PROGRAMS OF A KINGDOM:

Text: Matthew 13:24-30•Mat 12:24 Now when the Pharisees heard [it] they said, "This [fellow] does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

• Mat 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

• Mat 12:26“ If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

• Mat 12:27 "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast [them] out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

• Mat 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

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• Mat 12:29 "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

• Mat 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

INTRO:• Could you recall the components of a

kingdom?• King, Kingdom, Constitution, Laws,

Citizenry, Privileges, Code of Ethics, Army, Commonwealth, & Social Culture

AIM: •For us to understand how a kingdom function effectively.•For us to play a vital role in the programs of the kingdom of Heaven. I. HEALTH PROGRAM-HEALING•Do you have an idea of how much money is being spent on NHS?•This would be the area of highest expenditure.•1Pe 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

• Mat 10:7 "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

• Mat 10:8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

• Luke 10:9"And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.

• Mar 16:17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

• Mar 16:18 "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

II. EDUCATION PROGRAM-TEACHING MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT•Schools here in UK are free or subsidized by the Government because it is a Kingdom•Kings do want their kingdom to be a kingdom of idiots or ignorants but they want the people to be educated and intelligent. •1Jo 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

• John 16:13"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own [authority], but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

III. A TAXATION SYSTEM-TITHING • Program No. 1 & 2 could only be achieved

if there is proper taxation• The Government would have no budget

for doctors, nurses, & teachers if there is no money from taxation.

• Num 18:21"Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

• Num 18:22 "Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.

• Num 18:23 "But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; [it shall be] a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

• Num 18:24 "For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up [as] a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, 'Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.' "

• Num 18:25 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

• Num 18:26 "Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: 'When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe.

• Mal 3:7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept [them]. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'

• Mal 3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.

• Mal 3:9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, [Even] this whole nation.

• Mal 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you [such] blessing That [there will] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

• Mal 3:11"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts;

• There is no doubt about God’s graciousness but you have to understand God’s faithfulness on His Words.

• During Jesus’ time, we haven’t heard of sermons regarding tithing because it was part of their lifestyle already.

IV. A CENTRAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM-GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1.The Word of Knowledge2.The Word of Wisdom3.The Gift of Prophecy4.The Gift of Faith5.The Gifts of Healings6.The Working of Miracles7.The Discerning of Spirits8.Different Kinds of Tongues9.The Interpretation of Tongues

• 1Pet 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

• Eph 4:11And He Himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

• Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

V. DIPLOMATIC CORPS-AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST

• 2Cr 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore [you] on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

• The only concern of an ambassador is the welfare of his country.

VI. SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION-THE MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH MANKIND CALLED THE CHURCH.

• Administration-the act or process of administering, especially the management of a government or large institution.

• Ministry-The act of serving; ministration.• One that serves as a means; an

instrumentality.• The profession, duties, and services of a

minister.

VII. AN ECONOMY- A SYSTEM OF GIVING AND RECEIVING (Seed time and harvest time)•Careful, thrifty management of resources, such as money, materials, or labour: •An example or result of such management; a saving•God doesn’t need our offerings, He wants us to give it to Him as a basis or measure as to how much blessing HE will give to us.•It is not God who decide how much blessing we receive but us.

• Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

• 2Cr 9:6 But this [I say]: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

CHALLENGE:•D o you now have a better understanding of how a kingdom works?•Are you a good citizen of God’s kingdom?•Does your actions strengthen His Kingdom?

CONCLUSION:

•Mat 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.