THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 6-11-17<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE: “JESUS’ KINGDOM”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>

      GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY, AS WE TOGETHER GIVE THIS TIME TO GOD. I KNOW THAT WE WILL ALL BE ENCOURAGED AND UPLIFTED BY OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING.  SO, LET’S GIVE OUR BEST TO GOD SO THAT HE MAY BE PLEASED WITH OUR OFFERING.  FURTHERMORE, LET’S DO ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL SO THAT OUR WORSHIP WILL BE RECEIVED BY HIM IN A GOOD AND PERFECT WAY. NOW, LET’S APPROACH HIS THRONE IN PRAYER!<br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE - THE GREAT PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND THE GREAT HONOR WE HAVE TO SERVE YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. AND HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO BE LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW YOU THROUGH US. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE BIBLE AND WHAT IT GIVES US IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT WE MIGHT KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE US TO DO, AND THEREFORE HELP US TO LIVE EVERY DAY THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE GREAT BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE - BUT ULTIMATELY THE GREAT BLESSING THAT IS AWAITING US IN THE LIFE TO COME. FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU'LL HELP US TO, IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH, EVER GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST. IN THE NAME OF JESUS WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br>

      I HOPE WE ARE LIVING OUR LIVES EVERY DAY WITH THE REALIZATION THAT SOMEDAY OUR SAVIOR WILL RETURN TO THIS EARTH TO RECEIVE THE FAITHFUL. THE BIBLE TEACHES US THAT ALL WHO ARE FAITHFUL WILL BE “CAUGHT UP” TOGETHER WITH THE LORD IN THE AIR AND THUS WILL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD. ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THIS GREAT EVENT AT THE END OF YOUR LIFE? OUR FIRST  SONG OF PRAISE TO GOD THIS DAY WILL FOCUS ON THESE BEAUTIFUL PROMISES OF GOD. SO, PLEASE PARTICIPATE WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING TOGETHER, “THE LAST MILE OF THE WAY!” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      IN PSALMS 50:15, DAVID SAID, “CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE; I WILL DELIVER YOU, AND YOU SHALL GLORIFY ME.” WHAT GREAT WORDS WE HAVE RECORDED HERE BY THE PSALMIST. THINK OF ALL THE ENCOURAGEMENT WE GAIN FROM THIS TYPE OF PROMISE. WHAT DO WE LEARN IN THIS VERSE ABOUT OUR ALMIGHTY GOD?  

      FIRST, GOD SAID WE CAN CALL UPON HIM WHEN WE ARE IN TROUBLE.  HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW THAT OUR GOD IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US NO MATTER WHAT OUR NEED IS. EVEN IN TROUBLE, AS THE VERSE SAYS, WE CAN CALL ON HIM AND HE IS THERE. NOW THE ONLY PROBLEM IS, MANY OF US ARE GUILTY OF ONLY CALLING ON THE LORD WHEN THE TROUBLES COME. WE OFTEN FORGET GOD WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL. <br> <br>

      ISN’T IT GREAT TO KNOW THAT GOD IS ALWAYS THERE AND HE HEARS US AS HIS FOLLOWERS? JOHN UNDERSTOOD THIS WHEN HE SAID, “NOW THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE IN HIM, THAT IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARS US,” 1 JOHN 5:14. IN THE NEXT VERSE, HE GOES ON TO SAY, “AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEARS US, WHATEVER WE ASK, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE HAVE ASKED OF HIM.” PRAISE GOD FOR THIS PROMISE. HE HEARS US, AND GIVES US WHAT WE ASK FOR, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.  <br> <br>

      SO WHAT ELSE WILL GOD DO WHEN WE CALL ON HIM? WELL, THE VERSE WE READ EARLIER FROM DAVID GOES ON TO SAY HE WILL DELIVER US! THIS IS THE SAME LESSON WE FIND TAUGHT THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT. IN FACT, PAUL SAID, “NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN; BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.” 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13. YES, OUR GOD IS GREAT! <br> <br> 

