Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:00]:

Hey. Good evening, everybody. So glad that you guys have joined us. And, how many of you guys are enjoying the like, some of the transition to Christmas? It seems like Christmas is coming a lot earlier, man. I saw decorations out there. Like, to be honest, I started playing Christmas music, in my house, and, and, it you know, just I wish it would snow. No. But besides that, right, so, did you guys some of us who've been in, had the privilege to go cold old places? Sometimes that's really nice.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:26]:

But, hey. You know, this evening, as we're continuing our series called Kingdom, the reason why I really started this series that so often I think it's there's a lot of confusion about the kingdom of God. Is the kingdom of God just in my heart, or is the kingdom of God Some other kind of a situation is the kingdom of God, the church, or Israel, or all of these things. But what we talked about last week was that if we understood the gospel school that Jesus preach? He didn't just preach, a a gospel of social change. He didn't just preach a gospel of an individual gets to heaven, the gospel gospel of salvation, but but Jesus actually preached about the kingdom of God. And and as he did, it it actually entails all of those things? God is not limited just to say, hey. He's gonna just be making us warm in our hearts, but but he wants to change the world. Aren't you I think God's concerned about the world that he wants to change the world.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:01:19]:

He wants to change people in the world, but that in the middle of all of those things that we also understand that that there's also this aspect that it's the kingdom is now, but we haven't seen in it and all in its fullness? There's just a sense that this kingdom is now, but it's it's not all of its fullness. Some of it, they some theologians call it like this. They say it's now, home, but not yet? And even though we see God moving in mighty ways that you still see the things that are happening, whether, like, let's say in the in the East? Or we see things happening around the world. And then God is in control of all of those things, but it's it's moving at place to kind of a a a point that I think that we're all feeling? We all sense that that the the kingdom is moving and advancing, but sometimes it it looks very different. And different places have have even different kind of a flavor of Different places just have a different sense of freedom or, things that are, entailed in different places. You know, I, some of us that We've been had the privilege to be able to travel a bunch. How many of you guys like traveling? You guys like traveling. Right? And so where's your guys' favorite places to go? Oh, you guys ashamed to save.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:39]:

I know, basically, but, I'm not sure. I couldn't quite understand that some of those places. But, you know, one of those times when we were headed out to do missions and we were still going to, Myanmar. We're still going, t Myanmar, but we had to transit through Singapore. And when I transited through Singapore, I was careful not to A shoe gum on the intermission. You know why? Because it's illegal in Singapore. You you cannot chew gum. Actually, in 1992, They ban the import of and selling of all gums and subject to fine or jail time.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:03:16]:

And if you guys Do you remember that American kid that who got caned in Singapore for chewing gum? I said, well, if I had cane that I I'd I'd like a cane to go fishing, not not really to get hit with. So I decided not to do that. And then on another trip that we were going to to Indonesia? And there's one of my first trips to Indonesia. A lot of you guys know we did a period where we were reaching an unreached people group on, on this little island off the island of Sulawesi, and then just 10,000, Muslims, really, in that Island, that we did that for several years? And, but the first time we were there, as the plane is landing, you know, they're giving the landing instructions ins and about, you know, passports and going through immigration and all that? And then they give this little information right at the end, and they said, And please be aware that drugs are a capital offense in Indonesia. And, and I was just thinking to myself, like, you know, the the that kind of a phase is, like, long, long time ago for me, but I was just Wondering is like, they probably should've gave that announcement at the beginning of the flight, not at the end of the flight. Because you could see some guys getting ready to go to the I'm thinking, I think you're flushing something else when you go in there. But, you know, in those places that there's different rules, there's A friend kind of values at times, but we need to understand that there are kingdom rules or kingdom values that are in play as well. That It's being a follower of Jesus sometimes can be a culture shock because if I come in from the world or if I Come in from a different kind of an environment that at times to understand how to live in God's kingdom, can be surprising.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:08]:

It was like that For me, maybe many of us, have experienced this, but what you probably found was that when you experience is with more life in the middle of all of that? And so this evening, we wanna just begin by reading Philippians 320, as That's kind of the launch point for where we're going as we talk about this aspect of the kingdom, But we're gonna look at some basic training in citizenship. So do me fear. Let's stand in reverence for God and in his word, and we'll read together Philippians 3 verse 20. Ready? Let's read. Shall we? Begin. But we are citizens of heaven, where the lord Jesus Christ lives, and we are are eagerly waiting for him to return as our savior? And whether you have a passport or you don't have a sport? Whether you have, you know, some kind of state ID or driver's license or what have you. If we were to examine I mean, your spiritual identification card. It would say clearly that you are a as citizen? If you know Jesus, that you clearly are a citizen of the kingdom of God or you're citizen of the kingdom of heaven, though you might have earthly citizenship? Though you might be an American or though you may have a a green card, but that you are a citizen of heaven when we come to know Jesus.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:34]:

And citizens has its rights, and it has its responsibilities. It has its blessings, and then it has some of those things that we are called to today. And so before we're seated, do me a favor. Just turn to your neighbor and says, don't you aren't you Glad that God has both blessings and responsibilities for us. As citizens of heaven, You have rights and blessings as well as some responsibilities. You know, frankly, today, I think a lot of us aren't that aware of kingdom as kingdom citizens that we're called how to call how God all just to live? Even though we live in our country, it's so easy to live just the American lifestyle. So easy to live the The style a love style that says, I wanna pursue the good life. And and there's nothing wrong in some sense, with that, but we ought to have a higher.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:32]:

There is a higher call than just making a living? There's a higher call than buying a house. There's a higher call than being able to go and eat at the nice places that Sometimes we need to understand God's call for them, but we don't understand that until sometimes you and know a little bit more about your own history? I I don't know if you guys have noticed, but that when I talk to kids today, and it's some of those including my own kids, that that when it comes to talking about the way our government works or the way that that our our our constitution is structured, sometimes It's so scant today that they don't really even understand our own history or our own governments. And and to be honest, the people Who sometimes know it even clearer are those who weren't born and raised in the US. You know why? Because they have to actually take some classes to be able to qualify as citizens? And, you know, my wife being, from Japan, we understand in this process a little bit? You know, that that when we travel and coming home, sometimes she she's she gets stuck in in the longer line in the immigration line, coming home as a result? And, but one of those things that we find is that if you ever wanted to become a citizen of at the US, and you go to the u c s UCIS website, you find there's a few things that they say is a requirement before you become a citizen? You have to have a green card, for at least 5 years. You know, you gotta be or married to a US citizen. You gotta be a service, or you could be a service member or the child of a US citizen? Now but last week, we talked about is that when it comes to the kingdom, God He just has sons and daughters. Right? He he doesn't have grandkids or he doesn't have nephews. Right? He has and so it because you aren't Born into the kingdom, you have to be born again into the kingdom.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:28]:

And so the rest of our weekend, this this this weekend? What we wanna talk about is basically from the book of Matthew in chapter 5, where Jesus begins to talk about the beatitudes and the sermon on the mount as really some instruction on basic training and citizenship. What does it mean to be a citizen of God's kingdom? And when we begin to look at the, Even though we've talked about in previous, series, the word beatitude comes from the Latin word, which means to be happy, or, which kinda implies really being able to live the highest kind of a life possible? The blessed life, the graced life, the joyful life. And if we were to look at what happened around the of cultures where they use that word from the New Testament? That sometimes they used it to describe the life of the gods really in the highest kind of a thing? Now I'm gonna ask you guys as well because that we're in, gonna be going through Matthew 5? There's a lot that could be in there, and I'm not really sure sometimes which verses I'm gonna actually read? So we don't have it all printed out in your notes. We have some of it printed out in your notes, but you might wanna turn to, Matthew chapter 5. I don't care if you have a, A a hard copy bible or you have a digital bible in your phone, but I wanna encourage you guys to do that and to to take some notes, over the next, the course of our time together? So here's the the thing is that when it comes to becoming a citizen enjoying the citizenship in heaven? I think in some ways that we have to be kinda, mindful that some of the things that sometimes well, people think about it, don't always apply to them. Right? Because, have you guys ever read something where it says, hey. You can get, like, a spectrum, Comcast, whatever deal, Internet service, you know, television, all that kind of stuff, and it's for 29.99? And then you said, wow. 29.99.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:11:41]:

That's more than I spend, and then you read the fine print. And what does it say? But for new subscribers only. Right? And then sometimes in the fine print, you go like, oh, jeez. It doesn't apply to me. Right? I don't know if you've ever been in that place that that some things are are where you you're excluded. Now some places that you get excluded, maybe it's really Like, if you were ever in school, maybe an elementary school when they're picking teams in PE. Right? And and if you're the last guy to be pick? You kinda know pretty clearly that you're excluded. But I think today, sometimes people feel, at times, maybe excluded in certain situations, maybe Maybe because they don't have the right connections.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:22]:

Maybe sometimes people feel excluded because they don't have the right education. Maybe people feel excluded because they don't come from the right background. But It's important to know as we begin this part of the message that as we read Matthew 5, 3, and 4, that it's gonna start to address some of the things that people would have felt may have excluded them from God's kingdom? It says it like this in Matthew 5 verses 3 and 4. He says that God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him? For the kingdom of heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn for they will be comforted? Now, you know, when you read these things that so often the beatitudes have been a little confusing for some people. Because some people say That the beatitudes because they're blessed in this situation, that God blesses the poor, that God blesses those who mourn, that how many of you guys say, wow. Man, I I wanna be poor or I wanna mourn. Nobody really says that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:24]:

Right? And and so sometimes people reject the beatitudes as a, as as part of this invitation to the kingdom because they say, if I have to be poor to get into the kingdom, if I have to mourn to get into the kingdom, I'm not sure if I wanna get into the kingdom, But I think that's the wrong reading of the beatitudes. I think what the beatitudes are actually saying is it's kind of pointing out The things that people would have likely assumed excluded them from all of God's favor. It's not an issue with God. What do I mean by that? That if we look at the old testament, sometimes you'll find some of the saints like Abraham. Who is Abraham? He's called the father of what? Father of faith. Right? He's the father of our faith. And and yet I don't know if you guys notice, but Abraham was super rich. Right? And he was very wealthy, or if you read the book of Job that although he had such a hard and difficult season in his life that he was known as one of the wealthiest men in the whole arena? Or if we see King David or some and people who were immensely wealthy that in these days that when Jesus walked the earth, There was an implication that if you were wealthy, you were blessed, but that if you were poor, Well, maybe not so much.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:56]:

