"THE KINGDOM IS ..."
INTRODUCTION: SO MANY WRONG CONCEPTS FLOAT AROUND TODAY IN OUR RELIGIOUS
WORLD CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD. SOME SAY IT HAS NOT COME AS YET. SAY IT
WILL BE AN EARTHLY REIGN FOR 1,000 YEARS. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
BODY
I. THE KINGDOM IS ... IN EXISTENCE TODAY.
A. The kingdom would come in the lifetime of some of the apostles.
1. Mark 9: 1- "And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That
there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of
death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."
a. This kingdom came with power on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two.
B. Apostles would possess the "keys of the kingdom."
1. Matthew 16:19- "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven."
2. Matthew 18:18- "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose
on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
C. The kingdom is spoken of as being in existence.
1 .Colossians 1:13 -"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"
2. Revelation 1:6,9- "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his
Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen... I John,
who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the
kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called
Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."
II. THE KINGDOM IS ... THE SAME AS THE CHURCH.
A. Spoken by Jesus as the same.
1. Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
B. The same membership requirements.
1. John 3: 5- "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God."
2. Acts 2:38
III. THE KINGDOM IS ... A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM.
A. It is not an earthly kingdom.
1. John 18:36- "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should
not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
B. It has a very special "territory."
1. Luke 17:20,21- "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when
the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The
kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Ne'-ther shall they
say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is
within you."
C. The kingdom is spiritual in emphasis.
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
IV. THE KINGDOM IS...RULED BY ONLY ONE PERSON.
A. CHRIST never denied being a King.
1. Luke 23:3- "And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the
Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it."
2. John 18:37- "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king
then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end
was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I
should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth
heareth my voice."
B. He has "all authority."
1. Matthew 28:18
2. Romans 14:9- "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and
revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."
C. He is the head of the church.
1. Ephesians 1:22,23- "And hath put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
V. THE KINGDOM IS...FOR ALL PEOPLE.
A. All nations would be part of the kingdom.
1. Isaiah 2:2,3- "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the
mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall
flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go
up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he
will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."
2. Micah 4:2- "And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let
us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in
his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the
LORD from Jerusalem."
B. There is a place for everyone in the Kingdom of God.
1. Acts 10:34,35- "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth
I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every
nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted
with him."
C. We can't look down on another person and be pleasing to God.
1. Acts 10:28- "And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an
unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come
unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should
not call any man common or unclean."
VII. THE KINGDOM IS ... A THING OF GREAT VALUE.
A. Jesus taught two parables concerning this.
1. Matthew 13:44-46
B. After all is said and done, nothing is more important than our
salvation.
1. Mark 8:36,37- "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain
the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give
in exchange for his soul?"
CONCLUSION: THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PRECIOUS. BUT YOU MUST BE WILLING TO PAY A
PRICE TO ENTER. YOU MUST SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST IN OBEDIENCE. ARE
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