1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:28,480 We'll be looking at just two verses this morning in Matthew chapter 3. 2 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:34,800 Matthew writing, he says, in those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness, 3 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:43,200 or that is the desert of Judea, and he was saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven 4 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:44,200 is at hand. 5 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:53,280 Would you bow with me and ask God to help us this morning? 6 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,360 Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you once again as we enter into this time where we desire 7 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:04,960 to hear from heaven, Lord, your word is food, Lord God, it nourishes us, Lord, your Son 8 00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:06,480 is the bread of life. 9 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,040 God, would you show us him this morning? 10 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,080 Would you help us to understand this text? 11 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:16,720 Lord, would you help us to understand the nature of your kingdom and entrance into it? 12 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,400 And Father, Lord, we need you this morning. 13 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:25,920 Lord, we desire not to make much of a man, Lord, we desire to make much of Christ. 14 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:32,720 We desire his preeminence, that all glory, all lot, all honor might be unto him. 15 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,160 Father, all the distractions of the morning with the loss of power and other things that 16 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,080 were confronting us, would you help us to put those things aside? 17 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:47,760 And Lord God, we pray by your spirit that you'd give a single-minded devotion and attention 18 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:53,800 to the sacred text, and Lord, we'll thank you for that in Jesus' name, amen. 19 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:59,600 I'm sure that every one of us have at some point had the experience of waking up to a 20 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,760 very annoying alarm clock. 21 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,440 I mean, because of the stillness of the morning, I believe the alarm is even more jarring. 22 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:12,560 I mean, I don't know if you noticed this, but everything seems louder amidst the quietness 23 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,160 of sleep. 24 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:19,000 When all is silent, and I mean really deathly silent, then every noise, every sound can 25 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,880 be heard more clearly. 26 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:26,800 Now, keep in mind as we're in Matthew chapter 3 that everything in Israel had been silent 27 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:32,080 for 400 years by the time we get to Matthew chapter 3. 28 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:33,080 What do I mean by that? 29 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,120 There'd been no voice from heaven. 30 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,000 There had been no prophet that had arisen to come on the scene preaching. 31 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,000 There were no Isaiahs. 32 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,000 There were no Jeremiahs. 33 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,980 There were no Hoseas. 34 00:02:42,980 --> 00:02:50,480 There was no new revelation from God at all had come for 400 years. 35 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:56,320 Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, amidst the quietness of 400 silent years, there comes 36 00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,800 a thundering prophet with a jarring message. 37 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:06,920 He's a wilderness man, a desert man, and he's dressed in funny clothes, and he's preaching 38 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:10,120 a message of repentance to Israel. 39 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,080 And he's saying the kingdom of heaven was at hand. 40 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:19,540 Now, it's interesting, Matthew 2 to Matthew 3 skips completely over Jesus' childhood. 41 00:03:19,540 --> 00:03:24,280 We don't have a record whatsoever of anything that our Lord was doing in his childhood other 42 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,640 than a few events that Luke records, but Matthew doesn't record them at all. 43 00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:32,320 Chapter 2, we see Jesus as a baby at most a toddler. 44 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,760 Chapter 3, a full-grown man at this point. 45 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:40,800 And Matthew simply begins saying, in those days. 46 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,680 So he skips effectively decades of our Lord's life. 47 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:51,000 Now because there had been no sign from heaven, no voice from heaven for 400 years since the 48 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:58,120 last prophet had died, the Jewish expectation was that the next prophet to appear would 49 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:02,300 somehow have great messianic expectations. 50 00:04:02,300 --> 00:04:07,800 Heaven had been so silent, surely the next prophet must tell us something about the Messiah. 51 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:14,500 So when this prophet burst on the scene, messianic expectations just skyrocketed. 52 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:20,760 Now that desert man or that wilderness man's name was John, and they called him the Baptist 53 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:27,560 because he called people to repent and then signify their repentance in baptism. 54 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,760 Now Matthew tells us that this ministry took place in the wilderness of Judea. 55 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:36,560 The problem is when we, in our location, when we think of wilderness, we think of Lake Vesuvius 56 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:37,720 area. 57 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:38,720 It's not. 58 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:39,720 It's not a wilderness like that. 59 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:40,720 It's the desert. 60 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:42,080 This is a desert area. 61 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:47,340 This is an area outside of Jerusalem between the Dead Sea and the Jordan River. 62 00:04:47,340 --> 00:04:49,280 That's where John was. 63 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:52,240 Now John is preaching a singular message. 64 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:53,240 Repent. 