      FINALLY, NOTICE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CALL ON HIM AND HE DELIVERS US - WE GLORIFY HIM! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL OUTCOME TO DOING WHAT GOD ASKS US TO. WHEN WE RELY ON HIM AND RECEIVE HIS HELP IT BRINGS GLORY TO HIM, FROM US AND THOSE WHO SEE HIS WONDROUS POWER.   <br> <br>

      WHAT ABOUT YOU THIS MORNING, DO YOU DEPEND ON GOD WHEN YOU NEED SOME HELP? WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN AND HE WILL CARE FOR YOU AS HE HAS PROMISED. AND THEN, AS WE HAVE SEEN, TO GOD BE THE GLORY! <br> <br>

      THIS MORNING, I WILL BE LEADING OUR LESSON THOUGHTS AS WE CONTINUE OUR STUDY ENTITLED, “HE PREACHED TO THEM JESUS.” OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC THIS MORNING WILL FOCUS ON, “JESUS’ KINGDOM.” AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER WE WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW LET’S RETURN TO OUR SINGING. THE NAME OF THE NEXT HYMN, “THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL.” <br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US NOW AS WE GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD'S WORD ABOUT JESUS HIMSELF AND THE LIFE THAT CHRIST LIVED. AND SO FAR WE'VE LOOKED AT, NOT ONLY THE BIRTH AND ALL OF THE FUNDAMENTALS ABOUT THE EARLY LIFE OF JESUS, BUT ALSO HIS MINISTRY. WE'VE LOOKED AT HIS DEATH, HIS BURIAL, AND ALSO HIS RESURRECTION. AND TODAY WE'LL CONTINUE BY LOOKING AT THE CONCEPT OF THE KINGDOM. BECAUSE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT JESUS PREACHED WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO THE EARTH, WE FIND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT HE PREACHED THE KINGDOM OF GOD. <br> <br>

      WE'LL BEGIN IN THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 AND AFTER WE LOOK AT A FEW VERSES HERE AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THESE VERSES AGAIN LATER. BUT I'D LIKE TO SET UP OUR DISCUSSION THERE FROM COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 BECAUSE, WITHIN THAT CHAPTER, THE WORD KINGDOM IS USED AND ALSO THE CONCEPT OF WHAT GOD HATH DONE IS MENTIONED. WHAT HAS GOD DONE FOR MAN? WELL, YOU AND I KNOW THAT HE GAVE HIS SON AND JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD THAT WE MIGHT DO WHAT? THAT WE MIGHT BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME TO BE A CHILD OF GOD? THERE IN VERSE 13 OF COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 THE BIBLE SAYS, “HE,” THAT IS GOD THE FATHER, “HAD DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS AND CONVEYED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE.” WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS AS WE LOOK AT THE CONTEXT, WE SEE FIRST OF ALL THE IDEA OF DARKNESS OR SIN; THE THINGS OF THE WORLD THAT WE MUST GET AWAY FROM. BECAUSE THEY KEEP US FROM GOD, THEY WOULD KEEP US FROM SALVATION, AND THEN WE FIND THAT WE ARE PUT INTO SOMETHING ELSE WHICH IS CALLED THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE. WHO IS THE SON OF HIS LOVE? JESUS, THE KINGDOM OF JESUS. AND WHAT'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT IS THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, “WELL, THIS IS TALKING ABOUT A KINGDOM THAT IS STILL GOING TO COME,” OR “THIS IS STILL TALKING ABOUT MAYBE AN ETERNAL KINGDOM AND THE FINAL KINGDOM OF GOD.” WELL, I'D ASK YOU TO LOOK AGAIN AT THAT CONTEXT BECAUSE THERE, WITHIN THE CONTEXT, THE GREEK WORD DELIVERED IS IN THE ERREST TENSE. THAT'S A VERB THAT MEANS PAST TENSE, AND NOT JUST PAST TENSE, BUT IT'S PAST TENSE THAT'S CALLED PUNCTILLAR, OR PERIOD, WHICH MEANS THAT HE DELIVERED US AS A SINGULAR IDEA, MOTION, OR ACT. HE DELIVERED, NOT THAT HE WILL DELIVER US OR THAT HE IS DELIVERING US OR THAT HE MIGHT SOMEDAY DELIVER US, BUT HE HAS! THE FATHER HAS DELIVERED US! SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. WE WHO? THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH, THE BRETHREN AT COLOSSAE, THE FAUTHFUL AT COLOSSAE, HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS AND THEN THE NEXT WORD HE USES IS HAVE BEEN MOVED OR TRANSFERRED OR CONVEYED. IF YOU LOOK THERE AND THAT WORD ALSO IS ERREST. SO HE HAS DELIVERED US, PUNCTILLAR. HE HAS ALSO CONVEYED OR TRANSFERRED US, PUNCTILLAR. ALL IN THE PAST. IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED. IT IS NOT HAPPENING NOW, IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. YOU KNOW WHAT PARTS OF SPEECH MEAN. YOU KNOW WHAT ENGLISH PARTS OF SPEECH ARE. THIS IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. THE KINGDOM THAT IS BEING SPOKEN OF HERE OF THE FATHER, THAT THE FATHER SAYS HE HAD DELIVERED US FROM DARKNESS AND PUT US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE, JESUS, IS SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. WE ARE NOW IN THAT KINGDOM AND IF YOU WILL NOTICE IN THE SAME CONTEXT AS HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE KINGDOM AND THE BLESSING OF GOD OF THAT KINGDOM WHERE SALVATION IS FOUND, IN VERSE 18 HE SAYS IT IS THAT SAME JESUS. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH. SO WITHIN THE DISCUSSION OF THE KINGDOM THAT WE NOW ARE IN THAT IN THE PAST HE TOOK US OUT OF DARKNESS AS CHRISTIANS OR TO BECOME CHRISTIANS TO PUT US INTO THE CHURCH OR THE KINGDOM IS THE SAME AS THE BODY…IS THE SAME AS THE CHURCH. <br> <br>

