And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:
freely ye have received, freely give.
Matthew 10:7-8
Once we've accepted King Jesus as our Lord and Savior and become a resident of His Kingdom, we receive a special assignment. This assignment takes a lifetime to complete. We are commissioned as representatives of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus came to this earth with a special mission to establish the Kingdom of God:
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
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
The commitment of Jesus to the Kingdom of God was evident throughout His entire ministry:
And He said unto them, I must preach the Kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. Luke 4:43
And He said unto them, I must preach the Kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. Luke 4:43
After Jesus great suffering and vindication, He showed His apostles that He was alive—appearing to them repeatedly over a period of 40 days, giving them many convincing proofs of His resurrection. As before, He spoke constantly of the kingdom of God.. His message had not changed. It focused on the Kingdom of God:
To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Acts 1:3
To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Acts 1:3
Jesus began His ministry by declaring the message of the Kingdom of God:
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
He ended His earthly ministry by speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3
Between the start and conclusion of His ministry, His chief concern was the extension of God's Kingdom.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
He ended His earthly ministry by speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3
Between the start and conclusion of His ministry, His chief concern was the extension of God's Kingdom.
Even before His death, Jesus prepared His disciples to continue the extension of the Kingdom. First, the disciples were observers of how the message of the Kingdom was to be presented:
And it came to pass afterward, that He (Jesus) went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God: and the twelve were with Him. Luke 8:1
Next, Jesus trained the disciples by participation. He sent them throughout Israel with directions to:
And he sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2
And he sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2
Finally, He commissioned them with the responsibility of extending the Gospel of the Kingdom to the nations of the world:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:18-20
Before Jesus returned to Heaven, He said to His followers:
And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me. Luke 22:29
And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me. Luke 22:29
The Kingdom God gave Jesus was passed on by Jesus to His followers and we are privileged to be part of this eternal empire.
Jesus left His followers with a responsibility of extending the Kingdom of God throughout the world. They were to be ambassadors of the Kingdom.
But God chooses for purpose, not just privilege.
Jesus left His followers with a responsibility of extending the Kingdom of God throughout the world. They were to be ambassadors of the Kingdom.
An ambassador is a representative sent by one kingdom to represent and transact business in another. He is a messenger and authorized agent of the kingdom he represents. Apostle Paul said:
We are ambassadors for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20
We are ambassadors for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20
We are the ambassadors sent by the King to represent and transact the business of the Kingdom of God in the kingdoms of the world.
Our assignment as ambassadors of the Kingdom is a lifetime commitment. Once we have accepted this commission, we cannot look back:
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
As ambassadors, we are to be witnesses for the Kingdom of God. A witness is someone who can testify and present evidence of something experienced first hand. He is one who personally sees, observes, experiences, and produces proof of what he has experienced. Jesus said to His disciples:
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. John 15:27
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. John 15:27
The witness of the ambassadors of the Kingdom was to extend throughout the earth:
But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8
The message of the witnesses was to be:
. . . Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:46-48
. . . Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:46-48
As the disciples went out as witnesses, God also witnessed through them:
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will. Hebrews 2:4
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will. Hebrews 2:4
We are to be ambassadors of the Kingdom, giving witness to its message, with God confirming our witness by the demonstration of His power.
Why is this responsibility to extend the Kingdom so important? Because Jesus said...
And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
The final establishment of the Kingdom of God will not come until the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached to all the world. Note that it is not just the Gospel. . . it is the Gospel of the Kingdom. In these verses Apostle Paul gives the elements of the Gospel:
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
- how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
- And that He was buried,
- and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
The basic Gospel message is that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and He rose again according to the scriptures.
The Gospel must be preached, but it must include the message of the Kingdom. Men must be informed of its existence and taught how to enter and live as Kingdom residents.
Specific guidelines were given by Jesus on how the message of the Kingdom is to be shared. The message of the Kingdom must include the call to repentance from sin:
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
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
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
The message of the Kingdom is to be spread through both teaching and preaching:
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom . . . Matthew 9:35
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom . . . Matthew 9:35
Jesus told His followers:
. . . As ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:7
. . . As ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:7
The message of the Kingdom is not to be in words only. The demonstration of God's power is to accompany the verbal presentation of the Kingdom. This was evident in the example set by Jesus:
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 9:35
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 9:35
Jesus instructed His disciples to not only teach and preach the Kingdom, but in every city to...
. . . heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Luke 10:9
And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2
The demonstration of power. . . miracles and healings. . .
is the Kingdom of God in action.
For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20
How engaged are you to be an ambassador for the Kingdom of God?
(Biblical Studies)
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