Kingdom Responsibility and Accountability

Understanding Sonship Today’s Focus: Raising Sons of God: Kingdom Responsibility and Accountability Scripture: Ephesians 4:7-12 Greetings Kingdom Citizens Now in past messages we talked about being empowered by the Holy Spirit. But for those who may have missed, the Holy Spirit is the person that empowers the saints to do the work that they have been called to do in the Kingdom. Now with this power comes responsibility and most of all accountability. As you grow in your walk in the Kingdom you are given gifts to equip you to do the work for the Kingdom that you are called to do. These gifts are a part of the Government of the Kingdom. These gifts are found in Ephesians 4:11. The gifts are of the apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers. The scripture then goes on the say that these five gifts work together for the perfecting (maturing) of the saints. We have done a series on these five gifts and I will not go over all of them but let me look at the apostolic gift. The apostolic gift shows us the relationship between power, order and understanding. Power is the source by which anything is done in the Kingdom and our power comes from Christ. Matthew 28:18 says it best, the words of Jesus: All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Now that we know Jesus has all power, what do you think would happen if He gave us all that power? Right, we had it before and we corrupted ourselves and lost it. So there has to be order. Order distributes the adequate power to the adequate person to perform the necessary function. Now what did Jesus give us the power to do first? Matthew 28:19: GO YE THEREFORE AND TEACH ALL NATIONS. In other words, go make disciples! Jesus did not tell us to go make converts but make disciples. See our job is to lead people to the Master and not the Pastor. The Master, Jesus is the one who has all power. The Pastor is under the Master. If you lead someone to your Pastor at best they will be a great church member, but if we teach people and make them disciples when they do come into the church, they have something to contribute and not look for the Pastor to give them a feel good message to appeal to their emotions. Citizens of the Kingdom, this has to do with delegation of power from Jesus. The Pastor cannot give you any power that he does not have. All the power given to him is from Christ. Now as you grow as a son of God, The Holy Spirit then at the appointed time will give to you empowerment (gifts) to do the work you have been called to do. The key is His appointed time. Before I became an Elder, there was time that I had to spend with God and He took me through struggles and suffering until I could handle the gift He has given me. But once you have been given the gift and responsibility, how you use it, will determine how you will be held accountable. Let me give you an example, How can an apostle be an apostle if they do not understand the Kingdom of God or know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God? If they are the ones to order and establish the churches then they have to know and understand the Kingdom of God because the Kingdom gives power and order to the saints. See the reality is, I do not really care for titles if the fruit you are bearing is not consistent with it. I show respect where respect is due. But all of these title holders with no true Kingdom power is fraudulently robbing and deceiving the saints. Let me show you some titles I have seen that should make you say Huh? 1. Master Prophet – Did not Jesus say call no man master? 2. Chief Apostle – So are there various levels of apostles? 3. Chief Bishop – Isn’t the Bishop supposed to be the overseer of the church anyway? Why do you need a chief bishop? 4. Bishop of Intercessory Prayer – Prayer needs overseeing?? All of this is to appease people to their emotions by giving them a title that Christ did not give them. Does anyone remember when the mother of Zebedee’s children asked Jesus for her sons to sit at the right and left hand of the Father and the other disciples became upset about it? The apostles were the apostles! There was no chief. We need to read and just allow God to do it His way! He established the way that He wanted it done and where everyone, man, woman and child, should be in the church. Anything outside of what God established is out of order and when you are out of order, the power cannot flow properly to you and you cannot be used effectively because our Father is a God of order. Everyone cannot be the head. Everyone has their place, stay there and mature and allow God to live through you because the more you aspire to be when you are out of order, the more chaos and disorder follows you. Follow God and allow Him to equip you for the task He has called you to do. At Our Father’s Service, Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.