Throughout history many powerful kingdoms have risen and fallen, but there is one kingdom that will last for ever. The Kingdom of God is a kingdom that liberates people rather than enslaving them. It is not a political or geographical kingdom, nor one established by force or finance. It is all about the rule of a supremely loving and Holy God over every area of life, over all earthly authorities and over the kingdom of darkness, and it is a kingdom that you need to know about and that you need to be part of.
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:17: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. In other words, God’s kingdom is not about lots of rules but whether you are right with God and treating others in the right way; it’s about having God’s peace in your heart and mind and being a peacemaker; and it’s about having a deep and overflowing joy that only God can give.
1. The Kingdom of God has come
• Jesus was born King (Matthew 2:1-2)
• Jesus declared He was King (John 18: 37)
• Jesus died as King (Mark 15:26)
• Jesus was resurrected as the triumphant king (Revelation 1:18; Luke 4:21)
• Jesus preached about the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15)
• Jesus taught about the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:1-12)
• Jesus worked miracles to demonstrate the kingdom of God
• Jesus gave His life to bring people into the kingdom of God
2. The kingdom of God will come (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 21:4; Revelation 11:15; Matthew 24; Luke 21)
3. The kingdom of God can come to you (Luke 17:21; Matthew 6:33; Matthew.18:2-3)
Apply
Do you believe the Kingdom of God has come? Have you personally experienced this in your own life? The Kingdom of God has come because Jesus the King has come. When Jesus began his ministry, he declared that the words of the prophet Isaiah were fulfilled (Luke 4:21), that He was the Messiah who from that moment would bring in the Kingdom of God. He went about 'proclaiming the good news of God' and that 'The kingdom of God is near' (Mark 1:14-15). Throughout His ministry, Jesus repeatedly taught about the Kingdom of God and showed that its values are totally different to normal worldly values and that you must: love your enemies not hate them; forgive not hold resentments; focus on giving not getting; be humble not proud; judge yourself not others. His miracles demonstrated the authority of His rule over sickness, evil power, nature and even death itself. Jesus came to free people from the rule of Satan who wants only to destroy people, and to bring them into his heavenly kingdom. God’s kingdom has come: so are you living in it and all its great benefits today?
Are you ready for the Kingdom of God to come on earth? Jesus taught his disciples to pray ‘Your Kingdom come, your will be done', because the Kingdom of God had not yet been fully established. Jesus dealt the mortal blow to the kingdom of darkness when He shed His blood on the Cross. His crucifixion and resurrection meant deliverance for the world and that everyone can be saved, yet the kingdom of darkness still fights on causing destruction and pain. But this will not last for ever and the time is coming when evil will be destroyed as Christ returns to finally establish his kingdom. Whilst we don’t know the exact date, we do know that we are 2000 years nearer than when Jesus spoke of it, and that many of the signs (Matthew 24, Luke 21) which include ‘pestilences and fearful events’ are being fulfilled. Christ will come again: are you ready?
Who and what do you serve? Whose kingdom are you living in? The kingdom of God can come to you when you surrender your life to King Jesus. Jesus is the best master you could ever serve under. No one cares for you like Jesus, and no one can give you such freedom from fear, guilt, sin and shame as He can. Today you can ask Him to transfer you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His wonderful light. You can commit as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 to make your priority in life to ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…’. Above all, you must come to God with a humble heart and sincere childlike faith (Matthew.18:2-3 “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven"). Take time today to pray and ask the Lord to help you change and enter the wonderful, unshakeable, never ending kingdom of God.