And so what it's saying this, that Jesus turns these things on its head. And what he's saying is, if you You are poor. Take heart because the kingdom of God is still open to you. If you have had a loss, you've you've had a death in the family, You've had a a divorce. You've had a breakup. You've your your dreams were shattered, and you think, I thought God was gonna bless me and move. This is what he says. Take heart.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:15:23]:

It's still open to you. It doesn't matter where you've been and what you've And these situations do not prevent the kingdom of God being extended toward you. If you read this aspect in in the book of Matthew? It just lists a number of situations. Right? That those who mourn, those who are humble, that they inherit year? That, those who are hunger and thirst for justice for they will be satisfied. So maybe you're living, and you just see that You've seen injustice in life. Maybe you've experienced injustice, and you say, well, I thought God was gonna be moving. And this is what he says. Don't worry.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:05]:

It doesn't hinder me that if you've experienced injustice, it doesn't bother him. It doesn't Prevent him. He says, god blesses those who are merciful, then whose god's whose hearts are pure. God blesses those who work for peace. What None of you've ever been persecuted. You guys ever been persecuted? No. Sometimes I think we can mistake being persecuted for being kinda jerks at work? But, like, because if you're if you if you're, you know, if if you you're a handful at work, sometimes that's not persecution. That's just We need to learn how to get along with other people.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:41]:

But the the thing about it is if you've ever experienced some of these things that where it comes out of the blue, if If people they because of your faith, they make comments. Because of your faith, you're you're passed over. Because of your Your stance on something. You're excluded from a club that maybe it's in that kind of a situation that you need to be reminded God's saying, just because you've experienced and some of these things? It doesn't mean that God has shortchanged. It doesn't mean that God doesn't extend his kingdom to you. He's saying this, where you've Whatever you've experienced, both good and bad, it doesn't exclude you from the kingdom? Neither does it earn you the kingdom, but he's saying this. It's it's sort of like that you can apply now. You know, in the, in US citizenship? You have to wait 5 years.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:17:32]:

Right? You have to wait 5 years. You have to have your green card for 5 years before or you can apply for citizenship? But the beatitudes tell us, you can just apply now. That wherever you're at, whatever Every way you come in, he says, you can apply now. You're not disqualified if you've had the greatest loss of your life. You're not you're not Disqualified if you had the greatest setback of your life because it's not a requirement, but a pronouncement. These things are meant to be a pronouncement that you're not exclude from the gracious favor of God. Do me a favor. Turn to your neighbor who says you're not excluded.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:18:13]:

He's saying you're included, and I can attest to that. When I came to know the lord, I I just broken up with my girlfriend. Just been dealing with my brother's cancer. Just been in this situation where trying to figure How do I do I go back to the old life, or do I go kinda somehow does is there something ahead of me? And it's in place where I encountered the Lord that, you know, my friend kept inviting me to come. Come listen. Come to this Bible study thing. Come to It's that had never been. Right? But it's in that moment, I felt that I didn't even belong.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:18:48]:

When I when I was in that room and they were singing, you guys ever been remember the First time you ever heard worship. Now some of us that we were drawn by the spirit. I was repelled by the music. No. But, like, here? I just thought it was odd, and and it was just odd to me. And and but, you know, the thing is that it's in that moment that I experienced the greatest transformation in my life? Because it didn't I wasn't excluded because I didn't I'd never been to church. I wasn't excluded because I I didn't have a knowledge of God, but God is saying this, that you're blessed when you realize your need for him even if if you're poor? You're blessed if you mourn. Why? Because there is an opportunity for comfort, so don't think that you're excluded.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:37]:

How many of us have wondered whether your family is excluded, your friends are excluded? Because Because they're living a lifestyle that is outside of what the scripture dictates. God is saying that it's open to everybody. It doesn't matter literally where you've been or what you've done. Does it mean that that we never change? Does it mean that that God endorses sin? Well, I think we'll come to a clearer understanding of that as we go on in the in our time this this evening? But he's saying that that in the middle of all of these things, that is open to everybody? But we do have to understand our role at the same time, that we do have a role, in the kingdom? Right? So God has a role for you. God has a purpose and a plan for you, and it says it like this. Let's read what it says in Matthew 5 Versus 13 to 16. Ready? Let's read. You are the salt of the earth, but what good is salt if It has lost its flavor.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:48]:

Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. He says, you are the light of the world, Like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No light no one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, A lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let's read together. Let your Good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly father. And he's he uses these 2 illustrations, salt and light. Salt and light.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:24]:

We probably said that. You probably understood that. And what is salt? So what salt's a preservative in this time. Right? We didn't have any, refrigeration. Right? That salt was used as a preservative? If you, we see, you know, Jesus that, when he feeds the 5,000, what do they bring? It says 5 loaves and and 7 fish, right, they they bring to him. And, you know, the thing thing is that can you imagine, like, being in the Middle East sun? How hot? I've been to Israel. It's pretty hot that that they just come and they bring in this fish ish that's been baking in the sun all day and, saying, hey. Can you feed people with this? And, you know, I grew up in Wahiawa, so we used to catch tilapia.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:11]:

Right? And, we used to sell it to the Filipino market, but we we we did that all the time. But, like, I'm telling you, like, if, You know, fish been sitting in a bucket for, like, a couple hours. It has an odor. Right? But here's why doesn't it have an odor? Because they They already salted the fish. They preserved the fish. Right? And so they use salt as a preservative, but also as a flavor enhancer. Right? But he says this, that we are called to be a flavor enhancer to culture. We're called to be a preservative in agent to culture? I think if we look around at our culture, it it's in a period of decay.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:55]:

Right? It's in a period of, in some sense, division, if not decline. And that the people of God that when we understand and who we are in Christ? When we understand our citizenship and when we live that way, you and I, we become a preserving agent in our culture. Right? And you become a flavor of God's kingdom. And so wherever you're at, you become a flavor in your workplace. You become a flavor like that in your in your relationships. You become a flavor of God's kingdom in air to your neighbors that if you're if you hold fast to the king, if you hold fast to God's word. Now I think that if we you know? But just go along to get along. Right? If we we we when we see things moving in a crazy direction? And we don't stand.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:54]:

We don't pray. We don't reach out. We don't Say what is right and what is wrong. We start to abdicate. We start to Educate our our calling. And one of the things that God cannot do is God cannot work in a place where a man or a woman Abdicates their calling. Right? That you can be in a marriage and understand that you have a role as a husband or as a father. But if I abdicate My role.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:26]:

If I say, hey. I'm not gonna stand in this place. I'm just gonna do my thing, and the kids, they're gonna fend for themselves, or my wife has to fend for herself. Now? Your family will pay a price as a result of that. It's not that God doesn't want to bless what is necessary. Someone to stand in that position. It's the same for for for anything, in a in your company, in your school, in in your in your neighborhood? Right? Sometimes what's necessary is for us to stand in that calling. And he says is this then as a result? He says that we be also then become a light into the world.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:08]:

Now, You know, when we think about this, to to shine your light, it's it it doesn't mean that, that we're we need to shine like a high power beam? Do you guys ever get a new flashlights nowadays? We have these little flashlights. I think we just bought them for Costco. And, you know, when I just looked at it, it's like, how strong is this? And I don't know why I did it like this, but I I turned it on and looked at it. It is, like, straight in my eye, and I go, like, whoo. I think my retina's burned all of a sudden. Right? It's like one of those things, and you shine it out. You can Eve? Just the beam that's going out across, you know, in my backyard. That's not the kind of light that we're called to shine, by the way.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:55]:

Right? You know when it it says when it says in in the Psalms, he says, your word is a lamp to my feet. It's it's not a halogen. It's not that you have to be blinding. Right? Because if we think about it back then, there was no electricity. Right? There was no electricity. So what would you what did they burn? They they burned oil lamps? They they just if you've ever seen some of those lamps, it's just a it's a little flame. It's the equivalent of a candle. But if you're in a dark situation, how many of you guys have known that when the power goes out in your home that a candle provides a great comfort, that a candle provides a great sense that you can see what's going on around you? So you're not called to have to broadcast and, like, blind everybody? But he says that your light is helpful, not that your light is at times maybe gentle, but it illuminates.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:08]:

You don't some of us, we think that if I to shine my light? Do I have to just walk around and tell everybody all the wrong things they're doing? You know, my mom used to think that when I first became a believer, how How many of you guys ever like, when you first became a believer, man, you're on fire for God. Right? I was on fire for God. So my mom this is what my mom used to think would do? What do you do? Do you just walk up to people and tell them you're going to hell if you don't believe in Jesus? That I think that's what you do. Right? And that's what my mom kinda understood When I was a a missionary, I said, mom, it don't work like that. That's not how we do it. Right? That that's like taking the the flash light beam and blinding people, and it's hurtful? It's not helpful. But but we do have to shine a light. We do have to, at times, expose.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:56]:

At times, when light shines, it expose both good and bad, doesn't it? Like, if your house is messy and you'd light the candle, I'm just talking about my room. Not my wife's, but my room. My my room might be like that? If if I if it's in the dark, you can't see the mask, but when you turn on the light, right, you see both good in bed? And that's what light should do. Light just exposes the way things are. That's all light does. The gun Doesn't call you to have to change everything, but he says that at times, that the way that you live and the way that you believe Eve, and the way that you walk will be a contrast to the world? It will just expose it for the way things are? And some of it, it will expose the good things in our culture. Is everything in our culture bad? No. It's not.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:51]:

There's a lot of good things in our culture, and we ought to shine our light on that. You know, during the fires in Lahaina, how many 1,000 and 1,000,000 of dollars have been raised for relief in Lahaina, right, from local people, from all over the world. There's a generosity The the people there's people in Hawaii, people in the the US are very generous people. We are very generous people. We're known around the world for our generosity. But is that all? Well, No. Sometimes there's other things too. Right? And so all we're called to do is expose by the way that we live, by our faith? By our by our honesty, we expose just the way things are.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:40]:

But Jesus goes on and he said this. He goes on and he says, but don't understand misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets? No. I came to accomplish their purpose. He says, I tell you the truth. Until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until heaven and earth disappear? So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven? But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven? You know, some people today that they might struggle with what is the place of the old testament in light of the new testament? What is the place of God's law in the spirit of great in this this new kind of a kind of a epoch that we live in where it's the the age of the church that that I've heard some people say and some people Well, that I greatly have greatly respected. There has been a move in some churches to say, you know what? We shouldn't talk about the old testament Because it it kind of shows you know, it's it it it there's it lacks the grace. It takes such a hard line on certain moral issues.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:12]:

But you know what? It says this. If my if if my teaching or my and preaching doesn't acknowledge that the Old Testament is the word of God? If I What does God say? Says not be least in the kingdom. Because Jesus's point was this. I didn't I come to abolish the law. I came to fulfill it. And so he says that for in the midst of all of these things, that that the The scriptures remain the scriptures. Right? And then I ought never to be ashamed of the scriptures. I ought never to be ashamed of the word of God.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:54]:

Does it at times go in contrast to our culture? Yeah. Absolutely. But does it at times give hope to a world that is so devoid of hope? Does it give instruction for those who need instructions? Absolutely. Now, I think the problem and today is that we just don't talk about the word of God as much as we should. I'm not saying that you have to walk up to people and and quote every verse and chapter, but let's not hide the word of God. Don't be afraid of using the word of God. You know, one of those things, I I say this because one of those things I think is sometimes missing is saying that when I come to Jesus, if I've given my life, if I've I want to walk with God. I wanna be part of God's family.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:54]:

I wanna be in God's kingdom? It's not just a transactional, change that happens? It's not just that he's his blood covers me of my sin, and then because I am saved, then I go and live my best life now, irrespective of what God's word says. You know, one of those things that it says in the The application to, citizenship. There's a little known thing is that it has this implication. He says you gotta be at least 18 years old. You gotta be able to read and write and speak basic English, and they said depending on your age. Right? So, you know, you got these older folks that come in? You know, they don't have to be, you know, you don't have to be flawless in their English. But he says this of the last thing. You have to to be of good moral character? There's a requirement.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:50]:

Right? Just to become a citizen of the US. So in other In other words, if you're a gang member, if if you're you know, all of these things, they're saying that, hey. Do you know that we we look at that stuff? Right? We're gonna say of good moral character. But if we look at the people of God, if we Look at what Jesus is calling us to. He is calling us not to be perfect, but to be in the process of growth? To be in the process of change. Because the good news is this, that God loves you just as you are, But the great news is he doesn't wanna just leave you as you are. Right? I think that's the balance. Right? Would you do me a favor? Would you turn your neighbor? It says that God loves you as you are, but he doesn't want you to stay just as you are.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:38]:

Right? Those of us who have kids, didn't weren't you guys just amazed when you guys had kids? Right? You love them. You could do no wrong. Right? You kinda, like, kiss them, and you do all that stuff. And then sometimes when you go, you kiss them, you smell, oh, but somebody needs that changed your diaper? Right? Now you still love them. Right? But if they're 15 and you go home and say, hey. I haven't seen you all day, and you smell something. You're you're you're thinking, I think you're too old for that. Right? Sometimes that the things that are acceptable when we're newborns, He just says this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:25]:

Sometimes we just gotta grow out of some of those old ways. Right? And so he he does talk about this. The scripture It does talk about this aspect that it's it's not to say that everybody's gotta be on the same thing. You've been a Christian for 2 New Year, so you ought to be like this. But let's just say this. I my today ought to be better than my last year. Right? That that I need to that although I was loved despite all of my failures and flaws that I hope I can grow as a follower of Jesus? There's an A a writing called the epistle to Diogenes. I'm sorry.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:12]:

It's It looks like Diogenes, but if I try to say it now, I'm gonna slaughter it. But it's an it's an old writing. It's written Probably about a 130 AD, just a generation or 2 after the apostles. And it's It's one of the most it's the one of the earliest Christian writings that aren't aren't in the scriptures, and it displays How life in the early church, was lived. And this is the description that they're right. He says it like this, in the epistle to, Dio Genetas. That's his name, I guess. Dio Genetas.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:54]:

And he says this, that they dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others and yet endure things all things as if foreigners? Every foreign land is to them as their native country and every Every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry as do all others, and they beget children, but they did not destroy their or offspring? They have a common table, but not a common bed. In other words, right, they're faithful in and marriage? They they're in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. He continues that they're they obey the laws that are prescribed, but at the same time, surpass the laws by their lives? They love all men and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned, and they are put to death but restored to life? They are poor yet make many rich. They might lack in all things and yet abound in all.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:02]:

They are dishonored and yet in the very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of and yet are justified. In other words, they're persecuted. They are reviled and still blessed. They are insulted and still repay insult with honor. They do good, You're punished as evildoers, and when punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life. And Jesus says He's not preaching a standard that we live by, but he's saying that when life invades Our life that there's change, that there's healing, that there's growth, That there's forgiveness, that there's a grace. He's saying that that ought to be normal for people? And sometimes people get stuck.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:57]:

Right? Anybody ever got stuck before? Right? We all get stuck at times. Right? We all get stuck at times, and so this is not to say if you are stuck that to bring any shame. It's just saying this. If you're stuck? Maybe now is the time you go. Well, I need to look for a little bit of help how to get unstuck. No shame. No shame in that. Right? But sometimes, what do you do if you get join a life group, join a Bible study, take a class.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:28]:

Finding freedom is, in fact, is meant to help people who get stuck how to get unstuck, how to help people who whose hurts from the past derail their future and derail their todays? If if you've experienced that, we've all been stuck. No shame in being stuck. You know what? But don't stay in that place. Reach out to somebody? Ask somebody for help. Ask somebody to pray for you. Right? Get together with somebody so that you get unstuck? And so one of those things that we find then is that Jesus will speak after talking about how the Simple is open to everybody and and how we're called to be a light and salt. What he does is he calls us then to a different standard? Right? Because the standard in the old testament was a standard towards justice, esque? And it uses this word, and I'm quoting out of a a a book by Dallas Willard called the divine conspiracy? Dallas Willard's been, one of those, men who I think have inspired a whole generation of Christian leaders just by able to to looking at the scriptures and bringing it, with some clarity? And one of the things he he he talks about It's the thing that when he God uses the word righteousness, it comes from the Greek word, which just means a virtue. Issue? Right? So, it it means that it's something that you aspire and move towards.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:11]:

And so when we talked about Whether it's the social gospel that we've heard or whether the gospel of salvation or the gospel of kingdom, the kingdom. He's saying this, that now God is calling us to a different level of righteousness? And the next few verses and we're not Gonna get into all of this, but I want you to do me a favor. Look at that sheet where it says in your notes that that God is calling bring us to a different level of righteousness? And it says there that there's a situation, and there's old righteousness and then kingdom righteousness? And then what we'll see in this moment in these moments are that that maybe the old way that if If we were to look at this in in Matthew 5 verse 21, Jesus said it like this. You have heard that our Ancestors were told, you must not murder. You if you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. What is he talking about? The 10 commandments. It's right that in the scriptures, in in in Deuteronomy, in Exodus, it actually explains that murder is wrong because as you actually destroy the image of God? Right? And so that you're subject to judgment. So he said, you have heard it that our Ancestors were told you must not commit murder.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:42:33]:

Right? So this is a that's the old judgment that when somebody he's saying this. When you get angry, right, he He says, when I tell you, if you're even angry with someone and you are subject to judgment, if you call someone an idiot, you're in danger of being brought before the court. If you 1st someone, you're in danger of the fires of hell. He's saying that when you get irritated with your the people that are around you and you get angry, anybody get ever angry about the people around you? Frustrated? How many of you guys work with people that make you irritated? Right? Sometimes the people at home may get irritated. Right? So but but not the not your spouse that you're sitting next to right now, but no. Just kidding. So what does it say? The old the old standard it was? Just don't kill them. Right? So if you ever got in a fight with your spouse and they made you so irritated, what are you supposed to do? It's obvious.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:26]:

Yeah. Just don't kill them, and then you're good. That was that was the standard. Not really high. Not really high. But then Jesus says this, though. What? He He says, but I say to you. And Jesus says this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:40]:

Like, I came to fulfill the old testament. I came to fulfill the law, But what did he come to do? He came to clarify that. He came to explain the spirit behind it. So he says this, instead, the new kingdom righteousness is not just as long as you don't kill the person. It says, but if you had an intense desire to be of help, and that you don't let anger or contempt Sit and brood in you. We all know that anger is you don't you can't control whether you get angry or not. Right? Anger is a spontaneous reaction to something that happens? Acting in anger is It's totally a different thing. You cannot help that you get angry.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:28]:

Do you guys ever get cut off on the freeway and you get angry? Right? Yeah. Yeah. You you can't control in that sense. Right? I know that, doctor Hill will probably Explain that. He could explain that. It's a it's a secondary reaction. It's a secondary emotion. Primary emotion is probably you're afraid.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:49]:

So So because you get afraid, then you get mad. Because, hey. I was scared. I was gonna bang my car. You know? I just it's a brand new car, the whole thing. Right? And so we understand anger is you you're not gonna go through life like stand? Anger is you you're not gonna go through life without ever experiencing anger. That's not the point. He's saying this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:08]:

You ought not to let anger brood and influence your actions. How many of if you ever have kids, anybody has kids, your kids ever make you angry? Okay. Yeah. We just laughed. I know what that means. Right? So, Right. We all get that way. And, you know, the thing is the call he's saying is this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:32]:

In the old testament, what was the plan? This is what Proverbs says, if you beat him with a stick, he will not die. That's the that's the old testament standard. It says that you have a rebellious child, if you though you beat him with a stick, he will not die. But this is what it say the new testament thing is this. Don't discipline your kids in anger. And somebody said this once. Wait. Are you saying then and that I should just be cold, wait till I'm all good, and then just be like a killer, go huck in, and then you discipline them? You're saying no.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:46:11]:

It's not it's not saying that you're disheartening and you just kind of lull them into a false sense of security. It's just saying this, That you see, anger is not the best motivation to how you deal with life's irritations. And so he's saying this. Some of it's I didn't kill him. Well, he he shouldn't complain. He's saying no. Instead, We settle our anger, and we deal and we move with that problem. He goes on.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:46:48]:

He talks about a number of issues. Right? He talks about about sexual attraction. It's something that all of us is gonna have to deal as as adults, as men and women, as teens, that everybody's gonna have to do this? He says this. You've heard the commandment that says, you must not commit adultery, history? But I say anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye, Even your good eye, how many of you guys have a good eye? I don't know what that means. But, do you have a if you have a good eye I I guess I do have a better eye in the other that causes you to lust, gouge it out, and throw it away? It is better for you to lose one part of your body rather than for your whole body to be thrown into hell? And if your hand, even your strong hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away? It is better for you to lose 1 part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown in hell. If we're looking at this situation, what is it saying? That the old testament was, If I don't commit adultery, then I'm good. If I don't get sexually involved, then I'm good.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:00]:

But Jesus is saying this. Is that helpful? Yeah. That's helpful. But he's saying that, you know what? I'm calling you to a higher standard. Don't cultivate lust in your heart. You everybody's gonna be tempted. Do me a favor. Let's Just turn to your neighbor and just be honest.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:19]:

Everybody's gonna be tempted. Right? Is it wrong to be tempted? No. It's not wrong to be tempted. You you're not you don't even have any control sometimes of what tempts you? Right? Some things tempt you that don't tempt other people. Some things tempt other people that don't even tempt you, but everybody is gonna be tempted. Everybody's gonna find somebody attractive. Everybody's gonna find some situation. It's kinda in this way, but this is what he's saying.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:51]:

So if you think the standard is I can see but not touch, that's the standard. Jesus is saying this. I want you to go beyond that because it's what you develop and let grow in your heart. He says, Guard your heart for from it flow the issues of life. And so he's saying, watch what evades in your heart? Because the things that you watch online, the things that you you participate in, the things? The the the way that you allow yourself to view things or view people. He says, what you cultivate in your heart actually affects the rest of your heart. And so he's just saying this. He's saying, yeah, it's better that you didn't touch, But he's saying this, I but I say to you, there's a different standard.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:49:48]:

Let me call us To cultivate a righteous heart. And so there's all these things, and he's talking about divorce, and he talks about keeping your vows, and it talks about being what do you do when you get personally injured? Right? We talked about this in our life group the last week. One of the one of the folks in in in the life group, one of their kids got into a, a a fight because, on Halloween? If somebody wanted to take something away from him, and and he didn't wanna let let at them bully him? And so the question is, what does the Bible say about defending yourself? Is it wrong to defend yourself, and this this was a discussion? And Jesus talks about that. He talks about that in in Matthew 5. What does he say? He says this. He says, where did I? In verse 30. You've heard that the law says that punishment must match the injury, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? And what is that what is the saying that comes with that now? That's the old testament. That's what Israel is doing at this moment.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:51:11]:

That's the way that they they operate. They operate out of the old testament as their as their call. And somebody has said, if Every time somebody takes your eye and blinds you, this is all you are left with are 2 blind people. Right? But then he says this, but I say, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court, and your shirt is taken from you? Give your coat too. And some people think this that is that you should never be able to to sue somebody. That's what it's saying.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:51:48]:

Is that what it's saying? Try to read more carefully. It just says this. If you are sued in court and your, your shirt is taken from you, offer your coat too. This is not saying you can never Defend yourself in court. It's saying this, don't be don't let anger be the issue in which you defend. When it says Someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. This is not saying you're you should be a punching bag. Because if you're get slapped on the right cheek, the the typical thing is that people are right handed.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:52:32]:

If you're gonna get hit with the right on your right side of your face? It's they weren't talking about, like, the guy's gonna jab and and all What he's talking about is that you're gonna be hit with a backhand. If you're If you are offended, if you are, you know, demeaned in some way? What does he say? Don't turn it. You don't have to be in a brawl all all the time? He's not saying you cannot defend yourself. On the night of the crucifixion, Jesus He asked the disciples, do you have any swords? They said, we have 2. Jesus said, it's good enough. What was the point of a sword? Defense. Right? That's what is the whole point. So you can defend yourself.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:53:34]:

He's just saying this, you don't always have to give what you got. Don't always have to meet anger with anger. Am I saying that I do this all the time? This is easy. No. I'm like all of you. I struggle. Right? If somebody insults me, there's a part of me, I just, like, give them too. But as a person who lives in the kingdom, Jesus is calling me to a higher standard.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:54:08]:

Sometimes I do well, And sometimes I don't do as well. Anybody else? Sometimes we do well. Sometimes we don't do well. Let me wrap this up on this part. Jesus, when he's teaching, is not dispensing information. Today, I think in our culture, so often that when kids go to school, they learn a bunch of information. They have no idea how this resonates in their everyday life? Right? And in fact, I I have a a child who's been a straight a student all of their life, Valedictorian, graduated with college with honors, but this is one of the things that they said, Like, oh, you did great in organic chemistry. You did great.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:55:04]:

And people praise this person, and they say this. I don't even Remember what I studied in college? I crammed it all in my head. I put it on in the paper, and then I went to the next class. I don't know if anybody you know what I mean? That people are taught these kinds of things. But in the scriptures that in Jesus' is day when teaching was given? It wasn't to give people information. It was to change people's lives. And so Jesus wants to get from our head to our heart. Does he think the intellectual is not important? No.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:55:48]:

