The Time of Restoration
Acts: A Witness to the World • Sermon • Submitted
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· 936 viewsThe restored kingdom, when will it happen, or did it?
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We have a question?
We have a question?
Why? How many times when kids were growing up you heard that question. Or even in scripture you have heard the prophets and the Apostles ask why.
1 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
But after the resurrection, after they had instructed them, taught them what was to come they still had questions.
Act1:
6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
and Jesus was quick with a response
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
So questions are good, sometimes we may not like the answer we get and sometimes it may open the door to more questions.
Israel was looking for a restored Israel, a physical Isreal that would have all it’s land back, they had it, lost it due to disobedience. Even people today look for that and a 1000 year reign and all of Israel will be saved. That is not scriptural is it?
So tonight we are looking at the
“Restored kingdom; when is it going to be, or is it already?”
Some commentators, actually many are still looking for that earthly kingdom, a political kingdom with David as the king and the kingdom being Israel.
Some commentators think that the Apostles still did not understand the nature of the spiritual kingdom yet, maybe they did, maybe they did not, but we will let scripture speak as it can regarding the nature of the restored kingdom.
I. The Disciples History
I. The Disciples History
During the life of Jesus the disciples had some privledge that even the angels did not have.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.
Them being the disciples, not just for them but for others, they were preaching it to others, but during His life Jesus gave them education about the kingdom.
10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,
Revealed things to them about the mystery of the kingdom of God. While the outsiders, Jesus explained things to them
33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.
Mk
Oh Jesus spoke openly and plainly to others, but they did not perceive it, did not understand it.
20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;
Jesus told them it was not a physical kingdom, something to be observed
21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
He told them the Kingdom of God is in your midst. Why? Because Jesus was in their midst, because He brought the kingdom with Him.
Jesus told the authorities (Pilate) about the nature of the kingdom too; and that he was the king!
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Jesus told him it was His kingdom, and His kingdom was not of this world.
After the crucifixion and resurrection and before the ascension (which is where we are right now in book of Acts) He still taught them about the kingdom.
3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
He explained to an a couple of seekers on the road to Emmaus
25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
Lk24:25-27
then a few verses later
32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
Now pay attention Jesus has already told them about the kingdom, the nature of the kingdom, the restoration of the kingdom, He opened their eyes to understand
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
So back to the beginning they had a question
6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me;
Let’s press on about this restored kingdom
II. The Restored Kingdom
II. The Restored Kingdom
IT WAS PROMISED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
God made a promise to David
11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you. 12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,
15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
this kingdom was promised to David and would be forever
God swore by it, that it would be an everlasting covenant
3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, 4 I will establish your seed forever And build up your throne to all generations.” Selah.
28 “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him. 29 “So I will establish his descendants forever And his throne as the days of heaven.
35 “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 “His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me.
Even when Israel was divided the promise continued and was promised
5 Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.
and to Amos
11 “In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins And rebuild it as in the days of old;
In the Northern Kingdom it was still promised by the prophets
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
Or how about Jeremiah
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’
or even Ezekiel in 34:23-24 (read that one on your own)
So we have seen the promise given and renewed now about about the announcement in the N.T.
IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Announced by Gabriel
31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
By Zacharias after birth of John Lk1:38-70, by Peter on Pentecost Act2:30-36
And even by Jesus to church in Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
Rev
The promise in the O.T. and the announcement in the N.T. about Jesus
The promise in the O.T. and the announcment in the N.T. about Jesus
He would be given the throne of David (Isa9:7)
32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
His reign, His rule, His authority was more than just here on earth
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
and His command was to take that message to all the world (including Gentiles; fulfilling the Abrahamic promise)
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
It was going to start in Jerusalem (Lk24:46-37) and go out from there (Act1:8)
46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
God has given rule, reign, authority (the kingdom) to Jesus and made Him Lord of Lords and King of Kings
14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
This kingdom was bigger than Israel, it included the Gentiles
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’
So, what about that question, “when Lord” back in Mathew
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
They were asking when, but now the question had changed
6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
So the question was now it is time, the question was about time not about the kingdom and the nature of the kingdom, they through the teaching, through the education, through their faith with their eyes being opened understood the kingdom and it’s nature.
So where is the restoration, was the restoration?
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
It was at his ascension the kingdom restoration began, and you are a part of it. As he fulfilled the prophesy of Daniel
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
This kingdom that you are a part of that he wants us to know, to understand, to share with other because He is over all things
20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
He is seated on the throne now, has all power and dominion
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
And he rules, reigns over us, the Church
The kingdom promised, the kingdom announced, the kingdom has been proclaimed and is now. While the disciples had lots to learn, we too still have lot’s to learn, but first we need to learn to be in the kingdom!
(Lead to Invitation)