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Williamsburg Christian Church
The WITH--Ness of the Unshakable Kingdom
We are receiving—not going to receive—receiving, present tense, a kingdom that cannot be shaken. The whole world can shake but God’s kingdom will not. When all other wold kingdoms end up a footnote in the pages of history, the Kingdom of God will stand. We are receiving — present tense—a kingdom that will cannot be shaken. What does it mean to receive this kingdom?
Locations & Times
Williamsburg Christian Church
200 John Tyler Ln, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
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https://wccfam.churchcenter.com/homeColossians 1:13
He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
Hebrews 1:8-9
But he says to his Son, God, your throne is forever
and your kingdom’s scepter is a rod of justice.
9 You loved justice and hated lawless behavior.
That is why God, your God, has anointed you more than your companions with the oil of joy.
17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
Hebrews 1:8-9
But he says to his Son, God, your throne is forever
and your kingdom’s scepter is a rod of justice.
9 You loved justice and hated lawless behavior.
That is why God, your God, has anointed you more than your companions with the oil of joy.
Hebrews 12:28-29
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s continue to express our gratitude. With this gratitude, let’s serve in a way that is pleasing to God with respect and awe, because our God really is a consuming fire.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s continue to express our gratitude. With this gratitude, let’s serve in a way that is pleasing to God with respect and awe, because our God really is a consuming fire.
We are receiving—not going to receive—receiving, present, active tense, a kingdom that cannot be shaken. The whole world can shake but God’s kingdom will not. When all other wold kingdoms end up a footnote in the pages of history, the Kingdom of God will stand. We are receiving — present tense—a kingdom that will cannot be shaken, a never-in-trouble kingdom. What does it mean to receive this kingdom?
God has come to us in the person of Jesus to disrupt the world as we know it for the sake of an alternative world in line with the realities of the coming future God has promised. Jesus, as Israel’s Messiah-King, proclaimed the coming Kingdom of God as good news and demonstrated the nature of God's reign by proclaiming the forgiveness of sins, healing the sick, casting out demons, eating with tax collectors and sinners, and welcoming all hearers to leave the realities of the old way of doing things behind to serve the coming future of God. God has come and is coming, offering us the hope of a world the principalities and powers of the age are incapable of giving us—a restored world where self-giving love, abiding peace, and unending joy flow from the fullness of God’s presence. It is a world that through His in-breaking kingdom has come into the present through the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord, yet is a world that will fully come in his return in the consummation of His kingdom.
Mark 1:14 -15
14 After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s gospel,15 saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
This kingdom is in-breaking, meaning it is opening up all over the cosmos.
14 After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s gospel,15 saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
This kingdom is in-breaking, meaning it is opening up all over the cosmos.
Luke 11:20
If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Luke 17:20-21
20 When he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable; 21 no one will say, ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Luke 17:20-21
20 When he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable; 21 no one will say, ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
We know Jesus to be God with us, the One to show us God’s love, and liberate us from the reign of sin and death into God’s Kingdom of grace to share in God’s life both now and forever. So it would make sense that since Jesus demonstrated the reality of God’s in-breaking Kingdom through his WITH—ness, his presence in the world, that he would spend time after his resurrection offering them commentary on what they experienced.
Acts 1:3
After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3
After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
It doesn’t take long to see the worst of what humanity has become. We see the hurt, harm, and hatred of violence and fear, anxiety and sorry. Pastors take us to Genesis 3 to remind us that this is how it happened. Humanity rebelled against God and the world fell under the curse.
And we begin our telling of this story there, usually in the form of something called the “Romans Road to Salvation”—familiar with it? We begin here:
Romans 3:23:
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
And we begin our telling of this story there, usually in the form of something called the “Romans Road to Salvation”—familiar with it? We begin here:
Romans 3:23:
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
If Jesus spent 40 days teaching his disciples about the kingdom of God I imagine he took them to the Scriptures to help them make sense of it all. We should do the same.
But what was God’s vision for humanity? For me and you? What was God’s intentions?
Revelation 22:1-5
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, 3 and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, 3 and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Genesis 1:26-28
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”
Romans 5:17, 20-21
If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.…But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.…But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Philippians 3:20
Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform our humble bodies so that they are like his glorious body, by the power that also makes him able to subject all things to himself.
Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform our humble bodies so that they are like his glorious body, by the power that also makes him able to subject all things to himself.
We are a colony of heaven in the midst of the world empires. We are the holy nation of God in the midst of the nations of the world. There is no dual citizenship. The early Church believed this; they embraced what Peter says in his letter. You can hear it in the voices of early Christians like Octavius, and you can also hear it in the voices of early Church leaders like fourth century Church father John Chrysostom, who in his letter to Christians says:
"If you are a Christian, no earthly city is yours. Of our city, “The Builder and Maker is God.” Though we may gain possession of the whole world, we are withal but immigrants and foreigners in it all. We are enrolled in heaven: Our citizenship is there! Let us not, after the manner of little children, despise things that are great and admire those which are little! Not our city’s greatness, but virtue of soul is our ornament and defense."
~ Homily "On Statues," 17.12
"If you are a Christian, no earthly city is yours. Of our city, “The Builder and Maker is God.” Though we may gain possession of the whole world, we are withal but immigrants and foreigners in it all. We are enrolled in heaven: Our citizenship is there! Let us not, after the manner of little children, despise things that are great and admire those which are little! Not our city’s greatness, but virtue of soul is our ornament and defense."
