Understanding the Kingdom of God and the Church
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, the focus was on the concept of the Kingdom of God and its relationship with the Church. The primary aim was to educate and equip leaders to understand and teach these profound theological concepts. The Kingdom of God, as Jesus taught, is not a physical realm but a spiritual one that emphasizes social justice, love, and spiritual prosperity over material wealth. This Kingdom is both present within us and a future reality to be fully realized in the second coming of Christ.
The sermon also delved into the historical and theological distinctions between the Church and the Kingdom. The Church is not a replacement for Israel but a partner, and it serves as the body of Christ, preaching the message of the Kingdom. This message is about preparing people for the end-time Kingdom, focusing on spiritual growth and transformation rather than worldly success.
Furthermore, the sermon highlighted the importance of understanding the historical context of the Church, its development, and its mission. The early Church faced external persecution but grew through internal strength and unity. The role of leadership in the Church has evolved, moving from apostles to bishops, who were responsible for teaching and maintaining doctrinal integrity.
The sermon concluded with a call to return to the basics of worship and prayer, emphasizing that true worship is about giving to God rather than receiving. The power of corporate prayer and intercession was underscored as essential for spiritual transformation and alignment with God's will.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Kingdom of God is Spiritual, Not Physical: Jesus redefined the Kingdom from a physical realm to a spiritual one, focusing on social justice and spiritual well-being. This Kingdom is present within us and will be fully realized in the future. Understanding this helps us align our lives with God's will and prepares us for the second coming of Christ. [09:49]
2. The Church and the Kingdom are Distinct Yet Connected: The Church is not a replacement for Israel but a partner. It serves as the body of Christ, preaching the message of the Kingdom. This message is about preparing people for an end-time Kingdom, focusing on spiritual growth and transformation rather than worldly success. [11:59]
3. Historical Context and Leadership in the Church: The early Church grew despite external persecution due to its internal strength and unity. Leadership evolved from apostles to bishops, who were responsible for teaching and maintaining doctrinal integrity. Understanding this historical context helps us appreciate the Church's mission and structure today. [29:33]
4. True Worship is About Giving to God: Worship should be focused on giving to God rather than receiving. The power of corporate prayer and intercession is essential for spiritual transformation and alignment with God's will. This perspective shifts our focus from self-centered worship to God-centered worship. [38:40]
5. The Importance of Corporate Prayer and Intercession: Corporate prayer and intercession are powerful tools for spiritual transformation. The early Church understood this, and their collective prayers led to miraculous events. Emphasizing corporate prayer can bring about significant spiritual breakthroughs and align us with God's purposes. [45:42]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[05:46] - Importance of Church History
[07:37] - Clarifying the Kingdom
[09:49] - Jesus' Teaching on the Kingdom
[11:59] - Church and Israel Relationship
[13:25] - Eschatological Kingdom
[16:26] - The Three L's: Light, Love, Life
[18:44] - Ambassadors of a New Creation
[21:29] - Mission Over Vision
[22:45] - Spiritual vs. Material Prosperity
[24:06] - Snatching People from Darkness
[27:33] - Early Church as a Community
[29:33] - Growth Despite Persecution
[31:43] - Living Godly in the Present World
[33:46] - Focus on the Risen Christ
[38:40] - True Worship and Giving to God
[45:42] - Power of Corporate Prayer
[50:14] - Proclamation and Explanation
[55:51] - Evolution of Church Leadership
[01:03:47] - Canonization of Scripture
[01:10:46] - Global Ministry and Leadership
[01:12:19] - Aligning Under the King
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Luke 17:20-21 (NIV): "Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, "Here it is," or "There it is," because the kingdom of God is in your midst.'"
2. Ephesians 2:14-16 (NIV): "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility."
3. Acts 2:42 (NIV): "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Luke 17:20-21, how does Jesus describe the Kingdom of God? How does this differ from the Pharisees' expectations?
2. In Ephesians 2:14-16, what does Paul say about the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the context of the Church and the Kingdom of God?
3. What were the key activities of the early Church as described in Acts 2:42?
4. How did the early Church grow despite external persecution, according to the sermon? ([29:33])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean for the Kingdom of God to be "in your midst" as Jesus described in Luke 17:20-21? How does this understanding impact our daily lives?
