Defining the Kingdom
Notes
Transcript
How can we define the Kingdom of God?
What is it like? What is its purpose and goal? And How do we recognize it?
The Kingdom of God can be simply defined as God’s reign and rule.
The Kingdom is the exercise of God’s authority over what He has made.
The Kingdom of God is the manifested power of God, the divine sovereignty in action.
The Kingdom of God in Scripture is described as having an already and not yet element.
According to God’s Word it is both true that the Kingdom has come, and at the same time, that we are awaiting the ultimate fulfillment of this Kingdom.
So there is a here and now aspect of God’s Kingdom and a future, yet to come aspect.
When we look at Scripture, there is no other place that so clearly describes the Kingdom of God as the Gospel of Matthew.
The phrase Kingdom of heaven occurs 32 times in Matthews gospel, and Matthew uses the word Kingdom 55 times. More than the rest of the NT combined.
We see that the Kingdom is a central focus of both John the Baptist and Jesus from the start of their ministries.
The message of John the Baptist is the message of the Kingdom. “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand” Matt. 3:2
As was the message of Christ. Matt. 4:17
This was the message entrusted to the first disciples as they were sent out. Matt. 10:7
So we see that the Kingdom is at the very heart of the gospel message. Which is why Matthew can say Jesus went about “proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom”
Matt. 4:23
However it is interesting to note that anytime Jesus describes the Kingdom of God, He does so only through parables.
This too tells us something very important about the Kingdom of God.
What is a parable?
Greek- parabole
Para=alongside
bole=to throw or to cast
It is the idea of contrast or comparison.
The Purpose of Parables
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The purpose of parables was both to conceal from some and to reveal to those who had a genuine desire for truth.
These parables, really present us with the question, “What will you do with Jesus?”
The parables that Jesus tells demand a response, we can’t remain neutral.
The Parable of the Sower
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
The Kingdom of God has come, and it has come through the Word.
The question at hand in this parable is what will we do with the word of God?
They all heard it, some responded to it, but only one bore fruit.
It is only those who bear fruit that belong to the Kingdom because it is only those who have truly understood and accepted the word of the Kingdom.
Let us then take great care in how we hear, understand, and respond to God’s Word, as this is the defining mark of those who belong to the Kingdom of God.
The Parable of the Weeds
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
Personal Example
This time the good seed is the sons of the Kingdom. We have been sown into this world by the Son of Man.
But satan has also sown seeds in this world, they are the sons of the evil one, unbelievers.
This parable addresses one of the most nagging questions of every human, Why doesn’t God remove all evil from the world?
The point of this parable is that God has purposed these two to grow together until the end of the age.
Every person belongs to one of these two kingdoms.
Parable of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
The point of this parable is plain enough.
The Kingdom of God is of inestimable value. It is something to be treasured, something that brings great joy to the one who finds it.
It makes all those things that we owned before pale in comparison. We would joyfully sell them all to have it!
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Has this been your experience?
Have you found Him to be of greater value than all the things in this world?
You have heard the Word this morning, the seed has been scattered, how will you respond?
What will you do with Jesus?
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