Kingdom of God

Jesus Christ came, not only preaching the Kingdom of God, but also the Good News of the Kingdom of God. What makes God’s Kingdom on earth, Good News? It is the fact that the Kingdom holds the answers to all the problems of the world. “After John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel [good news] of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel [good news].” (Mark 1:14-15)

We see in these words, repent ye, and believe the good news, that the Kingdom is for the righteous, and that Jesus intends for people to turn their lives around and look forward in earnest expectation to the real, literal Kingdom of God. Everyone will not inherit the Kingdom of God, which is also referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingdom of Christ. “This ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:21)

Notice what Jesus will say to those who will not repent: “I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” (Luke 13:27-28) “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire.” (Matthew 13:41-2)

How great and magnificent must the Kingdom of God be to us if we are to inherit it? Jesus Christ said that it is more important to seek after the Kingdom of God and His righteousness than anything we humanly need, including life itself: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:25,33)

At this time, the Kingdom of God is not available to everyone. Amazingly, it is being offered to an incredibly small percentage of the earth’s population. When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom, He made sure that only the “called out ones of the Father” understood what He was revealing (John 6:44, 65). We are greatly privileged to know the truth of the Kingdom of God at this time because the knowledge of it is closed to most people. Jesus said unto His disciples and to us, “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.” (Mark 4:11)

There is a tremendous “cost” levied on us who know about the Kingdom. In order to be able to obtain the Kingdom of God, we must be willing to give up absolutely everything! Jesus likened the Kingdom of heaven, to a treasure, or a pearl of great price. He said let nothing stand between us and that cherished prize. “The Kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hides, and for joy thereof goeth and sells all that he has, and buys that field… Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44, 46)

Those who are going through this baptismal Bible study series are being exposed to the word of the Kingdom of God. That does not make us, one iota, better than those who have not been called – they will receive their calling later. However, our calling at this time obligates us to produce much spiritual fruit. Jesus said, “When any one heareth the word of the Kingdom…” a great deal of spiritual growth is expected: “He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word [of the Kingdom], and understands it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:19, 23)

When the soon coming Kingdom of God is established over all the earth forever, who shall rule over it? The answer is: Jesus will both, establish and rule His Father’s Kingdom over all the earth according to the law of God. The prophet, Daniel, wrote that a literal Kingdom of God would be established over all the earth and endure forever. “Behold, one like the Son of man [Jesus Christ] came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days [God the Father], and they brought Him [Jesus] near before Him [the Father]. And there was given Him [Jesus Christ the Messiah] dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom [of God], that all peoples, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

What will become of all the other nations, empires, governments, kings, and kingdoms of this earth when Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom of God? “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom, [of God] which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these [earthly] kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44) “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before Him [Christ] shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” (Matthew 25:31-32)

Will the Kingdom of God usher in a time of unparallel peace and prosperity over all the earth (Isaiah 11:1-10)? “It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:2-4)

Christians live according to the rules and laws of the Kingdom of God at this time – even before it is set up over all the earth (Colossians 1:13). The Kingdom over this earth will not be established until the resurrection of the saints and the return of Jesus Christ in great power (John 3:3, 6). The saints will reign and rule as kings and priests with Christ for a thousand years as spirit beings – born into the Family of God (Revelation 5:10). “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” (1Corinthians 15:50) “Then shall the King [Christ] say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)

Peter calls the Kingdom of God, “The Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11). We will conclude this brief look at God’s Kingdom with these few words from King David’s Psalm of Praise: “All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy Kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His Kingdom. Thy Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations.” (Psalms 145:10-13)

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Sermon:  "Kingdom of God"