      WELL, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME VERSES THAT HELP US WITH THAT. FIRST OF ALL, TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT NOT ONLY JESUS BUT EVEN BEFORE JESUS THERE WAS JOHN THE PREPARER…THE ONE WHO PREPARED THE WAY, JOHN THE BAPTISER. AND YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 3 THAT HE CAME PREACHING THIS: REPENTANCE FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. AND GUESS WHAT JESUS PREACHED? NOT ONLY IN MATTHEW, BUT WE GO TO OTHER GOSPEL ACCOUNTS AND WE FIND JESUS ALSO PREACHED REPENT! FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. IN MARK CHAPTER 9 IN VERSE ONE JESUS ACTUALLY TOLD SOME PRESENT THAT DAY, HE SAID SOME OF YOU STANDING HERE WILL NOT TASTE OF DEATH UNTIL MY KINGDOM COMES FROM ABOVE. AND SO JESUS SAID MY KINGDOM IS COMING IN THE LIFETIME OF MANY OF YOU WHO STAND IN HERE. AND THEN ALSO IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW WE NOTICE THERE WHEN JESUS IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE COMING OF HIS KINGDOM IN CHAPTER 16 HE SAYS THERE I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, MATTHEW 16:16. AND LATER HE SAYS IN THE SAME TEXT THAT HE WOULD GIVE PETER THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM. THAT'S WHY WHEN WE GO AGAIN TO COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE 13 HE SAYS WE HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS, ALREADY HAPPENED, AND PUT INTO THE KINGDOM OF JESUS, ALREADY HAPPENED, THAT WE KNOW THAT KINGDOM, AS VERSE 8:18 SAYS IN THE SAME CONTEXT, AS HIS CHURCH, THE BODY. AND HOW DO WE ALSO KNOW THAT? ANOTHER VERSE THAT I REALLY LOVE AS WE DISCUSS THE CONCEPT OF THE KINGDOM IS FOUND THERE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS. BECAUSE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WE FIND WHEN THE CHURCH HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED AND HOW THAT MANY WERE OBEYING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND GUESS WHAT WAS HAPPENING? THEY WERE BEING ADDED TO SOMETHING. WELL, LET'S BEGIN FIRST OF ALL THERE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. WHAT WERE THEY TOLD ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST? PETER AND THE OTHERS TOLD HIM TO REPENT AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTISED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS? WHAT WERE THE RESULTS? THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE REMISSION OF SINS, AND THAT THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. SO WHEN THEY TOOK ACTION, WHAT HAPPENED? THEY BECAME CHILDREN OF GOD; FOLLOWERS OF GOD. BUT THEY ALSO WERE PUT INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 47 IT SAYS, “…PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY.” THE CHURCH, THE KINGDOM, THE BODY DAILY, THOSE THAT WERE WHAT? THOSE THAT WERE BEING SAVED. NOW HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT CHURCH IS THAT SAME KINGDOM? WELL, WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT JESUS SAYS I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. JESUS SAID REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND. JESUS SAID SOME OF YOU WON'T TASTE OF DEATH UNTIL THE KINGDOM COMES. AND THEN ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST THAT HE SAYS I WILL ADD TO THE CHURCH THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED. IN THAT DAY, 3000 PLUS WERE BAPTIZED. BUT WE'RE NOT FINISHED THERE BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO OVER TO ACTS CHAPTER 20, I WANT YOU NOTICE SOMETHING THAT PAUL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT CLARIFIES FOR US ABOUT THE CHURCH. WHAT IS THE CHURCH? WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHURCH? WELL, IF YOU'LL READ WITH ME THERE IN VERSE 28 AS HE TALKED TO THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, HERE IS THE STATEMENT THAT HE MAKES BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE SAYS, “THEREFORE,” TO THESE ELDERS, “TAKE HEED TO THE FLOCK; ALL THE FLOCK, AMONG WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS MADE YOU OVERSEERS, TO SHEPHERD THE CHURCH OF GOD.” WHAT? SO THEY WERE ADDED BY THE LORD TO THE CHURCH AND HERE THE ELDERS AT EPHESUS ARE BEING TOLD TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK THAT IS AMONGST THEM, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF HAS PLACED THEM AS ELDERS OF. AND HE CALLS THE INSTITUTION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED AS ELDERS OVER OR OVERSEERS AS THE CHURCH. BUT HE DOESN'T STOP THERE BECAUSE THE LAST PART OF VERSE 28 SAYS, “THE CHURCH OF GOD, WHICH HE PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD.” OH WOW! WOW. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE IDEA: WHERE WAS THE BLOOD SHED? THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE DEATH, THE BURIAL, AND EVEN THE RESURRECTION: WHEN THE BLOOD WAS SHED, WHAT DID THE BLOOD MEAN? WELL, WE'VE ALREADY LEARNED TODAY, ACTS 2:38, THAT THE BLOOD GIVES US WHAT? FORGIVENESS OF SINS! WHEN WE REPENT AND ARE BAPTIZED AND HAVE CONFESSED THE NAME OF JESUS WE, THEREFORE RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS. AND ANANIAS TOLD PAUL IN ACTS CHAPTER 22 VERSE 16, “ARISE AND BE BAPTIZED, AND WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.” THERE'S A CONNECTION THERE. AND THOUGH THE CONNECTION IS CLEAR CONCERNING THE BLOOD THAT WE HAVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, WE ALSO LEARN IN VERSE 28 THAT THE BLOOD ALSO PURCHASED THE CHURCH. WHY? BECAUSE THERE NEEDED TO BE AN INSTITUTION WHICH WOULD HOUSE THE SAVED. WHICH WOULD BE THAT WHICH WOULD HOLD THE RIGHTEOUS OF GOD. THE SAME WAY GOD ALWAYS HAD A KINGDOM THAT HOUSES PEOPLE. THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL FOR INSTANCE. HE NOW HAS THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST, THE KINGDOM OF JESUS, WHICH HOUSES THE SAVED, WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE SAVED PURCHASED WITH THE VERY BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. IF IT IS NOT THE SAME, THEN WHY DID JESUS LIE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS TELLING THEM THAT SOME OF THEM WOULD NOT TASTE OF DEATH UNTIL THE KINGDOM CAME? AND WHEN DID THAT KINGDOM COME? AND IF IT'S NOT THE CHURCH WHY ARE THERE TWO DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS THAT THOSE WHO OBEY JESUS ARE PUT INTO AS FOLLOWERS OF GOD? <br> <br>

