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Thy Kingdom Come
by
Captain Stephen Court
"The decree has gone forth that the kingdoms of
this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His
Christ, and that He shall reign whose right it is, from the
rivers to the ends of the earth. We shall win. It is only a
question of time. I believe that this Movement is to
inaugurate the great final conquest of the Lord Jesus Christ
(General Catherine Booth)."
One of the Army's founders, Catherine Booth,
intended that the Kingdom of God spread to encompass the whole
world! That remains our mission today. And it's not just
some whim of the Booths. The Kingdom of God is the main theme
of the New Testament.
Magnificent Obsession.
Jesus was obsessed with it.
• His first preach was on the Kingdom of God
(1).
• The first request in the Lord's Prayer is
'Thy Kingdom come' (2).
• He taught that our first priority is to 'seek
first the Kingdom' (3).
• The first evangelistic campaign He sent His
12 disciples on focused on
preaching the Kingdom, healing the sick, and
driving out demons (4).
• The first evangelistic campaign of the 72
disciples was focused on healing the
sick and proclaiming the Kingdom of God (5).
It was the main agenda item on His itinerary.
Jesus went through Galilee
preaching the good news of the Kingdom and
healing every disease (including)... the demon possessed (6).
He went around preaching to crowds about the Kingdom (7).
It was the main subject of His preaching. Two
of His 'blesses' in the Sermon on the Mount belong to those
who will receive the Kingdom of God (8). At least seven of
His parables were based on the Kingdom of God (9).
It was the main criterion for assessing people.
Jesus evaluated people by their status in the Kingdom of God
(10).
It was the main thing on His mind and heart.
He preached through the cities the Kingdom of God, while
healing the sick and delivering people from demons (11).
After His resurrection He talked about, you guessed it, the
Kingdom (12).
Missions Focus.
It wasn't just Jesus who was so enamored with
the Kingdom of God. Philip was the first missionary. He
preached the good news of the Kingdom of God in Samaria (13).
Paul went to Ephesus and for three months, argued
persuasively about the Kingdom (14). Later he went to Rome
and preached the Kingdom (15). In fact, Paul describes his
whole activity as a Christian missionary as teaching the
Kingdom (16). The last thing Paul did before he died was to
preach the Kingdom of God (17).
Are we agreed? The Kingdom of God is a pretty
important aspect of what Jesus was trying to do, and of what
those who followed Him were accomplishing.
So, it's important. But what is it?
A kingdom is a territory ruled by a sovereign;
royal authority; sphere of influence (Webster's). Those of us
who belong to Jesus are part of that territory, under that
authority, within that sphere of influence. It is not a matter
of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy
in the Holy Spirit (18). It encompasses the spiritual realm,
not the physical realm. The Holy Spirit acts as more than
just a spiritual customs agent. The Holy Spirit arranges your
new identity, living arrangements, and vocational
responsibilities. The Kingdom is not a matter of talk but of
power (19). It's not about talking for the sake of hearing
ourselves speak. It's about backing up proclamation of the
Gospel with demonstration of the Gospel! And it does not come
with our careful observation, because it is within us (20).
It is personal. God calls us into it (21). And yet John
describes himself as our companion in the suffering and the
Kingdom, so it obviously has a corporate element to it (22).
How can you tell?
There are signs. Jesus instructed, "If I drive
out demons by the power of the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom
of God has come upon you" (23). Where the Kingdom of God is,
people are delivered from demons. There is also healing. The
example and mission of Jesus and His disciples demonstrates
that the preaching of the Kingdom is accompanied by signs and
wonders such as healing and deliverance. Not only is there
authority for it, there is an expectation of it.
Other signs include righteousness, peace, and
joy in the Holy Spirit (24). Those people who are citizens of
the Kingdom are characterized by these virtues as well as
other fruit of the Spirit.
But I don't have that!
You read about these Kingdom characteristics,
and maybe you're confused. "I'm a Christian, but I'm not that
joyful, I haven't suffered, and I've sure never healed anyone,
or kicked any demons." There's more good news for you here.
Those who serve Christ in this way are "pleasing to God"
(25). God loves this stuff. And it's not a test; it's not a
standard up to which you need to perform. God delights to
give you His Kingdom (26)! He just loves to see those
characteristics of His Kingdom in your life. He delights to
give it to you! Hallelujah! Here's toliving out the Kingdom
in your neighbourhood, and spreading it until Catherine
Booth's prophecy is fulfilled!
1. Mk.1:15
2. Mt.6:10
3. Mt.6:33
4. Mt.10:7
5. Lk.10:9
6. Mt.4:23,4
7. Lk.9:10
8. Mt.5:3,8
9. Mt.13
10. Mt.5:19
11. Mt.9:34,35
12. Ac.1:3
13. Ac.8:12
14. Ac:19:8
15. Ac.28:23
16. Ac.20:25
17. Ac.28:31
18. Rm.14:17
19. 1 Cor.4:20
20. Lk.17:21
21. 1 Thes.2:12
22. Rv.1:9
23. Mt.12:28
24. Rm.14:17
25. Rm.14:17,18
26. Lk.12:32
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