The Kingdom of God- The Practicality of the Gospel According to Jesus/ Rashea@LLO2 Academy

The Pharisees were deep and irrational leaders. The Pharisees oppressed their followers and their communities rather than liberated them. They bound them to many religious laws and duties that they themselves failed to keep. 

Q. Is it fair to expect others to do what you yourselves aren't doing?👀🙃

This reckless approach to leadership and community outreach was a growing problem. So, Jesus presented a solution to this oppressive and growing religious epidemic. Jesus presented a gospel called the Kingdom of God that was practical.

Anything that is practical becomes possible to keep. Complexity only leads to frustration, isolation and further illiteracy. When something is hard to understand, a person will focus their attention on subject matters and things that are far more practical.

Practicality does not communicate ignorance. Practicality makes life and circumstances easier to grasp. Life is already complicated, why make it more complicated?

Why Practicality?

.Practicality breeds solutions. 

.Solutions drive results. 

.Results drive expansion.

The body of Christ expanded, because the Kingdom of God was demonstrated in a practical way. Just believe (Luke 8:50). Have faith in God (Mark 11:22). Not, do this and this, to get this. And if that doesn't work, try this.🤣 And if that still doesn't work, well... I don't know what to tell you.😂🙃

Simplistic Practicality:

.Keep it simple. 

.Maintain practicality. 

.Ask God to give you a practical approach to complex circumstances and situations. 

The Approachable Answer:

.Be an answer. 

.Give the right answers. 

.Give Kingdom answers.

There is always a right way and practical way to present solutions to prevailing complexities plaguing leadership, the world and society. Jesus said, "I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)."  Jesus became the answer leading to Kingdom answers. 

Kingdom answers are based on God's truth not other's opinions or assumptions. Kingdom answers hear the facts and then offers truths that trumps and changes the facts. Kingdom answers are always going to be the right answers, because God has the answers to all things.

Jesus was practical. Jesus taught a gospel that was practical. The practicality of the gospel empowered people in society to grasp the Kingdom of God through the lens of everyday life. Jesus often said, "The Kingdom of God is like this."

The Empowerment of Practicality:

.Practicality produces empowerment. 

.Empowerment produces empowered people and leaders. 

.Empowered people and leaders bring expansion to the Kingdom of God that is presented in a practical way through everyday life.

Jesus was not on a mission to prove Who He was to the world. Jesus already knew Who He was, what He could do and the eternal capacity that He could do these things in. Jesus was on a mission to re-present to humanity who they were. 

Jesus taught that we are sons of God and not slaves to sin. We are kingdom ambassadors and not peasants. We are born for a higher purpose than what society tells us.

Jesus had to retool the minds of the people and form a Kingdom mentality. Jesus did not tell the people what to do and what not to do. Jesus sat down with the people and walked along side them and taught them what to do and what not to do. Teaching a person and telling a person are two very different approaches to leadership and team building. 

Teaching communicates patience, time and attention. Teaching a person requires you walking them through the process to develop the appropriate skill level intended and required. 

Telling communicates a lack of time patience and dictatorship. Telling a person what to do or what not to do is you giving them vague instructions and leaving them to figure it out on their own.🙃🤦‍♀️

Jesus was not that kind of Leader or Teacher. Jesus disciples were not only given instructions, but they were personally taught by Jesus what to do, what not to do and how to present the Kingdom of God on the highest level to other people.

Jesus and the gospel was despised by the Pharisees and scholars, because Jesus and the gospel related to the everyday lives of the people. Jesus taught a practical message that broadened the knowledge and understanding of the people. Jesus, through a practical approach to teaching about the gospel and how it related to everyday life, reached and transformed the lives and hearts of many people.

The gospel teaches us and shows us how to take God along with us on our daily journey. The gospel teaches us to be vessels that God can freely flow through to reach others around us. The Kingdom of God is:

.Activation.

.Demonstration.

.Manifestation.

However, you cannot properly demonstrate and manifest the Kingdom of God without empowerment and the proper teaching of what the Kingdom of God is. If your life or leadership is already facing difficulty, would you want someone to offer you complicated instructions and directions to sort through? Of course not. You would want practical and workable instructions and answers.

Simplicity doesn't imply being simple minded. Simplicity is practicality. Moreover, simplicity doesn't mean a life of lack or without. Simplicity communicates that even with much I am level headed and not haughty, and in seasons of contentment, my standards for growth and development are still high.

Jesus had much. Yet he lived with simplicity. Jesus was the Son of God. Yet He was human. 

Rashea@LLO2