The Kingdom of Light & the Empire of Darkness (sermon notes)

Inkerman Street Bible Chapel

15^th April, 2007 – Family Outreach Service

There are LOTS of ways to talk about Jesus as the LIGHT…

I’ve chosen to highlight the LIGHT against DARKNESS…

This theme runs ALL through the Bible…

God’s Kingdom of Light is always at odds with the Empire of Darkness…

(Like Star Wars, but different!)

Empire 101

Oppression & Violence

Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman, British, etc.

Spears, Swords, Crosses, Bullets, etc.

Rank and Status

Pharaoh, Kings, Caesars, etc.

Those that ‘matter’ and those that don’t…

Deception

Brutality disguised as ‘strength’

Control disguised as ‘freedom’

Corruption disguised as ‘beauty’

Struggle disguised as ‘peace’

Roman Empire examples (images, coins, infrastructure)

‘Empire’ TODAY

Oppression & Violence

(large) Government, Corporations (small) families, gangs

Guns/Bombs, Sweat-shops, poverty AND phys/emo abuse, guns…

Rank and Status

Dictators/Presidents, Owners/Share-holders, Drug Lords, etc.

Those that ‘matter’ and those who don’t

Deception

Genocide disguised as ‘conflict’

Token Donations to Poor “ “ ‘foreign aid’

Inhumane working conditions “ “ ‘strategic production’

Unfair Business Trading “ “ ‘economic growth’

Forced Legislation “ “ ‘democracy’

Brain-washing of Females “ “ ‘fashion trends’

Unrealistic Life Goals “ “ ‘planning to succeed’

Empire cannot treat humans as equals.

It always favours the ‘elite’ over the ‘lower’ classes

Empire cannot provide anything truly beautiful.

Its appeal is always fake, idealistic and not real.

Empire cannot lead us to peace.

Its greedy nature will always violently protect itself.

In one way or another, the world runs on ‘Empire’.

…but then there’s the Kingdom…

The darkness of the Empire is no match for the Light of the Kingdom!

Even when darkness seems so widespread, accepted and powerful, it just takes a small candle-flame of God’s Kingdom to dispel it.

Kingdom people are about the King’s business

The Kingdom is patterned after the King

The King is Jesus.

The Kingdom v. the Empire

-The Kingdom doesn’t retreat from or escape the Empire (Essenes)

-The Kingdom doesn’t become like the Empire to defeat it (Zealots)

-The Kingdom overcomes the dark Empire with light (Jesus)

(…’overcome evil with good…’)

(Jesus absorbed the full weight of Evil on the Cross…)

Today…

-The King is looking for Kingdom people to do His will

(Disciples asked Jesus how to pray – ‘Thy Kingdom come…’)

-Kingdom people need to STOP serving the Empire

Empire dreams, plans, standards, goals, strategy…

Dream the KING’S dreams, plans, goals, ways

(Justice, peace, mercy, reconciliation, grace, forgiveness)

Living the Kingdom in a world of Empire is HARD!!!

Living IN the world, but not OF it is HARD!!!

It takes courage, commitment and COMMUNITY...