TEXT - Jn 3:3-7; Mt.6:31-33; 18:1-4;4:23-24; 5:20; 3:1-2; 6:1-2; 6:31-33; 7:21-23; 19:16-26; Mk.1:13-15; Lk.4:43; John 14:27 ...
TEXT - Jn 3:3-7; Mt.6:31-33; 18:1-4;4:23-24; 5:20; 3:1-2; 6:1-2; 6:31-33; 7:21-23; 19:16-26; Mk.1:13-15; Lk.4:43; John 14:27
Introduction: In this first lesson, we will be summarising some key concepts of the Kingdom of God so we can begin to view everything in our Christian life from Kingdom perspectives. The Bible is about a King, Kingdom and the Royal Family. First assignment is to have dominion or to have Kingdom. So the first thing God gave man a kingdom or dominion. Man lost this kingdom God’s redemptive program is the restoration of the kingdom of God Ps.24:7. Kingdom is at the core of the purpose of humanity, Jesus ministry and the Christian life. According to Jesus, it's impossible for Christians to properly understand the practical nature of the Christian life without properly understanding the nature of their citizenship in God's kingdom. In fact, one of the primary biblical descriptions of Christians is that they're citizens in God's kingdom.
WHY STUDY THE CONCEPT OF KINGDOM.
Studying the concept of kingdoms is important for a couple of reasons.
1. God’s number-one priority for mankind is that we discover, understand, and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. A kingdom is the governing influence of a king over his territory, impacting it with his personal will, purpose and intent, producing a culture, values, morals, and lifestyle that reflect the king’s desires and nature for his citizens.
2. The mandate of the Creator for mankind was rulership and dominion.
3. Man has kingdom consciousness in him because it is God’s plan and idea
4. God established only two priorities for mankind: the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of God.
5. The concept of “kingdom” was not invented by mankind but was the first form of government introduced by the Creator.
6. Ignorance of the kingdom concept makes it difficult to understand fully the message of the Bible.
7. Another critical reason to study and restore this concept of kingdom is because the Bible is not about a religion or an organization but a King and His Kingdom. Therefore, in order to correctly understand, interpret, and apply the Scriptures, knowledge of kingdoms is necessary.
KINGDOM AND COLONY AGENDA,IDEA, CONCEPT, AND PLAN - God created everyone for the express purpose of revealing his nature on the earth. The essence of colonisation is to make the foreign country just like the head nation.
1. The kingdom is the oldest of all forms of government and the only one that is of divine origin. God “invented” the kingdom concept and established it first in Heaven.
2. Once His Kingdom was established in Heaven, God desired to extend it to another realm. Extend His kingdom in heaven and establish His Kingdom on earth.
3. God wants to Administrate the earthly colony through his sons called mankind. God wants to colonize earth with heaven. Then He placed on it human beings created in His image to run the colony for Him.
4. Through rebellion against the King, however, man lost his rulership. We have been trying to get it back ever since. Even though we lost our earthly kingdom, we still retain the original kingdom idea that the King implanted in our spirit. We are searching for the Kingdom all the time, but without God we can never find it because it is from Him.
5. What is colonization ? – A territory under the control of another imperial country. The purpose of colonisation is to make the colonies just like their masters. That is why nations like Nigeria speak English and drink tea like their imperial master.
6. God ordained mankind as his governmental representative of heaven on earth. ….
7. God’s intention to fill the earth with His glory or nature or His weight. That is why He created man in His own image.
8. The moment of salvation, you become a citizen of heaven representing God to influence the culture of the earth for God. Eph.2:19;6:19-20. 2 Cor.5:17-18.. gave us the ministry of reconciliation….reconnect us to heaven ..go tell everybody to be reconnected…by every word that comes from the governor’s mouth…we live by the word of God….The good news is that the Kingdom has been restored back to earh.
9. God has giving us as His ambassadors the ministry of reconciliation. That is reconnecting man’s broken relationship with King.
10. As Ambassadors we must understand the culture, keys, principles, rules, laws, and other requirements of the King of the Kingdom. We must also understand our roles, responsibilities, rights and privileges.
The kingdom was at the heart of the ministry Jesus and the apostles. John the Baptist Preached the Message of the Kingdom (Mt 3:1,2). Jesus Preached the Message of the Kingdom (Mt 4:17; 23-24). Many of Jesus' parables were about the Kingdom. He gave the secrets of the Kingdom to his apostles. Paul preached the Kingdom (Acts 20:25). Jesus called Men to preach the kingdom (Lk 9:60) and He Predicted the Continued Preaching of 'This Gospel of the Kingdom' until His Second Coming (Mt 24:14). Not only do we have Jesus and Paul as examples in this matter of preaching the Kingdom. We have the assurance from Jesus' own lips that this message of the kingdom should be preached ‘as a witness' to all the world. This is the main task we as the body of Christ have.
