Podcast appearances and mentions of christ redeemer church

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Arguably, the Bible speaks of the church more as an organism than an organization. The Church is the very life of Christ—His breath, His Spirit, His Word giving the church its being and vibrancy. To the degree that the church is filled with Jesus's Spirit (see Ephesians 5:18 and Galatians 5:16-24), to that degree it is fulfilling its purpose and bearing fruit. However, this is not to say Christ has given no organizational structure for the church. Of course, He has. Christ gave “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:9 ESV). But even the responsibility of these leaders is often given in organic (“body of Christ”) or agricultural terms. The church leaders are workers in God's field or vineyard—sowing the seed of the gospel, watering and tending its growth as hard-working farmers (2 Timothy 2:6). They are not so much manufacturing disciples, as they are applying good farming techniques and trusting God to cause the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). Similarly, church leaders are to shepherd the flock of God (another agricultural reference), following the manner of the Good Shepherd, laying down their lives for the sheep (John 10; 1 Peter 5). The upshot of all this is that we must be serious-minded about submitting ourselves to those God has appointed for our care. God never intended the church to be a “free-range farm.” No! We need to be present when the church meets, submitting ourselves to one another (Ephesians 5:21), not wandering like lost sheep, doing our own thing. We need to do our best to remain firmly planted in the structures God has provided through our local churches, not uprooting ourselves with every wind of change. God has appointed the structure of the church and its leaders for our good. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.”~1 Corinthians 3:5-17 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Arguably the most basic thing to a church culture is the shared mindset or attitude of its members. It is not so much the stated mission or strategy of a church that matters as much as the vibe its members give off, especially as they gather. This vibe flows from the shared mindset—the deep often subtle beliefs and feelings that each person has toward themselves, others, and ultimately God. Now, the gospel calls us to have a peculiar mindset. Paul exhorts the believers in Philippi saying “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5). And what is that mindset? To do “nothing out of selfish ambition (politicking for status) or vain conceit (self-glory). Rather, in humility value others above yourselves….” (Philippians 2:3 NIV). We are to understand and value the perspectives and preferences of others above our own. Now, this is deeply counterintuitive and fraught with the challenge of self-justification. We tend to flatter ourselves we are doing the “others-centeredness thing” better than our neighbor—that our self-sacrifice in loving others is greater than their self-sacrifice in having to love us. But, of course, this is the very opposite of the gospel mindset. This is why our minds must be saturated and shaped by Jesus's shocking sacrificial love for us. We need to be daily struck in the gut by this truth (gut could be another possible translation for “mindset”). If Jesus, who is in very nature God, did not think highly of Himself, how in the world can I? And that's something to think about, daily, from The Kingdom Perspective. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!   Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”~Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Someone has well said: “Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch”. By culture we mean those shared values, truths, and ways of operating that define a group of people. Culture is something “organic”, not merely organizational. Like the “culture” in a petri dish, it has a life of its own. It's alive! It is not only a matter of structures, strategies, etc.—as important as those are—but the “feel” or “vibe” that exudes from it. CRC is a culture. We belong to Christ and are nourished by His life dwelling in us and flowing through us. But cultures are made up of individual members—giving and taking in this shared life. We are not only influenced by the culture of the church, but also contributing to it. Every thought, word, and deed that is done—or left undone—matters! In a culture, how every individual member operates plays a part in making the whole. This forces the question: If everyone in the church thought, felt, spoke, and operated the way you do (or don't do), what would the resulting culture be? 1 Corinthians 12 uses the metaphor of the human body, with of each individual member playing its peculiar part. But each member is not operating for itself, but for the “common good” of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7). How are you operating? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.~1 Corinthians 12:4-27 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. The church is an adaptable institution because the gospel can work its redemptive magic in any and every situation. It's a culture not merely a strategy. By culture we mean a shared way of thinking, feeling, and living that is driven by the very life of Jesus. At the heart of the church is a culture, shaped by the model, mandate, and magnetism of the Jesus Christ. Through our union with Him, we share in His Spirit—the Holy Spirit, which is the very love of God dwelling eternally in the unity of the Trinity. It's supernatural! It's not something we create, but something that creates us. It is an organism and not merely an organization. From its inception, Christ Redeemer Church and its culture has been driven by three governing and interconnected principles that flow from this supernatural reality: 1) Gospel-centeredness—the Gospel of God's sovereign grace 2) Gospel Relationships & Community, and 3) Gospel Mission/Vision/Vocation. There is a flow to these principles: 1) the Gospel-centeredness nourishes 2) Gospel Community, which in turn sends us out on 3) Gospel Mission. In everything we do, we seek to embody and be driven by these three cultural values. CRC is most basically not a strategy or structure (methodology) but a culture—a way/mindset of being and doing (deep meaning). And our culture as a church is thick, deep, and adaptable—it can flourish in whatever circumstance. Culture eats strategy lunch. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “(In saying, ‘He ascended,' what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”~Ephesians 4:9-16 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of the Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Welcome to a special edition of The Kingdom Perspective. I want to invite you to join us in a very strategic missions' opportunity that's happening right here in the heart of the Upper Valley through the ministry of Christ Redeemer. From the beginning, Christ Redeemer has sought to be a church for others. We want everyone, all our friends and neighbors and people from every nation, to experience the grace and glory of Christ! God has blessed this pursuit, not only growing a church of nearly 400-persons in Hanover but also sending out over 1,000 people touched by the gospel to every corner of the globe. Likewise, Christ Redeemer has sought to be a church for other churches. In our 25-year history we have trained and sent over 40 ministry interns and dozens of preachers. We've planted two churches, even helping other churches purchase their own buildings! Also, we've resourced multiple other churches, helping several stay alive during the pandemic with coaching and pulpit supply. And we've done all this without a building of our own! Doing church out of box for over 1,200 Sundays! We've wandered from place to place, meeting both indoors and outdoors.  But now, Christ Redeemer has a strategic opportunity. After a long hard legal struggle, we are now the first new church approved for a building in this Ivy League town in over 60 years! Would you help us make this dream a reality? Would you help us establish a “permanent presence” that will not only strengthening our roots, but also extend the reach of the gospel? We need partners like you to give and spread the news of this opportunity far and wide. Please visit christredeemerchurch.org/flourish or go to our website. Thanks! And God bless! “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'”~Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV) “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”~Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV) “So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'”~Acts 1:6-8 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of the Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Welcome to a special edition of The Kingdom Perspective. Christ Redeemer has a strategic opportunity before us. We are now the first new church approved for a building in this Ivy League town in over 60 years! This has not come without challenge and difficulty. For over 20 years we sifted through dozens of properties trying to find something suitable for our growing congregation. Every time, we were constrained by something, legal or otherwise. Then God surprised us by giving us a spacious 9-acre parcel of land, strategically located right between the Ivy League institutions of Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Sadly though, our attempt for zoning approval on this property led us into a seven-year legal struggle, but this culminated in a landmark victory at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The court unanimously affirmed our right to build, giving us the green light to establish a permanent presence for Christ! Now, our pressing need is for construction funds. The seven-year legal delay was, not only expensive, but also burdened us with increased building costs. Therefore, we are seeking partners to help us actualize this dream. Would you join us by supporting this effort and spreading the word about his historic opportunity? Our story is one of God's faithfulness and perseverance, and our future holds untold potential for global influence. Please visit christredeemerchurch.org/flourish. Thanks! And God bless! “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”~Matthew 5:9-16 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of the Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Welcome to a special edition of The Kingdom Perspective. May I invite you to participate in one of the most strategic mission opportunities I know of? That opportunity is happening right here in Hanover. When my wife and I moved here 25 years ago we came here for two reasons. The first was the greatness of the need. New England was one of the most unchurched parts of the country, with less than 2% having any substantive connection to a gospel preaching church. Hanover was surely even lower than that. Missiologists classify such a place as an “unreached people group”. Second, we came here because we knew the strategic nature of this Ivy League community. People come here from all over the world to study and work, and then they go