This Gospel of the Kingdom

The Gospel

part 1

The Kingdom

The Kingdom of God is a phrase that is used many times throughout scripture, but what is it? And further, what does it have to do with the “gospel”?

The word gospel “gospel” comes from a Greek word that means “good news”.

So why is the kingdom of God such “good news” for the world? Why do we find Jesus going around proclaiming the gospel the kingdom of God?

A kingdom must have a king. Why is God that king?

1) God is the true king because he made all things.

Gen. 1:1–31; Gen. 2:1–4, 7 Gen. 2:1–25. Gen. 5:1, 2; Gen. 9:6; Ex. 20:11 Psa. 146:6. 1 Sam. 2:8; 2 Kin. 19:15; 1 Chr. 16:26; Neh. 9:6; Job 9:8, 9; Job 10:3, 8; Job 12:7–9; Job 26:7, 13 vs. 8–12.; Job 28:23–26; Job 37:16, 18; Job 38:4, 7–10 vs. 4–38.; Psa. 8:3; Psa. 19:1, 4; Psa. 24:1, 2; Psa. 33:6, 7, 9; Psa. 65:6; Psa. 74:16, 17; Psa. 78:69; Psa. 89:11, 12, 47; Psa. 90:2; Psa. 95:4, 5; Psa. 102:25 Psa. 96:5. Psa. 103:22; Psa. 104:2, 3, 5, 6, 24, 30 v. 31.; Psa. 119:90, 91; Psa. 121:2; Psa. 124:8; Psa. 136:5–9; Psa. 146:5, 6; Psa. 148:5, 6; Prov. 3:19; Prov. 8:26–29; Prov. 16:4; Prov. 22:2; Prov. 26:10; Prov. 30:4; Eccl. 3:11; Eccl. 7:29; Eccl. 11:5; Isa. 17:7; Isa. 37:16; Isa. 40:12, 26, 28; Isa. 42:5; Isa. 44:24; Isa. 45:7, 12, 18; Isa. 48:13; Isa. 51:13, 16; Isa. 66:2; Jer. 5:22; Jer. 10:12, 16 Jer. 51:19. Jer. 27:5; Jer. 31:35; Jer. 32:17; Jer. 33:2; Jer. 51:15, 16 Jer. 10:13. Amos 4:13; Amos 5:8; Amos 9:6; Jonah 1:9; Zech. 12:1; Mark 10:6; Mark 13:19; Acts 4:24; Acts 7:50; Acts 14:15; Acts 17:24–26; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 4:6; 2 Cor. 5:5 1 Cor. 11:12. Eph. 3:9; 1 Tim. 6:13; Heb. 1:1, 2; Heb. 2:10; Heb. 3:4; Heb. 11:3, 10; Rev. 4:11; Rev. 10:6; Rev. 14:7

What implications does this have?

2) Therefore, all earthly kingdoms are under his control.

Daniel 2.44; 4:3,17,25; 7:14; Psa. 145:11

            Dan 4.17 says that God rules the kingdoms of men.

What is his kingdom like?

3) It is everlasting. Dan. 4:3; Psa. 145:13; Jer. 10:10

4) Glorious.  Psa. 145:12

5) A treasure to be sought after.  Matt. 13:44

6) God’s kingdom pays special attention to the poor.  Luke 6:20; Matthew 5:3

7) A place full of righteousness, peace and joy! Rom. 14:17

8) Consist not in talk but power. 1 Cor. 4:20

9) Will have no wickedness in it. 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Rev. 21:8

How are we to enter God’s kingdom?

1) You must come to Jesus like a child.  Mark 10:15 (see also Matthew 18:3)

2) You must be born again.  John 3:3

            a) How are we born again?  1 Pet. 1:3, 23

3) You must have a perfect righteousness (a right standing before God).

Matt 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Can we know that we have been rescued and brought into the kingdom?

2 Tim 4:18

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Jonathan Edwards’ Conversion

Jonathan Edwards was suddenly converted, as by a flash of light, in the moment of reading a single verse of the New Testament. He was at home in his father’s house; some hindrances kept him from going to church one Sunday with the family. A couple of hours with nothing to do sent him listlessly into the library; the sight of a dull volume with no title on the leather back of it evoked curiosity as to what it could be; he opened it at random and found it to be a Bible; and then his eye caught this verse (1 Tim 1:17): “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen!”

He tells us in his journal that the immediate effect of it was awakening and alarming to his soul, for it brought him a most novel and most extensive thought of the vastness and majesty of the true Sovereign of the universe. Out of this grew the pain of guilt for having resisted such a Monarch so long, and for having served Him so poorly. And whereas he had hitherto had slight notions of his own wickedness and very little poignancy of acute remorse, now he felt the deepest contrition.

—C. H. Robinson

Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979