What is the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of heaven ? - Sinclair Ferguson defines the kingdom as "the rule and reign of God, the expression of his gracious sovereign will. To belong to the kingdom of God is to belong to the people among whom the reign of God has already begun." George Eldon Ladd defines the kingdom as "the realm in which God's reign may be experienced." Simply put, the kingdom of God is a kingdom where God's appointed King—Jesus—is presently reigning in and through the lives of His people, accomplishing His will "on earth as it is in heaven" (Mt 6:10).
Questions to Ponder:
1. Why do you think the concept of colonization is so important to understanding the message of God's constitution, which is the Bible? How does this concept affect our view of the religion you know as Christianity?
2. How do you influence the earth with the culture and values of Heaven? Are there ways that you help bring the earth under the government of the King of Heaven?
3. What does our ability to fulfill our mandate to colonize the earth affect the spiritual powers of darkness? What effect do you think you have?
4. What do you know of the Kingdom of Heaven in terms of its government? How does our planet reflect kingdom? How does it not reflect Heaven's government?
5. If the earth is merely an extension of God's Kingdom in Heaven, how must we demonstrate God's Kingdom to those who do not know Him?
Question: How does your rulership reflect the High King of Heaven's rulership? ...Meaning your lifestyle and behavior.
MUNROE’S 26 COMPONENTS OF THE KINGDOM
1.A King: He is the central component of a kingdom and embodies the essence of the kingdom.
2. A Lord who is also the King:All true kings must have property or a domain over which they exercise rulership dominion
3. A domain: The domain of a king is the territory over which he exercises authority, control and dominion. The king owns his domain and can expand it by the power of his might.
4.Constitution: The constitution of the kingdom is the documented will, intent, desires and purposes of the king for his citizens and kingdom.
5. Law: The law of the kingdom is the proclaimed word, decrees, and edicts of the king.These laws determine the standards and precepts by which the kingdom is to be governed.
6. Keys: These are a kingdom's principles, precepts, laws, and systems by which the kingdom functions. They are to be learned and applied by the citizens in order to appropriate the benefits and privileges of the kingdom.
7. Citizenship: It is a privilege not a right in a kingdom. Citizens are chosen by the king.
8. Royal Privilege: The benefits the king affords to his citizens.
9. Code of ethics: The standard of conduct established by the king for the behavior and social relationships of his citizens. The code of ethics becomes the foundation of the kingdom culture and manifests itself in the lifestyle of the citizens.
10. Commonwealth: It is the king's commitment to see that all of his citizens have equal access to the wealth and resources of the kingdom. The king is personally committed to and involved in the welfare of his citizens.
11. Culture: The lifestyle and way of life for the citizens manifested in their language, dress, eating habits, values, morals, sense of self worth and self concept.
12. Economy: All kingdoms operate on a system that secures and sustains the strength and viability of the kingdom.
13. Taxation: Taxation system allows its citizens to participate in the process of maintaining the kingdom infrastructure. The system allows the citizens to share in the kingdom's commonwealth and return a set of portion of the king's resources back to the king.( Matthew 22:17, 21b; Malachi 3:8b-12)
14. Army: an army of security components to protect and defend the territory and citizens
15. Authority of delegation: A representative system that delegates responsibility to appointed citizens to serve as envoys of the kingdom.
16. Ambassadors: An ambassador speaks for the kingdom and does not represent himself.
17. Education: Program for training and educating the citizens.
18. Administration: All kingdoms establish a system through which they administer their judgements and programmes to the citizens.
19. Glory: The glory of a king is all and everything in the kingdom that represents and manifests the trues nature of the king himself.
20. Worship: This is the citizens' gratitude and appreciation to the king for his favor, privileges and security for being in his kingdom.
21. Provision: the king is obligated to provide for his citizens and thus he makes provisions provisions at his own expense for their security and welfare.
22. Influence: the king's influence and will are to be felt throughout the entire kingdom.
23. Royal favor: Sovereign prerogative of the king to extend a personal law to a citizen that positions that citizen to receive special privileges and advantages.
24. Decree: Declaration of a king that becomes law to all. It is sustained by the king's personal commitment to bring the declaration or promise to pass.
25. Reputation: A king's reputation is the source of the glory of his name. His reputation is created and sustained by the conditions of his citizens and his kingdom. Kings act in ways that are favorable to their name's sake.
26. Giving to a king: This activates the king's obligation to demonstrate his glory and power to the giver and to prove that he is a greater king than other kings. the act of giving is more beneficial for the citizen more than a king.
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH. SURREY DOCKS DISTRICT, HQ
KINGDOM SERIES
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