back to all over the world! So, we came here out of the love for the people of this place, as well as confidence that the gospel of Jesus Christ had the power to transform lives, not only in the Upper Valley but even to the ends of the earth. And that's exactly what God has done. In the past 25 years, God has not only grown a church of nearly 400 people, but he has also sent out over a 1,000 that have been touched by that gospel to every corner of the globe. Christ Redeemer Church now has an historic opportunity to establish a permanent presence for the gospel in this strategic place. After a long and difficult legal struggle, we are now the first new church approved by Hanover for a building in over 60 years! We are looking for partners to join in this effort. Would you please consider networking with us to get the word out, and would you consider a gift to make this dream a reality? Please visit our website at christredeemerchurch.org/flourish. Thanks! And God bless! “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”~Matthew 16:13-20 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. When we think of the idea of “hospitality”, we usually think of wining and dining. Images of nice houses, fine meals, and throwing parties that impress our friends and neighbors comes to mind. A whole segment of our economy has developed around what we call the “hospitality industry”, which makes a business out of increasingly impressive hotels, restaurants, and venues. Now, I have nothing against nice hotels and restaurants—and certainly nothing against nice homes and good meals! However, the biblical idea of hospitality is much different than all this. The New Testament word translated hospitality is made of the Greek words for “lover” and “stranger”. Someone who practices biblical hospitality is a “lover of strangers”. In other words, they are doing the hard work of making outsiders feel welcomed.Thus, hospitality is not merely for those with means, but those with very little means. It is for all people. It doesn't matter how much you have; what matters is how much of that you give. It's not about impressing others with how valuable you are; it's about impressing others with how valuable they are. It's not surprising then that hospitality is a character requirement of church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2), and of Christians in general (Romans 12:13). If God loved us when were strangers, wandering from Him, then how can we not do the same for others. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”~Romans 12:9-21 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. There is a paradox to generosity. Jesus puts it this way: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). “Blessedness” doesn't come from getting but from giving. The more you give, the more you will find. We gain by losing. This is very counterintuitive to the native posture of our sinful hearts. We tend to believe the more we hoard the happier we will be. But this is not the way God made the world…or us. Neither God nor the world He made operates on such a “scarcity mindset”. A farmer gets more grain by “giving up” the grain he has, sowing it in the soil in hopes of a bigger harvest. The businessman gets more money, by “giving it away”, investing in his business and in the market, looking for a greater return. The same is true with our stewardship in the kingdom of God. If we operate with a hoarding scarcity mindset, we will never have enough. However, if we operate with a generosity abundance mindset, God will make sure “we have all sufficiency in all things at all times, so that we may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). The book of Proverbs puts it this way:One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,and one who waters will himself be watered.~Provers 11:24-25 (ESV) As John Bunyan so eloquently put it: “There was a man, the world did think him mad, the more he gave away, the more he had.” Bottom line: you cannot outgive God! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,     ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;     his righteousness endures forever.' He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”~2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. God is a god of abundance, not of scarcity—and this abundance is on display in all that He has made. God is not a miserable miser, but a glad Giver of all good things. He is happy and blessed (Ephesians 1:3; Romans 1:25) and overflowing with joy, precisely because He has an infinite capacity for generosity. Now, this is no mere theory. Such core beliefs about God's basic nature and posture towards you, deeply affect the posture we take towards generosity in our own lives. Not surprising then that generous people are joyful people, but greedy people are grumpy. Such greedy and grumpy people believe God is stingy toward them or unable to “make all grace abound” to them (2 Corinthians 9:8). They believe God owes them something. On the contrary, generous people realize everything is a gift of His grace—all of life! That there's nothing we have we've not first received. So, they are grateful for God's gifts and are glad to pass them on to others. How your heart falls on this matter will affect the way you steward the resources God's given: your time, your treasure and your talents. Seeing God's generosity will make you generous. However, believing God is holding back—that He's grumpy and greedy—will make you the same. So, how do you lean into this joy of generosity? Well, start doing it! The more you give the more you will develop a capacity for joy. Giving makes you glad! The great London preacher Charles Spurgeon suggested the reason the sun shines so brightly is that it is always giving itself away. This is why God is the happiest of all, because He's the giver of all good things. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith…”~Galatians 6:6-10 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Our God is a God of abundance and generosity. This is seen in who He is and in all that He does. Just consider something as common as the earth God created, the ground we all walk on. It's made of dirt and rock. It's so cheap and mundane we trample it underfoot without thought. It's just “dirt”! Yet, that dirt is so rich and diverse in its elements that we can dig into it and draw out materials to produce stunning works of art and powerful supercomputers. We can fashion its elements into cars and smartphones. We can use it to construct buildings so tall they literally reach the clouds. We can split the atoms of some of these elements to create power for modern civilization. We can use other elements to make spaceships that explore the outer reaches of our solar system. This inherent abundance is why in Genesis, God commanded humans to “cultivate” the earth (Genesis 2). The word cultivate implies a generous potential hidden in the dirt under our feet—that God created the earth in such a way it can be developed and fashioned into something greater than it is. In this we see we need not have a scarcity mindset with the resources God has given to us. We can have a generosity abundance mindset, giving our stuff away to the glory of God, “cultivating” it, knowing God is able to return it multiplied to meet our every need. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying: ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.'”~Jeremiah 32:16-19 (ESV) “Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.”~Genesis 2:10-15

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Our God is a god of generosity and abundance. We see this in several ways. First is the limitlessness of His very being. God is not bound by time and space. He's not bound by anything outside Himself, at all. God needs nothing to exist for He is being itself, and so, He alone possesses the power to call into being that which does not exist. Secondly, God's abundance is demonstrated in all He has made. The universe we see is bigger than we can imagine. It's only been about a hundred years or so since Edwin Hubble discovered that our galaxy is one among others. Since that time, we've learned there are at least hundreds of billions of galaxies, each on average containing billions of stars. And we are discovering more all the time! This means that from our human vantage point, for all practical purposes, the universe God made is beyond limit. But all of this is backdrop to His greatest demonstration of generosity of all—the abundance of the riches of His grace toward us in Christ Jesus! When God decided to redeem fallen humanity, He spared no expense. He liquidated the full riches of heaven. He gave us the fullness of Himself in Christ. As Paul puts it in Ephesians, He has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3). The God we serve is not stingy. Why in the world should we be? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”~Ephesians 2:1-7 (ESV)

Transcript: Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Generosity is at the very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, it is not surprising this same Jesus who generously gave His life for our redemption is the same one who made a world so abundantly diverse. Jesus wove abundance and generosity into the very fabric of His creation. The Bible tells us that God created a universe with abundant potential—a multiplying and reproducing creation filled with a diversity of plants and animals. God made hundreds of thousands of plants “bearing fruit…yielding seed according to their kind” (Genesis 1:12). Likewise, He commanded the millions of animal species He made to be “fruitful and multiply and fill” the earth (Genesis 1:22). This is why a farmer can start with a few basic seeds and animals and multiply not only enough food to feed the world but also develop an endless diversity of new subspecies. Did you know, for instance, that broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale are all cultivated from the same basic species (i.e., Brassica oleracea)? Similarly, all the variety of dog breeds were hidden in the one grey wolf. All dog breeds are just domestications of the same species (Canis lupus). From Great Danes to chihuahuas, the inherent abundance of God's creation is on display. Thus, creation itself is a rebuke to any stinginess or small-mindedness. Neither God nor His creation is marked by such tight-fistedness…and neither should we. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day…~ Genesis 1:1-23 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! The devil is the mother, the fountain, of all grumbling and accusation. He has no gratitude in him but is upset and angry about everything. Now, how does he get us to be complicit with his tactics? One of the chief ways is through our own unresolved anger. Ephesians 4 warns us: “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” The Scriptures are exhorting us not to hold on to our anger, but to deal with it before the Lord. Not dealing with it gives the devil an “opportunity”. The word for “opportunity” is commonly translated “place” or “position”. It suggests a “foothold”, in a military sense. When we fail to process our anger before the Lord, it gives the devil a foothold in our life, a place of power from which he can manipulate us. Nursing this bitter attitude convinces us of our own rightness. It distills our own perspective into a 200-proof, self-justifying liquor—a toxic drink that drives us into a stupor of self-obsession. With every lick of a wound… with every time you see that person at church… every time you hear another person speak positively or see them experience some good fortune… every time you run into them at the store…your heart goes “ballistic”, fomenting with anger. Every time you do this, you take another sip of the devil's drink of self-justification. And that's when the devil's got y0u! You're intoxicated with your own self-righteousness. What about you? Are you giving the devil a foothold in your life? Are you nursing bitter anger in your heart? That's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.