THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE CHURCH

1

• THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE CHURCH
• Intro. The church mentioned only three times in
  the gospels. Emphasis is on the kingdom of God.
  But the kingdom of God not a new concept in first
  century
• 1. Appears in OT (e.g., 2 Sam.711-16 Dan.244
  713-14).
  
• 2. Appears in the Pseudepigrapha, Jewish
  writings, 200 BC 200 AD, credited stories to
  Biblical characters and times, erroneously
  ascribed to OT biblical kings and prophets.
• 3. Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls) made evident the
  kingdom of God prominent concept among Jews of
  Christs ministry.

2

• I. KINGDOM OF GOD CENTRAL THEME OF THE GOSPELS
• A. John Proclaimed Kng at hand (Mt. 31-2).
• B. Jesus Proclaimed kng at hand (Mt.417)
• 1. Preaching the kng Christs assigned mission
  (LK.443).
  
• 2. The time is fulfilled (Mk.115) meant all
  OT prophecies of the kng about to be
  fulfilled. Gods activity in history
  
• about to brought to completion in Christ
  (Eph.19-11).
  
• C. Jesus Sent Out Preachers to preach kng at
  hand,
  
• 1. The twelve (Mt.107)
• 2. The seventy (Lk.109)
• D. Jesus after Res. Preached the things
  concerning the kng of God (Acts13).

3

• II. THE KINGDOM DEFINED
• No formal definition in Scripture. Churches of
  Christ traditionally equates transference into
  the kng (Col.112-13) with being added to the
  church (Acts 247). While true the Kng embraces
  more than the church.
• A. Definition
• 1. Lexicons basileia, basileia.
• a. primary rule, reign, kingship, kingly
  authority/power
  
• dominion, sovereignty.
• b. secondary realm, territory, domain, the
  people over which the king has dominion,
  Cf made them to be a kingdom
  (Rev.59-10).
• 2. The basic meaning Any activity of God can
  be associat-
  
• ed with the idea of the kingdom of God
  (THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, Everett Ferguson,
  27), describes the condition of people
  under the sovereignty of God
• (THE ETERNAL KINGDOM, F. W. Mattox,
  41).

4

• B. Illustrations
• 1. Dan.713-14, sovereignty and glory and
  kingly power were given (NEB). So also in v.22,
  26-27.
  
• sovereignty in mgr. reading of NASV,
  authority, glory and sovereign power (NIV).
  
• 2. Mt. 1228, The kingdom reign of God
  manifested in Christs supernatural exorcism
  power.
  
• 3. Lk.1720-21, The kng. among them, in their
  midst, in the person of Christ. Cannot see the
  kng, comes not with observation, but can see
  the church. The kng cannot be located
  geographically here or there, but the church
  is located geographically here and there.
• 4. Jn.1836, My kingdom is not of this
  worldmy kingship is not from this world (RSV).
  My kingly authority comes from elsewhere (NEB).
  
• 5. Rom.1417, what the kingdom is and is not.

5

• 6. Mk.91, When kingly authority is manifested
  can see the kng. come with power. Hence,
  Mk.1461-62 Mt.2414, 30. Jesus came with power
  and glory when he destroyed Jerusalem through
  Titus.
• III. The Kingdom Reign of God Transferred to
  Christ.
  
• A. God Has Always Had the Reign, the Kingdom,
  Ex.1518
  
• 1 Chron. 2910-11 Ps.1016 2228 10319.
• B. Transfer Foretold, 2 Sam.712-14 Ps.27-9
  (cf Acts 1333)
  
• 893-4, 19-36 1101-2, 5.
• C. Sovereign Power Manifested, e.g., Mt. 1228
  and all exercise
  
• of supernatural power recorded in the
  Gospels.
  
• D. Christ Rules All Things Everywhere,
  Mt.2818-20 Acts 233-36 Eph.119-22 Col.31
  1 Pet.322 Rev.15-6 1115 2112, 10, 14,
  22ff. Hence, transfer confirmed.