65 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:54,240 That's it. 66 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,240 I mean we'll look, Lord willing, look at that next week. 67 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,760 Turn around, amend your ways before God. 68 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,560 Now that would make sense if he were preaching to Gentiles, but he's not. 69 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:06,600 He's preaching to the Jewish people. 70 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,600 Now why was he preaching this message? 71 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:14,080 And he said, this is the reason why you all better get ready, why we need to repent. 72 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,080 The kingdom of heaven was at hand. 73 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,440 The kingdom of heaven is near. 74 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,400 Now Matthew is the only gospel writer. 75 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,900 He uses the phrase kingdom of heaven about 32 times in this gospel. 76 00:05:25,900 --> 00:05:31,920 The other gospel writers, Luke, Mark, and John, all use the phrase kingdom of God. 77 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,680 Now there is no difference between kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God. 78 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:37,280 They mean the exact same thing. 79 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:40,120 So why does Matthew use this phrase? 80 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:44,600 Well keep in mind, Matthew is a Jew writing to Jewish people, and so instead of writing 81 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,240 the divine name out of Jewish sensibility, he would actually use a circumlocution. 82 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,080 He would use another word. 83 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:53,120 He used heaven. 84 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,960 Also probable here, keep in mind, that Matthew is writing to a group of Jews and he doesn't 85 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:03,600 want them to misunderstand the nature of the kingdom that's being proclaimed. 86 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,880 Remember, this is first century Israel. 87 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,720 All the Jews, when thinking the Messiah, would be thinking of a restoration of an earthly 88 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:17,960 kingdom that would be delivered in from Roman rule and reestablished the Davidic dynasty. 89 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,460 A son of David would arise and sit on David's throne. 90 00:06:21,460 --> 00:06:25,460 So doubtless, when they heard about the kingdom at hand, their thoughts would immediately 91 00:06:25,460 --> 00:06:30,560 go to an earthly, physical kingdom that's going to bring in political freedom. 92 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,120 That's just the nature of the culture in which they lived. 93 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,340 So Matthew also, using this phrase, he doesn't have to use the divine name. 94 00:06:38,340 --> 00:06:42,920 He also is letting them understand the nature of this kingdom. 95 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,120 It is a heavenly kingdom. 96 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,720 Now today, what I find is that there are many pastors who will preach about the kingdom 97 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:54,600 of God, but there are many Christians sitting and listening who don't really understand 98 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,120 what that means or what it even refers to. 99 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:58,820 We hear it all the time. 100 00:06:58,820 --> 00:07:04,440 Now there are some, there are many today, who erroneously teach that Christ came, he 101 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:10,200 offered a physical kingdom to the Jews, they rejected it, so thus the kingdom is postponed 102 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:15,000 and it's only for a future event when the Jewish people fully embrace the Messiah. 103 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,320 And I'm suggesting that is an error. 104 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,080 And I want to prove that to you today. 105 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,280 So what do, now that's partly true, there is going to be coming a physical kingdom, 106 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,080 but there's a kingdom today. 107 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,880 So what do the scriptures mean when they refer to the kingdom of God? 108 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:33,760 Well, first of all, the word kingdom is the Greek word basalaias. 109 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:39,680 You see the word basilica there, it's basalaias and it simply means kingdom, dominion, or 110 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:40,680 even rule. 111 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:46,760 So basalaias would be the territory that is subject to the rule of a king. 112 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:50,000 It's the right of a sovereign to rule over someone. 113 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,520 In the Old Testament, we see often God pictured as the heavenly king who has the right to 114 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,120 rule over all creation. 115 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,600 You see this all the time, but I'll give you two places. 116 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:05,600 In Psalm 145, we read this, all your works shall praise you, O Lord, and your saints 117 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,540 shall bless you. 118 00:08:07,540 --> 00:08:13,360 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and talk of your power to make known the sons 119 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:18,400 of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. 120 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:24,120 Your kingdom, speaking to the Lord, is an everlasting kingdom and your dominion endures 121 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,080 throughout all generations. 122 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:33,560 Psalm 103.19, the Lord has established his throne in heaven, his kingdom rules over all. 123 00:08:33,560 --> 00:08:35,840 It's very clear. 124 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:40,520 God is king and he rules over all the earth. 125 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,560 He rules over all the cosmos. 126 00:08:43,560 --> 00:08:49,600 In 2 Kings chapter 19, we read this, Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said, O Lord God 127 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:57,200 of Israel, the one who dwells between the cherubim, you are God, you alone of all the 128 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:02,700 kingdoms of the earth, you have made heaven and earth. 129 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:10,920 God as creator has the sovereign right to rule over all people at all times in all places. 130 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:17,640 God has never lost and never will lose his sovereign rule over his creation. 131 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,480 Everything belongs to him by divine right. 132 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,760 God is king and he will always reign. 