Here's another inspiring message from Northside
Community Church Sydney Yes, whoa the good news
The good news I'm excited to keep sharing and
we conclude our series on the good news today
And my name is Jordan if you don't know and I
have the privilege of sharing with you this morning
I'm looking forward to it on the good news, but
I'll tell you what's not good news at the moment.
It's the Sydney housing market is not good news.
Anyone else feel that at the moment? The Sydney
housing market isn't good news at the moment.
And I don't know whether you've experienced this,
but for myself and my lovely wife Jess, we've
experienced this, is that it feels like, especially
in Sydney, part of the problem is that there's
way more demand than there is supply at the moment,
isn't there? There's like way more people looking
for houses than there are actual houses and places
available. I feel like that's a big part of the
problem at the moment. And Jess and I experienced
this firsthand a couple of years ago because
the way they're trying to solve this is that
they're building all these brand new apartment
complexes and they're getting people to move
into them before they're even finished. into
these new apartment complexes, right? And we
experienced that ourselves. We were looking for
our first place. As you can probably tell from
my accent, I'm not from Australia originally.
We emigrated back a couple of years ago. And
when we emigrated back, we were looking for a
place to live and we found this beautiful, as
it was advertised anyway, this beautiful apartment
complex. And we were there, ready to move in,
and the real estate agents showing us around.
And we're walking around this apartment complex,
and we're kind of going in our heads going, yeah,
I guess, you know, they're saying it's ready
to move in now. You know, when it says, like,
move in date, move in now, like, on the thing.
And we're like, I mean, I guess it is ready to
move into now, but it doesn't feel quite complete.
The elevator wasn't working yet in the place.
Our front door wasn't locking properly yet in
our place. The carpets hadn't been installed
yet. The paint was still kind of a bit wet on
the walls as it was drying the place. And yes,
there was an apartment. And yes, it was livable.
And yes, we could move into it. And I guess we
could move into it now. But it wasn't quite complete
yet. right? And so, we were kind of left in this
tension of like, there's a place we can move
into now, but it's not quite finished yet. And
maybe we're the only unfortunate ones to experience
this, but it's a reality going around around
Sydney, and it's not good news at the moment.
But when I thought about that and thinking about
that, it kind of reminds me and maybe how you
think about the kingdom of God sometimes, and
maybe how you think about God's kingdom. Because
to set the context we're concluding a series
on the good news and what we've been sharing
about is that the fullness of the good news that
the good news you've maybe heard growing up or
you maybe heard from your Christian friend is
that Jesus died for your sins so you go to heaven
when you die and we're not saying that's untrue
but what we're saying is that there's a fullness
to the good news and the fullness of the good
news is that Jesus came as king of a kingdom
that has arrived here and now and what we've
been asking you to do is to rethink how you might
live in that kingdom and you're probably going
to me, well Jordan, I have been rethinking how
I might live in that kingdom if I've been part
of this series so far, and what I've been rethinking
and thinking about is, if Jesus' good news is
the kingdom of God has arrived, where is it?
Where is it? And not only are we asking, where
is it? Then we're going, well if I'm meant to
participate in this kingdom, if I can't see where
it is, how do I participate in it? It kind of
feels like the Sydney apartment complex that
Jess and I moving into that yeah, I Can kind
of see it. I can kind of see glimpses of it.
I can kind of see elements of it here and now
but Like our apartment complex. It kind of feels
Incomplete it kind of feels like there's something
missing It kind of feels like something's not
quite here yet and we're kind of left asking
the question Well, if this is the good news,
well, where is it? Where is the good news if
Jesus came and his good news was that the kingdom
of God this better way for the world to run is
here And it's available now. Well, where is it?
