Matthew 11:12Matthew 11:12 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

Advancing the Kingdom of Heaven

Competing Kingdoms

Yeast

Yeast is a living organism that causes bread to rise

Bread

What difference a little yeast makes

Salt

Mountains of salt come from the ground and the sea, but only a few grains can make the blandest food taste better

Light

Allows us to perceive the wondrous textures and hues of God’s creation

Cave black is really dark

Light causes even the darkest places to be seen

A Small Light Can Make A Difference

Even a small flashlight can make a big difference when everything around is dark

Matthew 5:13

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt looses its saltiness, how can it be made

salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out

and trampled by men.

Matthew 5:14-16You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a

lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the

house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 13:33

…The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all

through the dough.

Kingdom of Heaven as a ForceMatthew 11:12

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been

forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it. (NIV)

We Are the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus is our King and we are His kingdom We are the salt that makes the world palatable We are the light that shines God’s justice into

every dark corner We are the yeast that raises this world and are

a significant force for righteousness, goodness, compassion and mercy

One Person Can Make a Difference

Dietrich Bonheoffer C. S. Lewis William Wilberforce William Tyndale Harriet Tubman

Martin Luther King Mother Teresa Jim Elliot Louie Giglio Elijah (James 5:17-18)

One Person Can Make a Difference

YOUR NAME HERE

World’s Expectations Step Back Blend In Be like everyone else Tolerance and acceptance of the world’s

lifestyles

God’s Expectations Amos 5:24 – But let justice roll on like a river,

righteousness like a never failing stream. Micah 6:8 – He has showed you, O man, what

is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

God’s ExpectationsI Peter 1:15-16 …just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

True righteousness takes courage and a willingness to stand up to

and confront those who are perverting justice.

What Can We Do? Say only what is true Practice honesty in business or classroom Verbally uphold God’s moral code Mold your life to Jesus’ character Help someone who is weak and powerless

without expecting anything in return Practice sexual purity

So In Conclusion…

SALTLIGHT

YEASTBE A POSITIVE FORCE FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN