What is the kingdom of God? George Ladd says:

"The Kingdom of God is primarily the dynamic reign or kingly rule of God, and, derivatively, the sphere in which the rule is experienced. In biblical idiom, the Kingdom is not identified with its subjects. They are the people of God’s rule who enter it, live under it, and are governed by it. The church is the community of the Kingdom, but never the Kingdom itself. Jesus’ disciples belong to the Kingdom as the Kingdom belongs to them; but they are not the Kingdom. The Kingdom is the rule of God; the church is a society of man."

We see the emphasis of the Kingdom when we open the Gospels. The emphasis of the gospels was not the church but the kingdom. The church is mentioned twice in the gospels but the teachings of the kingdom over 100 times. Look at the gospel of Matthew.

Chapter 1 – the birth of the King who shall "save His people from their sins."

Chapter 2 – Herod the King tries to kill the rival king and kings from the East come to worship Him, who is "born King of the Jews."

Chapter 3 – John the Baptist comes preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.!" Its here!!

Jesus and the early Christians preached that the kingdom of God was near, not that the church was near, and preached the good news of the kingdom, not the good news of the church.

4:23 "Now Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people."

The kingdom of God is greater than any disease, death, dirge, or political maneuverings. It is a kingdom of power and authority.

Chapter 5 – note the emphasis on the Kingdom. Verse 3 "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

5:10 "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

5:20 – A righteousness other than external is required for this kingdom.

6:10 "Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven."

6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." To seek implies being continually absorbed in a search for something, or making a strenuous and diligent effort to obtain something.

The call of the disciples were to come and follow Him (as King and His teachings).

9:35 "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people."

10: 1 – Jesus calls the twelve and sends them out with authority and power of a kingdom.

10: 7 – Jesus tells them to preach "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

13 is a listing of parables about the kingdom. Look at 13: 31-32 (The planting of one little seed can result in a great harvest) 45-46 (The kingdom is worthy of selling everything and buying it) and 47-52 (when you drag the net of the kingdom you will get people of every kind).

There are other chapters in Matthew about the kingdom.

24: 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then shall the end will come."

25:34 There is an aspect of the kingdom still to come but the whole of the teaching of the Kingdom is not futuristic.

The reading over his cross said, "This is Jesus The King of the Jews."

Luke 17:21 "nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed the kingdom of God is within you."

Romans 14: 17 "for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

To have a Kingdom you must have a king and the king is Jesus, the King of glory! To embrace the Kingdom is to embrace the King of Kings. He is your joy.

Psalm 2: 12 "Kiss the Son"

Since He is the King, he should reign supremely in our life. We surrender to Him in all areas of our life. The kingdom is within us. (Luke 17:21). The evidence of it that kingdom is "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14: 17

He alone has the right to dedicate to us what we will be and how we will act. May Jesus find a place here in our church that He alone sits on the seat of honor and reigns supremely.

The kingdom is universal and global because He reigns over all. It is our desire that every tongue, every race, every nationality acknowledges our King and submits to His will, authority and power.

From the call of Abraham in Genesis 12: 1-3 we see the purposes of God is to "bless all the families of the earth." God wants to bless everyone.

Like the parable of the mustard seed, all the kingdom of God requires is a seed being planted. We are just about planting seed of the kingdom and God will bring the increase.

We are to extend and enlarge the kingdom. That means we are not competitors of other God-fearing, gospel preaching churches in the city of Calhoun. We stand against those who do not know who that Jesus is the only Son of God fully man and fully God and the only way to God.

We extend ourselves beyond our church walls to plant seed. The question we ask as we go is not what benefit will it have for our church, but for the kingdom. Giving a cup of cold water or preaching the gospel on foreign soil, all is to enlarge the kingdom of God.

Psalm 22: 27-28 "All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nation Shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations.

Psalm 134: 4-5 "All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, When they hear the words of Your mouth. Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord. For great is the glory of the Lord."

Revelation 11: 15 "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

But because this is a kingdom and God asserts Himself with power, the world enters into a crisis. There is a battle incurring and everyone is confronted with the decision of whose kingdom will they submit their life? The kingdom of God or the kingdom of Satan? According to Matthew 10 and 12 this kingdom divides persons, families. We should not be afraid of that division but embrace it but it is a natural consequence of the kingdom of God.

Matthew 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." The kingdom of God will not just come to you, it must be taken by violence by breaking away from the sinful and immoral practices of the human race and turn to Christ, His Word, His ways, His rule. No matter what the personal cost to yourself, your family, seek the Kingdom with all your heart and soul.