I
apologize for too many Scriptures. Each is worth a sermon. I'm focusing on concept, the
Kingdom, and how these connect.
I
will point out where there is gold, you go dig for it!
PART
ONE:
Kingdoms
have kings. Brief history. Ancient kings were kings of cities, sometimes an
area, less frequently a region, or even a nation. Barbaric. A king holds life
and death in his hands.
The kings of the O.T. speak of promises of a
coming king, a warrior king, a savior king, a priest-king.
Early important O.T. King: Ge. 14
Melchizedek king of Salem Jerusalem
God
makes Abraham a promise, that his kingdom would never cease: Ge. 17:6-7
I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come
from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me
and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your
God and the God of your descendants after you.
Moses
on the Holy Mountain
An
interesting parallel for us: 1Pe. 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may
declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful
light. Are you destined?
I HAVE A DESTINY – BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN CALLED
By
wanting an earthly king, the people were rejecting the Lord. God told Samuel: 1Sa.
8:7 And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it
is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. The
King of Heaven was not good enough for them. Imagine them rejecting the God
that delivered them from the hand of Pharoah!
So
a couple of verses later, God tells Samuel to give them what they want, and
here’s what it will be like: 1Sa. 8:9 Now listen to them; but warn them
solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”
Israel suffered under a long procession of
kings, starting in 1052 BC.
The Kingdom Judah Israel Israel
As
you can see, most kings were evil, only a few were righteous. Such was the
legacy of kings for the Hebrews.
Samuel anoints the first king, Saul: 1Sa. 10:24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you
see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no-one like him among all the people.”
Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
They
wanted a, hero, a warrior leader. Imagine a Braveheart-like king, a chisled
jaw, tall, fierce, inspiring, riding a huge steed, charging into battle with
reckless abandon. This is what Israel
Who do you look to? What’s diverting your
gaze; Is there an earthly leader you require?
WE - WILL HAVE NO KING - BUT JESUS.
Only
5 chapters later, Saul is rejected: 1Sa. 15:23
“Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
David,
a king of destiny: 1Sa. 16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long
will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel ?
Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of
Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
David
waited decades to be king, even though he had been anointed (chosen). He even
had opportunity to speed up the process by killing Saul, but refused.
How long would you wait for the promises of
God to come? Do you grumble about the inadequacies of your life? Have you been
waiting for healing? For the restoration of relationships? For your relatives
or your spouse to get saved? Have you grown impatient or discouraged, because
God tarries? Did you try to speed up the process?
I AM AMONG THE STEADFAST – I WILL WAIT FOR YOUR
PROMISES.
Eventually,
David becomes king. He is a prophetic picture, a type, in that his kingship,
kingdom, and reign is a foretelling of a coming king: Ps. 132:11-14 The
LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: “One of your
own descendants I will place on your throne — 12 if your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them, then their sons shall sit on your throne for
ever and ever.” 13 For the LORD has chosen Zion ,
he has desired it for his dwelling: 14 “This is my resting place for ever and
ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.”
A couple of interesting things. 1)
Conditional promise 2) David’s descendant, but, “Here I will sit enthroned.”
deity of Christ. 3) Forever 3) “I have desired it.” I think God ought to get
his desires, don’t you? The king deserves his throne and all that comes with
it.
I wonder if David understood the nature of
God’s promise? I wonder if he had a hint? Can you imagine being told that your
descendant would be the promised king? Through the generations, through the
lineage of David, God was promising that there would be a king to sit on the
throne.
PART
TWO:
Those
highlights of the kingship bring us to the NT. There’s a new thing on the horizon,
and the world is going to be shaken. Jesus comes on the scene, and he has a
message:
The
kingdom. Matthew calls it the kingdom of heaven; Mark, the kingdom of God;
Luke, kingdom of God; and John, the kingdom of God (only mentioned 4 times).
I’ll
just say “the kingdom.”
JESUS
TAUGHT US TO PRAY: Mt. 6:9-10 “This, then, is how you should pray: `Our
Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.’”
Kingdom.
How many times have we recited the Lord’s Prayer, to the point where we sort of
gloss over its contents? Jesus tells us to pray for the Father’s kingdom to
come on earth. Is this a thing we focus on in our praying? This kingdom is a
powerful thing, because of the king who reigns over it. I think we ought to
know what this kingdom is.
WHAT
IS THIS KINGDOM?
“HOLY SPIRIT - OPEN MY EYES - TO SEE THE KINGDOM.”
The
Jews had been without a king for centuries. Israel was an occupied nation, the king
over them was not theirs. They were looking for messiah, a deliverer.