That if the kingdom of God is a better way for
the world to be here and now Then why when I
turn on my TV is there was going on left right
and center? Why when I scroll through and do
my doom scroll as we talked about a few weeks
ago why when I do him scroll is there scandals
going on left right and center with public figures
and politicians and whoever it may be, why is
there just bad news everywhere around the world
still? And maybe it applies to you personally
as well, is that if the good news is that there's
a better way for the world to run, but also my
world to be run, and if it's arrived now, then
why is my marriage still falling apart? Why are
my finances still a mess? Why am I getting mistreated
and overlooked at work? Why are these things
still happening if this better way for the world
to work this? Idea of what we've been talking
about that God's heaven like heaven is coming
to earth here and now I don't see heaven Where
is it? I can see maybe some glimpses of it But
if it's fully arrived Where is it and I guess
what it leaves us going is it begs the question
this applies to everyone whether you're a Christian
or a non -christian in this place is that really
what you're asking is if God is this loving God
who's bringing his reign here on earth. Why can't
I see it? Why can't I see his reign here on earth?
Why does it not feel complete? Is the question
that we ask, right? And that's the tension we've
got to wrestle with. And because we start going,
well, how am I meant to participate in a kingdom
that I can't really see? That I can't see the
fullness of? That doesn't feel complete. And...
Part of the thing is is that we're not the only
ones who were asking these questions that Jesus's
early followers were asking this same question
2 ,000 years ago when Jesus came onto earth 2
,000 years ago and he started talking about this
good news that his kingdom that this better way
for the world to run where God is in charge where
Jesus is in charge is now here His early followers
were asking the same question Because I don't
know if you know any kind of history, but I know
things may look pretty bleak right now But they
were really bleak 2 ,000 years ago The world
was pretty, pretty bleak 2 ,000 years ago, and
Jesus' followers were asking those same questions
that we're asking. Well, Jesus, if you're bringing
this good news, well, where is it? If the kingdom
of God has arrived, where is it? And Jesus recognized
this. And the good news, no pun intended for
us today, is that Jesus addressed this, because
this idea of the kingdom can seem so distant,
it can be so hard to see for us. that Jesus,
kindly enough, described it for us. He described
what his kingdom looks like, and the way he described
it, as Christian alluded to earlier, is he used
things called parables. He used stories. He used
anecdotes. He described it. And there's so many
different parables that Jesus used to describe
His kingdom. So, so many. But one that we're
going to pick on today we'll get into. And part
of what I wonder is actually if Jesus had skipped
the 2 ,000 years and had just arrived today and
was given us a modern -day parable. I think the
modern -day parable Jesus would have used when
He describes what His kingdom is like. I think
He would have said something like this. He said,
the kingdom of God is like a Sydney apartment
complex. complex, that you can move into now,
but it's not quite complete yet. That's why I
think he would have described it now, but he
didn't. He described it differently to us 2 ,000
years ago, and this is how he described it on
the screen, and it's in Matthew chapter 13, and
what he says is this, he says, the kingdom of
heaven, which is the kingdom of God, is like
a mustard seed, which a man took and planted
in his field. Though it is the smallest of all
seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of
garden plants and becomes a tree so that the
birds come and perch in its branches. That's
how Jesus describes his kingdom and what we're
gonna see is that what Jesus is describing his
kingdom as, is he's describing his kingdom is
here now, but it's also not yet. That Jesus'
kingdom is now, But it's also, it's not yet.
It's like a Sydney apartment complex that you
can move into now. It's not quite complete yet.
And so we're gonna see why and what that means
for us today. So first, let's look at what Jesus
means by His kingdom is here now. His kingdom
is here now. And in that parable, what is Jesus
describing that is here now? He's describing
what is here now, what is present in the moment,
what his kingdom is now, is the mustard seed.
It's this tiny little mustard seed. And you may
be thinking, well, what's significant about the
mustard seed, Jesus? And I'm sure the people
who are hearing this are going, come on, tell
us. What's so grand about this mustard seed?
Nothing. Nothing is grand or significant about
a mustard seed. If Jesus was wanting to communicate
grander about his kingdom, he probably would
have just used a different seed even, for example.
He would have used something like a cedar tree
or something along those lines. But he described
a mustard seed, something that even his early
followers are going, what? Your kingdom is this
tiny little seed that is here and now, that this
kingdom, this good news that has arrived here
and now is this tiny... little seed that is small,
that is humble, that seems insignificant, that
is ultimately counterintuitive. It's kind of
like the apartment complex, Jess and I are moving
into that. It's there now, but it's very humble.
It's still small. It's not got the carpets installed
yet. The paint's still not dry yet. The door's
not locking properly yet. The dishwasher's not
working properly yet. There's something just
insignificant and also counterintuitive about
a mustard seed. That actually Jesus is describing
this kingdom of a better way for the world to
work and they think that it's going to be described
as this grand thing and we think it's going to
be described as this grand thing, but he says
it's a tiny little seed. And I guess it begs
the question for us this morning that when we're
looking for God's kingdom here now, Guess the
question we need to ask ourselves and what Jesus
is asking for us is what kingdom are you looking
for now? What kind of kingdom are you looking
for now? Because maybe when we're looking for
kingdom when we're looking for these grand ways
for the world to be taken over We're thinking
of power. We're thinking of authority. We're
thinking of these big grand things But what Jesus
says is that his kingdom comes in small? seemingly
insignificant and counter -intuitive ways. That's
how we see His kingdom here now. And in fact,
His early followers, when they were bringing
His kingdom into the world, into the Roman world
of 2 ,000 years ago, that's how it seemed probably
to them, but especially to the Romans. They were
probably looking at this kingdom of God and thinking,
this is a bit weird. That actually... There's
proof of this. There's evidence, historical evidence
that there's a quote from a historian called
Tom Holland, not the guy who plays Spider -Man.
That would be a pretty pointless quote. There's
also a historian called Tom Holland as well.
And he writes in a book called Dominion, which
is about the rise of early Christianity. And
he writes in the book, he says, to the Romans,
early Christian doctrines and practices such
as charity and caring for the weak were seen
as bizarre compared to the Roman ethos of power.
God's kingdom seems bizarre. Even today, when
we are looking for a kingdom that is of power,
that actually what Jesus is saying is what you
should be looking for is the small or what seems
insignificant and what really will be counterintuitive.
Because why it was bizarre 2 ,000 years ago because
the Roman world was governed by power And what
these early Christians were doing is they were
coming into the world and what they were doing
is they were treating everyone as equal That's
crazy They were being over and above generous
to the extent of their own wealth, that's crazy
They were creating the first ever orphanages
that we've ever seen in the known world today
that Romans if there was any small defects on
a child They would throw it in the trash. That's
true. And what Christians would do is they would
be the ones to lift these babies out of the trash
and care for them. That was bizarre. That was
counterintuitive. That was strange. And so, what
does it look like today to be counterintuitive?
What does God's kingdom look like that seems
so counterintuitive today? Well, I think the
other reality, what is so significant why Jesus
uses the seed as the analogy is, do you know
what happens with the seed? That before it sprouts,
It dies. A seed dies before it ever sprouts.
And I think what Jesus is saying is that in the
world where the kingdom of this world, the way
that we think the world is ruled is by growing
yourself, is by doing everything for yourself,
is by building yourself. What Jesus says, as
he says in his gospel, is actually that my kingdom
is denying yourself. that my kingdom is denying
yourself, and that's counter -intuitive. People
are going to see that as bizarre. People are
going to see that as strange. You might even
see yourself as strange. But God's kingdom arrives
here and now in quiet self -sacrifice. When people
have been violent to you, they're not retaliating
with the same violence that's been shown to you
by being overly and abovely generous to other
people at the extent of your own self. denying
yourself quiet, humble, small, individual self
-sacrifice. And it might not make sense to the
friends around you, to the people in your workplace,
to even yourself, but the reason it doesn't make
sense yet is because it's only a glimpse of what's
to come. What you're participating in, it's just
a glimpse of what's to come. And that leads on
to the next point is that Jesus' kingdom is not
just now in this small, humble, insignificant,
counterintuitive way, but it's here now, and
it's just a glimpse of what's not yet. The reason
that Jess and I, after being shown around that
Sydney apartment complex, decided to stay, spoiler
alert, we stayed, even though it hadn't been
completed yet, we stayed because we knew what
we were experiencing now was just a glimpse of
what was to come. Maybe you've been out when
you do like a home reno and there's either you
and a friend or your partner and one of you is
either the Pessimist and one's the optimist right
and that was for us with Jess and I is that I
was looking around it going what are we doing
here and then Jess is going well, it's got potential
It's got potential and that's what a mustard
seed is isn't it a Mustard seed doesn't just
stay a mustard seed It's the potential of what's
to come It's just the glimpse of what it will
be. As Jesus says in his parable, it doesn't
just stay a mustard seed, one day it will grow
into the largest of garden plants. And likewise,
what he means is that Jesus' kingdom now is just
a glimpse of what's to come. And the reason it's
just a glimpse is because the reality is that
you may be questioning, well, if his kingdom
has arrived, why is it just these glimpses? And
the reality of that is that his kingdom's not
gonna fully arrive until everyone acknowledges
the King. And we all know we live in a world
where not everyone acknowledges Jesus is the
King. But what he promises is that one day there
will be. And how do we know that? How do we know
that the glimpse isn't just all there is? How
do we know that it is just a glimpse of what's
to come? And again, Jesus' early followers were
thinking the same thing. that Jesus' followers
had just seen him come back from the dead. They'd
seen him come back from the dead, and now they're
thinking, all right, this is the time. You've
been talking about this kingdom arriving. Yes,
you've been showing your glimpses in your life.
