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So, today we are going to talk about what the Kingdom of God is.

Romans 14:17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Normally when we hear the word Kingdom, we think of a territory; for example Sweden or England. You can travel inside or outside the territory of a kingdom.

But if we think carefully about this, we will see that maybe its not as simple as a territory.

For example many big Cities, like New York or San Fransisco, have a section called China Town, where all signs are in Chinese, and every one speaks Chinese. So is that part of town really American or is it Chinese? Likewise, imagine with me, if we took all Chinese and placed them in USA, and all Americans and placed them in China. So we see that a Kingdom is actually more closely connected to its people, than its territory. If all Chinese lived in America, and all Americans lived in China, I would probably call America China, and China America.

If we look even more closely, we will discover that its not as simple as a people either.

If an enclave of Chinese people in USA dont know a word of Chinese or chinese culture, but rather they speak fluent American, eat American hamburgers, and in every way behave and embrace American tradition and culture, wouldnt he be concidered an American?

If all Americans were moved to England, but spoke and behave like Chinese, what should they be concidered? English, because of the territory. American because of their ethnicity? Or Chinese because of their Culture?

I would say that the most defining element of a kingdom is its Culture. The language, traditions, ethics, and behavior of a Kingdom defines it and sets it apart from other Kingdoms.

Entering and Leaving a Kingdom

Right now I am in the kingdom of Sweden. But if I drive for four hours due west, I will be in the kingdom of Norway. We can go in and out of a kingdom. Not just by entering and leaving a territory, but also by our Cultural characteristics. For example, sometimes when I am very visionary and dreaming big dreams and think that nothing can go wrong, I know that it is part of my American heritage. And in that moment I am being American. But when I am defending the human right of every individual to get healthcare, I am being very Scandinavian. I can enter and leave a Kingdom, not just by entering and leaving a territory, but by expressing and not expressing a certain culture. I can be American, and un-American. I can be Danish and un-Danish, by my Culture.

The same is true of the Kingdom of God. We can enter and leave the Kingdom by our Cultural expression. – When we leave, He never leaves us. But it is the design of God that every person should live inside the Culture of the Kingdom of God. Like every kingdom on Earth, the Kingdom of God has its own language, traditions, ethics, – Culture!

Romans 14:17  “the Kingdom of God is… righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

The Culture of the Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit.

I want us to think about those words. Rightousness. Peace. Joy. The opposite of righteousness is condemnation. The opposite of peace is unrest. The opposite of joy is sadness.

If we lack the characteristics of the Kingdom of God, we should stop, look and listen. Something is wrong. Why is there not righteousness, why is there not peace, why is there not joy in the Holy Spirit in our lives?

Jesus Christ said:  Come unto me all who are weary and burdened, I shall give you rest (Matt: 11:28).

Searching for righteousness, peace, and joy any other place that with God is vanity. And trying to fill ourselves with something else in its stead is also vanity.

John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

He may tempt with pleasure or treasure, but be not fooled, the culture of Satan is ultimately to steal, kill, and destroy your life and the life of your loved ones.

So… What do you do, when you discover that you feel condemnation, and not righteousness – unrest, and not peace – sadness and not joy?

John 13:8   Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

We must let Jesus “wash our feet”. That is – we must let Jesus serve us, help us, rescues us, save us! We can’t do it, but He can!

John 6:53  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

Let the blood of Jesus and the new covenant wash over you and fill you with the culture of the Kingdom of God.

Dan Hegelund