The Kingdom of God

Grateful to be back with you this morning as we continue working through what we believe as the Church of God. As individuals, as a congregation, so that no matter who we might be sharing the gospel with, we’re telling the same spiritual truths. So that we are prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks for the hope, the joy, the love of God that shines through us to a broken world. Let’s pray.

This morning let’s begin by reading aloud together from Matthew 6:7-13. This is the English Standard version.

(Slide) Matthew 6:7-13

9 Pray then like this: “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 this day our daily bread 12and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Now, some early manuscripts in the Eastern Rite and Protestant churches as a doxology include the response: For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Jesus is speaking at the sermon on the mount. To both the disciples and a very large crowd. Many churches will recite the Lord’s Prayer before taking the sacraments, the bread and the wine. There’s a shorter version in Luke 11:1-4 which begins with the same praise, request for needs and ends lead us not into temptation. Remembering that Matthew, the tax collector, was there with Christ, while Luke is gathering evidence from witnesses. So certainly while Christ was teaching, Jesus shared this more than once. In Luke Christ is praying and the disciples ask him to teach them to pray. (SLIDE).

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

The Lord’s prayer could be a full series of sermons over several weeks, taking one verse at a time. Elsewhere in Matthew, depending on which translation you’re reading there are 11 parables that Jesus begins with “the kingdom of God is like . . . a mustard seed, yeast, planted seeds, a merchant seeking fine pearls, etc.

(Slide) Let’s focus on Verse 10 which says “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I want us to consider three questions:

· Where is the Kingdom of God?

· When is the Kingdom of God coming?

· Living in His Kingdom, What is God’s will?

The word kingdom is a foreign concept to most of us. (Slide) You may have seen the 2007 movie The Kingdom with Jamie Fox, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman about terrorists in Saudi Arabia. (Slide) There is the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven with Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Ed Norton, Jeremy Irons & Eva Green about Saladin retaking Jerusalem after the 2ndCrusade. (Slide) King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table? (Slide)The Lord of the Rings books by Tolkien and (Slide) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

(Slide) If there is a kingdom, then there must be a king, right? We tend to think, whether from movies or historical fact, of a king as someone whose rule or orders are absolute, and to disobey them in many centuries, meant death. In some kingdoms today to defy the king or the royal family still means death. Historically our rebellion against King George III in the American Revolution, as we’re taught in schools, means we think that if a king’s orders aren’t just, that rebellion is not only ok, but also required.

(Slide) As a starting place, from a broad perspective (Holding up the Bible)Let’s consider that the theme of the entire Bible is the Kingdom of God– We’re going to look at a lot of different scriptures today. When you and I read “king” or “kingdom” in our English language that would be, in the original Hebrew or Greek many different words as when we studied the word hope two months ago. In the ESV the word “Kingdom” appears 353 times (199 OT; 154 NT), In the NIV 347 times (192 OT; 155 NT). The Hebrew word for “kingdom” is “malkuwth” (mal-kooth) translated as royalty, king, reign, royal, realm, empire, dominion , sovereign power, and kingdom. We might also see “maluwkah” translated similarly as reigns. The Greek word for kingdom is “basileia” (basil-EIa) translated as kingdom or reign, related to the Greek word “basileus” which is translated as king or emperor.

The Hebrew word for king is melek, which appears over 2500 times in the OT, but depending on which English translation you’re reading might be king with a small “k”, a capital “k”, kings’ plural or king’s possessive. That’s understandable given that human kings and rulers existed throughout the world before Israel demanded God let them have a king. Let’s start in scripture there.

(Slide) Samuel 8:4-8

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” 6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 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. 8As they have done from the day, I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.

Notice God’s response in verse 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.” Israel had a king since the creation, as did all humanity, since it was the Lord God who created us and has known us since we were formed in our mother’s wombs. But they rejected Him, just as at times, we have rejected Him. We’ve discussed in the past few weeks, some scriptures that are foundational, meaning they are critical to our understanding and relationship with the Lord, and with His creation.

(Slide) Genesis 1:1-3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

We’ve already shared, and you know in your heart of hearts, that God created all there is. If you create something with your own hands, do you not think of it as something that you have ownership over? Something that belongs to you. How much more so, the creator of the Universe and all that lives within it then has dominion, lordship, and authority over His creation.

