In this opening sermon of a four‑week June series, the lead speaker (Speaker A) and a responsive participant (Speaker B) introduce the theme “Benefits of Becoming a Citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.” They explain that the series will explore the characteristics and advantages of belonging to God’s kingdom, framing the kingdom as God’s active sovereign reign (Greek basileia) rather than a geographic territory. The speakers define four core traits of the kingdom—God’s rule, agenda, mission, and values—and cite key scriptures (Matt 6:33, Psalm 103:19, Col 1:13) to support each trait. They stress that the kingdom’s benefits are real and accessible through obedience to Jesus’ teachings, participation in God’s redemptive purposes, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. The sermon is delivered in a conversational, enthusiastic preaching style, with repeated affirmations, chants, and practical analogies (e.g., “don’t reinvent the wheel”) to underscore simplicity and urgency. The message concludes with a call to study the Bible, be born again, and seek God’s rule, setting the stage for deeper teaching in the subsequent weeks.
Chapters
This program is brought to you in part by the friends and partners of 514 Grace Ministries. Coming up next on the Grace Nation. So they won't have to go to the meth, they won't have to go to the fentanyl, they won't have to go to the opioids. Amen. Doing it his way. Let them have a relationship with Jesus Christ. That'll change that directory of going to a graveyard. It's a sad thing when you see these parents saying that their parent— that their children committed suicide and whatnot. They don't realize the answer is Jesus Christ.
One name, one sound, who we call? Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Who still reigns? Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. We shout one name. Jesus, Jesus. Chains snap when we call that name. We lift one name. Jesus, Jesus. Hell backs up when we praise. We shout one name. Jesus, Jesus. Walls fall, giants hit the ground. We lift one name. Jesus. Woo. This message today is going to be part one.
of a series. There's 4 Sundays in this month. Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Thank God I made it past the first grade, at least. Hallelujah. Teacher in the second grade took a second look. Boy, let me speak to your first grade teacher. Hallelujah. But, uh, 4 weeks in this month, and we're going to divide this series into 4 parts. Amen?
Amen.
We're going to be talking about a very simple message: Benefits of Becoming a Citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. Benefits of Becoming Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You know, it comes with common sense. I remember seeing— watching a movie once. This well-known promoter that's in the country that I think he's still alive, he was talking to the son of this to the father of this well-known singer in a movie. And the father of the singer was trying to get this promoter to get his son to— he wanted the promoter to set up venues and whatnot for his son to sing in.
Yeah.
And I think internationally in different countries and whatnot. And as the conversation was going on, the promoter was saying, well, what's in it for me?
Yes.
The old slang. He said, all right, we drank your drinks, and I had the caviar. What's in it for me?
Yes.
Let's get down to business. And so, that's the thing God knows that the general person wants to know, is there benefits for being a part of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven? Amen.
That's right.
And I assure you with everything that's inside of me and everything that's inside of the leadership and the members of this 514 Grace Church, there are benefits to becoming a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.
Yes. Amen.
No ifs, no ands, no buts, no doubts. Amen?
Amen.
Over the course of the next 4 weeks of this month of June, I will, with the Lord's help and with his permission for me to live to see the next 4 weeks, be teaching about different characteristics Of the kingdom of heaven.
Yes.
With the last week teaching about the benefits of becoming a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Amen?
Amen.
We're going to take our time. We're not going to take all day. It's going— because we don't have to have an all-day thing or an hour or whatever to get this point across. We're just going to teach with impact. Amen. Hallelujah. Jesus said to the disciples and whatnot, don't let your prayers be long in the marketplace trying to show out in front of the people and whatnot. Amen. He said, let your yea be yeas and your nays be nays. You don't need to hear an abba, abba, and ah, ah, ah. Just say yes or no.
Hallelujah.
I will begin by identifying what the kingdom of heaven/God is. Many times in the book of Matthew we have written the kingdom of heaven. I believe in Mark you have several times where it's the kingdom of God. Amen.
Yes.
So, I don't want you to be confused. We're talking about the same destination. Amen.
Yes.
The kingdom of heaven/God is God's active Sovereign reign, R-E-I-G-N. His reign, his sovereign reign, meaning it's his show, it's his promotion.
