 Okay, welcome back after the break. Just before we went for our break, we were looking at how the early disciples, apostles, how they went about preaching, preaching the kingdom of God, and everything that they spoke and did was from a perspective or a framework of the kingdom of God. Okay, so we saw that the early church thought about the kingdom. In our present time, you know, the church is also to be preaching the gospel of the kingdom. The same good news that Jesus preached, you and I are also to preach as Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 verse 14. Can somebody read Matthew chapter 24 verse 14, please? Matthew chapter 24 verse 14. Can somebody read that quickly? And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. Okay, so we see that, you know, the gospel of the kingdom will be preached. Jesus says, which gospel will be preached? The kingdom of God. When we think about gospel, what do we always think of? John 3.16, yes, salvation, right? But gospel is not just about John 3.16. It's just not about salvation. It's also about the king. It's about his kingdom. It's about his principalities, his laws, his rules, the nature of this king. It's everything concerning the king, his kingdom, and the nature of the king and the kingdom. Okay, so Jesus is saying the gospel of the kingdom will be preached into all the world and what will happen? Then the end will come. Okay, so for some reason, the church today, we kind of lost this whole understanding about the kingdom of God or probably we don't even have an understanding of the kingdom of God. Maybe it's very, very little or as a church, we don't look at things from a kingdom of God perspective, okay? But even as we go through this study, you know, we would learn things that Jesus taught concerning the kingdom of God and I believe that will change our framework, our understanding, our perspective, our thinking. So our thinking, our way of living will become an expression of the king's domain released in and through our life. When I say king's domain, I'm not just talking about authority where we're just going around and binding the Satan on everybody. Or you know, we are just hitting people and saying, I'm releasing the work of Satan. It's not about going and being bosses. It's not about being authoritative, commanding. No, it's doing all of that, but in the sense of humility, authority with humility in the servant attitude that Jesus also modeled for us, okay? So even as we are studying about the kingdom of God, I believe and I pray and I hope that it will change our thinking, our way of living and our thinking and our way of living will be an expression of the king's domain. That is being released in and through our life. It will be an expression of the fact that Jesus Christ is ruling in and through our life, okay? Before we end this chapter, okay, let's look at this parable in Matthew chapter 21, verses 33 to 46. So can one of you please read Matthew chapter 21, verses 33 to 46. Matthew chapter 21 verse 33 to 46. Here another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a head around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to wine rushes and went into a far country. Now when vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the wine rushes that they might receive its fruit. And the wine rushes took his servants, beat one, killed one and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his son to them saying, they will respect my son. But when the wine rushes saw the son, they said among themselves, disease the hair, come let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those wine rushes? They said to him, he will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other wine rushes. Who will render to him the fruits in their seasons? Jesus said to them, have you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken. But on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder. Now, when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes because they took him for a prophet. I like to concentrate on verse 43 where it says, therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. Of course, we'll study this parable later on. But in the context of this chapter where we're talking about the church and the kingdom, I like to just focus on verse 43 where Jesus says, the kingdom will be taken from you. Who is the you here? So the kingdom will be taken away from the nation of Israel or the Jews and given to whom? It will be given to another nation. Who is that? The Gentiles? Who is the other nation? The Romans, the Gentiles will be given to another nation is talking about the church. Okay, so saying that because you were given the dominion, you were given the authority, you were given the power to rule and reign. And God gave them everything. He gave them the covenants, the law, the prophets, the forefathers. Everything was the nation of Israel, but they failed to bear fruit. And so God saying, because I'm going to give it to a nation and that is the church, the church and the kingdom. Okay, so God offered to establish his kingdom here on earth through the nation of Israel, but they rejected it. And so the kingdom of God is now offered to another nation. And who is that? The church and the church comprises of whom? Us believers, those