October 12th, 2003, Sunday Morning

"Kingdom of God"
Comparing earthly kingdoms to God's Coming Kingdom


OPENING: Matthew 6:5-13


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Some people build their life and love--their "kingdom"--on their favorite sports teams--teams that can and have lost; fewer in this world (the saved) build their life on the Kingdom of God--an organization that has never lost (and has, in fact, already won the final battle)

This world has seen many great kings and man-made kingdoms rise but they have fallen

• Daniel 2:21: God establishes and removes kings and kingdoms; whatever has existed on this earth is because God allowed and directed it
  
  
• Nimrod, a Christian persecutor, declared by the Bible as "a mighty one in the earth" and "mighty hunter" (Genesis 10:8-9) and responsible for many false Egyptian gods, is a name given to dogs today
  
  
• Daniel 4:30-32: Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, declared that his kingdom and success was made possible by him and for his honor and glory (and even as he said that, God expunged him out of his kingdom)
  
  
• Iraq, having the fourth largest army in the world, fell to the U.S. in 2003
  
  
• The United States, recognized by the majority as the world's most powerful kingdom, was successfully attacked from within its continental borders for the first time in history on 9/11 (2001).
  
  
  • And it will completely fall someday if it continues and furthers it's anti-Christian laws and lifestyles

Those saved by Christ has been transferred from the losing kingdoms of earth to the unstoppable and Kingdom of God

A KINGDOM CONSISTS OF A KING, HIS PEOPLE AND THE LAND

• THE KING
  
  
  • Revelation 19:16 and Deuteronomy 10:17: The Bible says God is "KING OF KINGS", "LORD OF LORDS", AND "GOD OF GODS"; He knows all, cares for all, and is the King of this world and all its countries today
    
    
  • Even as President Bush is king of the United States (a kingdom) and has powers beyond comprehension, Christ is still in overall control
    
    
    • Consider that God meant for Bush to be king over Gore in the 2000 election
    • Consider that all things that has succeeded and failed by Bush is because God wishes those respective events to happen and not happen
    • Consider that God allowed Iraq to fall by Bush's hand in March of 2003
      • CONCLUSION: While many people have the opinion Bush should not have invaded Iraq, if God didn't want it to happen, He wouldn't have allowed it
    
    
  • Making Jesus Christ your #1 priority, your agenda-setter and the center of your life (your King), you benefit in two important ways:
    
    
    • Your burdens and worries are transferred to Him so He will deal with them for you (Matthew 11:29-30)
    • You will not be distracted and your confidence unshaken by the events, circumstances and headlines of this world
  
  
• THE PEOPLE
  
  
  • 1 Corinthians 1:27-28: In this world, God is raising a chosen group of people for His work on earth and the future people of His Kingdom; (Contrary to the world,) He is not looking for the strong, mighty and popular but for the weak, simple-minded, and despised
    
    
    • John 3:16 and 1 John 3:23: Christ wants (and requires) that the people of His Kingdom be saved -- that you believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and that Christ died and was resurrected to pay for your sins and give you eternal life (if you accept)
    
    
  • While there is pride for being born in your town, your state, your country, it is more important and a greater priority to say you are of God's chosen race and a living saint
    
    
    • ASIDE: Saved Christians are officially (living) saints because you're allowed to pray to God directly (through His Son Christ) whereas in Biblical days, people were unholy and had to give their prayers to a holy priest who goes into a secluded, holy room to pray them all to God
  
  
• THE KINGDOM
  
  
  • Matthew 6:10: Jesus said it in the "Lord's Prayer": it's God's purpose to have a Kingdom on earth ("Thy Kingdom come")
    
    
  • Matthew 3:1-2: It was John the Baptist's sole purpose in life to proclaim the pending return of Christ and His Kingdom
    
    
  • Revelation 21: God's coming Kingdom, the "New Jerusalem," is described as a city of pure, transparent gold; illuminated from within--without the need for a sun; a length, width and height of 1323 miles (just short of half the length of the United States) and many gates--each made from a single pure pearl
    
    
  • It will be a Kingdom that cannot and will never be shaken
    
    
    • On September 11, 2001, The United States was shaken with internal attacks
    • In March, 2003, Saddam Hussein was shaken out of his kingdom of Iraq
    • In the October 7th, 2003, California recall, Grey Davis was shaken from being governor

Philippians 2:10 and Romans 14:11: And with the coming of this Kingdom, all the people of this world--past, present and future--will bow their knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord of all

Today's saved Christians (future people of God's Kingdom) serve for God's good pleasure--we are His subjects and have responsibilities including being faithful to family, having morals, integrity, re-paying good for evil and having dedicated daily prayer time--just like Jesus did

• Matthew 5:9: By re-paying good for evil, you are not only blessed but declared by Jesus as a "peacemaker"
  
  
• Hiding indoors or in church is not the answer; the justice, righteousness and Gospel must be taken to the outside world
  
  
• Acts 14:22: Don't have time? Too busy? God knows this because He wrote that the saved enter His Kingdom "through much tribulation". You're on par with the rest of the world because everyone is time-pressed and suffering
  
  
  • However, the saved have an advantage over the lost in that the hope within the saved Christian, gained from the Bible, is what prevents his foundations of belief from being shaken by world events of destruction and uncertainly

CLOSER

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Revelation 22:20: Do you not only believe Christ is soon to return but do you long for it--DAILY?

• 2 Corinthians 5:1-2: Do you "groan, earnestly" for Heaven's immortality?

1 Corinthians 15:52-54: When Christ returns for the saved, we will be like Him and see Him as He is and see God for the first time in human history

• Matthew 26:29: Even Jesus waits for our return as He will not taste wine again until we are with Him
  
  
• It will be a day marking the end of sickness, pain, suffering, sin--all things bad

But until that day, build your treasure in Heaven and prove your obedience to God by enduring and overcoming the world

Who is your king? In other words--what/who governs your day? The correct answer is Jesus Christ