~ Ephesians 4:25-32 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! The Bible presents the devil as a grumbler, always finding fault, always accusing. He's the poster child for the unhappy grump. Now, why is the devil so unhappy? Well, he's so unhappy because he's so ungrateful. He doesn't have a thankful bone in his body. He's utterly discontent. Nothing is ever good enough for him. Heaven and all the joys of God were not good enough for him! It wasn't fair enough. It wasn't equitable enough. It wasn't glorious enough. C.S. Lewis famously wrote: “Hell begins with a grumbling mood….” You see, grumbling is the devil's original recipe. The devil hops from relationship to relationship, from family to family, from office to office, from church to church—complaining, accusing, and grumbling. The Greek term for the “devil” is comprised of two words suggesting the idea to “launch” an attack that “pierces through”. Etymologically its related to the English word “ballistic”. The devil is the one who postures superiority and hurls insults, complaints, and accusations intended to pierce others and bring them down. And so, the devil is always finding fault, pointing fingers, and throwing stones. Slandering, maligning and condemning! He's a backbiter, liar, and malicious gossip—always bringing charges, rehearsing grievances, tearing others down to bring himself up. Not surprising, he's called the “accuser” of God's people (Job 1, Zechariah 9, and Revelation 12) Nothing is ever good enough for devil! Is it for you? Are you walking in the pattern of the grumbler, or are you leaning into an attitude of gratitude? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?' Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.' And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?' Then Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.' And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.' So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”~ Job 1:6-12 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! Everyone knows that grumbling is the opposite of gratitude, but most are unaware of what drives it. At the root of the grumble is unbelief in God. Now, I need to be clear.Grumbling is not the same as what the Bible calls “lament”. Lament is biblically condoned; grumbling is condemned. For example, there are over forty lament Psalms, and some of these could even be categorized as “complaint” Psalms. The Bible models lament but dismisses grumbling. They're not the same. So, what's the difference? Lament happens at the end of yourself, driving you to cry out to God.But grumbling is being full of yourself (your own perspective, hurts, bitterness, etc.). You're not open to God's correction and training. You're just upset you didn't get what you want. Lament is tenderhearted. You realize you desperately need God.But grumbling is stubborn and hard-hearted. You refuse to trust Him. In lament the Psalmist cries to God in his lonely distress, saying: “How long, O Lord, must I wait forever!” (Psalm 13).However, in grumbling we don't cry to God, but complain about Him to others—how He's cheated, failed, or disappointed us. Lament is laying your soul bear before God. It's vulnerability.Grumbling is proving yourself right. It's refusing to take your complaint to God, while looking to others for sympathy. Lament relies on God, and so leads us to praise Him.But grumbling rallies others against God, leading them to question His trustworthiness. This is why the lament Psalms do not end with complaint but with confidence in God. My brothers and sisters, let's follow that example and live with gratitude, not just an attitude! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?How long will you hide your face from me?How long must I take counsel in my souland have sorrow in my heart all the day?How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love;my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.I will sing to the Lord,because he has dealt bountifully with me.”~ Psalm 13:1-6 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! Perhaps, there is no more famous articulation in recent memory of the limits of human government than that given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”. In it he reasons from the theology of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Paul and Jesus Himself. A human law and its application are only valid to the degree that they square with the law of God. Why? Because human law is only legitimate within the bounds given by divine appointment. Human authority has limits. Remember, Jesus told the corrupt Pontius Pilate: “You would have no authority…at all unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). St. Paul says: “For there is no authority except from God” (Romans 13:1). Therefore, all who wield authority have a solemn responsibility before Almighty God to do so, not as they please, but as justice and mercy would require. Moreover, all matters of justice must be properly weighted according to the balance given in the law of God. To do otherwise is to misuse the law and so to operate in functional lawlessness. As Jesus put it, the “weightier matters of the law” are “justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23), and as the prophet Micah (6:8) admonished:He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly with your God. Do you exercise your rights, powers, and authority not merely for yourself, but for glory of God and the good of your neighbor? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “With what shall I come to the LordAnd bow myself before the God on high?Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,With yearling calves?Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,In ten thousand rivers of oil?Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?He has told you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lord require of youBut to do justice, to love kindness,And to walk humbly with your God?”~ Micah 6:6-8 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! As chaos grows in any society, increasingly people look for someone to blame. We cry out:“It's the government's fault!”“It's the public schools that have caused the problems!”“It's the church's fault for why my family life is a mess!”“It's society or the culture's fault!” Now, social forces and institutions “out there” are indeed important. There are many layers to social cohesion, and an integrated, well-functioning society involves multiple public and private institutions. It is a structure made with interlocking building blocks. However, the most basic building blocks are always self-discipline and your homelife-management. You and your family are what society is made of. So, unless you are humbly seeking to get your own self and own house in order, to blame-shift, simply avoids the one root issue for which you have a fundamental responsibility. In my engagement with schoolteachers and law enforcement, and even pastors, I'm increasing stunned to hear the level of chaos they are forced to deal with—much of which should be managed at the home level. Yet, more and more is expected of them, while less and less is expected of the individual and the family. This can only go on for so long till there is a collapse or a massive social reordering. Like an automobile bridge, our public institutions have a “weight limit”. They can hold only so much before they collapse. We can pass the buck of blame for only so long before the bill is returned to our doorstep for “insufficient funds”. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.”~ Colossians 3:17-21 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! You would be hard pressed to find a better or more succinct statement of the Christian understanding of limited human authority than that given by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In April of 1963, he was imprisoned for protesting the overreach of laws mandating the segregation of races in the Jim Crow South. Writing from a Birmingham jail, he responded to white clergy that criticized his tactics in fighting these unjust laws. King responded with gracious but pointed truth, deeply rooted in the biblical tradition. Listen:“One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all'” (emphasis added). Dr. King goes on to raise the question:“Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law…of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law.” (King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” In Why We Can't Wait, 1963.) Now, what is Dr. King saying? Governmental authority is legitimate only to the degree that it squares with the Law of God. When human authority runs contrary to the Law of God, it abrogates its authority and must be disobeyed. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.' But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.'”~ Acts 5:27-32 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! Have you ever considered that the act of public worship is a political act? No! Not a partisan political act in the way our division-prone society sees it, but a political act, nonetheless. In this bold political act we partake in every Sunday, we gather, publicly, and declare that Jesus Christ (the anointed King) is Lord (the absolute ruler) of heaven and earth! Furthermore, we declare that He is coming back to judge the living and the dead—that the citizens of planet earth and their would-be rulers are all accountable to one political figure alone…a King who was brutally executed on a bloody Roman cross…for us. How this fact, has escaped our notice can only be explained by how the modern mind has neutered historic Christianity. Our contemporary notion of Jesus is way too harmless. When you begin to ponder the implications of this assertion, it is shocking and, perhaps, a bit confusing. But one thing is for certain: it must change the way that we think about our engagement in this world. The central claim of Christianity does not remove us from the affairs of life on earth; we are still citizens of the United States (or whatever land we call our own). However, it does affect the way we imagine our engagement in the affairs of this world. As Christians, we know that the kingdoms of this world are not ultimate kingdoms. All the kingdoms of this world will come to an end, but His kingdom is forever. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.”