133 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:33,920 But something happened when man listened to the serpent's lies and fell into sin. 134 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:39,600 Now at that time in Genesis 3 when man sinned, God never lost his power, but there was now 135 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,520 alienation from God. 136 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:46,100 Disease and death entered into God's creation. 137 00:09:46,100 --> 00:09:54,400 There is a sense in which Satan in a limited way was now ruling the kingdom of this world 138 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,000 over fallen creation. 139 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,640 Now in the beginning when God created mankind, he created Adam and Eve, he had given them 140 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:05,860 dominion, that's the word dominion, to rule and reign over the created order. 141 00:10:05,860 --> 00:10:07,920 That was a task given to them. 142 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:14,280 But in Adam's sin, he abdicated his authority to Satan who is now ruling and exercising 143 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,080 his dominion in this fallen world. 144 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,640 Now you're like, that sounds a little funny to me pastor. 145 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,320 Well I say that because what the Bible teaches. 146 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:29,460 In Luke chapter 4 when Satan is tempting our Lord, listen to what he says, then the devil 147 00:10:29,460 --> 00:10:34,200 taking him, Jesus, up on a high mountain showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment 148 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,000 of time. 149 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:43,120 And the devil said to him, all this authority I will give you and their glory for this has 150 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:48,120 been delivered to me and I give it to whomever I wish, therefore if you will worship before 151 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:49,540 me, all will be yours. 152 00:10:49,540 --> 00:10:53,040 Now some say that's a lie, but Satan or Jesus didn't correct him. 153 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,360 But notice this carefully, all this authority I will give you. 154 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,520 So somehow there was an authority that had been given to the serpent at that time. 155 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:06,400 John Piper says in his sovereignty, God considered it wise as part of the curse on the world 156 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:11,680 after Adam and Eve sinned to give Satan a huge power in this world. 157 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:19,000 Authority was given, exousia, but not ultimate authority. 158 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:25,560 God has always held ultimate authority over all including evil men, including Satan himself. 159 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:27,880 Now we can see that very clearly in the book of Job. 160 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:32,400 When Job is there, a righteous man before the Lord, Satan wants to attack Job. 161 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,920 He wants to bring accusations against him, he wants to bring trial upon him, but Satan 162 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:42,440 could not do so until he first got permission from God to do it. 163 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:49,120 So Satan does hold some jurisdiction over man, but he holds nothing over God. 164 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,960 Now so I want to be clear here. 165 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:56,360 I am not suggesting or saying there are two ultimate powers in the universe, God and Satan, 166 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,480 light and darkness, and they're fighting it out to see who will win. 167 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,520 No there's not, there's only one ultimate authority. 168 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,240 God has no opposite. 169 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:10,000 God is creator and everything else is created including Satan himself. 170 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:17,520 So one power or authority that Satan has had to be delegated, relegated to him, given to 171 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,860 him by God to accomplish God's own purpose. 172 00:12:20,860 --> 00:12:24,840 Now let me show you this again, 1 John chapter 5. 173 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:31,340 John writing, we know, he's talking in church, we know we're of God and the whole world lies 174 00:12:31,340 --> 00:12:34,920 under the sway of the wicked one. 175 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,120 So the whole world, what's he mean the whole world? 176 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,360 He's not talking about the trees and the grass. 177 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:45,080 All unredeemed mankind, fallen man, is under the delusion and the deceptive influence of 178 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:46,360 Satan. 179 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,440 They're blinded by him. 180 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:55,680 Second Corinthians chapter 4, Paul writing, even if our gospel is veiled, it is hidden, 181 00:12:55,680 --> 00:13:02,800 it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who 182 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:07,360 do not believe, lest they would see the light of the gospel, the glory of Christ, who is 183 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,840 the image of God and it should shine upon them. 184 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:17,280 Satan's power lies in his ability to deceive sinners and he blinds them to the glory of 185 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,760 God found in Christ. 186 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,720 So that's one of the reasons you can tell a Christian from a non-Christian. 187 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,160 Do they see in Jesus the glory of God? 188 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,200 If they don't, they're blinded. 189 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:35,200 Ephesians chapter 2, we'll go on, Paul writing in the church of Ephesus, and you, he has 190 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:40,000 made alive, he's quickened you, he's regenerated you, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 191 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,920 that's where we all were, in which you once walked according to the course of this world 192 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:49,860 and I notice according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works 193 00:13:49,860 --> 00:13:52,400 in the sons of disobedience. 194 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,480 But I think the most instructive verses are what our Lord says in John 14. 195 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:02,880 In John 14.30, Jesus said, I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world 196 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,080 is coming and he has nothing in me. 197 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,440 Jesus himself says Satan is the ruler of this world. 