are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Okay, and what is the, what is God looking for the church to do? He looked for the nation of Israel to bear fruit. And now since they did not bear fruit, he's given that authority to the church. And what is the church now looked upon to bear fruit? Okay, so you and I have to bear fruit, right? Tell yourself that in your mind, I have to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Yes, we have to bear fruit for the kingdom of God and God is looking for fruits. Sometimes we think God is a very nice God, he's very loving, he understands. You know, he's gracious, he's merciful. But at the same time, even though he's gracious and merciful, he is a businessman. You know, we will study, we will study about that. You know, he is this king, he is this businessman who's looking for fruits. He's looking at us as doubling what he has given us, parallel of the talents, right? He's looking for us to double, to multiply, not to just take it and keep it in the ground and say, hallelujah and sit on it, you know, but he's looking for us to double and to multiply and to bear fruit. Okay, so as believers, we're here to bear fruit, which is the outworking of the kingdom of God in and through our lives. When can we bear fruit? When we remain in Jesus, when we abide in the vine, only then can you bear fruit because Jesus says very clearly, John chapter 14, says John 14 or 16, 15 or 16. He says, apart from you, apart from me, you can bear no fruit. Okay, apart from me, you can bear no, you can, John chapter 15, apart from me, you can bear no fruit. Okay, so the secret is to abide in the vine. Okay, and so we see that God desires his rule and reign to be expressed through us in and through the earth and how important the kingdom of God is for the king. For the king, his kingdom is so important, but is it important for you and me? It's the question that we ask. Do we ever work with this mindset that, hey, I belong to the kingdom of God? I'm a citizen of the kingdom of God. I'm preaching about the king. I'm a co-heir of the king. I'm a son and daughter of the king. I have to live with the kingdom principles, kingdom authority, kingdom thinking, kingdom mentality. No, we hardly do that. But I hope the study is going to get us to that place where we are going to be kingdom-minded, kingdom thinkers, kingdom planners, kingdom action movers. Okay, so what should be our attitude towards the kingdom of God? What should be your attitude and my attitude towards the kingdom of God? Just another parable, which is not here given in your notes. But Matthew chapter 13, you know, Matthew chapter 13 versus 44 and 45. Can somebody read that please? Matthew chapter 13 versus 44 and 45. Please read. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found in head. And for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Verse 45, again, the kingdom of heaven is like urgent, seeking beautiful pearl. Thank you. Thank you, Nina, John for telling us this is John chapter 15. John chapter 15 is about the abiding in the wine. So here Jesus is talking about the kingdom of God. And what is he saying here in John chapter 13, Matthew chapter 13 versus 44 and 45. What is he saying? Yes, he's talking about the kingdom of God as priceless. Okay. And he's saying it's like a treasure that is hidden in a field. And when a man found the treasure, what did he do? He went and he did it again and went and bought that field. Actually, he sold everything that he had just to buy that field or that land. Why? Because he knew that treasure in that land was worth more than all that he had. Okay. And again, Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant. Okay. And he, as he goes traveling, he's looking for the exquisite, you know, really good, beautiful, that jewels, those pearls that really stand out from the rest. Okay. And when he found one pearl of great, one pearl of great value, what does he do? He sells everything and he buys it. So what is Jesus actually trying to tell us here? Value of kingdom of heaven price. So Jesus is saying, hey, know the value or the price or the importance of the kingdom of God. Okay. So Jesus is basically saying here, hey, look, if you want to have the kingdom, if you want to experience a kingdom, then you have to be like this man who dug this field, found the treasure, but he did, went and sold everything that he got and took the treasure or this merchant who went looking for fine pearls. He found one and he sold everything to buy that. So he's saying, you know, what is Jesus really saying? Yes, that the kingdom of God is priceless. Yes. Thank you, Nina, John. Jack says we can boldly lose anything to inherit and experience the kingdom of God. Yes. Anything in this world which we consider valuable, precious, the best, you know, and we don't want to give up everything is actually worthless and nothing compared to pursuing the kingdom of God, whether it be relationships, whether it be money, whether it be our job, our carriers, our houses, our families, nothing is worth of, you know, as precious as the kingdom of God. It does not mean that because of the kingdom of God, we overlook all of these things. No, that's not what we're saying. We're saying how precious God's kingdom is. So, you know, Jesus is basically saying, hey, if you