Advancing The Kingdom

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word.

(Acts 8:4)

God's first commission to man was to "multiply and replenish the earth". 

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.  (Genesis 1:28) 

The emphasis was on people. The goal was to fill the earth with men and women created in the image of God with a personal relationship with God. But in Genesis 11:1-9 we find the emphasis was changed by man.

At Shinar the emphasis was on building a city and a great tower instead of populating the earth. Projects rather than people had become the focus of attention. The purposes were selfish: To make a great name and congregate a great number of people.

At the tower of Babel, God came to view the work of the people. God had not appointed their task, so He had to come see what they were doing. This is the condition of many of our churches. We have ignored the commission to extend the Kingdom and we are building great towers of denominations and membership. We are building great buildings and names and projects. What would God think if He came down to view what we are doing?

The people of Shinar said , "Let us build a city." There is a difference between a city built by man and a city whose builder and maker is God. These people were building by self-effort to accomplish their own selfish desires.

God took action. He came down and confounded their language:  

Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore the name of it is called Babel: because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:7-9)

With everyone speaking different languages the project had to be halted.

We hear many conflicting voices in the Church today. When communication becomes confused, we should examine our tower. It may be that the projects we are working on are not of God. Sometimes, as in the case of Babel, extending the Kingdom of God involves tearing down instead of building up. But some people will not stop their own projects to extend the Kingdom because their work has become an idol.

Jesus commissioned the early Church to reproduce disciples throughout the earth, not build a great Church at Jerusalem. 

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 always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.  Matthew 28:19-20

Yet we find the Church reproduced so rapidly that organization and administration systems were strained (Acts 6). They were creating a great mass of believers in Jerusalem instead of going out to the nations of the world as they had been commanded. Because of this, God allowed persecution to come and the believers were scattered:  

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.  (Acts 8:1)

Through this they returned to their original commission as ambassadors of the Kingdom:  

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word. (Acts 8:4)

When "great churches" are gone, God's people live on. The Kingdom of God will not be extended throughout the world by the building of great buildings. It will not advance through projects. It will spread by ambassadors bearing witness to the Gospel of the Kingdom and disciples reproducing disciples.

The parables of the talents in Luke 19 and Matthew 25 reveals that the Kingdom will be spread by wise use of the spiritual gifts and abilities.

The parable of the leaven revealed that the Kingdom would have a small beginning, but as leaven in bread it would continue to steadily spread. 

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Matthew 13:33)

The parable of the net cast into the sea revealed that the Kingdom of God will draw men and women of all nations.

The Kingdom is also spread as men cast the seed of the Gospel into the hearts of men and women. Like seed in the natural world, the Gospel of the Kingdom grows, although the growth process is not fully understood by the one sowing the seed 

And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;  And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.  (Mark 4:26-27)

We are promised:  

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

There will come that great day when the Kingdom of God is permanently established and the Kingdom of Satan finally defeated:  

And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10)

Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:24)

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:33)

Until that great day you can claim this promise: 

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)

And my final prayer for you is this, 

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto His Kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12)

(Biblical Studies)

10/03/13
07/23/14
07/27/15