6

• IV. THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST,
  Acts 2
  
• A. The Holy Spirit Descends Upon the Apostles,
  21-13.
  
• B. Significance of the Moment Explained By
  Peter, 214-21.
  
• 1. Prophecy fulfilled, this is that 216
• 2. Salvation for those who call on the name
  of the Lord 221.
  
• C. Peter Announces The Coronation of the King,
  222-36.
  
• Jesus is LORD and Christ.
• D. The Reign of Christ Exercised in Remission of
  Sins and Gift
  
• of the Holy Spirit, 237-41. Jesus had
  authority to forgive
  
• sins, Mt.91-8 Mk.21-12.
• E. The Creation of the Church, Acts 242-47. The
  kingdom
  
• preached in the Gospels, the church
  established in Acts.
  
• To speak of the church of Christ is to imply
  Christ reigns over all
  
• things to save mankind. The church emerged out of
  his reign to
  
• save men, Eph.118-22. The Kingdom is thus a
  present reality.

7

• V. CHRISTS COSMIC SOVEREIGN REIGN
• A. Over All Things For the Church, Eph.118-23
• B. Over The poor in spirit, Mt.53 those who
  seek the
  
• kingdom, Mt.631-33.
• C. To Come To Those Who Do His Will, Mt.69-10,
• Our Father in heaven,
• your name is hallowed
• your kingdom come, your will be done,
• on earth as in heaven.
• When his name is sanctified and his will obeyed
  his kingdom reign comes. Cf Lk.1231-32.
  
• D. Manifested in the Destruction of Jerusalem,
  Mk.1461-62
  
• Mt.2414 29-30, 34. See Lk.2128,31, The
  reign of Christ is
  
• near Christ is in control.

8

• E. Christs Reign Began At A Specific Time
  Period, Mt.1928.
  
• 1. Christ to be enthroned in the
  regeneration.
  
• We are now in the regeneration
• a. born anew, Jn.33,5
• b. saved by washing of regeneration,
  Tit.34-5
  
• c. begotten by the gospel, 1 Cor.415
• d. brought forth by the word of God,
  Jas.118
  
• e. begotten by the word, 1 Pet.123
• 2. Apostles on 12 Thrones, thrones of
  authority
  
• a. 12 tribes of Israel, if lit. where is
  the throne for the 13th apostle? See
  Lk.2229-30. Those on thrones rule,
  reign, judge.
• b. Example of apostles judging, 1 Cor.53
  740
  
• F. Will Reign Until the Resurrection, 1
  Cor.1523-28.

9

• VI. THE KINGDOM OF GOD A FUTURE REALIZATION.
• What is said of salvation and of eternal life is
  said of the kingdom
  
• A. Salvation Is Seen To Be
• 1. Present
• a. justified, Rom.51
• b. freed, Gal.51
• c. saved, Eph.28 Tit.35
• 2. Yet future
• a. Salvation to be revealed at Christs
  return, 1 Pet.15
  
• b. Salvation to be received later, 1
  Pet.19
  
• B. Eternal Life Already Obtained, 1 Jn.513
• yet, future, Mk.1029-30
• C. We Are In The Kingdom Now, Col.113
• yet, we enter the kingdom later, 2 Pet.110-11.

10

• VII. WE REIGN WITH CHRIST NOW.
• A. Raised From Baptism To Reign With Him,
  Eph.26 Rev.59-
  
• 10.
• B. Our Reign Extends Beyond The Grave,
  Rev.226-27 203-6.
  
• C. Three Periods of Reigning
• a. Now, Rev. 59-10
• b. During the 1000 years of Rev. 203-6 (cf
  26-7)
  
• c. For ever, Rev.225.
• Conclusion The kingdom of God as prophesied has
  come with
  
• Christ and the church. Christ, as the cosmic
  sovereign ruler,
  
• overrules all things for the church to accomplish
  Gods eternal
  
• purpose for the redemption of mankind.