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Series: Grace; Towards a Kingdom Culture

Sun am 3 February 2013 – Kobus Swart 

(Col. 1:13); (Matt. 5:13-14); John 1:1-5, 14; (Matt. 16:18-19); John 3:19-21; 

John 8:12; (Rev. 1:12); John 12:35-36; Eph. 5:8, 11; Eph. 6:12;

1 Thess. 5:4-5; 1 John 1:5-8; Matt. 22:37-40; 1 Cor. 13:1-8; John 3:16-20

Long before people look at your face, they feel what is in your spirit; they feel what kind of energy you carry, positive or negative. The spiritual man in us should be charged by God and His word, not by circumstances. What is the first thought that enters your mind when you receive bad news? Why do we mostly expect the worst instead of trusting God? Since we live in a world filled with bad news, we need to know how to handle bad news and still reflect the goodness of God.

Darkness can never challenge or overcome the light. Where light is, there is no darkness, it does not know darkness, it displaces darkness. God has called us out of the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of His beloved Son (Col. 1:13). Jesus came to be that Light. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:1-5). We have to transition into kingdom people; Jesus said He would give the church that was built by Himself, the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:19).

God wants the church to shift from a church mindset to a kingdom culture. If a church closes down will the community miss it? If we say where there is light, there is no darkness, we have to conclude that where a true kingdom church is functioning, its influence must impact its surrounding cultures to such an extent that all “darkness” flees. This includes crime levels in the area, disease, corruption and other evil deeds. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed (John 3:19-21). That should be the kingdom church in operation. As a kingdom citizen, wherever we work, wherever we go to school, if there is corruption or something coming out of darkness, it should be exposed and dispelled because us being there.

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; (John 8:12). Whenever people challenged Jesus, asking “Who are You?” He would say things like “before Abraham was I am”.  It is a state of being and everything in you will testify of that. We need to be extremely aware of who we are and who we represent; what flows out of our spirit when things go wrong. We are called to be sons of light. Jesus said, as the Father has sent Me, I also send you (John 20:21). He said, “I am the light”. He did not have to say it, it was felt.

…for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light … Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them (Eph. 5:8, 11). My burden is that we will ask the Lord to become this word.  God does not give you peace, He is our peace, He is not our provider, He is our provision; it is the God who is that we serve, we must reflect the same substance.

…but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). This is kingdom culture, this is how we have proper fellowship, proper relationships, we have to walk in the light. Everybody sins, but I refuse to be called a sinner, I have been redeemed and re-created in Christ Jesus. Cling to your new identity.

Jesus summarised the Ten Commandments, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:37-40). Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:1-8).

It is being –  ‘  “I am”, not talking that attracts. It is in being that impartation takes place. Are we light? That is the kingdom culture, the kingdom church. Being causes manifestation to follow. God can only create or bring from the realm of spirit into the realm of form by being and that can only take place by grace and not by works.

We are called to be light, and light expels darkness. Light is needed in politics, in commerce, in education. The church should repent for not being the light in the world.