Having known only earthly kings for a
thousand years, we can forgive them for thinking that the promises they read in
the OT were going to be fulfilled with an earthly king. They were looking for a
king to re-establish David’s literal throne.
That’s what the Magi were looking for:
“Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?” That’s why Herod wanted to
kill the baby Jesus.
That’s why Pilate so pointedly asked him if he were a king.
And he had a sign nailed on the cross, “King of the Jews.”
The Pharisees thought the same. Remember when Jesus asked them: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” Their correct response was, “The Son of David.”
And even the disciples thought so! They were despondent after the crucifixion. They had given up and went back to fishing, remember?
But none of them understood the greater kingdom, “for I have desired it.”
Zion David
And take hold! Mt. 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. This kingdom cannot be stopped; it advances on the kingdom of darkness. The kingdom is violent, forceful, it’s doing damage. It requires the same of those who would be a part of it. What kind of damage are you doing to the darkness? Like the woman with the issue of blood, we won’t let go!
This
Kingdom is a spiritual one. Jesus even told them: Jn. 18:36 Jesus
said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to
prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
WHAT
IS THE KINGDOM LIKE?
Jesus
was always thinking of ways to explain it: Mk. 4:30 Again he said,
“What shall we say the kingdom of God
How
do you explain something no one has ever seen? You use parables!
“The
kingdom of heaven is like…” (11 times)
a man who scatters seed on the ground.
a man who sowed good seed in his field.
a mustard seed
yeast worked through the dough
treasure hidden in a field.
a merchant looking for fine pearls.
a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds
of fish.
a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men
to work in his vineyard.
a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the
bridegroom.
THE
KINGDOM
OF HEAVEN
John
the Baptist was a forerunner, “A voice of one calling in the desert, `Prepare
the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ What was he preaching? The
kingdom: Mt. 3:1-2 In those days
John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert
of Judea
Jesus’
message was the same: Lk. 8:1
Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good
news of the kingdom of God
The kingdom come means a new order on earth.
The Kingdom-come changes everything. The kingdom-come is a cause for
celebration!
“JESUS - LET YOUR KINGDOM COME - HERE.”
Jesus
commanded his disciples to preach the Kingdom: Mt. 10:7 As you go,
preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.’
And
even after he rose from the dead, what did Jesus proclaim? Kingdom! Ac.
1:3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many
convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty
days and spoke about the kingdom of God
Paul
preached the kingdom: Ac. 19:8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke
boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom
of God
And
we should, too: Mk. 16:15 He
said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Kingdom!
“I WILL GO - AND PREACH THE KINGDOM”
THE
KING
It
wouldn’t be much of a kingdom without a king. Let me tell you a little about
this king. Jesus is King, seated on David’s throne. He is seated at the right
hand of the Father. He is exalted. Jesus, the name above all names. His glory
fills the heavens and the earth. He rules in majesty, power, and wisdom.
The nations will come and worship. From the
east, west, north, south. He is worthy to receive all glory, honor, power,
might, and majesty!
Jesus is the promised king.
Isaiah prophesied it: Is. 9:6-7 For to
us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his
shoulders. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and
upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The
zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. desire
The
angel Gabriel repeated it over a sleeping baby: Lk. 1:32 He will be
great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob
for ever; his kingdom will never end.”
Jesus
confirmed it: Mt. 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and
all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
Peter
affirmed it: Ac. 2:29-30 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the
patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But
he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place
one of his descendants on his throne.
John
heard the testimony of the heavenly host: Re. 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there
were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and
ever.”
Jesus is King!
Re.
19:16 On his robe and on his thigh
he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
“MY KING OF KINGS - MY LORD OF LORDS.”
Which King suits you?
PART THREE
When is the kingdom?
This kingdom exists outside the
constraints of time and space. There has always been a king on the throne. His
kingdom is at once near, it’s coming, it’s here, and it’s to come. We humans
like to think in terms of linear time. Binary. On off. Logic. But all these
things are possible simultaneously for a God who is the Alpha and Omega,
beginning and the end, the Ancient of Days.
Near:
Lk. 21:31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that
the kingdom of God
Coming: Mk. 9:1 And he said to them,
“I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before
they see the kingdom of God come with power.”
Here: Mt. 12:28 But if I drive out
demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom
of God
To come: Re. 12:10 Then I heard a loud
voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom
of our God, and the authority of his Christ.
Where is the Kingdom?
Ps.
2:6-8 “I have installed my King on Zion ,
my holy hill.” 7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You
are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the
nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. This
astonishing messianic statement is the promise made by the Father to the Son. We
also see here THE DESIRE. The desire of the Father is the same as the desire of
the Son. From every nation, tribe, and tongue they will come, a great multitude
no one can count.