~ Psalm 97:1-5 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! According to the Bible government authority is not a necessary evil. It was established by God to facilitate a safe, functioning, and flourishing society. However, just because government is good and necessary does not make it the most basic and important social institution. There are some things that are more foundational to human flourishing than governmental authority. Biblically speaking, the home (i.e., marriage and family—the husband-wife and parent-child relationship), the church (i.e., obligation to worship and obey God in communion with fellow believers), and the neighborhood (i.e., our responsibility to love our neighbor) all have higher importance than government. Without the flourishing of the mediating institutions of home, church and neighborhood, we are left with sheer governmental force. When homes and neighborhoods are in chaos, governmental coercion becomes the sole ground of social cohesion, and this is not good. Rather, God intended love and trust nurtured in the home, church, and neighborhood to be building blocks to a free and flourishing society. A government that does not respect and support these institutions, or worse seeks to destroy them, is a government sowing seeds of social disintegration or totalitarianism. And a people that does not pursue the good ordering of these basic building blocks in their own lives is asking for tyranny. The Law of the God, not the law of the state, must always be primary. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And He said to him, “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 neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.'”~ Matthew 22:35-40 (NASB95) “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. The Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.' Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.'”~Genesis 2:15-18 (NASB95) “To discipline a child produces wisdom,but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes,but the godly will live to see their downfall.Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mindand will make your heart glad.When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”~ Proverbs 29:15-18 (NLT)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. In ancient Rome, Christians suffered persecution precisely because they did not find their hope and ultimate allegiance in the kingdoms of this world. They refused to say that the political realm of Rome was supreme, and that Caesar was “Lord”. To them, they had only one supreme political realm, the Kingdom of God, and only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this they were seen by many as a danger to civil order and therefore a threat to the state. However, nothing could have been further from the truth. It was precisely because these early Christians were anchored in an eternal political reality—their citizenship in heaven—that allowed them to engage in the kingdom of this world in such a non-divisive and redemptive manner. If you believe this world is all there is, and the political issues of the moment are make-or-break issues, then your political engagement will be desperate. And desperate people do desperately dumb things! You will be reactionary to your opponents, vindictive when attacked, cynical in the face of corruption, and hopeless in the face of setbacks. But if your hope goes beyond the kingdoms of this world, then you will be like the early Christians, who, though maligned as troublemakers, lit the path for a new way of engaging. Listen to this 2nd century tribute: “Christians are no different from the rest in their nationality, language or customs…. They fulfill all their duties as citizens, but they suffer as foreigners…. They obey all laws, but they live at a level higher than that required by the law. They love all, but all persecute them…. In a word, what the soul is in the body, that is what Christians are in the world.” (Epistle to Diognetus, c. A.D. 150) Could this describe you? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”~ Acts 2:42-47 (NASB)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! The Bible tells us that human government is established by God and therefore is accountable to God and His Word (Romans 13). This is why government power must be limited. It must not be used for the selfish gain of those in power but for the general freedom and flourishing of all. By God's design the government exists to curtail the work of evil and encourage the work of good (1 Peter 2:14). In the words of the French thinker Montesquieu (1689-1755), “it is requisite that the government be so constituted as one man needs not be afraid of another.” (Charles, Baron De Montesquieu, the Spirit of the Laws (1748)). Thus, wherever possible, we have an obligation to hold the government accountable to this role, especially in a democratic republic, where the government is, after all, “we the people.” However, just as the will of the government is limited, so too is that of the individual. We are all personally accountable to God and obligated to obey His will. This is why the Bible tells us that, though we are to “act as free men,” we must “not use [our] freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:16-17). Especially for us as Christians, our behavior should be so exemplary that it leaves no room for bringing charges of wrongdoing. As Peter puts it: “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15). This teaching should make us self-reflective: How do you live? Do you speak and act in such a manner that points your neighbors to a better society? Something to think about The Kingdom Perspective. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”~ 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! In our current political climate, we are increasingly tempted to become anxious not only for any given election result but also the potential reaction to it. However, as Christians we need not be anxious nor filled with dread. Rather, we are free to walk in faith and be peacemakers. Why? Well, first, we can know one thing for sure, that the day after any election nothing will have changed in heaven…or even ultimately on earth. Jesus is Lord regardless of the outcome. And that is very good news…for everyone! Recently, a dear brother commented to me about the “devastating” situation our world is in. He wondered “what people hold onto without the hope and assurance of Christ.” How true! Thank God we have a hope that goes beyond elections. Indeed! We have a hope that goes beyond the grave! Jesus—not earthly kings, congresses, or courts—determines our fate. All earthly kingdoms shall “come to pass,” but Jesus's kingdom “shall have no end”. One of the most arrogant politicians of all-time, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, finally got it right after God humbled him:For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.All the inhabitants of the earth are of no account,But He does according to His will among the army of heavenAnd among the inhabitants of earth;And no one can fend off His handOr say to Him, ‘What have You done?' (Daniel 4:34-35) Nebuchadnezzar had quite literally lost his mind. His self-obsessed pride had driven him mad, until he “raised [his] eyes heavenward and [his] reason was restored” (Daniel 4:34). Nothing restores our sanity like a glimpse of the Sovereign Savior. Are you anchoring your hope in the eternal God or in earthly government? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “This is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”~ Daniel 4:24-27 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Aside from the foundational influence of the Apostles, in the first thousand years of the Church, St. Augustine's influence is hard to match. However, St. Augustine was not always “Saint” Augustine. Although exposed to the gospel at an early age, he did not become a Christian until much later, in his early 30s (A.D. 386), just a few years after the Roman Empire became officially Christian (A.D. 380). Although he was born into a Roman family in what today is Algeria, Aurelius Augustinus was probably not of European/Roman decent, but rather of the indigenous North African Berber tribes. As a matter of fact, his ancestors were probably slaves of the Romans until about 140 years before he was born. Nonetheless, as a Roman citizen, Augustine was proud of his adopted empire and its influence in the world. As a child his home exclusively spoke Latin, the language of the Empire. His Romanized life afforded him many benefits and privileges. However, when immersed in the culture and privileges of an empire, it is easy to confuse that empire with the kingdom of God. Amazingly, Augustine, as a Christian, largely avoided this confusion. We have Augustine to thank for clarifying the biblical truth that the empires of this world—whether the Roman Empire or the American—are not to be equated with the “empire” of God. Jesus said that my kingdom is not of this world (John 19). The kingdoms of this world rise and fall. But the kingdom of God is forever. That's where the Augustine anchored his hope. Where have you anchored yours? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold.”~ Daniel 2:44-45 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. We must always be careful not to be gullible—accepting everything that comes to us in the name of “spiritual truth”. Rather, the Bible calls us to investigate whether something is truly from God. And how do we do that? Let me give you a three question test: First, are you merely being told what you want to hear? The Bible warns of teachers “tickling” people's ears. However, the truth is often hard. Therefore, we should be skeptical of those suggesting otherwise. Remember that line from “The Princess Bride”: “Life is pain…. Anyone who says differently is selling you something.”  Second question: Is it true to the whole of Scripture? It does not matter that someone has a Bible verse as proof. The devil came at Jesus with Bible verses. The question is: How does this verse fit with the whole of Scripture? The Bible is a big book, and so, any part must be understood in terms of the whole. A text without context is pretext. Final question: Does it make much of the person and work of Jesus, the Creator God who came to save us? Is Jesus the center and orienting principle of all else? As the Apostle Paul put it in his letter to the Colossians: See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority… (Colossians 2:8-10) Jesus and His work for us is always the bottom line. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”~ Colossians 2:6-10 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Life is a marathon and not a sprint. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally for the long haul. Sprints require a short burst of energy; marathons require endurance. Endurance is something in short supply in modern America. We want quick fixes. We easily give up on relationships, commitments, our church, etc., especially when things are too hard or take too long. This inability to endure should concern us, severely. The Scriptures everywhere commend an endurance mentality. Biblically, perseverance is essential to our faith. Consider these passages: In Romans 5 we are told to “exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope….” In Colossians Paul prays that we would be “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11). Jesus himself warns us: “…many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:10-13 ESV) It is not surprising then that the writer of Hebrews describes the Christian life as a marathon: “…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3 NASB). In all your ups and downs, the Lord has one big goal: to grow you in endurance.  Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”~ Romans 8:18-25 (NASB)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. The central claim of Christianity—namely that Jesus is Lord—does not remove us from the affairs of this world. We are still citizens of the United States (or whatever land we call our own). However, it does affect the way we imagine and engage in the affairs of this world. As Christians, we know that the kingdoms of this world (whether they are left or right, capitalist or communist, Democrat or Republican) are not ultimate kingdoms. All the kingdoms of this world will come and go, but His kingdom is forever. It is particularly important at this moment for followers of Jesus to lean into this reality. As we become an increasingly secular society, we tend to make more and more of the kingdoms of this world. By “secular,” I do not mean that we don't “believe in God.” The data suggests we are as “believing” a nation as ever. Rather, by “secular” I mean we think our primary hope—and so our primary citizenship and allegiance—is to be found in this world. We are convinced that we must find heaven on earth. This makes us desperate, especially if we feel things are not going our way. We become anxious that “our kingdom” is crumbling. This not only makes us irritable, but also, as Christians, it makes us ultimately useless for representing Jesus in the world. But the gospel reminds us that, first and foremost, we are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). This gives us confident hope anchored in eternity, which then allows us to move into the changing kingdoms of this world and serve our neighbors. We know that the real and lasting kingdom comes not by the love of power but by the power of love, not by superiority over others but by serving others, not by the crown but by the cross. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”~ Philippians 3:17-21 (NASB)

Transcript:Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! Human government must be limited, precisely because it is a delegated authority from a higher power. As the Apostle Paul put it in Romans “there is no authority except from God” (Romans 13:1). Thus, human authority is legitimate only to the degree that it functions according to God's designated purpose. But that begs the question: for what purpose are these human authorities established? What must these delegated authorities do to maintain their legitimacy? Well, the Apostle Peter tells us:Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13-14 NASB95, emphasis added) Did you catch that? The essential and necessary work of human government is: 1) to squelch evil and 2) to support the good. Again, it exists “for the punishment of evildoers, and the praise of those who do right”. Authorities and administrations function properly when they nurture an atmosphere in which a healthy society can flourish. To the degree that any human authority loses sight of this, to that degree it has lost its way. Therefore, it is critical for Christians (and others of good will) to engage in the public square, in a manner that would promote both good order and good ends. We as individual citizens, families, and churches must not only hold our rulers to account for these purposes but also strive to live for them ourselves. Are you? Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”~ 1 Peter 2:13-17 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. What is the most political thing you will do this week? Christian theologian Oliver O'Donovan points out that the act of public worship is a political act. Have you ever thought of it that way?  What is the outrageously bold political act that we do every Sunday? Well, we gather publicly and declare our allegiance to King Jesus—that He is both Christ (the anointed King) and Lord of heaven…and earth! The kings, congresses, and courts of this world do not ultimately determine our fate. Jesus does. Furthermore, we declare that He is coming back to judge the living and the dead—that the citizens of planet earth and its rulers are all ultimately accountable to but one King—a King who was brutally executed for us on a bloody Roman cross, a frightful symbol of state authority and power in the Ancient World. Now, how this has escaped our notice can only be explained by how severely we have neutered the historic gospel. Our contemporary notion of Jesus is way too innocuous, way too harmless. He has become merely a “personal savior” endowed only with as much power that we allot Him in our compartmentalized world. But such a Jesus is not the true Jesus. The true Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. And when we fix our eyes on this Jesus, it undercuts the angsty hopelessness that plagues us in these modern times. As we see the kingdoms of this world tremble and even crumble, we remember that the real king was already “crucified, dead and buried for us…. He rose again from the dead…and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”1 No one and no thing can escape the reach of King Jesus. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “You are the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”~ John 18:33-38 (NASB) 1 Excerpts from the Apostles Creeds.

Transcript: Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! In Romans 13, the early church leader the Apostle Paul, issued a radical statement to the Christians in Rome. He said: Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Sadly, this has been misused over the years by some in authority to demand that those under them blindly and unreservedly obey. But this is not at all what Paul says. Paul doesn't command the Roman authorities to force their power upon the people. This is not addressed to the Roman authorities at all! In other words, God doesn't say to Caesar: “I've given you unlimited authority, so do as you please.” No! Quite the opposite! He is saying, all human authority is a delegated authority. It doesn't lie in the person or the office, but ultimately in God, the author of all things (note the connection of “author” to “authority”). This was a radical idea in the history of the world. No human being has any legitimate authority except to the extent it is given as a stewardship from the throne of heaven. Now, certainly, this means that Roman Christians (and we) therefore should be respectful of those in authority. Rulers are ministers/servants of God, as Paul will go on to say (Romans 13:4); and we should expect to be accountable to them. But just as important, it tells us that no earthly authority is ultimate. All authority is itself accountable to the Divine Authority of heaven. God designed human government to be limited, for it is a delegated authority of a higher power. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor."~ Romans 13:1-7 (NASB95)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. In times of great political division, our thinking tends to become what some sociologists have dubbed “apocalyptic.” We begin to believe that what takes place at this moment—in the next election, during the next session of Congress or the next ruling from the Supreme Court—is going to determine the fate of our lives, indeed, the fate of all history. One side says: “If this person wins the White House or this party wins the Congress, we are all doomed.” And the other side says: “If that person wins the White House or that party wins the Congress, we are all doomed.” Such thinking is not only false, but also revealing. It reveals where our real hope is. (Interestingly, the word “apocalyptic” literarily means to “unveil” or to “reveal”.) Christians, however, need not think like this—not because there are not issues at stake in any given election or that what happens in Washington is of no significance. Rather, Christians have an anchor that goes beyond the chaos of the present moment. Our hope ultimately does not come from the White House in Washington but from our Father's House in Heaven. Our hope is not in human power, but in the power God. As the Psalmist put it:Some trust in chariots and some in horses,but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7) Such confidence allows us to enter the public square, not desperately seeking salvation, but rather seeking to serve. We are free to bring the hope of the true Savior to a world bent on finding it in earthly saviors destined only to disappoint. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.  Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.  They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright.  Save, O Lord; May the King answer us in the day we call.”~ Psalm 20:6-9 (NASB)

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. It is said that the first casualty of war is truth. Whoever manages to get the upper hand in framing the conflict has a clear advantage over the one who does not. This is as true in our disagreements around the kitchen table, as it is in our cultural debates. It's as true in the bedroom, as it is on the battlefield. Now, the Bible tells us that we are in a spiritual battle, and the chief strategy of our enemy is to get the upper hand by getting us to believe lies. The devil loves to twist the truth and trick us into trusting him as opposed to God. As Jesus put it, “When [the devil] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NIV). Therefore, in our fight, we are warned to be vigilant (1 Peter 4)—to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are told to be aware of the devil's schemes, and so, not fall prey to His strategy (2 Corinthians 2:11). But how do we do that? Enter C.S. Lewis's masterful classic The Screwtape Letters. Like nothing I've ever read, it does an excellent job exposing many twisted, hellish, and insidious lies. I highly recommend it! Whether you read it or listen to it (why not do both!!!), you will find yourself awakened to the many ways our enemy trips us up. Go to our podcast to find links to free resources for this work. I hope by seeing the way the devil tricks us, you might learn to walk in greater wisdom, and avoid many traps. But watch out! The devil doesn't want his secrets exposed. Perhaps that's why Lewis said that it was the most difficult piece he ever wrote. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.'”~ Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV) Free Online Resources*: Audio Book of The Screwtape Letters read by John Cleese:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L6lCeXF8D4 Digital Copy of The Screwtape Letters:https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.86985/page/n69/mode/1up *Originally, written during during WW2 in Britain, some material in The Screwtape Letters will be a bit dated, but let that not dissuade you. As a matter of fact, being written during the greatest war to ever engulf our planet, makes it even more viscerally compelling.