want this kingdom, then this is your should be your attitude. You got to come after it. You have to give it everything that you have and just go after this kingdom. So the question that and a challenge I like to leave with us is, you know, are we ready to do that? Are we ready to give up everything of this world? You know, just to go after that kingdom to pursue God's kingdom. It doesn't mean that, you know, we're going to give up everything. Then God is saying, you know, you have to give up everything. Then only the sun know when what does Matthew chapter six, you know, say, seek versus kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Okay. So God is not a debtor, you know, of man. He's not saying you seek his kingdom and leave everything and you're not going to get anything in bargain in the return. But he's saying you seek my kingdom first, but everything else that you want, that you need, you know, your desires of your heart will be met. What a loving God that we have. Okay. So yeah, also that we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Yes. Thank you, Nina. Okay. So this is the attitude that we have. And as people or saints who are, you know, part of the kingdom of God, part of the church who's been given the authority, the keys of the kingdom, we need to be kingdom minded, kingdom thinking, thinking, thinking with a kingdom perspective. Okay. Any questions on this chapter? Take the mic and ask quickly. I can just see that the tip of your lips, the church and the kingdom. Mic, mic, mic, mic, please. It's like from Machu chapter 13, like from the parable, like. Keep it close. He already like the one who went. He already like found the treasure, right? Yes. Why have to hid it and then go sell it. He can directly take the treasure and go. Yeah. Good question. So his question is, you know, he found a treasure. He can just take it and go. Does he have the right to take that treasure? It's the, is it his field? He goes and sells it. They'll ask him where you got it from. He has no rights, right? It does not belong to him. But if you found that, bought that field, you can say, I dug, I bought this field. I dug the ground. I found this treasure. This treasure belongs to me. Right? Yeah. Like I recently read one of the mountains. I, you know, a guy was climbing one of these mountain. He's a mountaineer. He goes climbing. And I think it's Everest or somewhere. I don't know which mountain, but there was. And if, when he was climbing up, he found precious, beautiful stones, sapphires and rubies, very, very precious, very beautiful, very expensive. And then he, he knew that he can't keep it. It belongs to the government. So, you know, it's not in our country, but in another country. So he goes and, you know, gives it to the government. And they realized that one of these planes, it was an Indian Airlines plane. You know, in those days, you know, it crashed on that mountain and there was a, a, a jeweler who was traveling and he would have carried these jewels. And the, the government was so good. They gave the, this man some precious stones from the, you know, from the thing that he, what he found. Yes. So he, he did what was right. It was not his, he went and give it to the government. But yes, he got a gift in return. That's nice. So that is why this man goes and hides it again. And then he goes and says everything by his feelings. And say, Hey, this is my treasure. Okay. So what is Jesus saying? Kingdom of God is like this. You look at it. There's so much of treasure, but what you need to do is you can't possess it. You can't have it till you're willing to give up everything. You're seeing your old life and come and be part of it. That is what he's saying. Yes. You can't be on, you know, on the fence, either this side or that side. Yeah. Okay. Any questions? Anyone has. Regarding this chapter. Chapter three. Okay. There are no questions. Can we move on to chapter four, please? Any on the online students have any questions? Chapter three. No. Okay. We'll move on to chapter four. Now, even as we study chapter four. Thank you, Jack in. We learn to look at, you know, we will learn to look at kingdom thinking and we learn how to think completely from a new perspective, completely from a new frame of mind that is kingdom thinking and from kingdom perspective. Okay. Because the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is not like the earthly kingdom. The people of this world think in a particular way, in a particular perspective, a particular frame of mind, but as kingdom of God citizens, kingdom of heaven citizens, we need to change. Why do I say we need to change our thinking, change our thinking perspective, the framework from which we think? Why do we, why do you think I say that? One thing that we are the cohers of God. Okay. So we should think that we are cohers of God. We belong to the kingdom. Okay. Why do I say we need to change our thinking? Okay. One of the answers is that yes. The word of God will be renewed. Okay. The word of God says. Renew your mind. Yes. Renew your mind. Renewed by the transforming of your mind. Why should we renew our mind? We can, we can build the kingdom. We can know the what is good and perfect will of God is to do here to build the kingdom of God. Okay. We studied renewing of the mind in the last semester, right? The first semester I taught you. So it's, we need to renew our mind from our old pattern of thinking, our old sinful pattern. When we're born again, our spirit man is born again, but not our soul. Soul is our mind, will and our emotions. Okay. So Bible tells us in Colossians chapter one versus 12 and 13. Can somebody please read online students? Can one of you please read Colossians chapter one versus 12 and 13 please. Giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love. Yes. Amen. Thank you. So here this word says that God has already qualified us before you even get the test and before you wrote the exam, you've already passed the test. We passed the exam. Why? Because God has already qualified us. He has qualified us for what? Yes. To enjoy the inheritance that he has for his people. Okay. So you and I are already qualified to partake of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Okay. So here it was 13 says who has delivered us from the powers of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his own dear son. Okay. So you and I are in the kingdom of God in the kingdom of Jesus Christ and he has brought us out of the kingdom of darkness. The kingdom of Jesus is a kingdom of light and the kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of darkness. So we're bought out of darkness and we're brought into the kingdom of light that is the kingdom of Jesus Christ. You know, we know that darkness and light are totally opposite contrast. Yes. So also the kingdom of Jesus and the kingdom of this world or the kingdom that we are used to living in are totally opposite total contrast, a total different kingdoms. Okay. And you and I now belong to which kingdom? Yes. The kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Okay. And the kingdom of God is where? In us within us. It's inside us. What does Jesus say in? Yeah, Nina, John says we need to get rid of the worldly perspective and that is why we need to renew our mind. Yes. Thank you, Nina. Okay. Look at what Jesus said in John chapter 18 verse 36. Can somebody please read John chapter 18 verse 36. Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now my kingdom is not from here. Yes. Jesus says, you know, my kingdom is not of this world, which means he's saying the kingdom that we all belong to is not of this world. We are of God and, you know, you know, sorry, we are not of this world. We do not belong to this world. We belong to the kingdom of God. And therefore, in, you know, in the way that we live, the perspectives of our lifestyle, our values, our thinking, you know, everything that we do should be very different from the things of this world because we don't belong to the kingdom of this world, but we belong to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven. Okay. Look at what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John chapter 4 verses 5 and 6. 1 John chapter 4 verses 5 and 6. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us. He who is not of God does not hear us. By this, we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Amen. Thank you. So, Jesus, you know, John wrote, sorry, John wrote and says they are of the world and because they are of the world, they speak as of the world. So, people of the world speak like the people of the world and when they speak, what happens? The people of the world hear them. Right? But, you know, that is why when you are teaching or teaching the Gospel to somebody, you're saying how many times I have spoken and shared the Gospel, but this person doesn't seem to relate, doesn't seem to understand, doesn't seem to change. It's not coming to make a decision. Why? Because one John chapter 4 verses 5 and 6 very clearly says they are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world and the world hears them. So, they want to hear worldly things. They want to hear where they get prosperity, blessings, sins are forgiven, you know, moksha, this, that, everything they want. But, you know, salvation is also not just, is not just a ritual. It's a lifestyle. It is living. Okay? So, here Jesus says that, you know, the people of the world speak as of the world. So, you and I who are of the kingdom of God, we need to, how do we need to speak? We need to speak as people of the kingdom of God. Okay? So, even in our speaking, there should be a difference. Okay? And therefore, we need to change or adapt to a new way of speaking. Okay? So, as people of this world, how was our speaking? What's the difference? I know it's different, but as people of the world, how is our speaking? People of the world? How do people of the world speak? Yes, if you love them, they will speak to you with love and compassion, but if you don't, yes, there's always complaining, grumbling, murmuring, you know, there's no, there's hopelessness. Huh? Backstabbing. Backstabbing, jealousy. They speak with so much of hopelessness, no encouragement, no hope whatsoever. So, it's saying, you know, we as kingdom citizens, we need to adapt and speak in a new way. The same, similarly, just like we adapt and speak like kingdom citizens, we also need to adapt to a new way of thinking. Okay? There should be a new paradigm shift. There should be a new framework of mind. And we call this what? Kingdom thinking. Okay? We need to think in a kingdom