THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM

Introduction: (Billy Moore)

1.  When God has “delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” - Col. 1: 13 we should expect to have some work to do as citizens of his kingdom.

2.  “…These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.- Col. 4:7-11.

a.  This shows that there is a work for those who are in the kingdom of God.

3.  Those at Thessalonica were charged to “walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory” - 2 Ihess. 2:12.

a.  God has not called us into his kingdom just to sit idly with nothing to do.

4.  In this lesson we want to study the work of the kingdom of God. Perhaps all who read this have studied about the work of the church—evangelism, edification and benevo­lence—but we want to study the work from the viewpoint of a kingdom.

I.  THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS INVOLVED IN FIGHT1NG - We are soldiers of Christ

A.  First, let’s establish as a biblical fact that we are to fight.

1.  Those who fight are known as soldiers and we are soldiers of Christ.

a.  2 Tim. 2:1-4

b.  Paul spoke of Epaphroditus as “my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier.. .“ - Phil. 2:25, also “to our beloved Apphia, and Archip— pus our fellow soldier” - Philemon 2.

(1)  They were all soldiers of Christ, citizens in his kingdom.

(2)  The citizens of a kingdom must fight for their kingdom.

2.  We are at war.

a.  Timothy was to “war a good warfare” - I Tim. 1:18.

b.  Paul spoke about the man that warreth - 2 Tim. 2:4 (above)

c.  There are “fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” - I Peter 2:11 and we must fight them.

3.  Paul said, “I have fought a good fight” - 2 Tim. 4:7 and he charged Timothy to fight “the good fight of faith” - I Tim. 6:12.

a.  He fought with the beast at Ephesus - I Cor. 15:32

b.  he fought to win - I Cor. 9:26.

c.  Surely we must fight that same fight “of faith”.

B.  Our warfare is not Physical.

1.  When the kingdom of God was physical, the nation of Israel, they did war after the flesh.

a.  Saul and David were great warriors.

2.  There are no “right” and “left” hand positions in the kingdom - Matt. 20:20-28.

a.  We shall all reign if we are faithful - 2 Tim. 2:12

b.  If it were a material kingdom there would be such places of authority.

3.  2 Cor. 10:3-4 – Not Physical

a.  Peter was rebuked for defending Jesus with a sword - Mt. 26:52.

b.  This explains why those in the kingdom would “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” - Isa. 2:4.

c.  Jesus said, “If my kingdom were of this world.... then would my servants fight” - John 18: 36, re­ferring to fighting with swords.

d.  We must use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” - Eph. 6:17.

C.  The kind of fight we are to fight.

1.  Offense:

a.  We fight against: - Eph. 6:12

(1)  All Classes of wickedness

(2)  Heavenly places – Even in the church

b.  Our fight involves: - 2 Cor. 10:3-6

c.  Thus, our fight is against: “fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” - I Pet. 2:11.

2.  Defense:

a.  We must defend the gospel.

(1)  Paul said, “I am set for the defense of the gospel” - Phil. 1:16, 7

(a)  He defended it against Judaizing teachers - Acts 15:1-2

(b)  and said Gal. 2:4-5

(c)  He defended it against any and all who would pervert it - Gal. 1:6-9.

We must defend the gospel against false teachers without or within.

b.  We must “earnestly contend for the faith” - Jude 3.

(1)  “Contend” means to stand for in the face of opposition.

(2)  It is true that the truth will stand forever - Isa 40:8 - The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

(3)  Mat. 24:35

(4)  Mark 8:38 – Do not be ashamed!

II.  THE WORK IN THE KINGDOM REQUIRES:

A.  Recruiting—this is the work of evangelism.

1.  Soldiers must be recruited, even in am all voluntary army, someone must tell young men about it.

2.  This is the work of preaching the word - Telling all men about the “in kingdom” benefits.

(1)  “No man has the right to hear the gospel the second time, till all have heard it the first time.”

(2)  We spend much of our time preaching to those “in the kingdom.” This is not all bad, for those in the kingdom must be prepared to teach others - 2 Tim. 2:2 - “Teach faithful men”

3.  The kingdom cannot increase—which means souls cannot be saved—without preaching the word.

a.  “The gospel of the kingdom” is to be preached and it is the duty of Christian Soldiers to perform.

B.  Training—this is the work of edification.

1.  Preparation: training for action - Eph. 6:13 – Stand!

a.  This preparation demands that we:  Eph. 6:14-18

(1)  How?

b.  Reading, studying, learning the word of God—edification of saints.

2.  Strength: “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” - Eph. 6:10.

a.  This strength will come only by proper food and exercise.

(1)  The food is the word of God - Heb. 5:12-14.

(2)  The exercise is putting to use what we learn, to stand against sin and evil.

3.  Courage: “to stand against the wiles of the devil”.

a.  Soldiers may be strengthened and preapred, but they must be willing to fight and courageous to win.

Many soldiers are not will­ing to fight or have the courage to stand against sin and er­ror.

4.  Discipline: every kingdom must have it.

1.  The Lord, who has all authority - Mt. 28:18, has de-­creed that we all “walk by the same rule’ - Phil. 3:15.

a.  Those who “walk disorderly” must be corrected - Cf. 2 Thess. 3:6,10—15.

2.  He also commanded that we “do all in the name of the Lord” - Col. 3:17.

a.  Those who teach and/or practice things without authority from the Lord must be rebuked, correct­ed and if necessary withdrawn from - Rom. 16:17.

5.  Caring for our own - every kingdom must take care of its own subjects - this is the work of benevolence.

1.  The kingdom of God is spiritual, so we care for the spiritual needs of our own.

a.  Restore those overtaken in a fault - Gal. 6:1.

b.  Converting those who err from the truth - James 5:19,20.

c.  I Thess. 5:14, and comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all.

2.  Since we are living in tile flesh, while serving in the spiritual kingdom, we must also provide for our own the necessities of the flesh.

a.  Not that some be eased and others burdened, but that there be equality - 2 Cor. 8:13-14.

b.  The first citizens of the kingdom shared what they had - Acts 2:44,45; 4:34,35; 6:1-4.

III.  Conclusion:

1.  Those in the kingdom must:

·  preach the gospel,

·  tell others of the benefits in the kingdom,

·  to recruit more soldiers.

2.  We must train the soldiers of Christ to:

·  fight the good fight of faith,

·  guard the faith,

·  earnestly contend for it

·  be set for the defense of the gospel.