Transcript:Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. I don't know about you, but I tend to have interesting conversations on airplanes. A few years ago, I sat next to a researcher who has traveled the world over detailing what people do when something goes wrong in their life. What are the universal patterns of response we all have regardless of culture, age or socio-economic circumstances? He found that immediately after something goes wrong, we begin to tell ourselves a “justification story”. We try to find a cause, so that we can pin blame, often to exonerate ourselves and cast the guilt onto someone or something else. This researcher's “discovery” shouldn't surprise us. If we just reflect on our everyday relationships with our closest family members and co-workers, we will see this pattern again and again. We always try to justify ourselves relative to others. Now, why? Why are we so driven toward such justification narratives? Why is it that our knee-jerk response is to justify ourselves and our actions, as if we are on trial, living our lives in a courtroom before a judge? Well, if you are familiar with the Bible the answer shouldn't surprise you. It is because we are. The New Testament book of Romans tells us that we intuitively know our lives are being lived before the ultimate Judge of the universe before whom we will have to give an account. We will be judged by our Creator for our every thought, word, and deed, and on that final judgment day God will render to everyone exactly what they deserve. He alone will settle the score. Thus, deep in our hearts our consciences are constantly either accusing or defending our every action. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."~Romans 1:18-20 (ESV) “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”~ Romans 2:6-15 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. Do you worry about what others think of you? If yes, join the club. I saw an article recently on what one psychologist calls FOPO (fear of people's opinions). We all suffer from this at least a bit, perhaps some more than others. We are incurably social creatures and so we're all susceptible to this to a greater or lesser degree. Peer pressure is not something that only teens and college students struggle with. Worrying about what others think does not magically dissipate once we graduate or become adults. Now, this struggle is not good; living for the approval of others is a snare. It is what the book of Proverbs calls the “fear of man”. As Proverbs 29:25 puts it, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap…”. Now, why is it a trap? Well, as writer and recording artist Shai Linne says:“Craving human affirmation is a no-win proposition. Those who don't receive it are miserable. Those who do receive it only want more.” ~Shai Linne, native Philadelphian, recording artist, and author The only thing that can save us from the fear of man is the fear of God. It is not that we weren't made for the approval of another. We were. But the approval we were made for is not that of our neighbor but of our Savior. We were made for God. This is why the Scriptures tell us: “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27) and “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied…” (Proverbs 19:23). Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”~ 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. At the heart of Christianity is the notion we call “the Great Exchange”. What is the Great Exchange? It is the sweet and gracious reality that at the cross, Jesus Christ took our sins and gave us His righteousness. The sin was ours alone, but He took it. And the righteousness was His alone, but He freely gave it. Now, sadly, I have heard some contemporary theologians claim this notion is a late invention in the history of the church, only coming to prominence in the Reformation period and beyond. However, this is not historically accurate. The Great Exchange has always been the very heart and power of the church. One the greatest Christian writings of the mid 2nd century was The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus (c. 150 A.D.). Listen to this statement of Christ exchanging our sin for His righteousness:“He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for the transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!” As the Apostle Peter summed it up:“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Oh, sweet exchange! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”~2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV)

Transcript: Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective! Several years ago, Dr. Gregg Henriques of James Madison University wrote an article in Psychology Today that caught my attention. It was called “The Justification Hypothesis”. Dr. Henriques is known for his Unified Theory of Knowledge, which is an attempt to have a more interconnected vision of how science, psychology and philosophy are related. His theory consists of eight key ideas, the second of which he entitles Justification Systems Theory. Now, far be it from me to detail the intricacies of his theory. Nonetheless, a statement from the Psychology Today article is worth consideration. He writes:“Look around and you will see systems and processes of justification everywhere in human affairs…. Other animals communicate, struggle for dominance, and form alliances. But they don't justify why they do what they do. We are the justifying animal.”~“The Justification Hypothesis” by Gregg Henriques Ph.D. in Psychology Today; James Madison University To me, this forces the question: Why are human beings unique among all creatures in our propensity to give justification—to give reasons for why we do what we do to provide defense for our motives and actions? I think the Bible gives us the answer. It tells us that human beings are uniquely made in the image of God and given a unique moral duty before Him. Having this innate sense of moral duty to God's Law, we intuitively know we are accountable to Him—that we will have to give an account of every thought, word, and deed. We will be required to justify our lives before the courtroom of heaven. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'”~Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV) “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.”~Psalm 62:11-12 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. One of my favorite ancient creeds, the Athanasian Creed (c. 6th century), though not written by its namesake (A.D. c. 296-373) is nonetheless appropriately attributed to him. Athanasius was the great 4th century church leader who defended the Trinity against false views that followed a general pattern of denying or twisting one biblical truth to make it more “rationally compatible” with another. So, for example, if the Bible says there is only one true God, then there cannot likewise be three divine persons. How is it “rational” for God to be both one and three at the same time? The problem of course is that this is precisely what the Bible does claim.  And so, with precision and eloquence the Athanasian Creed* summarizes the divine mystery of the Triune God: … we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the divine essence.For there is one person of the Father,another of the Son,and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one,the glory equal, the majesty coeternal…. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.  And yet they are not three eternal beings but one eternal beingAs also there are not three uncreated beings nor three incomprehensible beings, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible being. Well put! Beautiful and true! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”~ Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) *Athanasian Creed1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; 2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 6.  But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. 7.  Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. 8.  The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 9.  The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. 11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. 12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. 14. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. 15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; 16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. 17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; 18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; 20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. 21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. 22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. 23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. 25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. 26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. 27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity. 29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 30. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. 31. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. 32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. 33. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. 34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. 35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God. 36. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. 37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ;38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; 39. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty; 40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; 42. And shall give account of their own works. 43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.44. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. The Bible tells us two truths that may seem contradictory: 1) there is only one God, and 2) this God exists eternally in a relationship of three persons. Our Jewish friends, rightly emphasize the “Shema” of Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (“Shema” is the Hebrew word for “Hear” or “Listen”). The God of the Bible was unique among the ancient deities, precisely because He claimed to be the only true God, and therefore demanded sole allegiance. Thus, the Shema continues: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” There is only one God, He rightful deserves our all! Yet, the Bible clearly teaches there are three persons who lay claim to this deity. Jesus does: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30; see also, John 1:1-3). The Holy Spirit does: “Now the Lord is the Spirit…” (2 Corinthians 3:17; see also, Acts 5:3-4). And, of course, the Father does. But how are we to understand this seeming contradiction? Well, as the church pondered the biblical data, it refused to truncate or twist either truth; both must be taken at full value. There is only one God (one divine essence or being), but that God exists as three persons. So, the Church held firmly to the existence of only one divine essence or being, while likewise holding that this one divine essence is shared equally and fully by three distinct persons. One God in three persons, and three Persons in one God. In other words, as Christians we take God's self-revelation, at face value, by faith; the true Church believes God's Word. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”~ Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. One of the marks of contemporary life is our fragile sense of self. We are easily offended and thrown off by lack of affirmation from others. This is strange since we claim, quite proudly, that we are self-made people. Supposedly, we find our identity by looking within and not to others; “I have a unique identity!” However, social commentators have long noted that this ethos of self has led only to an even more impoverished sense of self. Why? Well, we are incurably social creatures. Swiss-born philosopher and writer, Alain de Botton, put it this way:“…amid such uncertainty [about our self-identity], we typically turn to the wider world to settle the question of our significance. We seem beholden to affections of others to endure ourselves. Our ‘ego' or self-conception could be pictured as a leaking balloon, forever requiring the helium of external love to remain inflated, and ever vulnerable to the smallest pinpricks of neglect.” Now, why is this the case? Well, the gospel tells us. We crave affirmation because we were made for affirmation. We were not made for ourselves, but for God. Our happiness and contentment with ourselves (a quite legitimate desire!) can only come from knowing our Creator's pleasure in us. We are incurably social creatures because we were not made for ourselves, but for another; we were made for the pleasure of God. And this means, we were made in the image of relationship—the eternal love relationship of the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”~ John 15:5-11 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. There have been deep and dramatic cultural changes in the past 75 years or so, unmooring much of what our civilization took for granted. Nowhere is this more evident than in our sense of “self”. In traditional cultures, one gained an identity either by pedigree (being born into a particular family, tribe or nation) or by proving oneself according to the values of your family, tribe or nation (e.g., sacrificing for the greater good of the community). However, in the past 50 years or so, we no longer become a somebody by looking to our family, tribe or nation, but by distinguishing ourselves from them. Belonging to a community is seen as an obstacle to being my “true self”. You can see this in the change of the advertisements for the US military. A century ago, you had a rather stern looking Uncle Sam pointing his finger at whoever deigned to look, saying: “Your country needs you!” The subtext was you had a duty to serve your nation because you belonged to it. Your identity was bound by your duty to tribe and nation. However, back in the 1980's all this changed with a much more consumer/individualistic-driven ad. Join the Army and “Be all that you can be!” we were told. In this new world it is all about you. You create yourself. You are the manufacturer of your identity. This new ethos has not saved our “sense of self” but only impoverished it even more. We were never meant base our identity on our pedigree or performance but on God who created us in His image and redeemed us for His glory. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”~ Colossians 3:9-15 (ESV)