concept, kingdom theory, kingdom model, kingdom idea. Okay? So, we call this kingdom thinking. And Jesus in his teaching and all the parables, he also spoke about kingdom thinking. Okay? And he shared with us this new paradigm, this new concept, this new model, this new way of kingdom thinking. And, you know, the more we think as people of the kingdom of life, the more we will behave like the people of the kingdom of life. And the more we will be able to manifest the kingdom of God here on. So, everything comes with our thinking. Our thoughts become our actions. Our actions become our habits. Our habits become our character. It becomes who we are. Okay? Okay? John in chapter 18, you know, when he was interviewed, John chapter 18, in turn to John chapter 18, when he was interviewed by Pilate, you know, and Pilate says, you know, are you the king of the Jews? What does Jesus say? It is as you. At this, as you have sent. Okay? And Jesus continued in that same conversation in John chapter 18, verse 36. Look at what Jesus says in verse 36. Can somebody read verse 36, please? Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here. Yeah. Jesus is saying, you know, my kingdom is not of this world. Meaning my kingdom is saying, comes from above. It's totally a different kingdom. It does not belong to this kingdom. My kingdom is not of this world. And it also means that now you and I are belonging to this kingdom, which is not of this world. So we are totally from a different world, you know, from the totally from a different world that we grew up which we were nurtured, which we were born in. So we are not of this world. Okay. We are in a kingdom that is not of this world. Now, just for the sake of example, I'm just giving you an example. Okay. Now, you know, some of you drive and ride around the city of Bangalore and you know, in the city of Bangalore or anywhere in India, we don't have lane discipline. All of us are in and out, out and in everywhere. We find place where it is the footpath anywhere we squeeze and go in and out. Thank God we're not above cars and lorries and buses. And we're not going below cars, lorries and buses. Apart from that, we're all over the place. Okay. We don't have lane discipline. And we also don't have discipline of observing traffic lights. Even orange, you know, it's coming to red. We are just feeding. Even if sometimes it is red, we can see people still going. Okay. No sense of traffic rules for us. Okay. Following the traffic signal. Also, when it comes to, you know, parking, we park anywhere and everywhere. And people sometimes get so annoyed, you know, this morning also we were, I was coming on a very busy traffic road and just at the junction where traffic drivers should turn into that road. There is one cab guy just happily sitting in the car just there at the junction and, you know, speaking on the mobile and all of them are getting so angry and pointing their hand like this to him and then have some sense, you know. So anywhere and everywhere we park, but we see the policemen, then we don't park in that place. But parking signal is there. Not there. We just park anywhere and everywhere. Even for us, all of India is a garbage dump. We can just throw anything, whatever we want, anywhere. Now just imagine, you know, you take the flight and go to New York, you land in New York, you get out of the airport. Just think that, you know, you already have a driver's license where you can drive around the world. You hire a car and then automatically what do you do? You follow the lane, discipline, you follow the traffic signs and in the US, even if you want, you come to a junction where there is four roads, you have to wait. So if the person on opposite you is going, then you have the right to go. And then the other person who is standing on your right hand side, he has the right to go. The person has a left hand side has to go. So there's no traffic signal, but they are so well coordinated, even if it is a very isolated place, they will just follow this discipline. They will wait. Hey, your first, you have to go. I'm second. I have to go. I'm third. I have to go. I'm fourth. I have to go. Just so neat, you know. And then you are drinking coffee and, you know, you know that you can't just throw your cup outside or your tissue paper after wiping your hand out of the window. You keep it in your car or your vehicle. And when you get back home, you throw it in, dump it in the trash can, right? And you follow parking rules. So two days you're living in New York, you come back, you, you know, come back to Bangalore city, you take your car and then you're driving immediately. No, no lane discipline. You're going in and out and drinking your coffee. You just throw the cup, you're wiping your hand, throw the tissue paper, you know, you just park anywhere, get into a shop. Just two minutes. I want to get something. You know, you're not bothered where you are parking. So your whole thinking changes. Okay. Maybe I'm just, I don't know if I'm exaggerating, but I think this is the truth that this happens in our city. I've seen that. Okay. Now, what is the point I'm trying to make? Two things. Our perspectives are different. Our cultures are different, right? You know, and you, we all think according to our culture, our culture affects our