The Kingdom of God — Stephen Kaung

The Kingdom of God in Scripture

Will you please turn to 1st Chronicles, 1st Chronicles chapter 29, we read from verse 10 to verse 13, 1st Chronicles chapter 29 verse 10, and David blessed Jehovah in the sight of all the congregation and David said blessed be thou Jehovah the God of our father Israel forever and ever.

Thine Jehovah is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is thine. Thine Jehovah is the kingdom and thou art exalted as head above all and richest of honor all of thee and thou ruleth over everything and in thy hand is power and might and in thy hand it is to make great and strong and now our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name.

Psalm, Psalm 145, we also begin with verse 10 through verse 13, all thy works shall praise thee Jehovah and thy saints shall bless thee they shall tell us of the glory of thy kingdom and speak of thy power to make known to the children of man his mighty acts and the glorious splendor of his kingdom.

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages and thy dominion is throughout all generations. The gospel according to Mark, Mark chapter 1, Mark chapter 1 verse 14 but after John was delivered up Jesus came into Galilee preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.

Verse 15 and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn nigh, repent and believe in the glad tidings. And finally Revelation, the book of Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. Revelation 11 15 and the seventh angel sounded the trumpet and there were great voices in the heavens saying the kingdom of the world of our Lord and of his Christ is come and he shall reign to the ages of ages.

Now in some version it says the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign to the ages of ages. Let's have a word of prayer. Dear Lord we want to thank thee for gathering us together here this morning.

We do sense that we are in thy presence and Lord we do desire to remove the shoes of our feet and to open our hearts to thee and say to thee Lord what has thou to say to us? Speak thy servants heareth.

In the name of our Lord Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters as I waited upon the Lord for this time I felt burdened to consider with you all not to speak to you but to consider together on this very important matter of the kingdom.

The Neglected Message of the Kingdom

The kingdom of God and of his Christ. I do not know how do you feel but so far as I understand it seems to me that the message of the kingdom is not being preached in our days. According to the word of God the end will not come until the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the habitable world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come.

So to me I feel that it is very urgent, very important seeing that the coming of the Lord is so near that the message of the kingdom should be proclaimed. Unfortunately to God's people today is seems as if the kingdom is not very well understood.

By the grace of God we understand a little bit about the church. Thank God for that. But so far as the kingdom is concerned it is very much neglected and misunderstood. So by the grace of God this time we will like to consider together this matter.

But it is such a vast subject we are not able to cover everything. All we would like to do is to bring out some of the main points concerning the kingdom. Now God willing with the four sessions that we have, probably this morning we will lay the foundation just on the kingdom of God.

And then next time we will consider the kingdom of the heavens. And then we will consider together the kingdom and the church. And then finally the kingdom and the Christians. Or the kingdom and you and me.

The Meaning of Kingdom and God's Eternal Rule

What is kingdom in the scriptural sense? Of course we all have some idea of what a kingdom is. But according to the scripture what is the meaning of that word kingdom? In Greek the word kingdom is primarily an abstract noun.

It means dominion, power, reign, sovereignty, kingship. And then it also has a concrete sense which means territory or people. Over whom the king rules. Like to explain the kingdom as kingship. In other words the king as he rules over his people he imparts his own character into the lives of his people.

His kingdom is a corporate expression of what he is. Now we know that God is the great I am. From eternity to eternity he is God. He is the creator of all things. Therefore the bible tells us that his kingdom is without end.

It is an everlasting kingdom. From eternity to eternity there is his kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation. Because he created the heavens and the earth. So the heavens and the earth are his kingdom.

Everything is under his rule. In the beginning when God created the bible tells us that there was harmony in the universe. We remember that when God created he first created angels. When God laid the foundations of the earth.

The bible tells us that the morning star sing for joy. The angels of God shout for joy. So after the heavens and the earth were created there was harmony in the universe. Everything of the glory of God.

The heavens declare his glory and the firmament show it his handiwork. There was no discord. Everything was in harmony. We do not know how long this blessed situation continued. Not until one of the archangels began to think of himself.

You know brothers and sisters, in the beginning everything was focused upon God. Nothing, nobody will think of itself or himself. The heavens never thought of itself nor the earth. The angels, they never thought of themselves.

Their eyes were upon the Lord. They sang unto the Lord. They glorified the Lord. They were not conscious of anything but conscious of God. Somehow, one of the archangels began to turn away from God and unto himself.