And in the New Testament as a reminder, read (Slide) John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Some translations might use the phrase the “darkness has not understood it.” When we’re talking about the authority, the historical accuracy of the gospels. John was the youngest of the 12 disciples, the brother of James, so in reading John we’re hearing from from someone who had a firsthand account as both a witness, and a full-time student learning from Jesus during His ministry. It’s not just a story or something mythical like the Chronicles of Narnia or Aesop’s fables.

(Slide) Our first question was where is the Kingdom of God? The creator of the universe, of all that has ever been or ever was and ever will be, reigns over His creation. His kingdom exists everywhere his creation exists. He is the Most High God, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. He reigns over all heaven and earth. He has the right to do whatever He chooses with his creation. We are living in His kingdom, right now. In this room. Thank God that His mercy and grace are offered to us every day. And the King’s instructions for living a full and rewarding life in His kingdom are right here (hold up the bible).

There is a difference between just reading the bible and studying scripture. That doesn’t mean that just sitting and reading the word of God isn’t valuable, but consider Heb 4:12 and 11:13 as part of our study this morning. (Slide) Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. There’s a reason the psalmist writes that God knit us together in our mother’s wombs. The word of God is within the very cells of our beings. Let me repeat that. The word of God within the very cells of our beings. Within our heart, soul, and mind as He created us. (Slide) Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. God speaks, and the heavens and earth were created. God spoke, and you were created. (Slide)In His image. So God’s word was within us from the moment He began forming us. But of course, as we know Adam and Eve fell. We fell. We fall. But He did not forsake us. He provides a way up from falling for us through His word in Jesus Christ.

(Blank Slide) Christ, historically is a descendant of King David. It’s during David’s time, anointed by God to serve as the King of Israel that God makes a covenant with David, as relayed through the prophet Nathan in Chronicles 17. It’s where we first see a reference to a Kingdom of the Lord. (Slide) Chronicles 17:10b-14 10“I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’” It’s a very precise reference to Jesus Christ as God establishes His Kingdom on Earth in verse 11. The throne and dominion of Jesus in verse 12. That His kingdom endures forever verses 13 and 14.

We also see God’s Kingdom recognized in 1 Chronicles 29:11 (Slide) 1 Chronicles 29:11 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Even foreign kings recognized the legitimacy of God’s kingdom. Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, centuries after David, as quoted in Daniel 4. (Slide) Daniel 4:2-3 2It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.

(Blank Slide) The Babylonian exile is well documented. Israel and Judah had failed to be obedient to the covenant God made with them. Refusing to listen to the Lord, worshiping false idols, among other sins.

You don’t need to answer this out loud, but, have you ever felt like you were in exile from the Kingdom of God because you were in some way disobedient? Praise God His mercies are new each morning and His grace abounds. Yes? How forgetful at times are we of all that the Lord has done for us in bringing us into His Kingdom, whether it was before we knew Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or since we gave our hearts to Him.

Consider Paul’s letter to the Romans. Historically as Rome expanded geographically, to keep the peace afterwards they absorbed whatever beliefs, gods, and cults of the nations they conquered. That didn’t work so well in Israel and Judah did it. As a result, as Christianity is spreading throughout the Roman empire, and the world for that matter, conflicts are arising among those claiming to be Christians regarding holy days, foods one can eat, spiritual practices, the will of God. We haven’t grown as servants of the Most High that much over the last 2000 years if we were to look at our society today. (Slide) Romans 14:17-19 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let’s therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. (Leave slide up)

What Paul is saying, to those he’s preaching to in his time, as Jesus taught in His preaching, as God says to us today, is this. We are not members of the Kingdom of God when we argue and quarrel about minor things that are not important to Lord. What did Jesus say when the Pharisees questioned the behavior of the disciples in Matthew 15? It’s not what goes into the mouth that offends God, but what comes out of our mouths. What do we say to others? If we are walking with Christ in the Holy Spirit, fully participating in the Kingdom of God as His servants, then the fruits in our own lives - righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit are present. Present in ways that overflow from us to others that they might see Christ. But that righteousness is not self-righteousness that then we use to judge others. It is the power of God moving through us to live a more holy life, setting an example that others can see. Which we then can use to build peace and uplift others. That sounds like the will of God in our lives, doesn’t it?