Your kingdom's gonna come now. And they were
talking about it with Jesus. They were so excited.
They were like, oh yes, your kingdom's gonna
come now. The world's gonna be perfect. It's
gonna be the best place ever in the world. My
life's gonna be changed. And they're saying all
this, and what does Jesus do? He has his Star
Trek Beam Me Up Scotty moment, and he disappears
off to heaven. And we find this scene where Jesus'
disciples are stood there, gormless, going, looking
at each other going, what do we do now? What
now? What do we do now? We find this scene where
they're staring up. at the sky, not knowing what
to do. They're probably dumbfounded, maybe like
some of you guys, saying, well, Jesus, you're
talking about your way being better here and
now, but you're not here. It's only glimpses.
And so, we find this scene. And what just happens
here is that some angels come to his followers,
and they say this in Acts chapter one, if we
go to that next slide. They say, men of Galilee,
they said, Why do you stand here looking into
the sky? Probably dumbfounded. This same Jesus
who has been taken from you into heaven, here's
the key, will come back in the same way you've
seen him go into heaven. He will come back. And
that was the thing that his early followers,
his disciples, they clung onto when... They were
so confused that a world around them that still
had so much pain and so much feeling that His
kingdom hadn't fully arrived. But how they knew
it was just a glimpse of what's to come is because
they trusted the promise that He's going to come
back. That Jesus, the King, that He started His
kingdom, He disappeared, but one day the King's
going to come back and He's going to fully realize
His kingdom. He's going to fully realize his
kingdom and what that means is that actually
the glimpses of his kingdom that we participate
in now, the things that at the moment seem small,
that seem insignificant, the way that I'm radically
generous above and beyond but I don't get it
in return, the way that I try and love others
even though when they don't seem to love me back,
that there's one day going to be a world where
Jesus' kingdom is fully realized, where the King
is going to come back and bring it in his fullness
and those glimpses... will become more than glimpses.
The glimpses of heaven will be fully realized.
And that was the good news that his followers
clung onto. That they clung onto the fact that
the good news is that his kingdom has not yet
been fully realized. That these glimpses that
we sit in now, that one day they won't just be
glimpses, that the pain that we see around in
the world, it won't stay pain. That was the hope
that they held and again, it's like our apartment
complex That we move in now and we moved in Knowing
that even though we're gonna have our frustrations
that the dishwasher doesn't quite work yet Even
though we're gonna have our frustrations that
the front door isn't locking properly yet Even
though we have to use the stairwell instead of
the elevator from time to time We hold on to
hope in the frustrations that one day it's going
to be complete. And likewise for you, we deal
with the frustrations of a kingdom that is now
but not yet, that hasn't been fully realized.
