JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Jesus spoke of the church only three times in the gospels. (Matt:16:18, 18:17, Matt: 24:14).  Less than 2% of Jesus preaching was about the church.

Jesus expressed devotion for the church, but focused His attention upon the Kingdom of God.  He addressed the subject of the Kingdom 130 times and spoke of the church in only 3 brief instances.

The modern day church has reversed this divine order.  Some subjects of the Kingdom that Jesus taught were: The gospel of the Kingdom, Matt 24:14 "This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached to all the world, and then the end come…." In Matt: 13, we find eight parables on the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.  The keys to the Kingdom of God are given in Matt: 16:19 "And I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom.

This is a fact, that there are more than 30,000 different Christian denominations worldwide, each making the claim that they are spiritually right.  It is a fact that somebody has to be wrong.

It is a scriptural fact that when one has repented and turned to God he is justified by faith according to Romans 5:1.  However, he has not been born into the Kingdom as of yet.  (This is only the beginning).  The scripture declares in 1^st Peter 1:23 that we are born again by the word of God. Jesus told Nicodemus, "except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3) John 1:12 "But as many as received Him to them gave he the power to become the son of God, even to them that believe on His name". 

The Kingdom is Spiritual, not physical. Luke 17:20-21verse 20: "And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the Kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation.  Verse 21: Neither shall they say, lo here or, lo there! For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you". Romans 14:17 "For the Kingdom of God is not meat, and drink; But righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost". 

The book of Acts opening and closing sentences speak of the Kingdom.  The last forty days in which Jesus was with His disciples his main subject was on the Kingdom of God, and speaking on the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Acts1:3.

Some Kingdom Principles:

1.       The Kingdom must be our highest priority.  Jesus gave us no greater commission. Matt; 6.33

2.       Whatever we see in the physical world has a corresponding greater reality in the spiritual world.  2^nd Cor. 4:18

3.       The Kingdom of God is all that really matters. (Amen)

4.       The message of the Bible is about "King Jesus", a Kingdom and His royal offspring.

5.       The Kingdom is the Pearl of great price.  It is a Pearl that out values all other pearls.

6.       THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE:  The king is the central head of a kingdom and embodies the essence of the kingdom.  The king is the ultimate source of authority in the kingdom and through this authority establishes the kingdom.

Here are some unique qualities about the King. (King Jesus)

a. A king is never voted into power.

b. A king cannot be voted out of power.

c. A king's word is law in his territory.

d. A king's personally owns everything in his domain.

e. A decree of the king is unchanging

f. The king chooses who will be a citizen of his kingdom.

g. The king is the essence of his power.

Matt: 22:2-14 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king that prepared a wedding banquet for his son". (A beautiful parable of the Kingdom of God)

There is a fresh awareness of the Kingdom coming to those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness.  Jesus places top priority on the Kingdom of God.  Matt: 6:33 "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all other things will be added".

Paul rightly put it in Romans 7:24 "Oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of this death?"

This is the cry of the believer.  Paul found the answer in the next verse, v. 25. "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so that with the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." So we see that there are two laws in operation (Romans 8:2).

Jesus said in Luke 16:16, "the law and prophets were until John; since that time the Kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." One has to press their way into the Kingdom of God through the word of God.  1^st Peter 1:23: It is more to this than just believing on Jesus as our savior.  Therefore, we can see that birth into the Kingdom of God is a progressive walk. 

It is our prayer that God stir the heart of each believer to know that they are born into the Kingdom of God.

Teacher of the Word

David Mims

P.O. Box 1423

Buna, Tx 77612

davidbarbarah@sbcgobal.net