198 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:15,560 In 16.11, John 16.11, Jesus then says the ruler of this world is judged. 199 00:14:15,560 --> 00:14:18,040 So I notice what our Lord's calling him. 200 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:19,640 He's calling him the ruler of this world. 201 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,280 Again, he's the ruler of this world. 202 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,640 That does not mean the universe. 203 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:29,200 God is the ruler of the universe, but Satan is the ruler of this evil world system. 204 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,680 This fallen world in rebellion against God. 205 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:38,040 God still retains all power over all people, all things. 206 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:44,280 But Satan has sway, has influence, has deception over the nations of the world, over this wicked 207 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:48,700 world system that's still rebelling against God to this very day. 208 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:50,120 So that's where his power lies. 209 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:55,080 He deceives and he keeps people blinded from seeing the truth. 210 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,720 So look at the titles. 211 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,960 He's called the God of the Sage, the Prince of the Power of the Air, the ruler of this 212 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:01,960 world. 213 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,600 So clearly there is a sense in which Satan does have some authority and has created his 214 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,800 own kingdom that's a kingdom of darkness. 215 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,960 Now you and I know from the beginning, before Adam and Eve ever were created, we know in 216 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:22,640 heaven there was an attempt by Satan to dethrone God and of course it failed and he was kicked 217 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:24,680 out of heaven. 218 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:28,120 And then he comes to earth and that same attempt also failed. 219 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:29,180 Why? 220 00:15:29,180 --> 00:15:30,900 This is the gospel. 221 00:15:30,900 --> 00:15:36,080 Because the Lord Jesus dealt the death blow to Satan at the cross. 222 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,920 Colossians chapter two. 223 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:44,880 And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision in your flesh, he, Christ, 224 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:49,960 has made, God, excuse me, has made alive together with him, with Christ, having forgiven you, 225 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:54,920 having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements 226 00:15:54,920 --> 00:16:00,040 that was against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it out of the way, having 227 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:01,320 nailed it to the cross. 228 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:09,440 Notice verse 15, having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle then, 229 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,880 even triumphing over them in it. 230 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,800 That's a wordy statement, isn't it? 231 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:22,240 At Calvary, Paul writing to the church at Colossi says, the Lord Jesus Christ disarmed, 232 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:27,120 defamed, took away the power of Satan, the principalities and powers, how? 233 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:32,280 By wiping out, that is, canceling all the requirements that were against us. 234 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:33,280 How? 235 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:38,440 The weapon that Satan used that was always effective was to accuse us before God because 236 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,440 of our sin. 237 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:45,360 God is a holy God, Satan brings accusation, and we are condemned. 238 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:53,880 But Christ, our Lord, took all the punishment that was due upon our sin at the cross, and 239 00:16:53,880 --> 00:17:01,120 thus there was nothing left for Satan to accuse us of anymore, so he was disarmed. 240 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:06,400 No accusation sticks, the punishment has been born. 241 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:07,760 Christ took it. 242 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:13,520 The weapon that he used was now destroyed, and so it's ineffective now. 243 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:19,940 So as we think about the kingdom of God, we understand, yes, God is king over all creation. 244 00:17:19,940 --> 00:17:24,360 We also understand in a very limited sense, there is a kingdom of darkness, and Satan 245 00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:28,200 rules in the lives of unbelievers. 246 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:37,200 The Lord Jesus, he came to rescue his people from the dominion of Satan by giving or bringing 247 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,200 the decisive death blow to Satan. 248 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,200 How? 249 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,280 Through his own death and resurrection at the cross of Calvary. 250 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:51,960 Now we go back to our text in Matthew 3, John the Baptist says, listen Israel, repent. 251 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:53,600 The kingdom of heaven, it's near. 252 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:54,600 Why? 253 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:55,760 The king was right there. 254 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:57,160 The king had come. 255 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,080 So what about this kingdom of heaven then? 256 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:00,080 What is it? 257 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,200 Now we already said at the beginning, God certainly reigns over all, but if that's all 258 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,640 that we were talking about, that wouldn't make sense for John the Baptist to be preaching 259 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:10,300 the kingdom of heaven is near since God reigns over all. 260 00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:11,300 It's always been near. 261 00:18:11,300 --> 00:18:14,280 So he's speaking about something different there. 262 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:20,120 Sproul says at the heart of this theme is the idea of God's messianic kingdom. 263 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:25,680 It is a kingdom that will be ruled by God's appointed Messiah, not just redeemer of his 264 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:26,680 people, but king. 265 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,260 Let me just say it this way, not just savior, but Lord. 266 00:18:30,260 --> 00:18:35,280 So when John speaks of the radical nearness of this breakthrough, the intrusion of the 267 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:40,880 kingdom of God, he is speaking of the kingdom of the Messiah. 