The True Kingdom

I’ve got a joke today about 3 kingdoms and mathematics.

A perfectly triangular lake has 3 kingdoms on its 3 sides

The first kingdom is rich and powerful, filled with wealthy, prosperous people, the second is humbler, but has its fair share of wealth and power. The third kingdom is struggling and poor, and barely has an army.

The kingdoms eventually go to war over control of the lake, as it's a valuable resource to have. The first kingdom sends 100 of its finest knights, clad in the best armour and each with their own personal squire. The second kingdom sends 50 knights, with fine leather armour and a few dozen squires of their own. The third kingdom sends their one and only knight, an elderly warrior who has long since passed his prime, with his own personal squire.

The night before the big battle, the knights in the first kingdom drink and party into the late hours of the night. The knights in the second kingdom aren't as well off, but have their own supply of grog and drink well into the night.

In the third camp, the faithful squire gets a rope and swings it over the branch of a tall tree, making a noose, and hangs a pot from it. He fills the pot with stew and has a humble dinner with the old knight.

The next morning, the knights in the first two kingdoms are hungover and unable to fight, while the knight in the third kingdom is old weary, unable to get up.

In place of the knights, the squires from all three kingdoms go and fight. The battle lasts long into the night but by the time the dust settled, only one squire was left standing - the squire from the third kingdom.

And it just goes to show you that the squire of the high pot and noose is (hypotenuse) equal to the sum of the squires of the other two sides.

Historical/Cultural Context -

The Gospel of John was written between 90 AD and 100 AD. Scholars also believe that John wrote the three Epistles and the book of Revelation around the same time-frame as he wrote this Gospel. The Gospel of John was written after Matthew, Mark, & Luke had been written and circulated. John has been dubbed by most scholars as “The Spiritual Gospel.”

Biblical Text -

John 18:24–38 NKJV

Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed. Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.”

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - Members Of The Kingdom Don’t Permanently Deny Christ, Look To The “Big Picture” & Live In Truth.

Life Point- Members Of The Kingdom Don’t Deny Christ

Exegetical -

John 18:24–27 NLT

Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest. Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.” But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.

Homiletical -

So Simon Peter is standing by the fire warming himself again and is asked if he was a disciple of Jesus, again he denies Him.

Then a slave of the high priest who happened to be in the garden when Peter cut his relatives ear off asked him Didn’t I see you out in the Olive Grove?

Peter denies it and then you got this rooster crowing.

Just as Jesus prophesied, Peter denied Christ three times before the rooster crowed.

John 13:36–38 NLT

Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.

We are given a warning about this very kind of action today. We as believers are never to deny Christ, no matter who is asking us to do so.

Matthew 10:32–39 NLT

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Illustration -

There was a Chinese pastor who was arrested and told to give up Christ and name the members of his church. Under torture he did so. As he was on his way out of the prison he saw two of his female parishioners being carried into the prison. They told him on their way into the prison that they forgive him.

This cut him to the heart and a few hours later he found himself in the streets proclaiming what he did was wrong and that he will never deny Christ again, just like Peter he was restored to faith and made a public statement about it. But he didn’t just proclaim it once and leave, no he stayed there proclaiming the Gospel.

Well, he was arrested again and put in prison, only this time he did not deny Christ. He stayed in that prison until he died of hardship but never denied his faith again.

Life Point - Members Of The Kingdom Don’t Miss The Big Picture

Exegetical -

John 18:28–32 NLT

Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?” “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted. “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.)

Homiletical -

Caiphas is done with Jesus and send him to the Roman Governor, Pilate. Why? Because they wanted Him to die by Roman Crucifixion.

Remember the celebration of Passover is happening. So to enter into a place that is completely owned by Gentiles, or non-Jews, would have made them ceremonially unclean so they did not go in. So Pilate comes out to them and asks His charges.

They got upset and said We wouldn’t have handed Him over if he weren’t a criminal!

So Pilate says then take him and judge him by your laws. But that isn’t good enough for the Jewish leaders they wanted Him executed and only the Romans can execute someone.

