Our message today is entitled “What is the Kingdom of God?” The kingdom of God was the main focus of all of Jesus’ teaching. In order to grow spiritually, we must understand God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom, not a physical kingdom in the present age. Yet, the kingdom of God is already present in our world and influences it in many ways. Of course, every kingdom has a leader or king. The king of the kingdom of God is Jesus Christ.
John 3:3 (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
A person must be born again or saved in order to see and enter the kingdom of God. The citizens of God’s kingdom are believers in Jesus alone.
Daniel 2:44 (ESV) And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
Daniel the prophet tells us that the kingdom of God is an eternal kingdom that will never be destroyed. The kingdom of heaven will crush every other kingdom and bring them to an end. The spiritual kingdom that opposes the kingdom of God is the kingdom of Satan. The citizens of Satan’s kingdom are unbelievers. Satan’s kingdom has great influence in the physical kingdoms of the world. Jesus taught us to pray …
Matthew 6:10 (ESV) Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
You see, the kingdom of God rules supremely in heaven, there are no competing kingdoms there. In the kingdom of God, God’s will is done perfectly, as it is in heaven. We are to daily pray that the kingdom of God would come to this earth. And we are to pray that God’s will would be done here, as it is in heaven.
God’s church is the primary means through which the kingdom grows. The kingdom of God grows by rescuing people from the kingdom of Satan. How do we as the church rescue people and extend the kingdom? Jesus taught us one of the primary ways, as he taught his disciples.
Luke 10:9 (ESV) Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
As we bring the power of God to heal the sick, the kingdom draws near. People are convicted of their sin, repent and believe the Gospel. Today, we’re going to learn more about the kingdom of God from Jesus.