268 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:46,480 So John the Baptist, the first prophet in 400 years comes on the scene. 269 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:47,880 That's a jarring message. 270 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:48,880 Y'all need to repent. 271 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:49,880 Why? 272 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,560 The king that you've waited for is near and you better get prepared for his arrival. 273 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:56,360 How do you prepare for the king that's holy? 274 00:18:56,360 --> 00:18:57,960 You repent. 275 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:04,880 See the kingdom of God is the place where God's rule is welcomed and cherished. 276 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:10,760 Because of mankind's rebellion, this world system lies under the influence of the evil 277 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:11,760 one. 278 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:16,760 So right now when we talk about the kingdom of God, it is in the hearts and lives of God's 279 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:17,760 people. 280 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:24,680 So currently when we're talking about today, June 2nd, 2024, the kingdom of God is a spiritual 281 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:30,840 rule in the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God's authority. 282 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,400 So what does it mean to submit to God's authority? 283 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,120 You submit to the Lordship of Jesus. 284 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:40,600 He rules as king, as Lord in your life. 285 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,560 You willingly confess Jesus is Lord. 286 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,800 Now but we look through the pages of the holy scriptures and it is clear whether you look 287 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,800 at the Old Testament, whether you look at the New Testament, it is obvious that the 288 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:58,860 full kingdom that God spoke of is not simply or merely a spiritual kingdom in the hearts 289 00:19:58,860 --> 00:20:00,400 of his people. 290 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,740 That's what it is right now. 291 00:20:02,740 --> 00:20:05,120 But do you remember in the Lord's Prayer? 292 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,040 Here's how our Lord taught us to pray. 293 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:11,600 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 294 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:19,380 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 295 00:20:19,380 --> 00:20:25,520 Christ is teaching us that there is something of a future kingdom that yet awaits us and 296 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:31,600 the saints have always been praying that God would make that future hope a present reality. 297 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:36,040 We want the kingdom in its fullness. 298 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:40,560 So after our Lord was raised again from the dead, we don't give much emphasis to this 299 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:48,800 as Protestants and we ought to, he ascended into heaven for his coronation in his ascension, 300 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:49,840 in his session. 301 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,080 The Lord was crowned. 302 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:58,220 He was invested as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in his ascension. 303 00:20:58,220 --> 00:21:04,580 So that means right now, today, June 2nd, our Lord Jesus Christ is ruling and reigning 304 00:21:04,580 --> 00:21:11,520 from the highest seat of authority having been given all power, he said, all authority, 305 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:16,680 all exeusia in Greek is given to me both in heaven and on earth. 306 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:21,080 There is no authority, there is no power that does not fall under the jurisdiction of the 307 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,120 Lord Jesus Christ. 308 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:27,880 So let me just say this, we dare not say Christ will reign, no. 309 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:34,520 Rather, he is reigning right now from heaven and his reign is being done in his church, 310 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:36,760 in the lives of his people. 311 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:42,680 One of our jobs as God's people is to make the invisible kingdom visible by our lives. 312 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,480 Read the Sermon on the Mount. 313 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,080 Matthew 5, 6, and 7. 314 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:53,560 So when Christ came at his first advent, the kingdom of God was inaugurated through his 315 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:59,320 own victorious atoning work, through his death, through his burial, through his resurrection. 316 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:07,400 And yet, there still awaits a future consummation of the kingdom when Christ returns. 317 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:12,320 All enemies at the second advent, all his enemies will have been completely dethroned, 318 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,400 deposed, and defeated. 319 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:22,800 And at that time, there will be a new heaven and a new earth in which the saints of God 320 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,800 will forever live with our Lord in unfettered glory. 321 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:31,000 This is what we call the consummated kingdom. 322 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,940 Christ returns, all enemies are vanquished, there's a new heaven and earth, and the kingdom 323 00:22:35,940 --> 00:22:38,960 of God is with the kingdom of man and it is one and the same. 324 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,460 We are forever living with Lord. 325 00:22:41,460 --> 00:22:43,720 This is the kingdom that we're hoping for. 326 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,280 This is what we're longing for. 327 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:49,480 That kingdom which there are no tears, there is no pain, there is no more death. 328 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:50,480 That's it. 329 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,880 Now, again, this is all scripturally backed up. 330 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,240 Do you remember the night on which our Lord is betrayed? 331 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:02,200 He instituted the Lord's Supper, Matthew 26. 