let Him fill you.

Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit

God will be in you!!

Salvation can’t be undone

• Once you let Him in and surrender• Once you are His• Once He saves you

Nothing can undo what He does.

What about the building?

The Greek word "ekklesia," is used 115 times in the New Testament, and in most bibles, it is

always translated as "church”

Calling an ekkesia (church) a building is like calling your wife

a condominium

NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY A SINGLE

PERSON SHOULD LEAD A CHURCH

NOWHERE

It says the opposite…

1 Corinthians 14:26 (The Message)

 So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you're saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to

heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions.

- Jesusregarding 1st century church leaders

Matt 15 7-9

They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it.

They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.

Ekklesia ChurchSpirit-led open-participatory meetings. 

Institution-driven

Started by Jesus Started by Constantine (300AD)

Community to grow disciples

An architectural building designed to stifle discussions

Acknowledge God lives in all believers who should discuss His teachings

Sit passively and listen to a pastor

Under the authority of God’s Spirit in all believers

Under the authority of a man (pastor)

Summary

• Jesus message was to love God/others in the same unconditionally selfless way He loves us

• God’s Kingdom is experienced on earth when we fully surrender to Christ's commandments

• Engage other believers and grow in God by acknowledging God’s Holy Spirit lives in all believers.

I fail at it, every day.Jesus Kingdom Culture My American Culture

Give things away selflessly Your value is based on how much stuff you have

Your love for God/Others is the most important thing in your life

Your wealth and safety are the most important things

Surrender to God and acknowledge He dwells in you

Say a prayer, go to Church. If you question the American Christian institution it is heresy.

God hates religion Don’t: swear, have long hair, drink alcohol, etc…

Give everything you have away Collect stuff

Be meek, poor, selfless, so God can shine

Power, money, self worth.

But,I believe

God loves me unconditionally.