Thy Kingdom Come! Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Thy Kingdom Come!

Remarks.

1. In this lesson today, we will be discussing the theme: “Thy Kingdom Come!" This is the seventh lesson in the sermon-series entitled: "Re-digging in Old Wells." There will be many others bearing this title. We are re-digging in old wells to receive what Isaiah promised: "With joy, you will draw water from the wells of salvation," Isaiah 12:3. There are times we must re-dig in old wells to obtain the joy found in the: "waters of salvation." This sermon type is called "expository preaching." Our goal will be: "to dig a little deeper" into the text of emphasis in these lessons. We will allow the writer, the characters in the verses, and the Master's words to shed new meaning to His words of eternal life, John 6:63; John 6:67-69.

2. We will answer this question: "Have the Kingdom of God Come?” By this, we mean: “Has the kingdom of God already come, and Christians are members of it?” Most evangelicals and many Baptists teach, before the kingdom’s advent, there will be: "A great rapture, followed by 7-years of tribulation, and a 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth?" We will re-dig in old wells to find a biblical answer. Ulysses Shields called this kind of teaching: "digging a little deeper," in the word of truth. He was my grandfather in Christ. We will use as a foundational text for this sermon-series: "And Isaac re-dug the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham...for the Philistines had stopped them (closed them up) after Abraham’s death,” Genesis 26:18. The Philistines: “Stopped them, and filled them with earth,” because they envied Isaac’s possessions, Genesis 26:14-15.

3. Our text of emphasis reads in this fashion: “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel,” Mark 1:14-15. Many pulpits across the country and around the world are still preaching the kingdom of God has not yet come. Is Jesus’ prayer still unanswered? I think not! Our purpose today will be to provide some clarity on this question: “Has the kingdom come?” With God’s help, we will draw: “New water from old wells.” With this brief introduction, let’s consider this topic carefully with both our bibles and hearts opened unto the living God.

BODY OF LESSON

I THY KINGDOM COME!

A. Background study. Before we investigate the text of emphasis, it is appropriate that we conduct a thorough background study. Some advocate that the kingdom of God has not yet come. We will consider this notion in our lesson: “Thy Kingdom Come!” It is always good to review the text of emphasis within the scriptures' context. This requires us to consider what is being said and unto whom it is being instructed. Mark recorded--

1. The beginning of the gospel. He wrote: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” Mark 1:1. Mark does not build a narrative of the divinity of Christ; he straightly declares it. This is the message of:

a. The Christ, the Messiah of promise; the Son of God. Unlike the other writers of the gospels, Mark begins with the ministry of Jesus. He skips all the genealogy of His birth and His early life in Nazareth. He declares Him to be the Messiah, the “anointed of God.” His entire gospel is devoted to proofs to his declaration: that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Mark 1:1.

b. His gospel is one of the preaching, compassion, and miracles of Jesus. He wrote to a Gentile audience, who would not be interested: in Jesus’ ancestry tree as a Jew, Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38.

c. They would be interested in His miracles and message of the kingdom of God. This gospel begins with the preaching of Christ, His miracles and healings, Mark 1:21-28. The gospel ends with His apostles performing signs and wonders before the people, Mark 16:15-20.

d. Mark declared, Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus had authority over Satan's powers, sickness, and sin, “as the Son of Man,” while on the earth, Mark 2:10; Mark 2:1-13.

1) He was God in the person of a man, Matthew 1:23.

2) When we see Him, we see the Father, John 14:9; John 5:18; John 10:27-33.

3) Thomas confessed Him as: “My Lord, and my God,” John 20:28.

4) The Father declared His excellence, glory, and honor, while on the Mount of Transfiguration, Matthew 17:1-5; 2 Peter 1:16-18.

5) The apostle Paul attested to His divinity and exaltation, Philippians 2:5-11.

e. Matthew Henry wrote: “It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the anointed Saviour, the Messiah promised and expected...It is called His, not only because He is the author of it, and it comes from him, but because he is the Subject of it, and it treats wholly concerning him. Jesus is the Son of God. That truth is the foundation on which the gospel is built, and which it is written to demonstrate; for (if) Jesus be (is) not the Son of God, our faith is vain,” Page 790.