behavior. You know, he remember when he had gone to the US, we were in a very isolated place and my sister had drunk cold coffee and she just, it was a forest area and she wanted to throw her coffee mug into the, it was like a, you know, valley just wanted to throw it down. And immediately my brother in law who is American, he says, no, no, don't do that. Keep it in the car. We go back home and throw it, you know, just really embarrassed. But, you know, just thinking, hey, anyway, it's going down in the valley. Nobody is going to see it, you know, but he was like, no, no, can't do that. You know, and I was just thinking, man, this is a forest area. That's a valley. But look at the sense of, you know, the cultural identity, how they are brought up that you can't even just throw it even if it's a valley, right? So that is a culture that is there upbringing. But for us, valley, no valley, anywhere, we can just throw it. So our perspective changes according to the culture. Okay. And the second thing I want to say is, sometimes we think that we can't change our thinking, right? You can say, I can't change my thinking. This is how I was brought up, but you were brought up like that in India. But when you go to New York or you go to any country abroad, you change your thinking. You follow it. Yes or no? Don't you do that? Yes. So eventually we also change our behavior. So we can't say, hey, I can't change my thinking. We can't give excuses. Okay. So the first thing is all about culture. You think the way that you are, the culture that you are brought in, your culture affects your behavior. And second one is that, hey, we all have the potential to change. Nobody can say, I cannot change. You can. You can change your way of thinking. Just imagine you're born on the plane. You just get down immediately. Your thinking changes. Okay. So, you know, you adapt. You immediately change your behavior. So likewise coming down back to our thinking with relation to the kingdom culture. Now we are in the kingdom of God culture. The kingdom of God is very different from the kingdom of the world. The mind sets the way we think the patterns of our thinking, the framework of our thinking, our thoughts, our perceptions, everything in the kingdom of God is very different from the kingdom of the world. So although you are in the world, you're called to live by what culture? The kingdom of God. You're called to think what? And can we say, hey, I can't do it? No, we can't have any excuse. Okay. The fact is that we can do it. Okay. The reality is that we are in the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God is in us. So the culture is in us. Okay. But unfortunately, many of us have not transitioned into kingdom thinking, kingdom mindset, kingdom perspective, kingdom frame of mind. But hopefully, you know, after this morning's class and as we continue next week, we will be challenged enough to say, hey, now I belong to the kingdom of God. I need to start thinking with kingdom perspective, kingdom mindset, you know, make the kingdom paradigm shift. And I need to look at things the way Jesus wants me to look at things. Okay. Now, I think Romans chapter six, you know, Paul says that we identify ourselves spiritually with Jesus's death, his burial, his resurrection, his ascension and him being seated at the right hand of God. So how do we relate to him spiritually being seated at the right hand of God? Yes. It basically means that, you know, sorry, what does it mean when we spiritually are, you know, ascended to the Father? It means we basically think from a kingdom perspective. We've gone higher. We've gone to a higher plane. We've gone to Jesus's ascended back to the Father. What does it mean spiritually for us? It means that we begin to look at the way God wants us to look at things in a heavenly perspective. And is it possible? Yes. It is possible. We can do it. And if you're able to think from kingdom perspective, what happens? Our lives will be changed. Yes. The way we live, our lifestyles, our behavior will be changed and then truly we'll be able to demonstrate the kingdom of God in this world. And all of it has to begin with what? With our thinking, kingdom thinking. Now let's look at how Jesus taught about kingdom thinking or what he taught about kingdom thinking. Jesus says, you know, he teaches, he gives various illustrations by himself. This is how you need to be thinking as people of the kingdom of God. So even as we look at Jesus's teaching, I really want to encourage all of you, you know, and all of us to develop a kingdom mindset, a kingdom framework from which we will look at things, from which we will perceive things, from which we will understand things and how we will make our choices and our decisions. And if you truly do that, you know, we will truly be a kingdom community and we will have a kingdom culture among us. So let's look at what Jesus taught about kingdom thinking. You know, the first thing Jesus said is, you know, look at Matthew chapter five verses 21 to 30. Matthew chapter 21, chapter five verses 21 to 30. You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whoever says to his brother shall be in danger of the council but whoever says, you fool shall be in danger of hellfire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First you reconcile