THE KINGDOM OF GOD What is a Kingdom

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

What is a Kingdom? A realm or sphere in which one thing is dominant. A state or government having a king or a queen as its head.

Why are there terms Kingdom of God and Kingdom of heaven in the Bible and do they mean different things? Mark and Luke use a Greek term commonly translated in English as "kingdom of God. Some Biblical scholars speculate that the Matthew text adopted the Greek word for heaven instead of the Greek word for "God" because, unlike Mark and Luke, it was written by a Jew for a Jewish audience.

WHEN IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD? Is the Kingdom of God a present reality or something that will occur in the future? The most likely time, is that the Kingdom of God began on earth at Pentecost.

WHERE IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD? John 18 : 36 and Luke 17: 20 -21 I think Jesus is saying that His Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom not a physical one. The Kingdom of God is already within you. God’s rule is a new spiritual principle already operative in our lives.

WHO GETS INTO THE KINGDOM AND HOW DO THEY GET IN? John 3: 1 -6 Born of water signifies physical birth. Born of spirit signifies spiritual birth.

Matthew 5: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit Read Luke 6: 20 Blessed are the poor Poor in spirit means lacking, so in this case perhaps it means that they are in the very beginnings of their spiritual understanding, like a child. While Matthew refers to lacking spiritual growth, Luke is referring to a lack of material possessions.

Luke 18: 15 - 17 Children have a simple and unquestioning trust that God requires from those who enter into the Kingdom. They have a sense of dependence and an innocence. We come as a child in the Spirit and grow from there.

Luke 18: 18 - 24 Rich back then equated to being blessed by God, but this man let his riches separate him from God. Selling everything is not a universal requirement for everyone, but a hyperbole to get rid of anything that separates you from God so that you can enter the Kingdom.

Read Mark 9: 47 This tells us in a different way, that we need to get rid of or quit doing those things that are not of God.

Read Luke 18: 24 - 27 What do you get out of these verses? The camel through the eye of a needle is a literal verse implying the impossible. It is only possible by God’s grace that we can enter into the Kingdom of God.

Read Matthew 7: 21 What does this mean? Some disciples had probably start to address Jesus as Lord as a term of respect. Here Jesus shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, and that we love one another. The key words here are SAY and DO.

Read Matthew 21: 28 -32 Why will the tax collectors and prostitutes get into Kingdom of God before the Pharisees? Give a similar example in terms of society today? Sometimes one who rebels is brought to repentance and becomes the Lord's servant, while one who is so formal about their religion grows hardened in pride and enmity.

Read Matthew 21: 33 -43 What do these verses say about a person who was once part of the Kingdom but did not produce any fruit? We have to ask ourselves, whether we who have the vineyard and all its advantages, render fruits in due season, as a people, as a family, or as separate persons.

Read Matthew 25: 31 -46 This parable is similar to the vineyard. We all have opportunities to serve and do God’s will. Some of us pass those opportunities by. Some of us do the right thing for the wrong reasons.

Read Luke 12 : 15 - 31 What do you take from these verses in living your daily life?