332 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:06,100 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it. 333 00:23:06,100 --> 00:23:10,440 He gave it to the disciples and said, take eat, this is my body. 334 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:14,440 And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying, drink it, drink it, all 335 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,120 of you. 336 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:22,360 For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many, for the remission, 337 00:23:22,360 --> 00:23:23,360 the forgiveness of sins. 338 00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:26,520 But look at verse 29. 339 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:33,440 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until there's 340 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,340 a future. 341 00:23:35,340 --> 00:23:42,240 That day when I drink it new with you where? in my Father's kingdom. 342 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,560 The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a, it's a pledge of many things. 343 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:52,820 But one of the things is it is a pledge to God's people of the eternal happiness we will 344 00:23:52,820 --> 00:23:56,720 share in when we are assembled in the fullness of Christ's kingdom. 345 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,300 Friends, do you get weary? 346 00:23:59,300 --> 00:24:03,920 Do you look and say the world is like, it's just on fire right now? 347 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,160 All will be made well. 348 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,760 We are reminded of that at the sacrament. 349 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:13,680 This communion cup tells us the Lord Jesus, he is reigning in the lives of his people. 350 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:14,880 Who are his people? 351 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,160 Those marked out by baptism. 352 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:21,320 Now obviously it's faith, but the people who have faith get baptized. 353 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:28,000 And thus he will reign victoriously and completely over all the nations and over all people one 354 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,220 day. 355 00:24:29,220 --> 00:24:31,840 Right now he's ruling over his people. 356 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,480 There's still rebellion out there, but it won't always be that way. 357 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:41,340 So this kingdom of God when we speak of it has an already present, not yet consummated. 358 00:24:41,340 --> 00:24:43,660 So an already not yet aspect. 359 00:24:43,660 --> 00:24:45,640 The kingdom is already inaugurated. 360 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:46,800 It has begun. 361 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:51,840 The King came at his first advent, but it's not yet fully consummated. 362 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,440 That awaits when our Lord returns again. 363 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:56,400 So this is what's so exciting about this. 364 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,400 The inauguration when Christ came, when John the Baptist said the kingdom of heaven is 365 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:01,400 at hand. 366 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:03,680 Not yet, because the King is right behind him. 367 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,400 But the consummation will take place when what? 368 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,880 The King is at hand again when the King returns a second time. 369 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,360 Now here's the important part. 370 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:16,400 To whom is the kingdom of God given? 371 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,640 If this is where God reigns and this is what we mean by the sphere of salvation, you need 372 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,320 to know something. 373 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:26,000 To whom is this kingdom given? 374 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,140 Luke 12, 32, Jesus speaking. 375 00:25:29,140 --> 00:25:36,560 Do not fear little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 376 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,320 Okay now notice the text there. 377 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:43,120 The kingdom is given to the sheep who belong to Jesus. 378 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:49,920 In fact Jesus said God the Father is happy to give the kingdom to Christ's sheep. 379 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:54,000 So the million dollar question is, well who are Jesus's sheep? 380 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,320 They're the ones for whom he died. 381 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,840 John chapter 10 verse 11, Jesus said I am the good shepherd. 382 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,040 The good shepherd gives his life for whom? 383 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:05,040 For the sheep. 384 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,420 Verse 15, I lay down my life for whom? 385 00:26:08,420 --> 00:26:09,420 For the sheep. 386 00:26:09,420 --> 00:26:12,840 Well then how do you know if you are one of Christ's sheep? 387 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,040 I mean that's the most important question. 388 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:26,200 Verse 27, Jesus said my sheep, they hear my voice in the gospel and I know them and they 389 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,560 follow me. 390 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:34,200 And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish and neither shall anyone snatch 391 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:35,800 them out of my hand. 392 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,440 Do you see what he's saying? 393 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:44,640 Christ's sheep hear his voice and they follow him in obedience. 394 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:46,160 They obey him. 395 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:50,320 This is what our Lord was getting at in Matthew 5 called the Sermon on the Mount. 396 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,120 I'll look at two verses there. 397 00:26:52,120 --> 00:26:58,680 Matthew 5 verse 3, Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom 398 00:26:58,680 --> 00:26:59,680 of heaven. 399 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:01,200 That's an indicative statement. 400 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,800 He does not say make yourself poor in spirit. 401 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:05,440 He's just pronouncing a blessing. 402 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,080 Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. 403 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:08,080 Why? 404 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,480 The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 405 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:12,520 So poor in spirit, that means poverty of spirit. 406 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:16,120 The Greek word is tokas, it's bankruptcy. 