Category: Level: Beginner

Our first post in this series, on promises of the kingdom, is here and our second one, on Jesus bringing the kingdom, is here. The third post on being citizens of the kingdom is here. Drawing people to the Kingdom. Jesus wants us to draw others into his kingdom by showing the world what a citizen of the kingdom citizen looks like. Immediately after the beatitudes in Matthew 5 we hear Jesus saying “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13, 14, NIV). (Paul says something similar in Philippians 2:14-16.) Then he gives the command “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16, NIV). Thus, after explaining what kind of people his disciples should be, he directs them to go out and display the kingdom of God in their lives. His Continue Reading →

Our first post in this series, on promises of the kingdom, is here and our second one, on Jesus bringing the kingdom, is here. Jesus gives us authority to do his work the way he worked on earth. We have the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts to empower us to invade the kingdom of darkness and conquer it with the kingdom of God. In this way, we begin to fulfill Adam’s original mission to be fruitful and fill the earth while bearing the image of God (Gen. 1:27-28). We are also the seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:29) and we are fulfilling the promise that God made to Abraham: “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3, NIV). Now Jesus’ mission is our mission because we are his agents. In other words, God wants to use you to accomplish many of the promises of the kingdom quoted above Continue Reading →

Last week we looked at the prophecies of the kingdom of God and how Jesus began to fulfill the prophecies. In his teachings, especially in the Sermon on the Mount, he declared that he was fulfilling the Old Testament law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17) which included a new way to live that seems upside-down to the world. When Jesus was crucified his disciples were crushed. His death dashed their dreams of the kingdom. But when he rose from the dead they were ecstatic for surely now he would establish the kingdom. And so the apostles asked Jesus “are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6, NIV). He said he would not tell them when the kingdom would be restored, but he did say the Holy Spirit would come on them so they could be his witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8). They were Continue Reading →

It had been hundreds of years since the time of the prophets. They had prophesied that one day God would establish his holy and good rule in the land of God’s people. The Jews were quite aware that their ancestors had constantly strayed away from God’s goodness and that their society had became degenerate and destructive. But in spite of that God was going to establish the pure and joyful kingdom he originally intended in the Garden of Eden and for the Jewish people. The prophecies were in the dim past, but devout Jews still waited for God to fulfill his promise of a coming utopia. In summary, “The prophets looked forward to a day when God’s saving promises would be fulfilled, his kingdom would come, the new covenant would be inaugurated, a new exodus from Babylon would be realized, the Spirit would be poured out on Israel, and Israel Continue Reading →