We are then told to remember earlier when Jesus predicted His own death and indeed this fulfills that prophecy.

These Jewish leaders were so works oriented that they forgot that a relationship with God is not all about rules and regulations, but about a heart turned to God.

This is why Jesus rebuked them so much.

Matthew 16:5–12 NLT

Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ ” Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 23:27–36 NLT

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’ “But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell? “Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.

There is a danger in Christianity of becoming too legalistic. Too all about appearances. There is also a danger of going the other way. But if one is submitted to God, you will find the middle of the swinging pendulum. Not too works oriented and not too freedom oriented. People who are caught on the outskirts of religiosity you sometimes have to wonder if they are saved or not or just misinformed.

I can tell you this, that if you are worshipping God properly then you will not fall for legalism or the other side.

So how do we worship God properly?

John 4:24 NLT

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

You must have both the spirit and truth in order to live the righteous life in Christ.

The Jewish leaders were so concerned about legalism that they did not seek God and the Spirit of God.

Jon Courson wrote, “Here they are, about to kill the Son of God, yet worrying about defiling themselves by stepping on Gentile territory. Jesus said it’s crazy how people will strain at gnats but swallow camels (Matthew 23:24). And yet we do the same thing in religious circles. We are so careful about certain issues, but we risk missing the big picture altogether.”

Life Point - Members Of The Kingdom Live In Truth

Exegetical -

John 18:33–38 NLT

Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.

Homiletical -

Pilate brings Jesus inside and asks if He is the king of the Jews.

Notice Jesus didn’t deny the charge, nor did he shy away from the question. He simply asked Pilate a question. Is your question from you or from others?

Pilate gives a retort and asks a metaphorical question. “Am I a Jew?” Obviously not. He then says hey your people brought you to me. Why did that do that? What is it that you have done?

One of the most major issues that could lead someone to a Roman death sentence was to lead a revolt against Rome. You do not try to overthrow the Roman Government and think you can get away with it during this time. They would squish you like a bug.

So Jesus answers truthfully and says hey my kingdom, it ain’t an earthly kingdom. If it were then my followers would fight for me to not be handed over. But they didn’t.

Jesus is talking about the Spiritual Kingdom of God, not a kingdom here on earth. We won’t see the establishment of an earthly kingdom until after the second coming. During the millennial reign and afterward. If you want to find out more on that then Join our study in Revelation on Sunday mornings @ 9:45am.

Pilate asks “So you are a king?” Jesus responds. Hey you said it, not me. I was actually brought here to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.

Pilate trying to be a typical Gentile philosopher says “what is truth?”

Let me tell you today what is truth. Truth is objective reality. That is the simple definition.

We have too many today who will say if it is true for you that’s great but it ain’t true for me. What they are doing is taking truth out of Objective Reality and making it a subjective feeling according to the individual.

That means if I think it is OK to murder someone and that is my truth then it must be OK right?

Do you see how ridiculous and dangerous this teaching is when followed to it’s conclusion?

Today’s Philosophers will tell you that all truth is subjective.

Well that is a self-defeating statement. Because if all truth is subjective that means you made an object claim that all truth is subjective.

You just disproved your own point by making an objective truth claim about truth. It is self-defeating.

Therefore, there is no subjective truth. Just Objective Reality.

Truth must come from outside the human experience, outside of our universe. It has to come from a source that is greater than any created thing. Because if truth is objective then it cannot change. It must come from God and we know God doesn’t change.

Hebrews 13:8 NLT

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Going back to our Scripture, Now Pilate goes outside to the Jewish leaders and people and declares “I find no guilt in Him.” Another words, He is not guilty of any Roman law. Especially not guilty of anything pertaining to death on a cross.

So how does Jesus go from here to the cross? Well you will have to come back next week and start to find out! Or you could just read the text for yourself.

Life Principle– Members Of The Kingdom Don’t Permanently Deny Christ, Look To The “Big Picture” & Live In Truth.

Call to Action – altar call….