77. The Story Of The Kingdom


See The Lessons

 

In Your Bible Read This
Genesis 1; Revelation 20.11 - 21.5

Here Is Your Memory Verse
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new ! Revelation 21, 4

Afterwards Talk About This
All that you have to look forward to in the glorious and certain future
planned by God from eternity for you.

Something To Do Before Next Time
Ask permission to go into schools, colleges and universities to share
this Christian world view of the past, present and future.

Written Diploma Work
Describe on one page what Hebrews 6, 4-5 means by tasting the
gifts and powers. What can the full banquet be like?

Meditate Word By Word On This Verse
Revelation 20.15

Spend a Minute to Change the World
Pray For Nepal - 21,000,000 Indo-Aryan people
89% Hindu, 0.5% Christian, 25 believers in 1960, now 50,000
 

Be sure to teach this lesson to others.
Always pray and prepare well adding your own verses and stories to bring it to life.

 

Click > 77chart to see the illustration for this lesson
 

Discovering your roots.

You may think that Christianity is something quite new in the earth, or that it is a western religion that makes a bit more sense than local beliefs. But you would be very wrong. You are about to discover your true identity and see that you are part of a huge living family with a history that stretches back to before time began, and reaches forward into a glorious future. Here is a brief explanation of the chart:

1. Pre-History.

Before history began is the unending ‘time’ of eternity, Psalm 90.2. Little is known but the Bible gives clues like Psalm 2.7. Ezekiel 28, 12-19 refers to the birth of Lucifer or Satan as does Isaiah 14, 12-20.

2. This Age.

This present age began by God’s creation of the universe, the Earth and Adam and Eve, not by evolution from a ‘big bang.’ After the fall of man, this age up today is represented by the list on the chart, titled death, sin and Satan.

Early Events In Human History
Creation, sin, the fall of man, death, the promise of God to put things right, the birth of enmity with Satan and the start of his contest for world power. Mankind divides into Cainites who are known for violent ungodliness and Sethites like Enoch who are Godly. However there is intermarriage between spirits and humans, or a spiritual invasion, and this brings a major crisis of sin on earth. Genesis chapters 1 to 5.

Noah, The Flood And A Covenant
Genesis chapters 6 to 11.9. However sin remains and soon turns to idolatry which God judges at the Tower of Babel, where the nations and cultures are born. Gen. 9.22

Abraham
In Genesis 11.27-12.1 onwards God turns his attention to one man, Abraham, who is destined be father of a new people, the people of God.

Isaac And Jacob
Abraham’s son and grandson inherit the same promise as he received, Genesis 12,1-3, which is passed through Joseph into Egypt and 400 years of slavery. See Genesis 21-Exodus and lesson 29.

Moses To Israel And Judah
Moses rescued the entire nation out of Egypt by God’s hand and they met with God at Sinai, Exodus ch. 19 and 20, lesson 29. Even though they never became a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, they represented faith in the one true living God for 1,500 years, always looking for a future kingdom. Judges - Malachi

Jesus
The announcement of something new from God came to a peasant girl in a northern bush town. To shepherds who didn’t even have the right to testify in a court of law and perhaps most amazingly to astrologers. Where were the theologians, the media people, the powerful and the religious who would make sure that the Son of God would haul Judaism back to God and his holy calling? God knew that demon powers lodge in those who control society. Therefore this gospel, this child, was entrusted to peasants, shepherds and to astrologers seeking something beyond the stars." From Gerald Coates.

Jesus, The First Of The Age To Come
John the Baptist announces that the kingdom is near, the end of the Old Testament. Jesus preaches good news that the kingdom is near, and teaches men how to enter. Jesus sends out his disciples to say the same and his miracles prove the arrival of God’s kingdom. Jesus confidently announces the future laws of the kingdom and teaches kingdom life and destiny through the parables, as fact not hope. He promised that his kingdom would transcend his death and told us to pray for more of this kingdom to come. In effect Jesus declares war against Satan’s kingdom rule.

Matthew 3.2; 5.20; 7.21; John 3.3; Matthew 10.7; 12.28; Matthew chs. 5, 6 and 7; Matthew 13.11; Luke 22.30; 11.2; Mat. 12.26 and 1 John 3.8.

The Cross Clears The Way
The enemy is disarmed, Col. 2.15, but is still present and very dangerous until Jesus comes again.

3. The Age To Come Begins To Enter.

The resurrection. John ch. 20 to 21.
The first bible school, Acts 1.3
The promise of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1.5
The long-term strategy, Acts 1.8
The Church Age Begins
The age of Christ’s concealed glory.
We only taste, but not yet feast on that list on the chart titled ‘Taste.’
 
The Holy Spirit empowers the counter attack as the two kingdoms enter into conflict until Jesus returns. Acts 2.1-4. Satan receives a setback every time the sick are healed, every time a demon is cast out, every time a lost soul is saved; every time races live together in love and harmony; every time greed is exposed and punished; every time families maintain holiness and purity. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus comes to give abundant life."
From C Peter Wagner, Spreading the Fire.
 
The Second Coming Of Christ As King
The age of Christ’s manifest glory.
The first resurrection, 1 Cor. 15,35-57.
Satan is bound and Jesus physically reigns on earth for 1000 years until Satan is released and men follow him again, still captive by sin, Revelation 20, 1-8.
 
Second Resurrection
The final judgement and the opening of books at the great white throne of God. The eternal confinement of death, Hades, Satan, his servants and all whose names are not written in the book of life, in the lake of fire. Revelation 20, 11-15.

4. The Kingdom Of God Fully Comes.

Unending time, a new earth and a new heaven and the just rule of God. See the final list on the chart and thank God for bringing you safe into his kingdom.

 

 

To Close Pray For The
World's Most Unreached Peoples By Name
 
Taken from the Joshua Project 2000 Unreached Peoples List
at www.ad2000.org these people have no church and as yet
no cell, church or mission has committed themselves
to prayer, adoption or church planting among this people.

 

United Arab Emirates

People Name Language

Population

Pashtun, Western (Pushtun, Pathan, Afghan) Pashto, Western

38,100

Yemeni Arab Arabic, Ta'izzi-Adeni

15,000

 

 
© Dr Les Norman | School of Christian Leadership, UK
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