      WELL, THAT'S WHY IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 WHEN HE SAID, “THAT GOD THE FATHER HAS TAKEN YOU OUT OF THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS AND PUT YOU IN THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE,” JESUS, HE HAS CONVEYED YOU OR MOVED YOU ALREADY INTO A KINGDOM THAT IS WHAT? HEADED BY JESUS CHRIST. IS IT NOT THERE IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS THAT WE LEARN IN CHAPTER 5 THAT JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF THE CHURCH. THAT JESUS DIED FOR THE CHURCH. THAT JESUS IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. YOU SEE, HE'S THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, AS HE IS THE HEAD OF THE KINGDOM, AS HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, AS HE'S THE SAVIOR OF THE CHURCH, AS HE'S THE HEAD OF THE KINGDOM, AS HE'S THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY. HE IS ALSO THERE THE HEAD AND SAVIOR OF THE BODY, KINGDOM, AND CHURCH. AND THUS, BECAUSE OF THIS, WHAT DO WE HAVE? THE VERY SAME OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS THAT THOSE OF COLOSSAE HAD. THAT THOSE OF EPHESUS HAD. THAT THOSE OF PHILLIPPI HAD. THAT WHEN WE OBEY, BY FAITH, THE PLAN OF SALVATION, GOD ADDS US TO THE SAME CHURCH OR KINGDOM THAT WAS PURCHASED WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, THAT DID COME IN THE DAY OF THOSE WHO WERE AT PENTECOST IN ACTS CHAPTER 2. AND THEREFORE, AS THOSE WHO ARE PART OF THAT KINGDOM, WE AGAIN MAKE UP THE PEOPLE OF GOD. THE ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, PETER DESCRIBES IT, THE HOLY NATION, GOD'S SPECIAL PEOPLE. THERE ALSO EARLIER IN THE SAME CHAPTER OF PETER HE TALKS ABOUT THAT WE ARE THE LIVING STONES, AS JESUS IS THAT CHIEF CORNERSTONE. WE ALSO MAKE UP THE HOUSE OF GOD. THE HOUSE AS THEREFORE OF GOD BEING THAT FOUNDATION THAT WE ARE THE STONES MAKING UP PART OF THAT STRUCTURE. <br> <br>

