Kingdom Unity Part 5: Kingdom Culture | Paztuh Mike Wuebbles

Kingdom Unity: Kingdom Culture -

What is honor—and why does it matter?

Who are we really called to honor and love?

And what does real love actually look like?

Honor and authentic love have become increasingly rare in Western culture—especially in the United States. From an early age, many people are taught that it’s normal to dismiss or dishonor anyone they disagree with. Over time, that mindset becomes so ingrained that we don’t even question it. People have literally been programmed to hate.

Romans 12:2 NLT: "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

In Lesson 5 of the series Kingdom Unity, Paztuh Mike Wuebbles reminds believers that honor and love are core to Kingdom culture. Regardless of what society teaches, Christians are called to live differently—we must embody these ways as a reflection of God’s heart.

Are you ready to embrace honor?

Are you willing to stop cutting people off just because they don’t think or look like you?

Are you ready to truly love others—not just tolerate them, but care for them selflessly?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlfpP0_74WM

Kingdom Culture: Putting God's Kingdom Above Our Own

Introduction

• The Call for Kingdom Unity: Before the church can effectively impact the world, it must first be united. True church growth is measured not by seating capacity, but by the multiplication of true disciples.

• Overcoming Fleshly Division: The enemy uses division to hinder the church's mission. Believers must actively push past their own feelings and comfort to maintain a posture of worship and unity.

• The Biblical Foundation: In 1 Corinthians 1:10, the Apostle Paul appeals to the church to live in harmony, letting there be no division, and remaining united in thought and purpose.

In order to achieve true unity, we must evaluate what culture is truly shaping our daily lives.

"Kingdom culture comes first above all else; it's the only culture that's going to be around and last forever."

1. Kingdom Culture vs. Worldly Culture

• Seeking the Kingdom First: Jesus instructs believers in Matthew 6:33 to seek His Kingdom above all else. This means placing Kingdom culture even above the culture of our earthly families or nations.

• Resisting Worldly Customs: Romans 12:2 commands us not to copy the behaviors and customs of this world. Believers must allow God to transform them by changing the way they think, actively unlearning societal programming.

• The Media's Divisive Programming: The world uses continuous media consumption to program minds toward division and animosity. A Kingdom mindset requires guarding our influences and choosing God's word over worldly narratives.

A central pillar of this heavenly culture is something the modern world actively rejects: true honor.

2. The Mandate of Honor

• Defining True Honor: In Greek (timi) and Hebrew (kevod), honor means to greatly value, hold in high respect, and give glory.

• Honoring Regardless of Differences: Kingdom culture demands that we honor others—including leadership, those of different political views, and different racial backgrounds—regardless of whether we agree with them. Romans 12:10 urges believers to outdo one another in showing honor.

• The Danger of Dishonor: Dishonoring others is a cultural norm in the world, marked by shame, disrespect, and discrediting. However, an essential spiritual principle is that you cannot spiritually receive from someone you continually dishonor.

• Combating the Spirit of Racism: Racism is fundamentally an evil spirit used by the enemy to maintain division. Overcoming it requires deep self-reflection, giving ourselves and others profound grace, and recognizing that a lack of love prevents us from helping others.

Beyond honor, the Kingdom operates on a completely different frequency of love than what the world models.

"You cannot receive from whom you dishonor."

3. Agape: The Power of Sacrificial Love

• Love as an Action, Not a Feeling: Biblical love (agape) is selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial. It is a deliberate choice rather than a biological or emotional reaction.

• Laying Down Our Lives: John 15:13 states there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. In daily application, this means sacrificing our own comfort, schedules, and plans for the sake of discipling others.

• The Mark of True Discipleship: According to John 13:35, the world will recognize followers of Jesus by their genuine, sacrificial love for one another. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) calls for actively investing time into others, which cannot be accomplished through selfishness.

While sacrificial love is beautiful, it also requires a holy boldness that goes against cultural norms.

"When you don't love them, your comfort becomes more important than their eternal salvation."

4. Love is Not Tolerance; Love Corrects

• The False Equation of Love and Tolerance: The world falsely teaches that if you truly love someone, you will never correct their lifestyle or behavior. This worldly mindset is inherently selfish and prioritizes personal comfort over another's eternal well-being.

• The Necessity of Biblical Correction: Discipleship requires teaching others to obey the commands of Christ. To refuse to correct someone heading down a destructive path is to deny them true, biblical love.

• God's Loving Discipline: Proverbs 3:11-12 and Hebrews 12:5-6 remind us that the Lord disciplines and corrects those He loves. Believers must not reject God's correction, nor should they be afraid to offer graceful, biblical correction to others.

Ultimately, embracing Kingdom culture means submitting entirely to the Father's loving discipline and purpose.

Conclusion

• Embracing God's Correction: Growth requires stepping out of stagnation and pride. We must allow God to continually correct our minds and hearts, freeing us from past worldly thinking.

• The Posture of Repentance: Repentance is not merely an apology; it is a fundamental shift in thinking and behavior. It means laying down our own will to follow God's plan at all costs.

Take some time this week to search your heart and apply these Kingdom principles through the following questions.

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. In what specific areas of your life have you allowed worldly culture or media programming to heavily influence your thinking over Kingdom culture?

2. Is there someone in your life—perhaps a leader, or someone with differing views—whom you have quietly dishonored? How can you begin to show them biblical honor this week?

3. Consider the definition of agape love. Are you currently sacrificing your own time, plans, or comfort to help disciple and build up another believer? If not, what is holding you back?

4. Have you avoided speaking a necessary, biblical truth to someone because you valued your own comfort over their eternal wellbeing? How can you approach them with both grace and truth?

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