THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM – Lesson 3

I.   Introduction: (Billy Moore)

A.  The term “kingdom of God” is used in four different ways in the scripture:

1. The universe as his kingdom (Ps. 103:19).
2. The nation of Israel. (I Chron. 28:5; 2 Chron. 13:5,8)

3.  The redeemed of God under the present reign of Christ (Col. 1:13).

4.  The redeemed in eternity, the heavenly kingdom (2 Pet. 1:10—11; 2 Tin. 4:18). 

B.  The Father and the Son pro­mised to build a future kingdom (Dan. 2:44; Matt. 16:18-19)

1. We find souls entering into it in apostolic days (Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9).

C.  We learned that the kingdom is the church, the house of God,

1.  It was established on Pen­tecost after the ascension of Christ (Acts 2).

a.  It is this fact, that enabled us to do a Refusal of Premillenialism already. 

D.  In this lesson, we want to study the nature of the kingdom. 

1.  Many do not understand the nature of the kingdom. 

II.   TWO POSITIONS REGARDING THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM.

A.  The earthly, God-Ruled, position held by the Premillennialist. (We Reject This)

1.  God presented Jesus Christ, who offered a God ruled kingdom to the Jews and they rejected his offer.

2.  The kingdom offer was withdrawn and postponed after the rejection by Israel.

3.  Christ is coming again to set up his kingdom on the earth and reign a thousand years. 

“The purpose of the writing of the Gospel of Matthew was to record the presentation of Jesus Christ as Mes­siah, to trace the opposition to Him and His offered kingdom by the nation, and to record the official and final rejection of that King and kingdom by Israel.  

There are three major movements in the Gospel of Matthew:(1) the presentation and authentication of

the king (1:1—11;1); (2) the opposition to the king (11:2—16:12); (3) the final rejection of the king (16:

13—28:20).” 

“It has been shown in tracing the theme of the Gos­pel of Matthew that the pivotal point in the Lord’s ministry to Israel was reached in the twelfth chapter, where the rejection of Israel by Christ, because of their announced rejection of Him, and the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom is recorded. Gaebelein, speaking of the events in chapters eleven and twelve, says: ‘It is the great turning point in this gospel and with it the offer of our Lord to Israel as their King, as well as the offer of the kingdom ceases!” 

“Some contend that neither the Lord nor John ever offered Israel an earthly kingdom, but only a spiri­tual kingdom. Such a view entirely fails to compre­hend the nature of ‘the kingdom’ preached by John, the Lord, and His disciples.”

(Things to Come, Pente­cost, page 455, ibid. page 30,32.) 

The spiritual kingdom position.

1.  The nature of the kingdom is spiritual.

2.  Jesus promised to establish such a kingdom and some of the apostles were to be in it (Matt. 16:18-19; Mark 9:1).
 

III.  ARGUMENTS WHICH SHOW THAT THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM  IS SPIRITUAL  

A.  The ministry of Christ begins and ends with teaching about the nature of the kingdom.

(John 3:1-16) - The beginning of Jesus ministry.

1.  Vs. 1-4

a.  Nicodemus goes to Jesus based on the signs that Jesus was doing. 

b.  Jesus taught nature of  kingdom, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom” - vs. 3. 

c.  Like most Jews he believed being born of Abraham’s would put him into the kingdom –

·  Mt. 3:9 – John The Baptist said God could raise children of Abraham from rocks.

d.  Nicodemus, thinking of a physical kingdom, “How can a man be born again when he is old.“ (vs. 4). 

2.  Vs. 5-6

·  Physical birth puts into a physical kingdom, but a spiritual birth puts into a spiritual kingdom.

·  We know where we get the water.  We get it in baptism.

- Acts 2, 8,9,10,16,18, 19, 22; Rom. 6, I Cor. 1, I Cor. 12, Gal. 3

·  Where do we get the spirit?  It is given of God when we are obedient and engage baptism.

-  Eph. 1:13 – What is Godly belief in the Bible?  It is “Obedient Belief”

-  But Says believe – Cannot separate from John 3 and all of the NT Examples.

-  Belief always resulted immediate Baptism.

-  Eph. 3:21 – “Baptism now saves you” 

3.  Vs. 7-10

·  Nicodemus still did not understand the nature of the kingdom.

·  You believe in the wind, though you don’t understand it. You can see its effects!

·  Know that you must be born again!  Don’t try to figure out how it is possible!

·  Nicodemus questioned “How can these things be?”

·  As a teacher he should have known:

- Ez. 11:19-20, (Ez. 36:26-27); Ez. 18:31 – These point to the forming of a new spirit. 

4.  Vs. 11-16

a.  Jesus taught five points about the kingdom (vs.12-16).

·  The kingdom of God is not of “earthly things” but of “heavenly things” (v. 12).

·  Christ was of the heavenly kingdom and in that kingdom” (v. 13).

·  The Son of Man must be “lifted up” as Moses lifted the serpent (v. 14).

·  Kingdom would consist of “believers” in him, not of physical descendents of Abraham (v.15).

·  God was opening the doors to this kingdom because of his love for “the world”, not his love for Israel (v.16).
 

The Close of Jesus Ministry - still teaching about the nature of the kingdom

5.  Jesus before Pilate

a.  When Jesus was brought before Pilate he was charged with proposing to set up a kingdom in op­position to Caesar (Lk. 23:1-2; John 19:12).

b.  John 18:33-37

c.  Jesus had said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

·  It is not a physical kingdom, not a rival of Caesar, so your position is not endangered. 

d.  If the Premillennial position is true and Jesus Kingdom was to be of the Earth – Jesus Lied. 

6.  On the day of his ascension he was still teaching about the kingdom.

a.  Acts 1:3

b.  Acts 1:6 - The disciples, still thinking of a physical king­dom.

c.  Jesus answered this concern.. “Ye shall receive power” (v. 7-8),

d.  Mark 9:1 - The kingdom was to come with power. 

B.  Other observations about the nature of the kingdom.

1.  The kingdom “cometh not with observation” (Luke 17:20).

a.  This shows that it was not a material kingdom, for a material kingdom could be observed. 

2.  The kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36).

a.  The disciples of Christ, the citizens of the kingdom, were “not of this world” (John 15:18-19).

b.  The expression “this world” is used with reference to the sin and evil of the world. 

3.  The kingdom is “within you” (Luke 17:21).

a.  This does not mean that the kingdom had already been established, but that it was spiritual (with­in you) not physical.

b.  Those in the kingdom have been “delivered. . . .from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:13).

·  The “power of darkness” of this verse is the same as “of this world” of John 15:18-19. 

4.  The kingdom “is not meat and drink” (freedom to eat), “but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17).

a.  Those in the kingdom must eat and drink to sus­tain the physical body, but they do not eat and drink because of their relationship in the king­dom of God.

·  They may even eat and drink together, but it is wrong to make such a function of the kingdom or church (I Cor. 11:22,34).

·  A citizen of the kingdom may use a sword to defend his house against a burglar, but he cannot use a sword to defend the kingdom of Christ. 

b.  The kingdom of God is “righteousness..

·  When one becomes a citizen of this king­dom, he is to live “righteously” (Titus 2:11-12).

·  The life of righteousness within the kingdom will bring forth the Spiritual fruit of peace and joy. 

IV.  Conclusion:

1. The points we discussed today show the na­ture of the kingdom of God is spiritual.
2. Are you in that kingdom? You can be if as a believer in Christ you are willing to be “born again” of water and of the Spirit. We encourage you to do this while you can.