407 00:27:16,120 --> 00:27:20,760 So the scribes, the Pharisees, the leading religious officials of the day, they thought 408 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:25,400 so highly of themselves and their own righteousness because they were keeping the law. 409 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:27,320 Surely God was smiling upon them. 410 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,200 Surely God was happy with them and their own attempts to be righteous before him. 411 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,240 But Jesus said just the opposite. 412 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:37,560 The poor in spirit, that's a poverty of arrogance. 413 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:42,160 These people are not boasting of their own personal righteousness before God. 414 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:46,600 They understand how holy he is and how unholy we are. 415 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,140 And Jesus said blessed are you. 416 00:27:49,140 --> 00:27:51,240 Blessed are the poor in spirit. 417 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,760 Because if you're there, the kingdom of God belongs to you. 418 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,260 But look at verse 10. 419 00:27:56,260 --> 00:28:03,120 He said blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is, present 420 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:05,680 reality, the kingdom of heaven. 421 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:07,560 Now he doesn't say blessed are those who are persecuted. 422 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,960 You can be an idiot and get yourself persecuted. 423 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:15,480 He said blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for being righteous. 424 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:21,440 This is the persecution that comes from being aligned and associated with Christ. 425 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,640 Last week we looked at that missionary couple, that young couple that died in Haiti by gang 426 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:26,640 violence. 427 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:27,640 Why? 428 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:29,920 Because they were part of Christ. 429 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,520 Once more our Lord says these people belong to the kingdom of God. 430 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:35,520 It's theirs. 431 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:37,400 It's their possession. 432 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:41,980 Their place in the kingdom though, now get this or you're going to mess it up. 433 00:28:41,980 --> 00:28:47,120 Their place in the kingdom is not because they were persecuted or even willing to be 434 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:48,120 persecuted. 435 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,880 How do you get into the kingdom? 436 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:52,920 Luke 6 just told us. 437 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,960 It is your father's good pleasure to give the kingdom. 438 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,560 It's a gift. 439 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:03,800 Their willingness to suffer for Christ and his kingdom is a sign that they already belong 440 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:06,080 to him. 441 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:12,240 These people, the poor in spirit and those who are being persecuted, they place God's 442 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:16,600 kingdom and God's interest above self. 443 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:18,480 Do you see it? 444 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:22,700 So the kingdom of God, when we're talking about it, it's comprised of those who know 445 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:25,500 they're not purchase me right, personally righteous. 446 00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:32,200 They understand that Christ is and in their poverty they turn to Christ in faith to be 447 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,440 clothed with his righteousness. 448 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,680 This sheep hears voice. 449 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:44,760 They hear the voice of Christ telling them, come to me in childlike faith and in trust. 450 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:48,560 And here's what his says and guys, we have to understand this. 451 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:55,960 They follow him in obedience to the point of being willing to suffer if it needs to 452 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:56,960 be. 453 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,080 These people won't deny Christ. 454 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,040 So we've learned what the kingdom is. 455 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:02,880 We've learned what it will be. 456 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,120 We have seen those who make up the kingdom of God. 457 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:11,600 How does one enter to the kingdom of God? 458 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:19,080 John chapter three, Jesus answered and said, most assuredly I say to you, unless one is 459 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:23,060 born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 460 00:30:23,060 --> 00:30:27,280 You can't even see it, let alone enter it. 461 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,480 You have to be born again. 462 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,360 The guys listen, every one of you, if you're going to enter the kingdom of God to the sheer 463 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,360 salvation, you must be born again. 464 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:36,360 What does that mean? 465 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:37,920 Look at verse five. 466 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:44,120 Jesus said, unless one is born of water and the spirit, you don't enter the kingdom of 467 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:45,120 God. 468 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:50,440 The new birth is a birth of water and spirit. 469 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:54,840 Water and spirit speak of a new birth that results in spiritual and inner cleansing of 470 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:56,640 the sinner. 471 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:01,120 This is what the prophet Ezekiel spoke of in Ezekiel 36. 472 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,880 God speaking there, he said, then, go to that next slide. 473 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:08,320 Then I will sprinkle clean water in you and you shall be clean. 474 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:12,240 I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 475 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:16,320 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. 476 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:20,440 I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 477 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:26,080 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep 478 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:29,080 my judgments and you will do them. 479 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:36,560 This new birth, John 3.5, the new birth is an act of God in which he regenerates or he 480 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,440 makes you alive. 