The frustrations of why my personal life is struggling,
the frustrations why there's war everywhere I
turn, the frustrations of why... My finances
are a mess, the frustration why my relationships
are still breaking down. But the good news is
that one day that won't be the reality. That
the glimpses that you participate in will be
fully realized. And Paul, one of Jesus' followers,
I think, puts it best like this, he was living
in the midst of this. He says, therefore we do
not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting
away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day for our light momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them
all. Now will you participate now knowing that
what's to come is going to far outweigh the frustrations
the pains that you experience right now. And
the thing is, as well, that this isn't just a
hope, this isn't just a maybe, this isn't just
a wishful thinking, that this is a guarantee.
Because there's a third thing that I think Jesus
says about his kingdom, too, and he says that
his kingdom, nothing can stop it. And speaking
of things that you can't stop, for the gardeners
in the room, one thing that you may all know
that you can't stop is weeds. Any gardeners in
the room have to deal with weeds from time to
time? Yeah, yeah, get a few amens in the room.
for that. But weeds are so hard to control. You
get the weed killer and you spray it on the weeds
and the next minute another weed pops up right
next to you. It's like playing whack -a -mole
in your garden. It's like you're trying to like
spray down these weeds and then another one pops
up and do you know with weeds it's so hard to
control it. Once the weeds taken root it's almost
like you can't stop the weed. Now why I bring
that up is because do you know I talked about
how a mustard seed is insignificant. and counterintuitive.
The reason that it was counterintuitive is because
it wasn't this grand tree. I think we've always
had this impression, if you've grown up Christian,
that this mustard is like this biggest tree ever.
Did you know it was actually a weed? That mustard
bush, what the seed turns into, it's a weed.
That's why his followers would have been like,
what? Your kingdom's like a weed? But what Jesus
is trying to show is that actually, It's a weed
because once it takes root, nothing's going to
stop it. Nothing's going to contain it, nothing's
going to restrict it, nothing's going to get
in the way of it. And how do we know that? Well,
I think we know that is because, for Christians
here, is that we believe in the fact and our
good news is based in the fact of the resurrection.
That we know nothing's going to stop it, this
kingdom from fully arriving, is because Jesus
rose from the dead. And why that's significant
to me is because if Jesus can rise from the dead,
because the one thing, whatever you're ruled
by, the one thing that rules all of us is death.
We're all going to die at some point. So if Jesus
can have rule over death itself, Then I'm pretty
confident he's going to rule this world one day,
too. That the truth that nothing can stop this
kingdom is in the fact that Jesus conquered death
itself. So I'm pretty sure he's going to conquer
and rule and bring this better way of the world
working itself one day. And nothing can stop
it. It's not an if, it's not a but, it's not
a maybe, it's when. No amount of war. is going
to get in the way of stopping it. No amount of
scandal is going to get in the way of it. No
amount of the worst of Christianity is going
to get in the way of it. Let's point out the
elephant in the room, guys. Is that often sometimes
the worst of Christianity over the years in the
name of the kingdom of God has tried to get in
the way of it? But we have to remember that it
actually doesn't depend on us. It's the king
who builds the kingdom, and nothing can stop
that. And even amongst the worst of Christianity,
even if it's been whatever your view is on it,
maybe it's been the Spanish Inquisition of the
1500s, maybe it's been wars that have been done
in the name of religion, maybe it's been this
and that, and you can always think of these things
that just take stock for a moment. If you think
the world's in a rough place today, Why don't
we just take stock and perspective for a moment
and look around us? That actually in our world
today, yes, there is still a lot of pain, there
is still a lot of violence, but there are so
many glimpses of God's kingdom in this world
today. Do you know the very reason we have hospitals?
The reason we have charities today? The reason
we have orphanages? The reason we have education
to the extent we have it today? the reason we
have occupational therapy, the reason we have
all of these things that we have today, it didn't
come, the reason we have our very morality that
we have today, it didn't come from the enlightenment
200 years ago. It came from the birth of a Christianity
that was founded in a way that was doing the
small, the insignificant, the counterintuitive
stuff, the stuff that was bizarre, the stuff
that didn't make sense, that like a weed, has
spread around the known world that we know today.
And perhaps we just need to take stock for a
moment and realize that we're sitting in a moment
in history among the weeds of Jesus' kingdom.