      BUT FINALLY, THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER VERSE THAT I THINK HELPS US TO REALLY SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT IT IS THAT THE KINGDOM IS ALL ABOUT. AND I THINK THAT IS FOUND THERE IN FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 15 BECAUSE IT TIES WELL INTO THE SAME WORD THERE. KINGDOM IN THE GREEK, THE WORD IS BASSALEA. BUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, HE BEGINS TO SPEAK ABOUT FINAL THINGS. HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE END THINGS WHEN CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN, VERSE 23 OF FIRST CORINTHIANS 15. BUT THEN HE MAKES THIS STATEMENT, “THEN COMES THE END.” THAT'S THE SECOND COMING WHEN HE DELIVERS THE KINGDOM TO GOD THE FATHER. AND WHEN HE PUTS AN END TO ALL RULE, ALL AUTHORITY, ALL POWER. HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE JUDGMENT SCENE WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN AS THE THESSALONIAN WRITER PAUL SAID WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS AND A GREAT SHOUT. AND AS HE SAYS THERE IN FIRST CORINTHIANS 15, LATER HE SAYS THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE CHANGED IN THE MOMENT OF A TWINKLING OF AN EYE. WE'LL BE TAKING ON AN INCORRUPTIBLE AND IMMORTAL FORM TO BE WITH GOD FOREVER. HE SAYS WHEN HE COMES, WHEN JESUS COMES, WHAT'S HE LOOKING FOR? THOSE WHO ARE IN THE KINGDOM. THOSE WHO ARE IN THE KINGDOM. NOW, IF THE KINGDOM DOESN'T EXIST HOW DOES SOMEBODY WHO DIED YESTERDAY, AS A MEMBER THE CHURCH, HOW ARE THEY GONNA BE IN THAT KINGDOM WHEN THE LORD COMES AGAIN? WHAT ABOUT SOMEBODY, A FAMILY MEMBER OR A LOVED ONE WHO'S BEEN IN THE LORD'S CHURCH OR WHO YOU BELIEVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN WHO DIED YEARS AGO, THE KINGDOM WASN'T YET ESTABLISHED, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE A PART OF THAT INSTITUTION THAT SOMEDAY WILL COME THAT THE SAVED WILL BE HOUSED IN SO THAT JESUS TAKES IT AND GIVES IT BACK TO THE FATHER? DO YOU SEE HOW SILLY THAT IDEA IS? DO YOU SEE HOW UNGODLY IT IS AND DO YOU SEE HOW UNBIBLICAL IT IS? JESUS SAID I'LL BUILD MY CHURCH. JESUS SAYS I'LL GIVE YOU THE KEYS TO THAT KINGDOM PETER. AND JESUS SAID I'M GOING TO DO IT IN YOUR DAY BEFORE MANY OF YOU TASTE OF DEATH. AND ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN THE POWER CAME FROM ON HIGH AS PROPHECY SPOKE ABOUT THAT COMING OF THE KINGDOM IN THE BOOKS OF DANIEL AND EZEKIEL AND ISAIAH AND OTHER PLACES, THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN, THERE WHEN THE POWER CAME FROM ON HIGH THAT GOD WOULD ESTABLISH HIS WHAT? HIS KINGDOM. WHEN? IN JERUSALEM ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. AND WHEN HE DID IT HE SAYS, “AND THE LORD ADDED THOSE WHO WERE SAVED TO THE CHURCH,” THE BODY, THAT KINGDOM, THAT I'M THANKFUL TO TELL YOU TODAY DOES EXIST. THAT YOU, BY YOUR ACTIONS OF FAITH, CAN BE A PART OF EVEN THIS DAY AND YOU CAN BECOME A PART OF A KINGDOM THAT SOMEDAY JESUS WILL COME AND RECEIVE TO HIMSELF AND DELIVER TO THE FATHER IN HEAVEN WHERE YOU WILL LIVE ETERNALLY! <br> <br>