He does. He says, love the Lord your God with all of your Heart. Heart with all of your soul and all of your mind? Intellect is not bad. Intelek is not a bad guy. Important ideas are not unimportant. He's saying this. You ought to have a balance. You ought to love God with all of who you are, but he wants us to get from our head to our hearts.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:56:18]:

And how he's saying it is you gotta develop godly habits. You gotta develop godly habits. You gotta know the kingdom's parameters. You gotta know what what I'm calling you to. Will you do it perfectly? No. You won't. But it doesn't mean that you don't practice. It doesn't mean you don't train yourself.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:56:40]:

It doesn't mean that we don't move in that way? In Ephesians 2, it says it like this. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, level, the commander of the powers of the unseen? He's the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. And all of us I used to live that way following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature, we were is subject to God's anger just like everyone else? Right? So he's saying this aspect is that we god knows that that we were disobedient? God knows that we've had our struggle, but God came and rescued us in the middle of our situation? But what he's calling us to live a kingdom lifestyle, He's just saying this. I want you to form your allegiances to Jesus and his way rather than just to give in to the ways of the world? That we don't live according to the spirit of this world in the spirit of this age, but we allow ourselves to be governed by the spirit of grace and truth? That we allow ourselves to be led by the spirit of grace and truth. One of the things that happen when people make oration in the, citizenship pledge? There's a citizenship pledge. If you're born a citizen, we've never said it because we never had to.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:58:39]:

But when you get transferred in, this is what they say? I hereby declare on oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty eve? Of whom or which I have there heretofore been a subject or citizen? In other words, wherever I was raised, However I was raised, whatever government I came from, I renounce it. And now I will support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies. Some of us know list, foreign and domestic? Right? That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed serve forces of the United States when acquired by the law? It's not that you'd love war. It's just that when required, that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law? And that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation and or purpose of evasion, so help me god? What is it saying? It's saying we renounce the old way that I can live in God's kingdom? I pledge my allegiance not to the flag of the United States, but I pledge edge? My allegiance to the king who lived for me and died for me. That now I live for him, not simply for my flesh? Does it mean we won't struggle? No. Does it mean we'll do at perfectly? No. In 2nd in 1st Corinthians chapter 6, the apostle Paul talks about that the things that people struggle with at times.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:00:50]:

And he He says these things that that we ought not to do them because if we never change, he says, You won't inherit the kingdom of God, but he says this, that some of us had sexual lady or idolaters or adulterers, nor men who had sex with men or thieves or the greedy or the drunkards or slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God? But then he says this, and that is what some of you were. But you were washed, and you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of the lord Jesus and by the spirit of God. I think what he's saying is this. Your struggle may not be your neighbor's struggle. That what that what I struggle with might not be what what you struggle with. But it doesn't matter what you struggle with. If we submit it to God, if we submit our way to God, We enter this process of change, of healing, of oration? Because we live for the king. He restores us, and he doesn't care what you struggle with.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:02:17]:

He says, just give him your stronghold. And we submit, and we renounce the old way so that we can live God's way? That's the basics of citizenship, and it's the basics of citizenship in the kingdom. That makes sense? Let's bow our heads. We're closing a word of prayer. Father, I thank you today that, lord, when you called us, Lord, we were lost in the world. And for many of us, We can point back to that time, and some of that was a long time And for some of us, it's more recent. And, lord, you're not calling us to a standard that says that now you have to be perfect? But you are calling us to a standard that says, Would you lay aside the old life that you can live the new life, that you are calling us to renounce, trying to live to please the world so that we might live to please you? You are calling us, Lord, that when we turn away from those things, that we would receive your forgiveness and your grace. You are calling us, lord, to entrust you with our struggles and our triumphs but that we might live for you? And if you're here tonight And you know that you're part of God's family.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:04:17]:

You know that you've already accepted the grace through Christ, but you've struggled and you struggled. And sometimes you feel like you struggle more than you should. And sometimes the reason why we struggle is because we've never renounced the old way. You've tried to bring into the new life The same mindset and the same practices. And today, God's not saying this. You gotta just Stop and be perfect. But the if you've never just renounced the old way, If you've never just said to god, I reject that. I renounce that because now I'm Gonna follow you with all of my heart.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:05:10]:

It doesn't mean you'll be perfect, but it will help you in the process of perfecting and growing? And so I just wanna invite you to do that today. If that's you today, Would you just place your hands open before God? And everything that you need to Surrender to him. Would you just place it in your hand before him? Would you just say to god, god, right now, Yet I I'm submitting, and I repent and renounce of the way that I have let You fill in the blank. Dominate my life. It could be anger. Could be your career. It could be money. It could be it could be sex.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:06:03]:

It could be the doing something to be seen in order to be popular or to be known? And so often, these things that maybe we've held on to? The struggle itself is not sin. Is trying to fulfill that need in our own way according to the ways of the world? That's where the sin comes in. So can we just surrender? Father, right now, as people are surrendering and renouncing those things and laying them aside? I pray, god, would there be a wave of refreshment that comes from the presence of the lord? I thank you, lord. You said that when we renounce those things, then will that wave come? And so, Oh, father, we just praise. Thank you that we receive it. We believe it. In Jesus' name, God's people say amen. Amen.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:07:14]:

Hey. Can we just say thanks to you guys who did business with God