The King and the Kingdom I

Sunday 09/20/15

Series: The King and the Kingdom

Message – The King and the Kingdom I

We are officially finished with the soil and the hearts…that was a long journey but I believe it was both necessary and helpful!

So last week, was a transition week between what we were learning to what we are beginning to learn this morning, which is about the King and the Kingdom.

In last week’s teaching, we talked about how the Good Heart receives the seed – which is the Good News of the King and His Kingdom. Upon welcoming the Message of the Good News into a Good Heart they also welcome its purpose.

Most often the message of the Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdom or the Good News of the Kingdom – and we are going to spend some time with that today. This kingdom is something God has planned from eternity past and it involves many different phases. These phases play into why we are in the times we are and why we can anticipate certain outcomes because God is doing several things in the earth all at once. We are in what is called the “time of the Gentiles”, but God also has other promises to keep of which we are not a part.

The Gospel WAS to the Jews…

Now remember the Gospel was originally to the Jews right?

Acts 11:19,

“Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.”

To the Jewish people this Message or “News” of the Kingdom meant the clarion call of the Messianic Age. The Jews believed that the Messiah would overthrow the enemies of Israel, establish world peace and rule a natural kingdom…and those things are in fact part of the Messianic promise, but before the natural comes the spiritual.

In John 18:36 Jesus said,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

The Good News of the Gospel is that Christ Jesus the Messiah, has come and conquered our spiritual enemies of sin, death & separation from God…AND the ruler of death himself – satan. The Father, through Christ, has freed us from satan’s tyrannical reign and has delivered us into the kingdom of His Son. Let’s read that from scripture.

Col 1:13-14,

“(13) He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, (14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

THAT is the Good News of the Gospel!

What did we determine was the Purpose of the Gospel?

The purpose of the Gospel is to be in and part of that Kingdom by allowing the King of that Kingdom to reign in your heart – namely, Jesus!

*Remember there is NO call in scripture to accept Jesus as your Savior – only to believe into Him and confess him as LORD – so that He might BE your Savior.

As He reigns supreme in the heart of each kingdom citizen, He does the work of the Kingdom which is to duplicate His own character, attributes and heart within each and every citizen! THIS is what the POWER of the Gospel (Good News) does – it produces fruit – character or glory…etc. (you remembering all of this?)

Last week we ended with II Peter 3:8-18 and we will use it as a launch pad into where we are headed….

3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
3:13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
3:14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
3:16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
3:17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Now remember that this Gospel was originally to the Jews. In fact, that was the command of Christ if you remember….

Acts 1:8,

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Israel rejects their Messiah

The Jewish people however, at large, did not accept the Good News of King Jesus and His Kingdom, which has created a parenthesis in History. This parenthesis God, of course, anticipated – but it introduced what God is doing in the earth today. We are living in the time of the Gentiles and this age will continue until the fullness of the Gentiles have come into the Kingdom.

This time was created by God in response to the rejection of the gospel by the Jews – but if THEY could fall away from the Good News, then we could as well.

Remember how I have told you, that the WHOLE gospel has ‘Ifs’.

If you continue steadfast in the faith

…and remember that I’ve told you that God is judging His church. Not just the “bad ones” – but all of us – cleaning us up for Him. (Walk in the light as HE IS.)

1Peter 4:15-19,

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. (16) Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. (17) For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (18) Now “IF THE RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, WHERE WILL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?” (19) Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Also we have Eph 5:25-27,

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, (26) that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, (27) that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

This is where we ended this week. On Wednesday we will begin to look at God’s History with Israel and why they became God’s chosen people of promise…

Blessings!

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Attendance at our church will NOT even be mentioned nor will money.

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Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!