~ Homily "On Statues," 17.12
Hebrews 13:13-16
13 So now, let’s go to him outside the camp, bearing his shame. 14 We don’t have a permanent city here, but rather we are looking for the city that is still to come. 15 So let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise through him, which is the fruit from our lips that confess his name. 16 Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.
13 So now, let’s go to him outside the camp, bearing his shame. 14 We don’t have a permanent city here, but rather we are looking for the city that is still to come. 15 So let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise through him, which is the fruit from our lips that confess his name. 16 Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.
We go outside the camp—to the hard places—with our eyes set on God’s future that is working out before our eyes now through Christ by the power of the Spirit within us. We are participating in God’s reign in the world by living according to God’s vision and trusting in God’s promise to provide all we need to be remain faithful. This is what it means to live as a people who King Jesus reigns over.
When we live by this kind of faith, a faith formed by the reality of God’s kingdom of, as Paul said in Romans, of justice, peace and joy—of love—we know that God is with us and rewards us because God if faithful to keep God’s promises.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 6
Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. 2 The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith. . . .6 It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who seek him.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 6
Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. 2 The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith. . . .6 It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who seek him.
How we spend our time is how we spend our lives. What we do with our times is what we are doing with our lives. However we spend our time and whatever we do with it, when we look back let’s make sure that we can say we spent our lives seeking God.
To live by faith is to seek God. . . . when we seek God he is faithful and will reward us.
Don’t settle for lesser kingdoms and you won’t settle for a lesser reign.You will experience a richer faith and deeper life—the WITH—ness of the unshakable Kingdom.
Don’t settle for lesser kingdoms and you won’t settle for a lesser reign.You will experience a richer faith and deeper life—the WITH—ness of the unshakable Kingdom.
Giving to God: Four Ways
Online via Bank Routing Number // Text by Phone to 844-221-3092 // PayPal Giving // Bill Pay Online with Your Bank // Mail to 200 John Tyler Lane, Williamsburg VA 23185
http://williamsburgchristianchurch.org/givingA Gospel Worth Living For
Take 20 minutes and remind yourself of the Gospel worth living for with this beautifully created video.
https://vimeo.com/442819137A New Church App!
WCC has moved its church management software from Realm to Planning Center Online and the Church Center Mobile App. We feel this platform is much more user friendly and a bit more intuitive than Realm was. The Church Center Mobile App will be able to accomplish more as well. It will allow you to keep up with everything going on at WCC in one space. You will be able to see what events are coming next, sign up for those events, update your contact information, follow along with the Sunday gatherings, keep up with your missional communities and small groups, and even use the app to check in, both you and your children.
To get yourself started, open the attached QR code, scan it with your mobile phone or tablet, and then download the app from the appropriate (Apple / Google) App Store. If you need someplace to scan this QR from that isn’t on your phone, then you can also find this QR code on the churches website (click link below) Just pull the QR code up on another device or computer and then scan from there.
Then signing in should go like this:
- Once you’ve downloaded the Church Center App, click the Get Started button - Click use my location and then scroll or search for Williamsburg Christian Church - Select Williamsburg Christian Church, and click this is my church - Enter your mobile number, it will text you a code, enter that code - Click log in as yourself and you’re in.
The first thing we’ll ask everyone to do is go to the Directory (Click on the “more” button, bottom right, click Directory) and then click the share button at the bottom and choose the items to share with the rest of the WCC Family. Please share your phone number and address as a minimum so that others will be able to contact you if needed.
I am sorry that we had to spring this on the body overnight, but it was important not to pay for any more service with the Realm folks. I pray you will give us grace and understanding for making this leap so suddenly. We feel it was in all our best interest.
If you have any questions, or need any assistance, please feel free to reach out to me and I will do what I can to get you connected. I also plan to send out a weekly “how to” over the next handful of weeks to share some of the little tips and tricks to navigating this new software.
http://williamsburgchristianchurch.org/life-together/church-center-mobile-appTo get yourself started, open the attached QR code, scan it with your mobile phone or tablet, and then download the app from the appropriate (Apple / Google) App Store. If you need someplace to scan this QR from that isn’t on your phone, then you can also find this QR code on the churches website (click link below) Just pull the QR code up on another device or computer and then scan from there.
Then signing in should go like this:
- Once you’ve downloaded the Church Center App, click the Get Started button - Click use my location and then scroll or search for Williamsburg Christian Church - Select Williamsburg Christian Church, and click this is my church - Enter your mobile number, it will text you a code, enter that code - Click log in as yourself and you’re in.
The first thing we’ll ask everyone to do is go to the Directory (Click on the “more” button, bottom right, click Directory) and then click the share button at the bottom and choose the items to share with the rest of the WCC Family. Please share your phone number and address as a minimum so that others will be able to contact you if needed.
I am sorry that we had to spring this on the body overnight, but it was important not to pay for any more service with the Realm folks. I pray you will give us grace and understanding for making this leap so suddenly. We feel it was in all our best interest.
If you have any questions, or need any assistance, please feel free to reach out to me and I will do what I can to get you connected. I also plan to send out a weekly “how to” over the next handful of weeks to share some of the little tips and tricks to navigating this new software.
New Tuesday Evening Small Group on Zoom beginning THIS TUESDAY. See Jason Thornton or Mike McGee for details.
Please pray.
Come and explore your divine assignment and place in God's kingdom in light of your gifts and experiences.
We now meet at St. Michael's Day Center.
