The Kingdom Of God
Lessons From 1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewStudy on how to enter and stay in the kingdom of God.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: Lessons From 1 Corinthians
Hope: To learn from the vast number of differing doctrines discussed, and in this lesson “how to enter and stay in the kingdom of God.”
Last week we examined the doctrine of “Unlawful Lawsuits.”
Apparently brethren were having grievances with each other and taking each other to court which was to their shame.
As the apostle alluded to, we won’t stop grieving each other but how we handle these situations matter and as always God’s way is the best way.
Obviously, those in the church needed a rebuke about their lawsuit situation, but after that rebuke we read this admonition.
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
As Paul reminded them, “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God” and it is “The Kingdom Of God” and what Paul discusses here I want us to consider this evening which is the importance of being a part of the Kingdom of Christ.
A little bit about Christ’s kingdom, the church.
The Christ’s kingdom is directly or indirectly mentioned in over 1,000 bible verses just within the New Testament.
That means roughly 1/8th of the New Testament directly or indirectly is discussing the kingdom of God.
This should naturally make us stop and examine that which the the Father, Son, and the Spirit spend so much time talking about.
Our text makes it abundantly clear that you want to be a part of the kingdom of God.
So, with that in mind I want us to focus on the kingdom of God this evening by considering first…
How To Enter The Kingdom
How To Enter The Kingdom
God’s Plan Of Salvation.
God’s Plan Of Salvation.
Study: God’s love for us.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Don’t get me wrong we need to examine this in the New Testament, but we can find a plethora of beautiful and powerful passages in the Old Testament that demonstrate how much God has “always loved us.”
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Isaiah 53:10 (NKJV)
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
To enter the kingdom of God we must study God’s word to learn of his awesome love for us.
We must also have…
Belief & Faith:
Belief: Knowing God exists.
John 8:24 (ESV)
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Faith: Is knowing God exists (Belief) “and” that he can be 100 percent trusted.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
To enter the kingdom of God one must study God’s love for them and put their full trust in him.
It is then one realizes their own actual sinful shortcomings and must…
Count the Cost & Repent:
Counting the cost of discipleship: Luke 14:25-33
Luke 14:26 (ESV)
26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:33 (ESV)
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Repent/ Turn to God.
Acts 3:19 (ESV)
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out
Luke 24:46–47 (ESV)
46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Acts 17:30 (ESV)
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent
Once we count the cost and make the decision to give our life to God we then…
Make the great confession:
That Jesus is the Son of God and your Lord and Savior.
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.
The last but certainly not least step in how one enters the kingdom of God is to…
Obey The Gospel:
Put an end to our old life for a renewed life through baptism.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
For the many here that have already done this we know “why it is so important” but for those that have not obeyed and for those we will teach about the kingdom of God we need to be able to explain the simple but important thought…
Why Enter The Kingdom?
Why Enter The Kingdom?
One gets out of the despair of sin and darkness and into Christ.
Acts 22:16 (ESV)
16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
Colossians 1:13 (ESV)
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
One gets their chance to start over.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
One gets access to “every spiritual blessing” when in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
One gets the “opportunity” to spend an eternity with God in heaven.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Summary
Summary
Those of us that have obeyed God’s gospel plan of salvation, those of us that are a part of the greatest kingdom in human history, the church, have a duty to help others see why it is so great to enter Christ’s kingdom.
They get to start this life over spiritually with God on their side, every spiritually blessing helping them and the opportunity of heaven because they are no longer slaves of sin.
However, though others might say the contrary, we must not just consider how to get into the kingdom but also…
How To Stay In The Kingdom
How To Stay In The Kingdom
God’s Plan Of Salvation.
God’s Plan Of Salvation.
Once saved it is important to know that there is no such thing as “once saved always saved.”
We can fall from grace or the free gift of salvation given us.
4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
So, then how do we “stay saved then?”
We work out our own salvation.
Philippians 2:12 (ESV)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
This doesn’t mean…
We think we can “earn salvation” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
This does mean…
We obey the will of God.
Matthew 7:21 (ESV)
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
We obey the will of God from the heart.
Matthew 15:8 (ESV)
8 This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me
Isaiah 29:13 (ESV)
13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men
If we want to stay in the kingdom of God and not have Christ removed from us (Revelation 2-3) we must obey God’s will from the heart.
But stay faithful?
In other words…
Why Stay In The Kingdom?
Why Stay In The Kingdom?
Truth be told, in the beginning, we stay faithful and in the kingdom “mostly” because we don’t want to go to hell.
Matthew 7:21–23 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 25:30 (ESV)
30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
However, as our faith matures and grows our motivation shifts from mostly fear to to mostly a love for God and to serve him.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Herein lies the question that many have concerning entering and staying in the kingdom of God.
Many today see the need to become a Christian and maybe even be good but “all that obedience” and giving up of all those “pleasurable sinful desires” will make one’s life miserable right.
This is what we need to address with people on why faithfulness to God is far better than those passing pleasure moments of sin.
They need to hear, God loves them Satan doesn’t.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
They need to hear, God will always be there for them if they are there for him but Satan will not.
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Luke 4:13 (ESV)
13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Satan isn’t going to “never leave you nor forsake you” as he will only be there when it suits his needs.
They need to hear that God will never let them go and Satan can’t pry them from God’s grasp.
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Summary
Summary
Staying in the kingdom and being active in the kingdom is vital to any Christians walk with God.
And we need to shout from the mountain tops to anyone that will listen why we love being in the kingdom of God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Getting into the kingdom of God, the church, is the first step not the conclusion of the matter.
For however long of life we are granted to live after getting in, if we “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) we will be reward in this life and the next with the best life here and in eternity.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.