THE KINGDOM OF GODLesson 11

Key Text: “ ‘They will

come from the east and the

west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of

God’ ” Luke 13:29

The kingdom of God is a major theme and a significant priority in the teachings of Jesus. The phrase occurs nearly fifty times in Matthew, 16 times in Mark, about forty times in Luke, and 3 times in John. Wherever it appears—be it in the Lord’s Prayer, or in the Sermon on the Mount, or in Jesus’ other preaching and parables—the kingdom of God is an expression of what God had done in history for the human race as He deals with the problem of sin and brings the great controversy with Satan to an ultimate and decisive end. The kingdom of God is unlike any kingdom the world has ever known, and that’s because it’s not a worldly kingdom.

THE KI

NGDOM OF GOD

ITS NATURE

WHOSE IS IT?

VICTORIOUS

CITIZENS

NOW AND NOT YET

THE KINGDOM NOW

THE KINGDOM TO COME

THE FUTURE

BEING CERTAIN OF ITS FUTURE

WAITING EVERY DAY

WHOSE IS IT?“So He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your

name. YOUR KINGDOM COME. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’”

(Luke 11:2)

The Kingdom is God’s, not ours.Sometimes humans tend to compare the Kingdom to some kind of social, financial or ethical movement.Nevertheless, the biblical definition of “kingdom of God” is based on God’s only authority and sovereignty. He rules all creation.

V I C T O R I O U S“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15)Sin made Satan proclaim himself prince of this world. Adam and Eve were assured that that condition wouldn’t last forever.When Jesus began to preach, He stated that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17).He established the Kingdom of God on Earth by destroying the power of devil, overcoming the death, forgiving sins and preparing us to overcome evil.The controversy between good and evil—Christ and Satan—will end with a full and final restoration of the Kingdom of God.

CITIZENS “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)Being a citizen of the

Kingdom involves total commitment, absolute dependence, childish trust and undivided loyalty.Therefore, Jesus wants us to:

Seek the Kingdom of God first (Luke 12:31).

Preach about it (Luke 9:2).

Pray for it (Luke 11:2). Live it every day (Luke 18:29-30).

We are citizens of the Kingdom of God now.

How can we live in a way that reflects the reality of the kingdom of God? Most important, how can we reflect that reality in our own lives? What should be different about how we, as citizens of God’s kingdom, live now?

REFLECTION

THE KINGDOM AND THE KINGDOM TO COME“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’” (Luke 17:20-21)

Jesus came to reestablish the Kingdom of God on this Earth. This Kingdom is a foretaste of the final victory over sin. It is established every day through the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believers.This phase of the Kingdom is also known as the “Kingdom of grace.”

There’s still a second phase to come in the future. That’s why we still ask for “your Kingdom come.”The Kingdom of God will be fully restored when evil will be finally broken. We’ll live forever with Jesus in the “Kingdom of glory.”

“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.” (Luke 21:31)

The signs before the Coming of Christ (Luke 21:5-36) are the same as those announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God.Since we are citizens of the “Kingdom of grace,” we must get ready to live in the “Kingdom of glory.”Meanwhile, we must receive nourishment and we must testify. Waiting for the Second Coming involves walking in holiness here and now.

E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, section 8, cp. 33, pg. 269)

BEING CERTAIN OF ITS FUTURE

“Shall the warnings given by Christ be passed by unheeded? Shall we not make diligent work for repentance now, while Mercy’s gracious voice is still heard?”

WAITING EVERY DAY“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” (Acts 1:6-8)

In the first chapter of Acts, Luke wrote three statements on the Kingdom of God:

1. We must be certain of the Coming of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom.

2. We must wait until God’s time is fulfilled.3. We must testify to the Gospel of Jesus.

“Oh, that God’s people would consider their superior advan-tages, and understand from the light of God’s Word that we must be judged according to the light that shine upon our pathway. All the privileges and opportunities given us of God are for the purpose of making us better men and women. The people of God must move from a settled principle, making it their first principle to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then go on from light to still greater light.”

E.G.W. (This Day with God, February 11)

Dwell on Jesus’ words about letting the dead bury the dead. What important truth is He expressing here about not making excuses to keep from following Him when the call comes, no matter how valid those excuses might seem?

REFLECTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

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