Continuing our series on the Kingdom of God, Dave looked at a definition of the Kingdom of God. The kingdom is primarily the dynamic reign of the kingly rule of God.
We looked at what the kingdom is not
And the difference between the church and the kingdom - the church is the community of the king, but never the Kingdom itself. The church is the agent of the kingdom bringing in God's kingly rule.
We looked at the summary verses in Matthew of Jesus' proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom and the associated demonstration of the kingdom in healing and deliverance. 4:23; 9:35. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom and demonstrated the kingdom.
Jesus revealed his manifesto, a manifesto that carried genuine truth and intent. Luke 4:16-21, taken mainly from Isaiah 61 but also Isaiah 58:6. Three things noted:
Jesus announces himself as the messiah , (the anointed one) who has been sent
Jesus proclaims - good news to the poor; liberty to the captives; liberty to the oppressed (Is58:6)
Jesus expresses the compassion of God , sight for the blind as a statement of kingdom healing
Bill Johnson "the supernatural interventions of God were done to reveal the extravagant heart of the Father for people........everyone in our community is a target for God's love. There are no exceptions"
We looked at the now and not yet of the kingdom, we experience the presence of the future, we live between the ages. The kingdom is here but not finally inaugurated until Jesus' return.
Finally we returned to the emphasis that we are in a battle of kingdoms between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world behind which is the prince of this world
"The church is the community of the Kingdom of God and is to press the struggle against satanic evil in the world. The sons of the Kingdom cannot help but exercise an influence in human history for they are the light of the world." George Eldon Ladd
Questions
Matthew 9:35 says Jesus went to every town and village in Galilee (over 170) proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. Why did he do that? Would he come to your village? How?
Read Luke 4:18-19
What does this scripture tell you about God?
What does it tell us about people?
Is there an example to follow or a command to obey?
FF Bosworth in his book 'Christ the Healer, wrote "it's not what God can do, but what he yearns to do, that inspires faith" . Bill Johnson in the quote above speaks of 'the extravagant heart of God'. Do you still see yourself as outside this yearning extravagance ? What's needed to get to a place of faith?