Transcript: Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. According to the Bible, ultimate reality is love. The source of all that exists is the eternal love relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The God we learn from Jesus is a God who from all eternity is Triune—Father, Son and Holy Spirit living in eternal self-giving love without any hint of self-centeredness. There is no envy or insecurity on the part of any member of the Trinity, but all exist in a deep sense of personhood without being threatened by the personhood of the other. In the being of God, we have clear boundaries of personhood but no walls. Each person losing themselves into the life of the other without ever losing their individual sense of personhood. Now, such a vision is mind-boggling to us because it is so foreign to our sense of self and our experience of relationship. But why? Why do we so struggle with such a deep sense of personal insecurity and relational dysfunction? Here's the reason why: the Bible calls it “sin.” My friends, sin is not just the little, bad things we do. But it's this: it's trying to find life in ourselves, apart from the love of God—apart from the Trinity. We are seeking to make a life for ourselves apart from our Creator. Therefore, we are driven to prove and defend ourselves instead of trusting in God. We are driven to make an air brushed image of ourselves and then construct walls to defend and protect that image. And these things keep us from true love connection with God and one another. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”~ 1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. If we were to peel back the universe to see what's underneath it—to discover its source, the very essence of reality—we would not find a mathematical or scientific formula, nor a moral to do list, nor even a theological doctrinal statement. All these things are good, true, and necessary, but they are not the ultimate thing. Rather, we would find a perfect, eternal, untainted relationship of self-giving love! A divine community (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in an infinite relationship of mutual self-giving—perfectly and equally sharing being, glory, and delight, from eternity to eternity. One God in three Persons, and three Person in One God. What does this mean? Well, most basically, it means that love is what is ultimately real, for love is the very essence of God's nature. Thus, as Christians we do not have a thin and sentimental view of love. Love is real. It exists apart from our feelings. It exists from all eternity. In making us in His image, God meant for us to reflect this glory. We were to find our life in His self-giving Love. Thus, the biblical concept of sin is a brokenness in the beauty and wholeness of that relationship of love—it's a dis-ease, a dis-harmony. We have no life apart from that love. And so, any person, any “self”, that does not exist to serve and give themselves away for others is a corruption of what it means to be a “person”, of what it means to be a “self”. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'”~ Matthew 11:25-29 (ESV)

Transcript: Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. No philosophy or religion has a higher and more dignified perspective on human nature than the Bible. It tells us that God created us in His own image, fully righteous and holy. We were not created sinful, but good. This means that sin is an interloper. It is not intrinsic to human nature, but a corruption of human nature. It comes not from being faithful to our humanness, but from rebelling against it. When we sin, we are destroying our true humanity. God made us for covenant relationship with Himself—to be His special creatures. By trusting and obeying Him, we were meant to show forth His beauty to all creation. Unfortunately, we were not content with this. In our sin, we deemed it not good enough to be mere creatures, displaying the beauty of our Creator. Rather, we determined to be our own creators. We didn't want to reflect God's glory; we wanted to create our own. How foolish! This is like a mirror wanting to reflect itself! The irony of such madness is that no other creature had been given such an exalted status! We alone were made in the image and likeness of God. What more could we ask for? Yet, sadly, we were deceived and so demanded more. Thus, we fell and became less. Our humanity plunged into sin, and this sin has irreparably corrupted our human nature. As Genesis 6 puts it:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…. 12 for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. This infection of sin is so bad that it leaves us utterly hopeless, desperately needing the intervention of a Savior. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”~Genesis 6:5-8 (ESV) *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children21. What were Adam and Eve like when God made them?They were very good. 22. Did Adam and Eve remain good?No, they sinned. 23. What is sin?Disobedience to God's law. An Advanced Catechism15. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man when he was first created?  When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; (Galatians 3:12) forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death. (Genesis 2:17) 16. Did our first parents continue in the state in which they were created? Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state in which they were created, by sinning against God, (Ecclesiastes 7:29) by eating the forbidden fruit. (Genesis 3:6-8) 17. What is sin? Sin is any lack of conformity to, or transgression of the law of God. (1 John 3:4)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. No philosophy or religion has a higher and more dignified view of human nature than what we find in the Bible. Yet, despite this, I find that many Christians, thinking that they are being faithful to Holy Scripture, have a very negative view of human nature. This negativity is wrong headed. The Bible tells us that God created us in His own image, fully righteous and holy—to be rulers over all God has made. We were not created sinful but good. In the words of Genesis 1:31, all creation was “very good”!  As God declares at the creation of mankind:26 …“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…. Likewise, the great King David echoes this exulted status in Psalm 8:5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet… What other creature has been given such significance! Men and women were designed to function like kings and queens over the whole kingdom of God's creation. Secularism teaches that humans are merely the latest in a series of cosmic accidents. The Bible teaches that humans are the pinnacle of all creation. And that's something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. Psalm 8 (ESV) 1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes,  to still the enemy and the avenger.3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children18. How are people different from the rest of creation?We alone are made in God's image. 19. Who were the first people that God created?Adam and Eve were our first parents. 20. What were Adam and Eve like when God made them?They were very good. An Advanced Catechism14. How did God create man? God created man, male and female, after His own image, (Genesis 1:27) in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24) with dominion over the creation. (Genesis 1:28)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. One of the main critiques I hear about the biblical idea of God's sovereignty is that it makes God into a “micromanager”. No one likes someone obsessed with controlling everything and everyone! Well, good news! God has no need of being controlling. He is not threatened by you having power. He doesn't need any power; He already has it all! As a matter of fact, when God made the world, He did not “horde” power for Himself. Rather, He gave “dominion” to humankind (i.e., Gen. 1:26-28), welcoming us to participate in His power. Genesis 2 tells us that He delegated to us the responsibility of guarding and cultivating the earth. We are not mere “puppets”, but responsible agents, sharing in His dominion over creation. But this in no way threatens God's sovereign power or authority. God is the ground of all being; you can never completely remove Him from the equation. As the Apostle Paul puts it, God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11, emphasis added). “In Him we live move and have our being” (Acts 17). So, how does God have all power, and yet, we are responsible agents? No doubt, this is a deep mystery that goes beyond finite comprehension. All earthly illustrations ultimately break down, but maybe this one might help. Consider the difference between the will of an author and the will of the characters created by that author. The characters all have their own being and free choice within the story, but that doesn't preclude the author superintending the story. As a matter of fact, it's premised upon it! Each character within the story is acting freely, and yet, no character acts without the will of the author. Shakespeare is not threatened by the free actions of Hamlet; he controls them. We are characters in God's story. Our freedom is confined by the time and space, but God, the author and sustainer of time and space, is not so confined. Something to think about—and ponder for quite a while—from The Kingdom Perspective. Job 38 (ESV)1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?3 Dress for action like a man;   I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?   Tell me, if you have understanding.5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!   Or who stretched the line upon it?6 On what were its bases sunk,   or who laid its cornerstone,7 when the morning stars sang together   and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors   when it burst out from the womb,9 when I made clouds its garment   and thick darkness its swaddling band,10 and prescribed limits for it   and set bars and doors,11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,   and here shall your proud waves be stayed'? 12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,   and caused the dawn to know its place,13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,   and the wicked be shaken out of it?14 It is changed like clay under the seal,   and its features stand out like a garment.15 From the wicked their light is withheld,   and their uplifted arm is broken. 16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,   or walked in the recesses of the deep?17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,   or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?   