The Kingdom of God (7)
May 28, 2021
With Rev. David Sabet
Review:
In lesson #6, we learned how Jesus Christ laid down His life for ours, to redeem us from sin, to be His spotless bride. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the power of His Holy Spirit, we are to submit ourselves to God and resist the devil. We are to be taking up our cross daily, washing our garments and eagerly awaiting His return. We need to be fighting the good fight of faith against sin – not giving in to it like the kingdoms of this world! Be ye separate! Be ye holy!
However, too many “Houses of Worship” across this land are too busy focusing on “their programs” and building up “their numbers” that they are missing the mandate from God to be making disciples.
All milk and no meat makes one weak! The body of Christ needs to grow up into maturity. We need to learn how to function in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ! The deep calleth unto the deep!
Let’s take a moment to look at “The Church” and see some things through God’s eyes: God sees all the way down into our hearts!
- Revelation 3:1b-5 (LB Par.)
- 1b) “I know your reputation as a live and active church, but you are dead. 2) Now wake up! Strengthen what little remains – for even what is left is at the point of death. Your deeds are far from right in the sight of God. 3) Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it
firmly, and turn to me again. Unless you do, I will come
suddenly upon you, unexpected as a thief, and punish you.
4) Yet even there in Sardis, (Even there in your community,
even there in your home church, even there in your
household), some haven’t soiled their garments with the
world’s filth; (Is that you?), they shall walk with me in white,
for they are worthy.
5) Everyone who conquers will be clothed in white, and I will
not erase his name from the Book of Life, but I will
announce before my Father and his angels that he is mine.
*God has called us from the foundations of this world to be conquerors and victors over sin! We are to be overcomers! Settling for anything less is outsideof His will! Let’s look back in the Old Testament. God’s desire has been the same from the beginning!
- Isaiah 1:16-20 (L.B. Par.) “God talking to the O. T. Church”
16) Oh, wash yourselves! Be clean! Let Me no longer see you
doing all these wicked things; quit your evil ways.
17) Learn to do good, to be fair and to help the poor, the
fatherless, and widows.
18) Come, let’s talk this over! Says the Lord; no matter how deep
the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean
as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as
crimson, I can make you white as wool!
19) If you will only let Me help you, if you will only obey, then I
will make you rich!
20) But if you keep on turning your backs and refusing to listen
to Me, you will be killed by your enemies; I, the Lord, have
spoken.
“God’s desire has always been to bless His bride!”
-
- Psalms 1:1-3 (ERV) (vs. 4 – KJV) (vs. 4-6 L.B. Par.)
1) Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil
advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those
who make fun of God.
2) Instead, they love the LORD’s teachings and think about them
day and night.
3) So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream – a tree
that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never
fall. Everything they do is successful.
“This is the true bride of Christ!”
4) (KJV) The ungodly are not so;
“vs. 4-6 L.B. Par.”
4) But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like
chaff before the wind.
5) They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand
among the godly.
6) For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly
men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom.
Jesus Christ did not come to lead us to doom! Christ came to make us victorious over sin through His redeeming blood! This is the Gospel of the Kingdom. Walking free, here and now, through Christ Jesus.
- Revelation 12:11 (KJV)
And they overcame him (satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony; (Standing in agreement with God,
and saying what He says! Just like Jesus in the wilderness at the
start of his public ministry – “IT IS WRITTEN!”) and they loved
not their lives unto the death.
*The sad truth is that too many people love their life, instead of God.
John 12:25 (KJV) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in
this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
- I Corinthians 15:58 (ERV)
So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong.
Don’t let anything change you. (Don’t let anything keep you
from living like Jesus – this is the message of the Gospel of the
Kingdom!) Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.
- Again in KJV: “I Corinthians 15:57-58”
57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for
as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the
Lord.
- Hebrews 4:15b (ERV)
When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He
was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never
sinned. (Jesu never once gave way to temptations – L.B. Par.)
*Jesus lived the life, and set the examples that we are supposed to be following. Nowhere in scripture will you see instructions to continue in willful sin. Saved means “changed”, “delivered”, “converted”, “set free from”: to a new way of life.
*The Gospel of the Kingdom = God’s will being done in earth (In me!) as it is in heaven. Matt. 6:10 A new life “IN” Christ, “LIKE” Christ!
- I Peter 5:8-11 (ERV)
8) Control yourselves and be careful! The devil is your enemy,
and he goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
attack and eat.
9) Refuse to follow the devil. Stand strong in your faith. You
know that your brothers and sisters all over the world are
having the same sufferings that you have.
10) Yes, you will suffer for a short time. But after that, God will
make everything right. He will make you strong. He will
support you and keep you from falling. He is the God who
gives all grace. He chose you to share in his glory in Christ.
That glory will continue forever.
11) All power is his forever. Amen.
- Philippians 1:6 (LB Par.)
And I am sure that God who began the good work within you
will keep right on helping you grow (mature) in his grace until his
task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ
returns.
When Christ returns, will he consider you as family, or a stranger?
Will he say, “Well done thou good and faithful”, or will he say,
“Depart from me, we never had an intimate relationship”?
Surrender to God today, for today is the day of salvation!
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