The weeds growing, guys. And nothing can stop
it because we believe in a King who conquered
death itself. We're living in the midst of this
now and not yet kingdom. And so as we close,
I guess, it still begs the question, well, how
do I live in this now and not yet kingdom? Because
you've been honest and said that we are just
seeing glimpses of it now, that it might seem
counterintuitive, it might seem insignificant,
it might seem small. And also, like you just
said, well, the king's going to build the kingdom
anyway, so why do I have to do anything? Right?
Well, I think... The reality is that whether
we participate, it's a matter of perspective.
Whether we participate in Jesus' kingdom, it's
a matter of perspective. Because perspective
is key. Back to Jess and I, as the real estate
agent has shown us around the apartment. Like
I said earlier, the perspective can either be,
this is bad news. Yes, we can move in now, but
it's not yet complete. But on the flip side,
you can see that as good news. Yes, I can move
in now because I know it's going to be complete.
And I guess the question is this morning, I think
of Jesus like the real estate agent. And he's
shown you around the apartment complex of his
kingdom. And he's there saying to you, You can
move in now. You can experience the amenities,
the things that, and the glimpses of my kingdom
that are here now, the bits of heaven that are
available to you now, knowing one day it's going
to be complete, knowing that that's going to
be a guarantee one day. And I think the question
Jesus leaves with us as that real estate agent
is this, if you could get a glimpse of heaven
now, wouldn't you just want that? If you could
receive a glimpse of heaven now, wouldn't you
want that? And if you could share a glimpse of
heaven with others, wouldn't you want to do that?
Even if it's just a glimpse. Because a glimpse
means that there's potential and a guarantee
of what's to come. And that's a daily choice
to make that perspective because... Reality is,
each day we're going to wake up and there's going
to be more bad news. There's going to be more
personal troubles. There's going to be more things
that make the glimpses feel even less of a glimpse,
that make Jesus' kingdom not feel like it has
arrived or even start to doubt whether it will
arrive. And so, how do you help shift that perspective
consistently day after day? And I think Jesus
gave us a remedy for that. If you were here the
last time I spoke, I mentioned the Lord's Prayer.
It was significant, he put it right at the center
of his most powerful teachings because it spoke
to the significance of it. And what scholars
now say is that the Lord's Prayer wasn't just
a prayer for anything, it was actually a prayer
to shift perspective. It was a prayer to help
his followers to navigate life in the tension
of a kingdom that is now but not yet. And he
said this, that this is how you should pray.
Our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name Your
kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it
is in heaven And what he's trying to show with
that is it's an invitation To find the perspective
again that actually his kingdom is here now And
also to hold on to the promise that it will come
And when you get that perspective you'll begin
to participate in it better. I think what it's
really saying, and in closing, maybe the challenge
for us today as we conclude this series is maybe
we need to go into each day, the first thing
in each morning, praying something like this.
Lord, what are you up to today? Help me see it
and be a part of it. And help me to see this
as just a glimpse of what's to come. And I think
when we capture that, we capture that the good
news is, to bookend this series that we've been
in, the good news is that Jesus' kingdom is now,
but the good news is also it's not yet. It will
be fully realized. And the good news is nothing
can stop it. Why don't we pray? Jesus, we thank
you that your good news is a good news of a kingdom
that we get to participate in the glimpses of
here and now. That we get to experience here
and now, that we get to share with others here
and now. And that the good news is, is that those
glimpses won't just stay glimpses, but they'll
be fully realized when one day you will fully
realize this kingdom. that you will put yourself
finally on the throne of your kingdom. That there
won't be war, there won't be pain, there won't
be suffering, there won't be worlds where being
humble and self -sacrificial in the quiet will
seem strange, will seem counterintuitive, but
it will become the normal. Where, like we've
shared, where we will live in a world where everyone
is saying, how can I help you? How can I help
you? How can I help you? Where everyone is radically
generous to each other, and that you're the king
of that world. And so as we pray, and for those
of us who struggle in that kingdom, in the tensions
that that holds, maybe right now we just need
to pray that prayer that you taught us to pray.
that our Father in heaven hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven. We pray that in Jesus' name.
Amen.