The Kingdom

I.   Kingdom of God is a Reality

1. Jesus teaching His disciples to pray
2. This is a prayer that teaches us how to incorporate faith into the everyday aspects of our life.

Mt 6:9 "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.  11 Give us today our daily bread.  12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. '

Model of Application of faith:
-   9 - Recognition of God's holiness
- 10 - establishment of God's kingdom
- 11 - provision/ daily bread
- 12 - forgiveness of God/ our forgiveness of men
- 13 - Our struggle with sin and Devil

NIV - leaves out For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever

BY FAITH WE DESIRE/PRAY THAT GOD'S RULE/INFLUENCE WOULD COME NOW

There is an eternal kingdom coming - But as a prelude to that the kingdom is being established in the hearts of people

- Will of God is done perfectly in heaven
- By faith we seek/and pray to establish God's will on earth.

- God's kingdom today is not established by:

Force
Fancy words
Political trickery
Money

God's kingdom is established by faith, truth, and love

Faith: Establish what we can't see, because Jesus said to go do it.
Truth: His truth breaks the chains of lies
Love: Message of possibility of forgiveness - God loves you no matter what you've done.

John the Baptist came announcing Jesus by preaching the kingdom:

Mt 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea  2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Jesus preached the kingdom:

Mt 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Jesus told his disciples to preach the kingdom:

 Mt 10:7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'  8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

In matt 28 Jesus tells us to go make disciples - or go extend the kingdom.

 

II. Kingdom Defined

A. An area under the :

     1. Protection of  king
     2. Authority of a king
     3.  Provision of a king
     4.  Leadership of a king

B. When a person becomes a follower of Christ they enter the kingdom of God

Enter His:
Protection, authority, provision, leadership, relationship

C.  Those who have become followers of Christ have exchanged their membership

Col 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light

III. Those Who have Entered the Kingdom are  Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God

Ambassador: Someone who represents a nation and works to bring about harmony and relationship between people.

Followers of Christ are ambassadors for the kingdom of God

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

A. The Message of the Kingdom is not: Look out the fire of hell is gonna be hot.

B.  The message of the kingdom is reconciliation:
       - God has made a way!
       - Relationship is offered

Gospel: Good News
That God Has made a way for the barriers between man and God to be taken out of the way in Christ.

C. God's Great Motive is RELATIONSHIP
- So why doesn't He just wipe the slate clean?
- Just give everybody a pass?

GOD IS PERFECT
- Perfect Love , Perfect Wisdom,  Perfect Holiness,   Perfect Justice

God perfect love desires to forgive

God perfect justice must hold sin accountable (If God does not uphold justice He is no longer perfect)

Therefore justice had to be satisfied, before God's love and forgiveness could be experienced by man.

E. God's only requirements:
     1. Humble yourself and agree with God that you have sinned.
     2. By faith trust that Jesus sacrifice paid for your sins and then follow Christ to the best of your ability.

F. Opens the door to enter into God's kingdom

IV. The Atmosphere of the Kingdom

Condensed teaching of scripture about the atmosphere of the kingdom of God
- Peace, Joy , Righteousness  Ro 14:17
- Faith, hope, and love  1 Cor 13:13
- Presence, provision, and power

Jesus made powerful statements to His disciples:

Lu 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Lu 10:9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'

The kingdom is not a feeling - The kingdom is not a doctrine or idea

The kingdom is a reality now: Therefore God demonstrates it's reality:
- Healed marriages
- Delivered from bondage
- Changed lives
- Healed bodies
- YOU ENTER THE KINGDOM BY FAITH
- YOU EXPERIENCE THE KINGDOM BY FAITH  (by embraces His promises)

AND

V. YOU EXTEND THE KINGDOM BY FAITH

A. We are to preach the message of the kingdom  (NOT A RELIGION!)
      - We are ambassadors of reconciliation

B.  We are to bring the atmosphere of the kingdom
        - Peace, Joy , Righteousness  Ro 14:17
        - Faith, hope, and love  1 Cor 13:13
        - Presence, provision, and power

C. The kingdom goes wherever we go - Abraham was told by God:

      - What about the last days events prophesied in Bible?  Isn't it  a lost cause.  Let's just wait for Jesus

      -  Jesus didn't say hunker down in my name and try and make it through.

          HE SAID GO Matt 28 

D. Bring the kingdom:
- Home
- Workplace
- Community
- Nation
- World

1. Bring the atmosphere of the kingdom
        - Peace, Joy , Righteousness  Ro 14:17
        - Faith, hope, and love  1 Cor 13:13
        - Presence, provision, and power

2. Bring the message of the kingdom
     - Reconciliation - God is waiting to embrace you

Conclusion:
The first century Christians were a little timid.

- They wanted to preach the message of the kingdom
- They wanted to bring the atmosphere of the kingdom
-  They wanted to go out and extend the kingdom by faith

They were afraid - but they knew what to do

Ac 4:29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. (Message of reconciliation)  30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." (Bring the atmosphere of the kingdom) 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Good pattern for us to follow:

The Holy Spirit empowers to take the message of the kingdom and the atmosphere of the kingdom so that the Kingdom of God is expanded.

Which kingdom are you in?
- Kingdom of darkness is temporary - Based on deception &  empty promises

- Eternal kingdom - peace and reality of God's love and provision and power