2. How does the concept of the Church as a partner to Israel, rather than a replacement, influence our understanding of the Church's mission today? ([11:59])
3. Why is it important to focus on spiritual prosperity rather than material prosperity, as emphasized in the sermon? ([22:45])
4. How does the practice of corporate prayer and intercession contribute to spiritual transformation and alignment with God's will? ([45:42])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your understanding of the Kingdom of God. How can you shift your focus from a physical to a spiritual understanding of the Kingdom in your daily life? ([09:49])
2. In what ways can you contribute to the unity and strength of your local church community, especially in times of external challenges? ([29:33])
3. How can you incorporate the principles of true worship, focusing on giving to God rather than receiving, into your personal and corporate worship practices? ([38:40])
4. What steps can you take to engage more deeply in corporate prayer and intercession within your church? How can you encourage others to join you in this practice? ([45:42])
5. Consider the historical context and evolution of church leadership. How can you support and uphold the integrity of your church leaders today? ([55:51])
6. Identify one area in your life where you can practice social justice as part of living out the Kingdom of God. What specific actions can you take this week to make a difference?
7. How can you prepare yourself and others for the end-time Kingdom, focusing on spiritual growth and transformation? ([13:25])
Devotional
Day 1: The Spiritual Nature of the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God, as taught by Jesus, is not a physical territory but a spiritual realm that emphasizes social justice, love, and spiritual prosperity over material wealth. This Kingdom is both present within us and a future reality to be fully realized in the second coming of Christ. Understanding this helps us align our lives with God's will and prepares us for the second coming of Christ. Jesus redefined the Kingdom from a physical realm to a spiritual one, focusing on social justice and spiritual well-being. This Kingdom is present within us and will be fully realized in the future. Understanding this helps us align our lives with God's will and prepares us for the second coming of Christ. [09:49]
Luke 17:20-21 (ESV): "Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'"
Reflection: How can you focus more on the spiritual aspects of your life rather than material success today? What steps can you take to align your actions with the values of the Kingdom of God?
Day 2: The Church and the Kingdom: Distinct Yet Connected
The Church is not a replacement for Israel but a partner. It serves as the body of Christ, preaching the message of the Kingdom. This message is about preparing people for an end-time Kingdom, focusing on spiritual growth and transformation rather than worldly success. The Church's role is to be a beacon of light, guiding people towards the spiritual Kingdom that Jesus spoke of. By understanding this distinction, we can better appreciate the Church's mission and our role within it. [11:59]
Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."
Reflection: In what ways can you contribute to the Church's mission of preparing people for the Kingdom of God? How can you focus on spiritual growth and transformation in your daily life?
Day 3: Historical Context and Leadership in the Church
The early Church grew despite external persecution due to its internal strength and unity. Leadership evolved from apostles to bishops, who were responsible for teaching and maintaining doctrinal integrity. Understanding this historical context helps us appreciate the Church's mission and structure today. The early Church's resilience and unity in the face of persecution serve as a powerful example for us today. By studying the evolution of Church leadership, we can better understand the importance of doctrinal integrity and the role of leaders in guiding the congregation. [29:33]
Acts 20:28-30 (ESV): "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them."
Reflection: How can you support your church leaders in maintaining doctrinal integrity and unity within the congregation? What steps can you take to strengthen your own understanding of Church history and its mission?
Day 4: True Worship is About Giving to God
Worship should be focused on giving to God rather than receiving. The power of corporate prayer and intercession is essential for spiritual transformation and alignment with God's will. This perspective shifts our focus from self-centered worship to God-centered worship. True worship involves a heart posture of giving, adoration, and reverence towards God. By prioritizing giving over receiving, we align ourselves more closely with God's will and experience deeper spiritual transformation. [38:40]
John 4:23-24 (ESV): "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
Reflection: How can you shift your focus from receiving to giving in your worship practices? What specific actions can you take to make your worship more God-centered?
Day 5: The Importance of Corporate Prayer and Intercession
Corporate prayer and intercession are powerful tools for spiritual transformation. The early Church understood this, and their collective prayers led to miraculous events. Emphasizing corporate prayer can bring about significant spiritual breakthroughs and align us with God's purposes. The power of collective prayer cannot be underestimated; it unites believers and amplifies their petitions to God. By engaging in corporate prayer, we can experience profound spiritual growth and witness God's miraculous interventions. [45:42]
Acts 4:31 (ESV): "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."
Reflection: How can you participate more actively in corporate prayer within your church community? What specific prayer needs can you bring before God in your next corporate prayer meeting?