Ps.
87:6 The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion .”
Let
me pause for a moment. Citizens are recorded in the register, the Lamb’s book
of life. Have you been born in Zion
Is.
28:16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a
tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts
will never be dismayed.” You
can trust him with your life, your future, your problems. You can receive new
life in Christ. And when the King of kings returns, you will see and rejoice,
for you will belong to him.
Because
this King is returning: Is. 52:8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up
their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion ,
they will see it with their own eyes. (Watchmen is also worth study. The king is
returning to the city of David Zion
WE BELONG TO THIS KINGDOM: Col. 1:13 For he has rescued us from
the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
The kingdom belongs to us:
Lk. 22:29 “And I confer on you a
kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me.” Confer: datithémi: dispose of by
a will, to assign to another as his possession.
IT’S TIME FOR ME - TO START ACTING - LIKE I HAVE A
KING.
What does the Kingdom of God
Forgiveness
of sin it means
Life
in the Spirit it means
Power
it
means
Victory
it
means
Authority
it
means
Assurance
it
means
Purpose
it
means
Destiny
it
means
Eternity
it
means
Hope
PART
FOUR:
What then shall we do?
Here’s
a central Scripture for today. Jesus echoes John the Baptist: Mt. 4:17 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
near.” Repent.
Not
only stop sinning, but turn away. Change course. Change your thinking. “I was
going this way, I need to go that way.” Kingdom.
Some of you need to repent. Your own kingdom
is more important to you. What do you value more? Your job, wounds, kids,
limitations? Those things give you a “valid” excuse.
Wives
Husbands
Elderly
Teenagers
Charismatics – preconceptions on what a move of God must
look like
SNPs – “Sermon nit pickers”
Repent!
Why? Because the Kingdom is near! Sometimes I have thought that what if it is
just one person God is waiting for?
I
believe that the main reason the church is so powerless is because they refuse
to repent. 2Ch. 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will
humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their
land.
We
like our own kingdom. The desires of the flesh are too important to us. But we
can live by the power of God in our lives: Ga. 5:16 So I say, live by
the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
DO I WANT TO BE PASTORED - OR PACIFIED
If
you are willing to turn from your wicked ways and pray and seek his face… Is
that worth it for the sake of this nation? For a revival? For salvation,
healing? For your family, friends, neighbors? Even for politicians and lawyers?
What will it take for you to rise up to this
level of faith?
TAKE
HOLD! There’s a woman in the Bible, with issue of blood. She reached out. Stretch
out your hand!
We have not reached out to him because we are weak and of
little faith! He. 12:12
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees!
STRENGTHEN MY ARMS - STRENGTHEN MY KNEES.
And take hold! Mt. 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. This kingdom cannot be stopped; it advances on the kingdom of darkness. The kingdom is violent, forceful, it’s doing damage. It requires the same of those who would be a part of it. What kind of damage are you doing to the darkness? Like the woman with the issue of blood, we won’t let go!
Or are you accidentally fighting on the
wrong side? Are you causing dissension, division, strife? Are you proud, a
scoffer, or disobedient to his word? Repent and take hold!
PRESS
ON!
Don’t
get discouraged! Get a grip! Don’t give up on the goal! Phi. 3:12 -14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect,
but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing
I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press
on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in
Christ Jesus. Ok, stop and consider. What is God speaking to you? What is he asking
of you? What do you need to change?
What
else shall we do?
Seek: Lk. 12:31-32 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given
to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased
to give you the kingdom. (Seek and you will find, knock and the door
will be opened, ask and you shall receive)
Worship – The
greatest commandment
Serve – The
second is like it
Fellowship – Relationships,
body of Christ
Labor – Kingdom
work.
Believe! – Step
of faith that God has more in mind than you first thought.
THE
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
I asked
before if you have made Jesus your King. It’s the good news of the Kingdom that
you can be part of it. You must be born again to see the kingdom!
Jn.
3:3 Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom
of God
Now
is the acceptable time. It’s time to be born again. It starts with repentance.
Maybe you’ve never repented. Or maybe your king is Jesus, but somewhere along
the line you’ve turned and went down the wrong road. Repent, turn, and agree
with God, his purpose for your life. Ask for more of his Holy Spirit in your
life to transform and empower you. Today is the day.
This kingdom, this king, this mighty one. It
all requires a response from you. What are you going to do? Are you going to
take your place in the kingdom? How much of God do you want? How much of his
kingdom?
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