29 Jul Kingdom Faith #4 God Rewards Faith

https://youtu.be/mnbbRXKYYME

God Rewards Faith Overview

In this powerful fourth installment of the Kingdom Faith series, Pastor delivers a transformative message on how God rewards faith and our identity as citizens of His kingdom. Drawing from Ephesians 2:19, he explains that believers are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household. The sermon emphasizes that faith is a gift from God that enables us to access every other blessing and grace. Just as citizens have rights and privileges in their country, believers have spiritual rights and privileges in God’s kingdom. Pastor illustrates how Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), meaning we don’t create or perfect our own faith – He does. The message challenges believers to stop acting like spiritual foreigners who are uncomfortable approaching God, and instead embrace their position as beloved children who can boldly access their heavenly Father. Through practical analogies about citizenship and family dynamics, the sermon demonstrates that God freely gives us all things and rewards those who walk in faith rather than religious tradition.

God Rewards Faith Outline

• 0:00 – Introduction to Kingdom Faith Series: Opening remarks about the importance and treasure of understanding kingdom faith.
• 2:30 – No Longer Strangers and Foreigners: Explanation of Ephesians 2:19 and our citizenship in God’s kingdom.
• 8:15 – The Difference Between Religion and Relationship: How religion makes people bystanders while faith makes them family members.
• 12:45 – Jesus as Author and Finisher of Faith: Understanding Hebrews 12:2 and looking unto Jesus for our faith foundation.
• 18:20 – Faith as a Gift from God: How faith enables us to access every other gift and blessing from God.
• 23:10 – Living as Citizens of Heaven: Practical application of our spiritual rights and privileges as God’s children.
• 28:40 – Christ as the Stone of Blessing: How Jesus is precious to believers and the source of all blessings.

Scripture References

Ephesians 2:19, Hebrews 12:2, Acts 17:28, Romans 8:1-2, 1 Peter 2:7-8, Romans 8:32, Matthew 6

Key Takeaways

• As believers, we are citizens of God’s kingdom with full rights and privileges, not strangers or foreigners.
• Faith is a gift from God that enables us to access every other blessing and grace He offers.
• Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith, meaning we don’t create or perfect it ourselves.
• God rewards those who walk in faith, not those who merely know about Him but don’t act like it.
• We should be comfortable approaching God as beloved children, not uncomfortable like religious outsiders.
• If God didn’t withhold His only Son, He will freely give us all things we need.
• Faith grows through exercise and application, just like physical muscles grow through use.

God Rewards Faith Notes

The foundation of this transformative message rests on understanding our true identity in Christ. Pastor begins by addressing the common struggle many believers face – feeling like outsiders in God’s kingdom rather than beloved family members. Using Ephesians 2:19 as the cornerstone, he explains that the Greek word for ‘stranger’ (xenos) means a guest, while ‘foreigner’ (paroikos) refers to someone present but not eligible for benefits and inheritance. This distinction is crucial because many Christians live as spiritual foreigners, present in church but not partaking of their inheritance.The sermon powerfully contrasts religion with authentic faith relationship. Religion creates bystanders who feel awkward and unwelcome in God’s presence, while faith establishes family members who are comfortable in their Father’s house. This comfort isn’t presumption but recognition of our legitimate position through Christ’s redemptive work. When believers say they need others to pray for them because they lack access to God, they’re operating as strangers rather than family members.Hebrews 12:2 provides the theological framework for understanding faith’s origin and completion. Jesus as the ‘author and finisher’ of faith means He both initiates and perfects our faith journey. This removes the pressure of self-generated faith and places the responsibility on Christ. We look to Jesus not just for salvation but for the ongoing development of our faith capacity. This looking involves seeing Jesus in Scripture and seeing ourselves in Him, as Acts 17:28 declares – ‘in Him we live and move and have our being.’The practical implications are staggering. Just as natural children confidently ask their parents for needs, spiritual children should boldly approach their heavenly Father. Pastor’s analogy of asking for popsicles illustrates how natural this should be – no child hesitates to request what they need from loving parents. Similarly, believers shouldn’t hesitate to access their spiritual inheritance, whether healing, provision, or any blessing God has provided.Faith operates as both gift and responsibility. While God gifts faith to every believer, it requires exercise to grow stronger. Like physical muscles, faith develops through use and application. This explains why some believers seem to have ‘greater faith’ – they’ve simply exercised their faith more consistently in various situations. The faith capacity is identical; the development differs based on application.The sermon concludes by emphasizing God’s generous nature. Romans 8:32 provides overwhelming evidence that God withholds no good thing from His children. Having given His most precious possession – Jesus – God will certainly provide everything else we need. This isn’t health-and-wealth prosperity teaching but recognition of our Father’s heart to bless His children abundantly.

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