The Nature of the
Jesus said “this gospel of the Kingdom”.
There is a difference between the gospel preached in most buildings today
and the Gospel of the Kingdom.
The word Gospel means “good news”.
Jesus came preaching the “good news” of the Kingdom.
The term “
Kingdom - A political or territorial unit ruled by
a sovereign.
Excerpt from: Basic Theology
”The dictionary defines kingdom as
a politically organized community. It therefore involves ruler(s), ruled, and
realm.
To define a particular kingdom, one needs to ask several
questions:
·
Who is the ruler?
·
Who are the
ruled?
·
When and where is
the kingdom? “
When we speak of Kingdom we
are always talking about government.
Jesus was preaching good news
that the dominion of the “King” is now manifest in the earth.
No matter what problems, what
trials, or what burden your heart is weighed down with … the “Most High” has
burst into the realm of humanity to change the rules mankind has to live
by. He stepped out of eternity into
time to establish His rule in the earth.
It is a place that has the power to save, heal, deliver, and preserve
its subjects.
Where is the
Kingdom?
·
Luke
17:20 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: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or,
lo there! for, behold, the
o
NRSV: 20Once Jesus£ was asked by the Pharisees
when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be
observed; 21nor will they say,
‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the
o
So the
·
Luke
·
Then the Father
is giving us the Kingdom and it is within us!
How do we know
God’s kingdom is in us?
There will be a manifestation of the nature of the King.
The nature of the
Christians must manifest a kingdom life!
What does the
Kingdom manifest in my life look like?
Phil 2:5 Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
When the Kingdom is evident in me … my thoughts, attitudes, and conduct
begin to reflect my King.
What about what I think, what I want etc. etc.?
Jesus did not hold on to his personal rights. He knew who he was and what
He was as God … but he emptied himself of that knowledge and gave himself
totally over to do the will of the Father.
You may know who you are and what you are as a child of God, you may see
yourself as a living stone, a joint heir with Jesus, predestined, called,
anointed… You may know your function in the body of Christ, you may recognize
your motivational gift … You may be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor,
teacher. You may know God’s call on your
life. You may be aware of your place in the scheme of divine things. You may understand the concepts of
redemption, justification, and sanctification. You may be an American
Christian, educated, affluent, and with a history in the work of the Lord. Often times that knowledge can fill the heart
with pride. However, the more we know
about His Kingdom the more we come to realize that it is here we relinquish our self
rights. That’s just plain hard on the
soul of man.
Jesus didn’t hold on to His rights.
When we hold onto our personal rights we lose sight of the nature of
Jesus.
There is a difference between our personal rights and what we are
commissioned to do by the King.
Jesus didn’t demand His own way.
He set aside the privileges of His deity and became a bond servant in
life.
Are you the Lord’s servant?
Are you his bond servant?
Are you wholly given to the will of the Father?
Man pleaser?
How important is your reputation with man?
Jesus was not a man pleaser. If
you follow this King you cannot be a man pleaser.
Self Server?
How full of ourselves are we?
Jesus emptied himself of self-serving.
Jesus made himself nothing so He could obtain our salvation.
Are you serving yourself?
Ambition?
John Moreland said, “An ambitious man makes a poor disciple.”
Jesus was void of self generated, self centered ambition. He was a man on assignment. His assignment
was only “the will of the one who sent Him”, the Father.
·
How ambitious are you for your own?
·
Your ambition can become deadly to your kingdom
assignment and purpose.
The psalmist said, Psa 40:8 “I
delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart”.
What is your delight? What is your desire? What is the thing that gives
you joy?
Jesus said John
In the
Jesus became as we are. He was a real human being with man’s frailty,
needs, temptations, and desires. All
that man is, He became.
He was touchable and hurtable.
There were times when he was hungry and there was no food. There were
times he needed to rest and he told the scribe that came to him and said, “I
will follow you where ever you go.” He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have
nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” When he went into the house of Simon, a prostitute came in and fell down
at His feet. She washed His feet with her tears. She anointed His head with
oil. She kissed Him. The religious crowd mocked Him. Finally, He said to Simon,
“When I came in to your house you did not wash my feet (cause His feet got
dirty), you didn’t anoint my head (though it was customary), and Simon you
didn’t even greet me with a kiss.”
Jesus was a man with every need, every desire, every longing that humans
have. He didn’t let his humanity get in the way of his humble obedience. He
gave himself wholly to the purpose of the Father.
Jesus was not apathetic or passive. He was passionately focused on His
mission. That mission was obedience in everything to the Father. Have you
learned your mission is one of simple obedience to the Father?
Jesus’ place of service was among the people. He said I am among you as one who serves. Our
place in the Kingdom is found among people doing the will of the Father;
consequently, affecting the lives of people both of this world and those that
are our brethren.
Jesus gave His life in obedience to the Father for the redemption of
man. Who are we giving our lives for? If
these are the attitudes that our King walked with on this earth, if these are
the ways of Jesus, these must become our ways, our attitudes, and this must be
our heart.