to your brother and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him. Let your adversary deliver you to the judge. The judge hand you over to the officer and you be thrown into prison. Surely I say to you you by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not commit adultery but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery both her in this heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than your whole body to be cast into hell. Amen. Jesus is teaching here is very radical. Something that is very extreme. He's saying that, you know, if you murder somebody that is what is that? You murder somebody it is sin. Yes. And you know that you're going to get a serious punishment. A serious judgment is there but Jesus is saying, hey, I'm telling you that in this kingdom that I'm coming from that I'm assuring that I'm bringing into it's not just murder that is sin but even hatred in your heart is sin. Hatred in your heart towards your brother or sister or anyone is like murder. You might not have committed the act but it's as equal as murder. And then he goes on to say if you commit adultery it's a sin. Okay. But he says if you commit adultery, you know that it is sin but he says, hey, the kingdom that I come from, you know, that I am initiating here on the earth you know in that kingdom he's saying even if you look at a woman lustfully you have already committed adultery in your heart already possessed her in your heart and that is sin. Okay. And then he says he goes on to say, so you need to deal with it. He says if your right eye causes you to sin what it should do pluck it out. Radical extreme. If your right hand causes you to sin what should you do cut it off. So what is Jesus meaning to say here? Yes, please take the mic. Thank you. Anything that's a hindrance to between you going towards the kingdom are you staying in the kingdom of God? You immediately take out of your life so that there is an interrelation between you and God. Yes. He says deal. Yes, Nina John says you know very well said deal drastically with sin. You know drastically you need to deal with sin that means be very severe with yourself in the way you deal with sin. Even if it has to cutting off a part of your body or pulling out of your eye deal with sin very very drastically which means what? Don't be playful and easy and light and you know enjoy sin and say okay can get over it. Don't play with don't flirt Yes, don't flirt with sin. Don't play with sin. Don't enjoy sin. So he's saying hey when it comes Jesus saying when it comes to sin there should be zero tolerance. You can't even tolerate it. Okay. Even if it means going through a process of pain you know you have to go through it and that is kingdom thinking. Okay. Usually we tend to come you know to live according to the standards that are around us. We tend to do what the world does. You know we think like the world does. We behave like the world does and Jesus is saying don't go down to that level don't go down to that standard because my standard or my level, my kingdom is greater than the standard of this world okay than the way of this world and that is what renewed mind is. What is renewed mind? Jesus says my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways. So when anyone asks you what is renewed mind tell them Jesus said you know my thoughts are not your thoughts your my ways are not your ways. So a renewed mind is taking on the higher thoughts and the higher ways of God. So sometimes you know we justify many things. We say hey he or she is doing it so why not I? We can look at people in the workplace and look at people in you know around us in our church, in our in our families, in our the world around and say hey they are doing it then you know why not I also do it you know there's nothing wrong there's no mistake and they can do it. No why can't I do it. Maybe they are doing it because they are people of the world but we don't belong to this world. We are not of this world and we don't do it the way of this world. I mean they believe I'm used to say one thing that whereas my Bible say if my Bible says I will do it that's one thing that you always used to follow. Yes. Thank you Sean. So if your Bible says then you do it. So this is the way it is in the kingdom of God. You belong to a kingdom where murder is not just sin but also hatred is equally sin and equally sinful as murder. Okay. We'll stop here and I want you to you know even as we learn about the king to worship the king and pray. Remember that prayer we looked at in John Psalms chapter 44 verse 4 you know and also even as we have looked at kingdom thinking you know think in kingdom perspective kingdom mindset and everything that you do that you're thinking be according to the kingdom. Okay. Rin Chani says that laying the axe to the root of sin. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Any questions anyone has? If there are no questions we'll end class. Regarding the culture I didn't understand that example exactly what you meant. Next class. Sorry. I'll explain it to you personally. I think everyone else understood that example. Sean I'll explain it to you. No problem. I have a class next hour then I'll explain. Okay. Thank you everyone for joining class. Have a blessed week and I'll see you next week. Thank you.