Living In The Kingdom
Living In The Kingdom
By John K. Wells -11/22/98
Prayer
Intro—Illustration --Computer
Scripture John 18:33-37
I. Is Christ King.—John 18:33
33--Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34 --Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
A. Salvation King -John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
1. Born Again = Entrance In
2. Entrance in = Sight and Awareness to the Things of God
3. Mark 1:14,15
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
B. Reigning King John 18:34
34 --Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
1. Sovereign Lord
2. Ruling Lord
3. God’s Voice is cut off.
II. Kingdom Of God
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
A. Not of this World
1. Mysterious (Mark 4:11)
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
-But if not more Real.
B. Spiritual
1. Being established
2. One day to be fulfilled.
C. Growing Organism (Luke 13:18)
18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
1. Small Start—Growing Large
2 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Has Followers, The Body, The Church.
2. Provides Sanctuary--- From another place, One day Permanent Sanctuary
III. The Benefits of The Kingdom
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
A. Instruction-- Listening to the King
B. New Mind + New Rules (“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, On Earth as it is
In Heaven.”)
*Danger *
a. Taking matters into our own hands
b. Trap of provision through trust in riches (Mark 10:24,25)
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
1. Seek Him Firstly (Matt 6:33)
2. Trust God differently (Gen. 13:6-18)
3. Depend on God Boldly (Gen. 14:21-15:7)
C. Protection and Preservation
Illustration : Vietnamese Ravi Story---(Rom 8:28-39)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Conclusion
Call To Salvation
