THE KINGDOM CONCEPTS
SERMON STARTER
A friend and I were having an “in depth” discussion about Christianity. During our talk I asked him if he understood Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of God. He related that he was not sure. I began to open up to him the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven. This was new to him, so I gave this survey sermon as a way of introducing the subject to him.
There are a number of obstacles to either seeing or entering the Kingdom. John 3 says we must be “born from above” to see or enter the Kingdom. What does that mean? Does it mean entering heaven? Or, does it mean entering and joining the cultural, religious organization we call the church?
What did Jesus mean?
Jack Hayford gave me the bedrock teaching on the Kingdom of God. I took a class on Evangelism from him in the Fall of 1973. When I finished my 12 weeks of classes under his instruction, he had shattered forever my concept of the church as the Kingdom of God. Pastor Jack destroyed by paradigm of evangelism as well. On the first night of class he said, “Most of you don’t know what it is you’re evangelizing. So, for the next eight weeks we will study the Kingdom of God. Brother Jack was fresh from more than ten years of teaching at Life Bible College in Los Angeles. He knew his subject cold. He never looked at a note and I was unable to take notes of those eight weeks. Brother Jack rattled off the Biblical texts by heart and kept speaking words that fell on my dry and dusty heart like life-giving rain. I have never been the same.
Obstacles to the seeing of or entry to the Kingdom:
1) Incorrect church teaching:
Two disturbing areas of practicing Churches and church leaders keep believers from seeing and entering the Kingdom:
a) Most evangelical churches value reason over feeling and sensing. Salvation for them is mostly a left-brained, rational experience. They feel if you hold correct Biblical truth and knowledge, then, you will enter the Kingdom.
b. Placing more value on their subjective interpretation of
salvation than on actual Biblical teaching
2) Wrong family teaching:
a. Dysfunction in family forcing kids into mental defense systems where everything is safely screened through the intellect where emotions are eliminated
b. Punishment for expressing emotion
c. No-Talk rules that leave family members to interpret all covert things and events
3) Personal Immaturity – Self centered, controlling people cannot enter God’s Kingdom
4) Direct Satanic Opposition to the Kingdom of God
a. The Accuser of the Brethren hates God and His followers
b. Malicious Gossip – The devil is known by what he does
This sermon explores the basic concepts of the Kingdom of God as taught by Jack Hayford. I have tweaked the teaching here and there under the influence of John Wimber. Here is my understanding of the Kingdom of God with apologies to brothers Hayford and Winber.
Sheepfold Ministries, Pastor Phil Roland
March 11, 2007
THE KINGDOM CONCEPTS
“The Kingdom of God is the message Jesus preached. It is the rule and reign of Jesus in this present age. We can enter into it now. Pastor Phil
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17
JACK HAYFORD’S CONCEPT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD:
I. KINGDOM RULE
A. God Is Almighty, No Power Is Above His - Ps. 19:1-6
B. He Delegates His Rule of Planet Earth to Man
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,
and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the
livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the
ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created
him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them,
“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish
of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on
the ground.” Genesis 1:26-28
”The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.” Psalm 115:16
II. KINGDOM LOST
A. Man Fell From His Place of Relationship with God
B. Through Forfeiture, Man’s Rule Fell to The Adversary
III. KINGDOM USURPED
A. The Rule of the Planet Went to Satan/God of This World -
1. The Mind Blinder - 2 Corinthians 4:4
”The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they
cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
2. Prince of this World - John 14:30
“I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. . .”
B. This Whole World Lies in the Evil One’s Power - 1 John 5:19
“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the
control of the evil one.”
C. This Is Definitely Not “My Father’s World” - Gal. 1:3,4
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. . .”
IV. KINGDOM RUINED
A. This Present World is under Evil, Rebellious Leadership
B. Evil Rules and Multiplies Its Destruction
C. Results from Man’s Disobedience
D. Ends in Satan’s Program of Ruin and Destruction
V. KINGDOM COME
A. Jesus Was Sent as the Messiah, Son of God, Savior, King
B. Threefold Mission
1. Rescue Mankind from His Own Destructiveness
2. Restore Mankind’s Relationship with the Living God
3. Reinstate Mankind to Their Rightful Estate as Ruler
C. His Simple Message
1. “Repent for the Kingdom of God is Now with You”
D. His Evidence of the Presence of the Kingdom
1. His Phenomenal Love, Grace and Forgiveness
2. His Mighty Miracle and Healings
3. His Dominion over the Demonic
VI. KINGDOM VICTORY
A. Jesus Predicted His Death, Resurrection and Ascension
1. He knew in advance - Matthew 20:18-19
"We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to
the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and
crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
2. John 14:19,20
“Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.
Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in
my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”
B. Jesus Conquered Death!!!
He Broke Satan’s Death-Grip on Man and the Planet
VII. KINGDOM PROMISE
A. Jesus Promised His Holy Spirit
1. His Spirit Makes the Kingdom of God Work Thru Us!
2. He is in Us - John 14:12-17
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been
doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to
the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son
may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name,
and I will do it. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will
ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you
forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it
neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you
and will be in you.”
B. Jesus Taught, “I will build My Church. . .”
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matt. 16:18-19
C. Jesus Promised Presence and Power
”On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this
command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father
promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with
water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So
when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going
to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to
know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you
will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of
the earth." Acts 1:4-8
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city
until you have been clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:49
VIII. KINGDOM POWER
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the sons and daughters of God." John 1:12
“Occupy Until I Come. . .” Rev. 2:25
Sheepfold Ministries – Pastor Phil Roland – 2007
THE KINGDOM CONCEPTS, TEXTS:
GOD IS ALMIGHTY - Ps. 19:1-6
1The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
4Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.