Declare, if you know all this. 19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,   and where is the place of darkness,20 that you may take it to its territory   and that you may discern the paths to its home?21 You know, for you were born then,   and the number of your days is great!” *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children17. What does God do for His creation?He rules and cares for it. An Advanced Catechism12. What is the work of creation? The work of creation is a picture of redemption through Christ Jesus, with God making all things (Genesis 1:1) of nothing, by the Word of His power, (Hebrews 11:3) in the space of six days, (Exodus 20:11) and all very good. (Genesis 1:31) 13. What is God's providence? God's providence is His wise and absolute rule over all of His creation, including all of man's actions, in order to reveal the glorious Gospel of His Son for His eternal glory. (Psalm 115:3; Daniel 4:34-35; Ephesians 1:3-14)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. What is God like? What kind of being is He?Well, we must begin with this.The most fundamental distinction in being is that between the Creator and creation.God is a being unlike anything in all the created realm, precisely because He is the Creator of the created realm. God is not a being competing for space in the world.God is not a being competing for causality in the world.The question is not whether you caused something, or God caused something. Or this or that causing something versus God causing something.God's relationship with matter and causality are quite different than any other being in the world. For example, consider a billiard table. The cue ball competes with the space where the eight ball exists. When the cue ball strikes the space and material existence of the eight ball, it causes the eight ball to move. The two cannot occupy the same space because their existence is contingent upon space and matter. But God does not exist in this way. God's being is utterly unique from all other being. God's being is not contingent; it is not dependent upon or caused by anything outside Himself. God is not merely one being existing alongside another, but rather the very ground of being. So, in this sense, God is beyond our common understanding of being. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, ‘What is his name?' what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.'”~Exodus 3:13-14 (ESV) *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children16. What does God do for His creation?He rules and cares for it. An Advanced Catechism10. What is the work of creation? The work of creation is a picture of redemption through Christ Jesus, with God making all things (Genesis 1:1) of nothing, by the Word of His power, (Hebrews 11:3) in the space of six days, (Exodus 20:11) and all very good. (Genesis 1:31) 11. What is God's providence? God's providence is His wise and absolute rule over all of His creation, including all of man's actions, in order to reveal the glorious Gospel of His Son for His eternal glory. (Psalm 115:3; Daniel 4:34-35; Ephesians 1:3-14)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. God is a being like no other. Since the Creator is the one who gives being to everything—something no other being can do—it follows that He must be categorically unlike anything else. Thus, we should not expect to totally comprehend God. However, just because we cannot know God fully, doesn't mean we can't know him Truly. Although we are unable to “climb up” and discover God, this is no hindrance for God to, so to speak, “come down” and reveal Himself to us. And this is exactly what God has done for us in the Bible. Now, one truth God has revealed about Himself is that from all eternity He has existed as a love relationship of three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is what we call the Trinity. The theologians summarize this in three basic propositions:· First, each person of the Trinity is equally God—the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God.· Second, the three persons of the Trinity are all eternally distinct persons—the Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Father; the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son.· And yet, thirdly, there is only one God—One God in three persons, and three persons in one God. Although we can know this for certain, yet the triune nature of God remains a great mystery—something we will ponder, worship, and delight in all our days. Although we may not get our minds around it, yet this truth drives us to praise God, for by it we know that love is real because we now know that God IS eternal love relationship. And that's something, not only to think about, but to adore in worship, from the Kingdom Perspective. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete."~1 John 1:1-4 (ESV) “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”~John 17:20-26 (ESV) *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children14. How many Gods are there?There is only one true God. 15. How many persons is this one true God?Three. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. An Advanced Catechism8. Are there more Gods than one? There is but one only, (Deuteronomy 6:4) the living and true God. (Jeremiah 10:10) 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead? There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. (1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. What is God like? In one sense, this is a very difficult question. Why? Well, whenever we ask what something is “like”, we are trying to make a comparison to other things. But God is not like anything in creation. The most fundamental theological distinction is between the Creator and the creation. There is an infinite gulf between the Maker and the thing made. As God says in Isaiah: “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him?” (Isaiah 40:25, ESV). God, by definition, is a being like no other. However, though we cannot fully comprehend God, this doesn't mean that God is unable communicate Himself to us. God longs for us to know Him, and so, He has stooped to make Himself known. We may not be able to make sense of God, but God is able to make sense of Himself to us. So, what are some things that God has told us about Himself? God has told us that He is Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, love, purity, and truth. He has told us that He is not constrained by creaturely limitations. God is not limited in knowledge; He's omniscient. He's not limited by time and space; He omnipresent. He's not limited in power; He's omnipotent. Although we are limited by all sorts of things—time, matter, space, the will of others—God is not. He is totally free to do all His holy will. Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. Isaiah 40 (ESV)9  Go on up to a high mountain,  O Zion, herald of good news;  lift up your voice with strength,  O Jerusalem, herald of good news;  lift it up, fear not;  say to the cities of Judah,  “Behold your God!”10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,   and his arm rules for him;   behold, his reward is with him,   and his recompense before him.11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;   he will gather the lambs in his arms;   he will carry them in his bosom,   and gently lead those that are with young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand   and marked off the heavens with a span,   enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure   and weighed the mountains in scales   and the hills in a balance?13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord,   or what man shows him his counsel?14 Whom did he consult,   and who made him understand?   Who taught him the path of justice,   and taught him knowledge,   and showed him the way of understanding?15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,   and are accounted as the dust on the scales;   behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,   nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.17 All the nations are as nothing before him,   they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. 18 To whom then will you liken God,   or what likeness compare with him?19 An idol! A craftsman casts it,   and a goldsmith overlays it with gold   and casts for it silver chains.20 He who is too impoverished for an offering   chooses wood that will not rot;   he seeks out a skillful craftsman   to set up an idol that will not move. 21 Do you not know? Do you not hear?   Has it not been told you from the beginning?   Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,   and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;   who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,   and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;23 who brings princes to nothing,   and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,   scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,   when he blows on them, and they wither,   and the tempest carries them off like stubble. 25 To whom then will you compare me,   that I should be like him? says the Holy One.26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:   who created these?   He who brings out their host by number,   calling them all by name;   by the greatness of his might   and because he is strong in power,   not one is missing. *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children9. Where is God?He is everywhere. 10. How long has God existed?Forever. He has always been. 11. Does God know all things?Yes – God knows all things. 12. Can you see God?No, but he can always see me. 13. Can God do all things?Yes – God can do all His holy will. An Advanced Catechism7. What is God? God is Spirit, (John 4:24) infinite, (Job 11:7) eternal, (Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17) and unchangeable (James 1:17) in his being, (Exodus 3:14) wisdom, power, (Psalm 147:5) holiness, (Revelation 4:8) justice, goodness, love, purity and truth. (Exodus 34:6,7)

Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. There's a lot of things we can learn from science and other fields of study, but some things can only be learned from direct communication from God. Why is this the case? Well, it is one thing to study the works that someone creates, but it is quite another to have direct communication with the one who created it. So, by way of illustration, you might be able to learn a few things about a particular painter by studying one of their paintings, but we probably are not going to discern everything the artist intended without also consulting the artist directly. Likewise, we can learn a lot about an artist by studying their works, but we will never know the artist personally until we hear from them directly. This is why Christians put such emphasis on the Bible. Classical Christianity holds that the Bible gives us a message we cannot get anywhere else. In a profound sense, it comes from the very heart of God. As the Apostle Paul says: “All Scripture is God-breathed….” It's the intimate breath of God Himself. And so, the Bible tells us God's will for our lives—what we are to do and not do. It explains our sin—how we've failed to fulfill God's will in our lives.  But most significantly, it tells us of God's heart of mercy. It reveals how God Himself has come to us in the person of Jesus Christ, to take our sin and to give us Himself. It shows the love of God. Let's be clear, we would not know this apart from the Bible. That's why we sing the simple truth of that children's song: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”~John 3:16-21 (ESV) *Below, we are appending some basic catechism questions that go along with this Kingdom Perspective. A catechism is a classical Christian teaching device, helping both children and adults better understand the unique claims of the Bible. Below, you will find questions taken from both a children's catechism and a more advanced catechism. For the full catechisms, you may go to our website by clicking here. Questions for Kids: A Basic Catechism for Children4. How do we learn about God?God tells us about Himself. 5. Where does God tell us about Himself?In nature and in His Word. 6. What does God tell us about Himself in nature?His character, law, wrath and glory. 7. What special message does God tell us in His Word?The good news of God's love and mercy toward His people. 8. Where can we find God's Word today?In the Bible alone. An Advanced Catechism5. What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify Him? The Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (Ephesians 2:20; 2 Titus 3:16) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy him. (1 John 1:3) 6. What do the Scriptures principally teach?The Scriptures principally teach what God requires of His creatures and how Jesus Christ has fulfilled that requirement on behalf of all who trust Him. (Luke 24:44-49; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 1:15)