      YOU SEE HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO KNOW, THAT NOT ONLY JESUS CAME, BUT JESUS PREACHED THE KINGDOM, JESUS ESTABLISHED THE KINGDOM, AND JESUS IS GOING TO COME BACK TO RECEIVE THAT KINGDOM SOMEDAY TO GIVE IT TO THE FATHER. THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT IS PREACHED, THAT MUST BE PREACHED, THAT WAS PREACHED. THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT WILL LEAD US TO SALVATION, BUT NOT ONLY US, BUT ALL THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE AND OBEY AS WELL. THE QUESTION TODAY IS: ARE YOU IN THE KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST? HAVE YOU SUBMITTED TO HIS WILL? HAVE YOU OBEYED THE GOSPEL PLAN OF SALVATION? IF NOT, OBEY CHRIST TODAY. AND IF YOU HAVE, THEN CERTAINLY REJOICE BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT REWARD AWAITING, THE HEAVENLY MANSION THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED. <br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      THANKS FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST AND CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE YOU HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR TIME TOGETHER. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS OFFERING FOR GOD.<br> <br>

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>



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      THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS KINGDOM ESTABLISHED THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF GOD’S HOLY NATION, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE SAVED OF OUR LORD. THE QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY IS, “HAVE YOU DONE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE TRANSLATED FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD? IF NOT, OBEY GOD’S WILL TODAY!

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