A Kingdom Characterized by Grace

IntroductionWhen we speak of the kingdom of God, we speak of something we do not fully know. Last week we considered 5 General Points and 1 Specific Point about the kingdom of God

General Point #1: The kingdom of God was central in the preaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles

General Point #2: Faith is required to enter the kingdom

General Point #3: The kingdom will be proclaimed to all nations

General Point #4: The Kingdom of God is here now, but not in its fullness.

General Point #5: The kingdom, here and now, is experienced through the presence of the Holy Spirit

The presence of the Holy Spirit is what makes living the life of Kingdom Citizens possible while we wait for Jesus’s return. With this in mind, we touched on the reality that . . .

Specific Point #1: The Kingdom of God Is Characterized by Peace

Peace is something Jesus gives to othersPeace is available because of what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection It belongs to those qualified by God Col 1:12-13 See also Lk 12:32; 22:29-30

Colossians 1:12–13 ESVgiving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Matthew 19:14 ESVbut Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Luke 14:12–24 12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

Dictionary of Bible Themes 2377 kingdom of God, entry intoThe kingdom of God is a kingdom of grace It belongs to those qualified by God Col 1:12-13 See also Lk 12:32; 22:29-30 It belongs to the poor and the poor in spirit Lk 6:20 pp Mt 5:3 See also Mt 11:5 pp Lk 7:22; Mt 19:23-24 pp Mk 10:23-25 pp Lk 18:24-25 It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God; Jas 2:5; 5:1 It belongs to the childlike Mt 19:14 pp Mk 10:14 pp Lk 18:16 It belongs to sinners Mk 2:17 pp Mt 9:12-13 pp Lk 5:31-32 See also Mt 21:31 It belongs to those who are persecuted for Jesus Christ’s sake Mt 5:10 pp Lk 6:22-23 It belongs to Gentiles as well as to Jews Mt 8:11 See also Mt 21:43; 22:8-10 those initially uninvited represent the Gentiles; Lk 14:21-24

Sermon #3: A Kingdom Characterized by Forgiveness

Sermon #4: A Kingdom Characterized by Humility

Sermon #5: A Kingdom Characterized by Compassion

Sermon #6: A Kingdom Characterized by Righteousness

Sermon #7: A Kingdom Characterized by Repentance

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