Quotes
1. "What Jesus came to do and what the Jews of his day thought he came to do was deliver them from Roman bondage. All of the signals, all of the prophecies, all of the signs pointed to this was the timing, the season when they would be put back up on top, and the Romans would be on the throne, because that was the current kingdom that was oppressing them at this point, and they would be, the temple would be the focus, and they'll be God's chosen people on top of the world. So they expected this Messiah to come to elevate them to that level. Jesus had another agenda." [07:37] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The kingdom and its basic understanding is a Jewish concept. Jews will inherit the kingdom. Kingdom is really a Jewish concept. I think we got to get in our mind that the church is not a replacement Israel. And I know that teaching goes around. We don't replace Israel. We partner with Israel. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2, that basically where we are with Israel is that we are two people that God, God tends to make one. So there's a church and there's Israel." [11:59] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The church is made up of Jews and Gentiles. But we have to understand this whole composite of the church is what God sees as this entity we're running in, but we preach the message of the kingdom. The kingdom message we're preaching, and that's why I'm teaching on eschatology right now, is an end-time kingdom. It is not a present kingdom. We're not presently trying to build the kingdom of God. We're aspirations for an end-time kingdom that is to come. So in an eschatological viewpoint, the church is declaring an end-time kingdom." [13:25] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "What we should be doing is worrying about the mission. The commission that he gave in Matthew 28, 19 was a commission. Go into all the world and preach the kingdom, preach the gospel. Stop trying to create other visions. We've already got the vision. The vision is that, Christ is going to come. The vision is that we're trying to get a church about spot from the wrinkle. We got the vision. But when we get people keep trying to recreate a vision, then we have all these visions out here. Everybody's got a vision and nobody's doing the mission." [21:29] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "What we understand in the New Testament is that the sign to the church is not physical prosperity, but spiritual prosperity. Paul says in Ephesians 1 and 3, we've been blessed in the heavens with every spiritual gift so that the church is under this persecution, and yet they are rich. I've been teaching on the letters that Jesus wrote. One of them was a church that I did last week on Pergamon who was poor in a city that was extremely rich, yet God says you're rich because our prosperity, and in Colossians, he tells them, we're not of this world. Set your affections on things above. I think we've become too worldly and not enough spiritual." [22:45] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Church was never designed for sinners. Church was designed for a community of believers to fellowship. According to Acts 2.42, they continue steadfast in the apostles' doctrine. Fellowship. Breaking of bread. And prayer. And verse 47 says, and the Lord added to Now, we're supposed to go out and convert sinners. And bring them back to the community. The fellowship. What we gather weekly is for fellowship. We're not gathering weekly to save folks. We should be going out there to save folks." [48:32] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Prayer changes futures. So as we have our purpose. And what God is planning for our life. It is prayer that shifts futures. So when we really get into intercessory prayer like we should. And since Romans 8.26 says we don't really know what to pray for as well. We've got to praise him. Because that's going to give us the language in prayer. I do a lesson called the vocabulary of worship. And in that. And I also do another one called the vocabulary of praise. Because there's vocabulary to both of those that places us into this thing. It becomes an impartation." [42:24] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "The world is going to say what it wants about God's church. We can't stop that. They've been doing that since the church started, but it hasn't stopped the church. What we should be doing is made true to the message of Jesus Christ. If Hebrews 13, eight says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we need to be focusing on the risen Christ, not the Jesus who was in Galilee. Paul said, we want to know a man at the flesh. We don't know him anymore. He's on the other side." [33:46] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "We come to worship. If you look at the worship in the Old Testament, everything was about bringing gifts to God. I'm a part of him. So as the smoke rose up, you saw the smoke because he accepted your worship. That's when you got blessed. And then the priest will pronounce blessing on the congregation. Once God has approved your site. We got to get back to the thing that we've, but through the era of evangelism, we went through this era of evangelism in the church. We've got it to the point where people think they're coming to get a ticket. And so we're coming to get ours. And so church has turned into a depository of fine people. Instead of people. Trying to please God." [39:18] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The kingdom message that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5 is that we are ambassadors to a new creation. We're trying to get people to now adjust to the second Adam, that we are new creatures. Right now, we're trying to populate the kingdom by getting people, kingdom people ready. In the meantime, the church is the vehicle in which the kingdom it? My second book should be on decoding the kingdom, number two. Eventually, we'll get to that." [18:44] (117 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?