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Kingdom Colonies: Understanding Our Role as God's Representatives

Have you ever wondered what it truly means to be part of the church? We often think of our faith journey as an individual experience - and it is. You encountered Jesus Christ personally, made a commitment to Him, and your life was changed. But in God's wisdom, He connected you with countless others who had that same transformative experience.

This collective identity is beautifully captured in the phrase "we are." Throughout the New Testament, we find over 32 different declarations of who "we are" - we are holy, blameless, forgiven, reconciled, loved, the temple of God, His children, and so many more. In this teaching series we are going to focus on one-- we are the church.

What Does It Mean to Be a Kingdom Colony?

To understand our role as believers, we need to grasp the concept of being a "kingdom colony." Just as historical colonies were established by sovereign nations in foreign lands to represent their homeland's interests, we have been placed in this world as representatives of God's kingdom.

When European powers established colonies in the Americas, each colony served a specific purpose: to claim territory for their sovereign, establish trade, and extend their kingdom's influence. Similarly, God has established kingdom colonies - local churches and communities of believers - throughout this world to represent His kingdom and extend His influence.

The Biblical Foundation: From Ezekiel's Vision to Jesus' Reality

The Tender Twig Prophecy

In Ezekiel 17, God speaks of taking "a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar" and planting it on "a high and lofty mountain." This prophecy points to Jesus, who would come from David's lineage and be planted in Israel to "bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar."

The beautiful imagery continues: "birds of every kind will nest under it... in the shade of its branches." This represents all of us - people from every nation and background - finding rest, peace, and shelter in Jesus.

Jesus' Teaching on the Kingdom

When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about the Kingdom of God, He made it clear that the kingdom is not some distant future reality - it's here now. In Luke 17, Jesus declared that "the kingdom of God is in your midst."

This present reality is confirmed in Colossians 1:13, which tells us that God "rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son." This transfer has already taken place - we are now citizens of God's kingdom, living as His representatives in this world.

How Does the Kingdom Work?

Like Leaven in Dough

Jesus used the parable of leaven to explain how His kingdom operates. Just as leaven transforms dough from within, making it fluffy and useful, the kingdom of God works within us as a transforming agent. You can't see it or touch it, but you can't stop it either. Once God's kingdom takes root in your life, it slowly changes and modifies who you are.

Like a Mustard Seed

Jesus also compared the kingdom to a mustard seed - the smallest of seeds that grows into a large tree where "birds of the air can come and nest in its branches." This echoes Ezekiel's prophecy and shows that the kingdom of heaven in you creates a safe place for others to find forgiveness, peace, and love.

How Do You Enter This Kingdom?

Jesus made the entrance requirement crystal clear to Nicodemus: "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Being born again means:

  • Repenting of your sins
  • Believing that Jesus is Christ, the Messiah, the living God
  • Being baptized - dying to yourself and being raised to new life
  • Being filled with God's Holy Spirit

What Does Kingdom Living Look Like?

Putting Off the Old, Putting On the New

Ephesians 4 instructs us to "lay aside the old self" and "put on the new self, which is in the likeness of God." This isn't a one-time event but an ongoing transformation. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, "if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Behold, new things have come."

This new kingdom has new rules, new thinking, and new ideas that your old self doesn't like. Kingdom mentality means walking two miles when asked to walk one, returning good for evil, and loving your neighbor - even the difficult ones.

Walking Worthy of Our Calling

First Thessalonians 2:12 calls us to "walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." We're called to represent our King well in this foreign land.

The Cultural Clash We Face

Living as kingdom representatives in this world creates inevitable tension. In the last 25 years, 40 million Americans have left the church. We live in a culture where moral standards have dramatically shifted, where what was once unthinkable is now commonplace.

We can easily get caught up in the cultural "toilet bowl" - swirled around by philosophies, deceptions, and worldly thinking until we're spit out at the bottom, beaten up and confused. But we're called to be different.

We are the light in this dark world. Sometimes we don't do a very good job of our assignment, but we remain God's chosen representatives.

Our Identity as God's People

First Peter 2:9 beautifully summarizes our identity: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Notice the collective language - we are a people, not just individuals. We are priests, a holy nation, representatives of the sovereign King who sent us here. The King who gave His life for us, bought and redeemed us, reconciled and transformed us, and transferred us into His kingdom.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to live as a true kingdom representative. Remember that you are part of a kingdom colony, placed in this world to represent God's kingdom and extend His influence. Be intentional about being light and salt in your daily interactions.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do my words and actions reflect that I belong to God's kingdom rather than this world's system?
  • Am I creating a "safe place" where others can find rest, forgiveness, and peace?
  • How am I allowing God's transforming power to change me from the inside out?
  • What would strangers think about God's kingdom based on how I represent it?

Let us be who we are - chosen, royal, holy, and possessed by God. Let us walk in joy as representatives of the King who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. The world is watching, and they need to see something worth staying for, something worth pursuing, something that demonstrates the excellencies of our sovereign King.