THE REVELATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
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1. PURPOSE
2. PROCLAMATION
3. PRAYER
4. PROVISION
5. PRINCIPLE
6. PURITY
7. POWER
THE MESSAGE
THE REVELATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
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1. PURPOSE
The Lord Jesus came into this world to establish the Kingdom of God. The Angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to a son who will reign on the throne of David and His kingdom will never end. The Lord Jesus did not come to start a new religion but to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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LUKE 1:26-33
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
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,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
ISAIAH 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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 forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
2. PROCLAMATION
The Lord Jesus began his ministry by preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. His message was focussed on the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is where God is the King and rules over His people. When we join the Kingdom of God we allow the Lord to rule over our lives and be seated on the throne of our hearts. We will live our lives according to the will and the guidance of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 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.
MATTHEW 9:35
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
MATTHEW 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
LUKE 17:20-21
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation,
nor will people say, ’Here it is,’ or ’There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you."
PROVERBS 3:5-7
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
3. PRAYER
The Lord Jesus taught his disciples to pray for the kingdom of God to be established on the earth. He wanted them to pray that the will of God will be fulfilled on the earth just as it is done in heaven. He did not pray for his disciples to be removed from the world . He wanted them to transform the world by being a salt and a light in this world. The Apostles were world changers and reformers. They did not allow persecution to discourage them. They were not selfish looking for their own welfare. They chose to live in this world in order to be a blessing to others.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 6:9-10
"This, then, is how you should pray: " ’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
JOHN 17:15,18
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
MATTHEW 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
ACTS 17:6-7
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
ACTS 4:29-31
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
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.
PHILIPPIANS 1:21-24
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
4. PROVISION
The Lord Jesus wants us to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. He wants us to live our lives primarily for the establishment of the kingdom of God. He promises that all our needs would be met when we put the Kingdom of God first in our life. The rich young man wanted to inherit eternal life but was not willing to obey the Lord and give his riches away. The Lord Jesus gave him a wonderful opportunity to transfer his earthly treasure to his heavenly account which he could have enjoyed for all eternity. Unfortunately he failed to utilise the chance. The Lord has promised to bless those sacrifice everything for His kingdom both in this life and in eternity.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 6:31-33
So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
MARK 10:17-31
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.
You know the commandments: ’Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’"
"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel
will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
LUKE 12:32-34
"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
5. PRINCIPLE
The Lord Jesus has declared that anyone who wants to enter the Kingdom of God must be born again. We must humble ourselves like a child . We must acknowledge our sinful state and plead for God’s mercy. The Kingdom of God has values which are very different from the values of this world. Humility is a virtue in the Kingdom of God. We must be people of commitment to be effective in the kingdom of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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JOHN 3:3-5
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
COLOSSIANS 1:13
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
MATTHEW 18:1-4
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child and had him stand among them.
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
MARK 10:13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
LUKE 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ’God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ’God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
LUKE 9:62
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
JOHN 18:33-37
Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"
"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"
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."
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
6. PURITY
The Lord Jesus has warned that only those who do the will of God will enter the Kingdom of God. Those who live a sinful life will fail to inherit the kingdom of God. They will not be able to enjoy the blessings of the Kingdom of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
GALATIANS 5:19-21
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
MARK 9:42-48
"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.
where ’their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
where ’their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,
where " ’their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
7. POWER
The Lord Jesus has given us the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. He wants us to use the keys to bind the works of the devil and loose the blessings and the power of God in order to establish and extend the Kingdom of God.The Kingdom of God is full of righteousness , peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. As citizens of the Kingdom of God , our lives must be characterised by these qualities.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 16:18-19
And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
1 CORINTHIANS 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
ROMANS 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
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