(Slide) Quick Review: John 1. In the beginning was the word. Genesis 1. With a word God created the heavens, the earth, and all that exists within including us. Rev 4:11 & Col 1:16 He created all things for His purposes

(Slide) Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Colossians 1:16 “All things were created by him and for him.” Yet we, as God’s creation, humanity since the fall of man, have never been able to fully follow God in obedience in how we worship, how we obey His commands, how we treat each other . . . and so God sent His one and only son. Jesus, being fully obedient is baptized by John in Jordan and begins the ministry that God intended from the beginning of creation.

(Slide) Mark 1:14-15 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

The creator of the universe, of all that has ever been or ever was and ever will be reigns over His creation. His kingdom. He is the Most High, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He reigns over all heaven and earth. So, the kingdom of God began at the very moment He created the heavens and the earth. Yet God’s plan included sending His son to be a living sacrifice. Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us, was with God from the very beginning of creation. Just staying in Mark, let’s go to Mark 12:27-34a.

Setting the background it is near the end of his time preaching, healing, and teaching, Jesus and the disciples arrive in Jerusalem for the Passover in Mark 11. Many in Jerusalem, under Roman rule, believe that Jesus is the long promised coming Messiah, the King to rule over all Israel who will overthrow the oppressors. Others are threatened by His teachings because it doesn’t fit with their interpretations of Hebrew scriptures and the regulations they’ve laid out from human positions of authority. That’s the parable of the tenants that chapter 12 begins with.

The Pharisees and Herodians try to trick Christ regarding Caesar and taxes which He flips on them saying, why are you worried about the things of your government instead of the things that are important to God? They try to trick him into their version of blasphemy again regarding the afterlife and those who have been married more than once.

(Slide) Mark 12:27-34a “27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”.

Just these two scriptures. Mark 1:15 and Jesus words to the audience at the Temple in Mark 12. The Kingdom of God opened up to us at the moment of Jesus Christ’s baptism to all who would repent and believe in Him. And when we love the Lord our God, the creator of the universe. Worshiping no other. Putting nothing else in our hearts, minds and souls ahead of Him - That requires loving and serving His creation . . . all God’s children (regardless of their age, color, sex, history, ethnicity, or global location). Why was the scribe close but not in the kingdom? Because he knew the scriptures but hadn’t repented, believed or confessed Christ as Lord yet. Still considering the when of the kingdom of God let’s turn to Luke.

(Slide) Luke 9:1-2 9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Consider our walks with God and Thessalonians 2:11-12 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. Where are you in that relationship?

(Slide) We began in Matthew today, with the Lord’s prayer. We asked three questions earlier. The second was when is that kingdom coming? That kingdom of God first arrived when He created the heavens and the earth. But in our disobedience, we couldn’t participate fully in His kingdom until Christ, in obedience to the Father, gave his life for us on the Cross. And three days later rose from the grave by the power of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that appeared in the upper room in Jerusalem to the disciples. The same Holy Spirit that heals the blind, the lame, the sick, and the sinner. The same Holy Spirit that is within you now, that’s here in this room, and that wants us to allow Him to move through us in serving our families, our communities, our neighbors. Wherever those neighbors may be. The Kingdom of God is here now. And we are called to be servants of the most high God through Jesus Christ to share that good news.

Wrapping up. Our third question was What is God’s will? There are many things that God wills for us in our lives, and as a community of believers but let’s just take one this morning. Paul’s writing to Timothy, 1 Timothy 2:3-6 God our Savior, desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of that there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

(Slide) What is God’s will? That all people be saved through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I wonder, where are we in His kingdom, this morning? When we leave here today, are we living, speaking, and demonstrating to others by what we say and do, that Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives? That the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is here and available to all of us, right now. I can tell you, honestly, that I do not live up to that every moment of every day. But regularly I hear in my head some words that keep me seeking both his forgiveness and His power to overcome. That fills me with hope, and joy, and the ability overcome the sinful Jon in becoming a more obedient Jon. Paul to Timothy (1:15). “Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Because in Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” And so, I have “decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2). Then finally the words of Martin Luther King “I just want to do God’s will”.

(Slide) So, I ask: Where are you today in your Kingdom of God journey? Is there some part of you that needs healing? Physically, spiritually, mentally? Have you previously given your heart to Jesus, but never quite walked in the power of the Holy Spirit that is available because as we’ve heard from the Word of God this morning - the Kingdom of God is here, right now. Have you been standing outside that relationship with Christ - like the scribe in Mark who was near the Kingdom of God, but hadn’t entered in yet? All of us have been outside of His grace, His mercy, His love, and His kingdom at some point in our lives. You’re not alone in whatever you’re walking through today. Let’s pray.