Satan's Rebellion and the Kingdom of Darkness

Now I believe brothers and sisters, we all know that according to Isaiah chapter 14 and Ezekiel chapter 28. They seem to give us a picture. Something that was unknown to us in the former world. But was revealed to us.

An archangel called Lucifer, brilliant star, sun of the morning. Now most likely he was the first created being. He was the sample of all the created beings at that time. Because when God created him, he was perfect, complete, he was beautiful, he was talented, he was given great dominion, rule.

He was the cherub, the anointed cherub that covered the throne of God. In other words, there was nothing above him except the Creator. In the beginning, when God created him, he was perfect. And this continued on, we do not know for how long.

Most likely he was the one who led all the angelic hosts to praise God. He led the singing because he was very musical. He was most talented. But somehow he turned upon himself. Upon his own beauty, upon his own talent, upon his own power, he began to be proud of himself.

And he began to be valiant. And that ambition came into his heart. He was not satisfied to be above all, but only below one. He wanted to be like God. He wanted to ascend himself to the mountain of God in the counsel of God.

And because of this, there was rebelling in heaven. The harmony was broken and God's judgment came upon him and upon all that were under his control. Now that much we understand. So we find that this Archangel Lucifer turned himself to be Satan, the adversary of God.

He was thrown out of the Eden of heaven. All the angels followed him. So he set up his own kingdom. In the beginning, there was only the kingdom of God. There was no rival kingdoms. Everything was under God's control.

And everything redounds to God's glory. God was all and in all. But now we find in history, pre-human history, that because of that rebelling, another kingdom was set up. It was the kingdom of darkness.

Satan set up his kingdom to oppose the kingdom of God. Now brothers and sisters, strictly speaking, even though Satan rebelled against God and set up his own kingdom, yet he was still under God's control.

He was not completely free to do whatever he wants to do. He was created by God. He was still under God's rule. Therefore we find that later on, without God's permission, he couldn't do everything or anything.

But anyway, on the one hand, the kingdom of God continues on forever. But on the other hand, the kingdom of God, in a sense, is now restricted only to those angels who submitted to his authority. Who were strictly under his rule and obeyed him with all their hearts.

That became the reality of the kingdom. But thank God, God's purpose never. He may change his ways, but he never changes his purpose. God cannot be defeated. So even after the rebelling of Satan, we do not know how long a period passed before God began to re-build this earth, to make it habitable.

Humanity's Creation and God's Purpose

So we come to Genesis chapter 1 verse 3. God in six days restored the earth into a habitable place. Now why did God do that? God did it because God was going to create man. So brothers and sisters, there was a council in the Godhead.

God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So God created man. Man and woman created he them. Now the question is, why did God create man? What is the purpose behind God's creation of man?

Why is it when he created man, he created him in such a special way, that he was created in the image of God? When he created the angels, he did not create them in his image. But only man was created in his image.

Now why? It cannot be meaningless. God must have a sublime, glorious, wonderful purpose behind it. And thank God. The reason why God created man, the Bible said man was created a little lower, inferior than angels.

Now why did God do that? If he created man in his image, we will say man will be superior to the angels. But no, the Bible said man was created a little inferior than the angels. Not as powerful, not as wise, a little inferior.

And yet, he was created in God's image. Brothers and sisters, why? Because God had in mind to build up his kingdom upon this earth. This earth was destroyed under judgment, under the dominion, as it were, of that fallen angel, because it was given to him in the beginning.

Now God was going to take away that dominion from the fallen angel and give it to man. So that man will obey God and his kingdom will be established on this earth. That is the reason why man was created.

Brothers and sisters, unfortunately, we find man was deceived by Satan. And man rebelled against God. Instead of listening to God, obeying God, man listened to Satan. Man began to turn his eyes upon himself, away from God.

Brothers and sisters, whenever we turn our eyes away from God and unto ourselves, danger. Man also began to be like God. So we find this earth, together with man, fall into the power of darkness. All who are born into this world belong to that kingdom of darkness.

Our eyes were blinded, we were alienated from God. Sin, death, no hope, no God. But thank God, God did not give up. His purpose never changes. So we do thank God that he began to regain the man that he had lost, but still with man.