Yes.
This is his, um, situation. Amen.
Yes.
No one else, not sharing it with no one. Amen.
That's right.
God's active sovereign reign breaking into the present world. God's active sovereign reign breaking into the present world expressed through obedience to Jesus' teachings and participation in God's redemptive purposes. That's worth saying again. Amen?
Amen.
God's active sovereign reign breaking into the present world expressed through obedience to Jesus' teachings and participation in God's redemptive purposes. Amen?
Amen.
This just gives more merit to what Minister Tracy was saying earlier as she was giving the communion. Amen. She said, it is finished, not started. Amen. So that's what we're— we're just giving more backbone. Amen. To the message. Amen.
That's right.
This is not reinventing the wheel. I'm going to be— I'm not going to make it home if I try to reinvent the wheel. Amen. Hallelujah. If I don't ride in my truck, uh, on a circle, circle of wheels And try to make it into a square corner box wheels, I'm not going to make it home.
That's right. Amen.
There's no need in reinventing the wheel. Amen.
Amen.
Praise God. God is simple.
That's right.
We make it complex. Amen.
That's right. Amen.
Praise God. Expressed through obedience to Jesus' teachings and participation in God's redemptive purposes.
Yes.
Kingdom, the Greek spelling is basileia.
That's right.
Refers to reign, rule, authority, and not a territory.
Amen.
We can't say that the kingdom of heaven is in Savannah, Georgia, or it's in East Point, or you go to Las Vegas, that'll be the kingdom of heaven. Might be tempted to pull the slot machine while you're there in Las Vegas. Amen.
Amen.
But praise God, the kingdom of heaven refers to reign, rule, authority, and not territory. Thus, to seek first the kingdom of heaven, as it says in Matthew 6:33, Thus, to seek first the kingdom of heaven means to seek God's rule.
Amen.
Seek God's agenda.
Yes. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Seek God's mission.
Amen.
Fourthly, seek God's values. Let's go over that again. Amen. We're not going to stay long, praise God, but we're going to be effective and we're going to have impact.
That's right.
Thus seek first the kingdom of heaven means seek God's rule, number one, seek God's agenda, seek God's mission, and seek God's values. That's how we seek first the kingdom of heaven, these traits of the kingdom of heaven: rule, agenda, his mission, and his values. Seek God's rule. We can see this. We're going to have a couple of scriptures concerning this. Psalms 103, verse 19, coming out of the ESV, English Standard Version. Amen.
Amen.
Seek God's rule. We're going to be giving examples for each one of these traits, or scriptures for each one of these traits. Amen.
Amen.
Because the Bible is its own, is its best own commentary. The Bible can interpret itself. Amen. Hallelujah. I don't have to go to Oxford. I don't have to go to Yale. Praise God. If we take time to study the Word of God with the Holy Spirit's leading, become born again, receive the Holy Spirit. As Pastor Pitts taught so eloquently last week, Let him come upon you when you first become born again. Amen.
Amen.
And help his— seek his help in interpreting the scriptures. You have to stay in it. Praise God. We can't be looking at the last 300 episodes of I Love Lucy and try to say that we studied the Bible by reading one verse a year. Amen. Then you wonder why it don't make any sense. Well, how much time you been spending in the world? Well, at least once a year, Pastor. Hallelujah. Seek God's rule. Psalms chapter 103, verse 19. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. This represents the universal rule of God. Amen.
Amen.
His creation is everywhere.
That's right. Amen.
Amen. God says, is there anything too, uh, too hard for him?
Come on.
He says the earth is his footstool.
That's right.
Praise God. I've just got my feet on this floor right here. I can't even imagine the earth being my footstool. Amen.
Amen.
Lord have mercy. Colossians chapter 1, verse 13. We're given simple scripture for each of these traits.
Yes.
ESV, English Standard Version. Colossians chapter 1, verse 13. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his Son, To be transferred into the kingdom is to come under Christ's rule.
Amen.
This is just common sense.
Amen.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness, meaning that you were in a bad place, a difficult place. The Bible says the wages of sin is hard. Amen.