481 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:43,120 You were dead in trespasses and he adopts you in this family, making you a child of 482 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:44,120 God. 483 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:47,040 But I want you to notice what's absolutely essential. 484 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:51,480 Ezekiel says this is all done by God. 485 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:52,480 Who is the subject? 486 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:54,480 Who is the one making you clean? 487 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:58,040 The active voice here, the subject is God. 488 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:00,480 I will sprinkle clean water upon you. 489 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:01,880 I will cleanse you. 490 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:03,520 I will give you a new heart. 491 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,320 I will put a new spirit within you. 492 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:07,120 I will take away the stone heart. 493 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:08,760 I will give you a heart of flesh. 494 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,480 I will put my spirit within you. 495 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:14,600 I will cause you to walk in my statutes and the result is you will keep my judgments and 496 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:15,600 do them. 497 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,400 Do you see it? 498 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,480 God is the one who accomplishes the new birth. 499 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:22,480 It is humanly impossible. 500 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,040 You can't make yourself born again. 501 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:28,920 Sometimes you see a track, how to be born again. 502 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,840 God's got to act on that. 503 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,600 Salvation is a monogistic work. 504 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,240 That means it's accomplished by God alone. 505 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:42,680 To enter into this kingdom of God, which is the sphere of salvation, it requires a supernatural, 506 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:47,320 an act of God inwardly cleansing your soul, which can only be done by the Holy Spirit 507 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:48,320 of God. 508 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:49,960 That's it. 509 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:54,640 As sinners, rebels, we need it to be cleansed from our sin. 510 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,400 That's what water signifies. 511 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:57,520 And give a new life. 512 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,740 That's the spirit. 513 00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:05,660 If you're impure, if you're spiritually dead, you can't enter the kingdom of God. 514 00:33:05,660 --> 00:33:07,840 You need to be born again. 515 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:14,540 And this new birth changes you from one, a child of darkness, to a child of light. 516 00:33:14,540 --> 00:33:15,640 God gives you a new heart. 517 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:20,000 He puts His Spirit within you so that your desires and your affections change. 518 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,280 If your desires and your affections did not change, there's very good reason for you to 519 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,320 question whether or not you've been born again. 520 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:27,720 He says He's going to do it. 521 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:31,640 I will cause you to walk in my statutes and my judgments. 522 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:38,840 And then we pray with the saints throughout the ages, thy kingdom come. 523 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,560 Thy will be done. 524 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:44,800 There's one other thing left for us in the kingdom. 525 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,520 I didn't develop it well because I knew I was going to run out of time, but we'll look 526 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,920 at it next week. 527 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:54,000 God gave these men, these disciples, a commission. 528 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:59,640 They were to go around preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. 529 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:06,800 Friends, we have an opportunity, a task, a commission, an obligation laid upon us. 530 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:10,540 We preach Christ the King has come. 531 00:34:10,540 --> 00:34:16,440 The sphere of salvation is open to all who understand their own spiritual bankruptcy. 532 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:18,480 You're not righteous before God. 533 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:23,000 You've broken His law and you deserve to be condemned. 534 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:28,560 But God lifts your eyes and He opens your heart and He shows you the glory of Christ. 535 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:34,080 The one that took your sin and died upon that cross was buried and rose again. 536 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:35,480 Friends, do you see it? 537 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,720 Do you see in Jesus the glory of God? 538 00:34:38,720 --> 00:34:41,280 Do you freely confess Him as Lord? 539 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:46,240 Praise God for the new birth that He has accomplished, for that is a work of God. 540 00:34:46,240 --> 00:34:50,480 You and I, friends, get to go preach this message, the good news of the gospel of the 541 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:51,480 kingdom. 542 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:52,480 The King has come. 543 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:57,680 And friends, I would be remiss if I didn't say He's coming again. 544 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:03,240 But the second time He doesn't come offering salvation, He comes in vindication and judgment. 545 00:35:03,240 --> 00:35:05,040 Today is a day of salvation. 546 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:10,520 If you will bow your knees before this glorious King whose name is Jesus, you confess your 547 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:15,240 sin, He will receive you in His kingdom and give you eternal life. 548 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:18,240 Let's pray. 549 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:27,360 Father, Lord, I'm so very thankful, Lord, for Your word. 550 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:30,240 It does instruct us and it helps us, Lord. 551 00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:53,600 God, would You help us this morning, Lord, as we pray?