Christ's Recovery of Humanity

So we find that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son. Our Lord Jesus came into this world. The word became flesh, tabernacle among man, full of grace and truth. He came as the man, the second man.

And then throughout his life, we find he was exactly the man that God first created, that God had in his mind. That was the man that God created. That was the man that God desired. And our Lord Jesus was the man.

How he denied himself, how he obeyed his father in all things, even unto death and the death of the cross. And because of that, brothers and sisters, salvation comes upon this world. So thank God, so far as the history of the kingdom of God is concerned, we find finally God began to do the work of recovery.

And in Christ is recovered. So in Colossians chapter 1 verse 13 we are told that he has translated us out of the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the son of his love. So dear brothers and sisters, we who believe in the Lord Jesus, we do not belong to the kingdom of darkness anymore.

When we believe in him, when we are born from above, we receive a new life. And we are being translated into the kingdom of the son of his love. Now that is the history. And then from then onward, during this dispensation of grace, this gospel of the kingdom is preached everywhere.

When our Lord came to this earth, the message he preached is the kingdom. Even when he was resurrected during those 40 years, in Acts chapter 1 we are told that he taught them of the kingdom of God. That is the message.

And Peter, on the day of Pentecost, the gospel that he preached is the gospel of the kingdom. Why? Because he said, the one whom you have crucified, God has raised him up and has made him Lord and Christ.

That is the kingdom message. And when you come to the end of Acts chapter 28, Paul in that higher apartment in Rome, during those two years, he preached the kingdom of God and teach the things of Christ.

So brothers and sisters, the message of the church today is the kingdom message. The gospel of the king. We believe not only in a saviour, but we believe our saviour is king. And it is but right for us to submit our lives to his kingship.

And allow his character to be built into us. And then one day, even this kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. And brothers and sisters, we believe that the day is very short.

That is why the kingdom of God is so important. Now brothers and sisters, we need to know what is the nature of this kingdom. First of all, the kingdom of God is not of eating and drinking. It is of righteousness and peace.

The Nature of God's Kingdom

And joy in the Holy Spirit. That you find in Romans chapter 13 verse 17. The kingdom of God is different from the kingdom of this world. The things of the kingdom of this world are eating and drinking.

So we find in 1 John chapter 2, the things of this world are the lusts of the eyes, the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life. In this world, eating and drinking are the most important things. Why?

Because without these we cannot live. We live on this earth as if we are just having a body. We are in the flesh. And we need eating and drinking. And that is what men today are living for. What shall I eat?

What shall I drink? What shall I be clothed with? We are anxious about these things. The anxiety, the anxiousness of this life. For brothers and sisters, this is the way the people of the world live. Our Lord Jesus said to us very clearly.

He said these are the things that the Gentiles seek after. They have nobody else to look after them. They have to look after themselves. And they have to find their food, their drink, and their clothing.

But not so with you. We who belong to the kingdom of God. How shall we live? If we live just by eating and drinking, then brothers and sisters we are no different from the people of this world. Even though we have been translated into the kingdom of God, but we still live no different from the kingdom of darkness.

So our Lord Jesus warned us, do not worry about these things. We need these things because we are on this earth. Our Heavenly Father knows. So you remember our Lord Jesus said, look at the birds. How our Heavenly Father take care of them.

Look at the lily in the valley. How the Heavenly Father take care of them, clothes them with such beauty. Even Solomon in his glorious glory cannot be compared with that beauty. Why should we worry? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added.

Brothers and sisters do we believe that? Look at the way we live today. Are we living here for eating and drinking? Are we living here for righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit? What is the manner of our living?

Are we really righteousness? Thank God we are made righteous before Him. We are clothed with Christ, our righteousness. That is the only way we can stand before God. Every time we come before God, we come clothed with Christ.

Not just on our own. We have no right, no place before God on our own. It is in Christ. It is by being clothed with Christ. He is our robe of righteousness. But brothers and sisters, after we are clothed with the robe of righteousness, God said, now seek.

Seek the righteousness of the kingdom of God. Because this is the way of the kingdom. This is the very nature of the kingdom of God. If we do not seek righteousness while we are living in this world, then brothers and sisters, though we are in the kingdom, but we are not of the kingdom.

Because we are not living in it. 1 John tells us, God is righteous. And therefore, he who is righteous is of God. He who practices righteousness is of God. So in this world, dear brothers and sisters, our first responsibility is to practice righteousness.

