The Everlasting Kingdom Of Christ

It Was Promised Through The Prophets As spoken by Daniel Dan 2:36-45 Nebuchadnezzar’s dream = world rule, global kingdoms vv. 37-38 “…in the days of ” the 4th kingdom, God would establish His kingdom v. 44 Never to be destroyed or left to other peoples…crush all other kingdoms

It Was Promised Through The Prophets As spoken by Daniel Dan 2:36-45 All this was from God v. 34 A stone “cut w/o hands” becoming a mountain The contents of this dream concerned what would happen in the “last” or “latter” days v. 28 cp. Heb 1:1-2

It Was Promised Through The Prophets As spoken to David 2 Sam 7:12-13 God promises David He will… …establish a kingdom to reign forever …set up as King a descendant from David Later referred to as that spoken to the “prophet David” Acts 2:30-32 On the day this kingdom began

It Was Promised Through The Prophets As spoken to David 2 Sam 7:12-13 This fulfilled what was declared about Jesus before His birth Lk 1:32-33

It Is Parallel To The Church As taught by Jesus Himself Mt 16:18-19 He promised to “build My church” He also promised to give Peter “keys to the kingdom” If not the same, what would He build that would be different from what Peter would unlock with keys?

It Is Parallel To The Church As taught by Paul Col 1:13-14, 17-18 Addresses those who had been “in domain of darkness” and who now were “in kingdom of His Son” v. 13 This same Son = Head of the body, the church v. 18

It Is Parallel To The Church As taught by Paul Col 1:13-14, 17-18 To be in the kingdom = to be in the church If not the same, at what different times are we placed in the kingdom, then in the church? The Lord adds to the church those who are saved Acts 2:47

It Is Parallel To The Church As taught by Paul Col 1:13-14, 17-18 To be in the kingdom = to be in the church If not the same, at what different times are we placed in the kingdom, then in the church? To be in the kingdom = to have sins forgiven Col 1:14

It Is Parallel To The Church As taught by Paul Col 1:13-14, 17-18 To be in the kingdom = to be in the church If not the same, at what different times are we placed in the kingdom, then in the church? Therefore, the kingdom and the church must be one and the same

It Was Planned From The Beginning All this was not an after-thought All this did not “fortunately evolve” for us All this was God’s eternal purpose God planned salvation in Christ from the very beginning 2 Tim 1:9

It Was Planned From The Beginning All this was not an after-thought All this did not “fortunately evolve” for us All this was God’s eternal purpose God’s plan to save man for a long time was a “mystery” Eph 3:3-9

It Was Planned From The Beginning All this was not an after-thought All this did not “fortunately evolve” for us All this was God’s eternal purpose God planned the church to be involved in revealing this “mystery” to everyone Eph 3:10-11

It Is Peculiar…Unlike Anything Else “Peculiar” doesn’t have to mean “odd” or “strange” cp. Ex 19:5 [KJV] It can also mean “special” or “unique” This kingdom cannot be compared to any other kingdom

It Is Peculiar…Unlike Anything Else This kingdom cannot be compared to any other kingdom It is not of this world Jn 18:36 It is not advanced by carnal means 2 Cor 10:3-5 cp. Jn 18:10-11

It Is Peculiar…Unlike Anything Else This kingdom cannot be compared to any other kingdom We are made citizens not by being conquered, but by submitting voluntarily 2 Kings 17:23b-24 cp. Acts 2:40-41 Mt 11:28-30

Conclusion The idea of being “religious” is indeed noble cp. Acts 17:22 Living in a literal “spiritual smorgasbord” affords us many options re: worship We must be concerned about where we worship…what church we join

Conclusion Jesus, His disciples were “religious” They never joined man-made religious groups Jesus came trumpeting the kingdom of heaven “that was at hand” Mk 1:15 Why, then, would we want to be a part of anything other than God’s kingdom?

Conclusion Does all this mean all other churches are the “enemy” & full of bad people? No…they simply are not the church or kingdom of Jesus Christ He stands ready to add you to His kingdom Acts 2:47