The Kingdom of God
PROBLEM
MESSAGE Many think that the gospel of Christ is only about Jesus. Many focus almost entirely on the messenger, and overlook the message he brought.
KOG The emphasis of Jesus’ teaching was the kingdom. In Matthew he mentions the Church twice and the kingdom of God fifty-five times. Garden of Eden loss. Rebellion.
Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
GOD
OT going back through the Psalms, and the prophets, to the Torah itself, is about the one true God calling time on the world’s wicked empires, and setting up a radically different kind of empire instead.
Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV 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 greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
NT Jesus inaugurated God’s sovereign rule on Earth, as in heaven, a theocracy. Mankind’s corrupt governments will be destroyed. Jesus will return and change all of that.
Luke 17:20-21 NIV Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
PARABLES wrong people? Once upon a time, shepherd who lost a sheep, a woman who lost a coin, father who had two sons, persistent widow, workers vineyard
APPLICATION
CONTRAST Ask yourself if the sex trade is part of the kingdom of God. But look, there is someone ministering to them
WEAK bullies and the arrogant wake up, the meek, mourners, merciful, built hospitals, schools, looking after sick, wounded, feeding hungry, rescuing helpless. doing this from the very beginning.
STRONG To change the world, tanks. He sends in the meek, mourners, merciful, and people hungry for justice, peacemakers, pure in heart. That’s how God works.
ALREADY NOT YET The kingdom of God is here, but it is not yet what it shall be. It is already, but not yet. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray …Kingdom come. May up there come down here.
CALLED Many people define their ministry by what they’re good at, instead of what they’re called to do. When we do that, we reduce ministry to our skills.
VISION
ME In my neighborhood, country, family, office, church, club, small group, shop, staff, heart, attitude, beliefs, may God be king.
INVITES Jesus invites you to join the greatest, largest, most diverse, and most significant cause in history – the Kingdom of God
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