We who have been made righteous, we need to practice righteousness. In other words, do what is right in the sight of God. That is the principle of our living. John tells us he that practices righteousness is of God.

In our daily life, really practice righteousness. Seek the will of God in every detail of our life. Are we willing to sacrifice eating and drinking, pleasure of this life for the sake of righteousness?

Are we willing to be persecuted because of righteousness sake? Have we done that? Now if we haven't done that, it proves that we do not know what is the kingdom of God. We are not living in that kingdom.

Thank God we have peace with God through Christ Jesus. But brothers and sisters, is there always peace between us and God? Are there times when we fall, we slip, we sin, we do not do the will of God? That peace is broken.

To regain that peace, confess, repent, and confess, and have our peace with God restored. Our conscience should be always with God. Paul said he maintained a blameless, clear conscience before God and man.

Peace reign in his life. Are we at peace with God? Are we at peace with ourselves? Are we at peace with our brothers and sisters? How sad it is among God's people, there are strifes, emulations, jealousies, the kingdom of this world.

In the kingdom of God there is perfect peace. Therefore you'll find that in the letters the apostles wrote, there is always a peace be unto you. And Christ himself, when he appeared to his disciples after resurrection, he said peace be unto you.

Are we seeking that peace and joy in the Holy Spirit? Now in this world, in this tragic world, people are seeking for happiness. But brothers and sisters, real joy is joy in the Holy Spirit. You may be very joyful, happy, laughing, enjoying, and if the Holy Spirit within you is grieving, do you have joy?

Outwardly you may, but inwardly you suffer. I believe we have all, all have such experience. Outwardly you're enjoying, as it were, laughing, joking, having a good time. That Holy Spirit within you is speaking.

You don't listen. And suddenly you find all these. Not until you repent and return to the Lord and joy fills your heart. The joy of the Lord is our strength. We really have joy in the Holy Spirit. We will be able to stand and withstand any circumstance.

But when the joy is lost, it seems as if your strength just leaks. So that is the Kingdom of God. Dear brothers and sisters, the Kingdom of God is a spiritual reality. Are we really living in the Kingdom of God today?

Do we really seek righteousness, Kingdom righteousness from above and joy in the Holy Spirit? Now that is the nature, the character of the Kingdom of God. Secondly, the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

The Kingdom of God in Power

1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 20. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, he challenged them. He said the Kingdom of God is not in word. People can say very persuasive, beautiful, high-sounding words.

But if there is no power, this world goes for word. You know the Corinth at that time was noted for eloquence. And the Corinthian believers, they all sought after these things. But Paul showed them, that is the world.

In this world, if you are eloquent, if you have charisma, you can sway people. That is what the world look for. But in the Kingdom of God, it is not word, it is power. The power to say, the power to transform, the power to change, the power to conform us to the image of God's beloved Son, the Kingdom.

Unfortunately, you find among God's people today, people do seek for power, but not the power of the Kingdom. If there is power of the Kingdom, it changes people. It will change yourself, and it will change other people.

That is the Kingdom. Thirdly, the Kingdom of God is not by observation. You remember in Luke, Chapter 17, people asked the Lord, where is the Kingdom of God? When it comes. How do we know that it comes?

Our Lord said, the Kingdom of God does not come by observation. But the Kingdom of God is in your midst. Now some translations said, the Kingdom of God is within you. Now what is the Kingdom of God? It is not by observation.

In other words, it is not by outward appearance. People are looking for something great, something spectacular. But the Lord said, no, the Kingdom of God is inward. It is in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Thank God we have Christ in us. Where He is, there is the Kingdom of God. And because He is in us, there is the hope of glory. And glory simply means the manifestation, Christ in us, transforming us, changing us, until we are like Him.

So we say the Kingdom of God is His Kingship. When He rules over us, when we are really put ourselves under His authority. It is not an outward thing. When you are doing that, something within you began, what He is, began to work into you.

You began to take up His character, the character of your King, to be like Him. It is an extremely inward thing. So do not look for something outward, but that Christ in you, He is the hope of glory. And then, fourthly, the Kingdom of God is love.

Love as the Rule of God's Kingdom

Colossians 1 .13, He has translated us out of the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. In other words, in the Kingdom of God, it is love that rules over everything. Because God is love.

And we must love God with all our heart, all our mind, with all our spirit, with all our strength. And we need to love one another as He has loved us. So dear brothers and sisters, these are just illustrating what the Kingdom of God is.

In the Word of God you will find there are other characters there. But these are just a few illustrations to show us that the Kingdom of God in which we are now in, is of such nature, such character. Now, of course, what should be our attitude towards the Kingdom of God?

Living Under the Kingdom's Authority

We who are in the Kingdom of God, what should be our attitude towards that Kingdom? How should we behave? Because you may be in the Kingdom positionally, but you are not living in that Kingdom conditionally.

So, what should be our attitude? First of all, we have already mentioned in Matthew 6, verse 33, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. In other words, seek.

Now, seek is a very strong word. Seek means that you have to apply yourself. You have to really desire it, and you are willing to sacrifice to gain it. We should be diligently seeking after the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.

Not just lay back and say, now before, because God has already translated us into His Kingdom. So, that's it. One day you will discover to your own sorrow. But brothers and sisters, since God has done it, put you in His Kingdom, then we shall apply ourselves, give ourselves totally to it, make it as the pursuit of our life.

We pursue the Kingdom of God. Paul, in Philippians chapter 3, sees the way he pursues after the Kingdom of God. Forgetting the things behind, stretching out towards the goal to win that prize on high calling.

Brothers and sisters, are we doing that? Or are we seeking the world? Advancement in this world. Seeking the wealth of this world. Fame of this world. Put our heart in it. Where is our heart? Dear brothers and sisters, since God has given us this Kingdom, so glorious, should we not seek Him earnestly, diligently, that we may really gain the Kingdom.

Number two, pray for the Kingdom of God. You remember in the so-called Lord's Prayer, in Matthew 6, 10, May thy Kingdom come. Now, what is our prayer life? What are we praying today? Probably to many of us, the most important thing in our prayer is ourselves, our family.

Have we ever prayed for the Kingdom? May thy Kingdom come. Brothers and sisters, when you look into this world, will your heart be cried out? May thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

This is not our home. It becomes more and more foreign to us. Impossible to us. Is there such a longing, desire that we will pray, may thy Kingdom come. Have we ever prayed for the Kingdom of God? You know, in 1904 and 5, there was a great revival in Wales, and the instrument of God was Evan Roberts, a young man, not much educated, a minor, but God greatly used him.

But after that great revival, for a number of years, he was hidden. Then when he came out again, people asked him, what were you doing during these years? And his answer was, I pray, Kingdom pray. Brothers and sisters, are we praying with all our hearts?

Are we so satisfied, contented, happy with this Kingdom of the world, that we do not even look for the Kingdom of God to come? Are we so long for the soon coming of that Kingdom? Then we will be home.

The Lord says, pray. Pray for. Let us pray. And then, of course, in Luke, chapter 23, we are told that Joseph of Arimathea, he was one who waited for the Kingdom of God. Before Christ came the first time, there were a few who really waited for the King, the Messiah, to come.

Outwardly, the whole nation seemed to be waiting for the Messiah to come. But really, only a few, such as Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Anna. These people are really waiting for the Kingdom to come.

Waiting is more than just a word. Waiting. If you wait for someone, you have to, that you, when that someone arrives, he will be pleased. Are we waiting in such a manner for the Kingdom to come? And, of course, we need to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Tell people of our King. Tell people that He is coming. He is coming to set up His Kingdom, even upon the Apostles in the early days. That was their condition. In Luke, chapter 9, verse 2, when Christ sent them out, He said, preach the Kingdom.

And finally, be worthy of that Kingdom. 2 Thessalonians, chapter 1, verse 5. Be worthy of that Kingdom. In other words, when that Kingdom shall come, you are worthy to inherit it. So, dear brothers and sisters, remember, we do not belong to the Kingdom of darkness.

The Kingdom of this world, we are foreigners, strangers. We are passing through. We are in the Kingdom of God, now and forever. And because of this, may the grace of God make us fit for that Kingdom. Dear Lord, how we praise and thank Thee that Thou has, in Thy grace and mercy, has already translated us out of the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of Thy love.

Oh, what a glorious thing! What mercy! What love! Dear Lord, give us grace that we may be fit to be sons and daughters of Thy Kingdom. That even in this world, in this life, we may glorify Thee. We may show the nations what the Kingdom of God is.

We may be those who hasten and bring back the King. We ask in Thy precious Name.