What and Where is God's Kingdom?
Summary of a John Ortberg Sermon
When Jesus began to preach, He told people to repent because the kingdom of God had come near. Then one day, with large crowds following Him, He went up on a mountainside and preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 4:17, 4:23-5:2).
Christ announced God’s kingdom before He began teaching the Sermon. God’s kingdom is a major theme in the New Testament: He sent His disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God (Luke 9:2); He taught them to seek God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33); and in the very last verse in Acts, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God (Acts 28:31).
What is one major characteristic of God’s kingdom?
The word kingdom typically refers to a place where a king rules and where his word is law.
In God’s kingdom, things happen according to His will. The citizens of God’s kingdom follow Him (Matthew 7:21). The Sermon on the Mount describes some behaviors of those in the kingdom of God. We see examples of such behaviors in Christ on earth, following the will of the Father.
Where is the kingdom of God?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ did not teach us to pray that we go to heaven. Instead, He taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to come down to earth, such as God’s kingdom come, God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).
In the final glorious day, God’s kingdom will be on earth, and everything will be perfectly aligned to His will. But not now.
Christ invited us to follow Him and heed His teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Each time we do that, or we get closer to doing that, we will experience and show glimpses of the kingdom of God.
Summarized from a John Ortberg’s sermon from a set of sermons at:
https://www.crosspreach.com/sermons/listall/25/page:9
Christ announced God’s kingdom before He began teaching the Sermon. God’s kingdom is a major theme in the New Testament: He sent His disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God (Luke 9:2); He taught them to seek God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33); and in the very last verse in Acts, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God (Acts 28:31).
What is one major characteristic of God’s kingdom?
The word kingdom typically refers to a place where a king rules and where his word is law.
In God’s kingdom, things happen according to His will. The citizens of God’s kingdom follow Him (Matthew 7:21). The Sermon on the Mount describes some behaviors of those in the kingdom of God. We see examples of such behaviors in Christ on earth, following the will of the Father.
Where is the kingdom of God?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ did not teach us to pray that we go to heaven. Instead, He taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to come down to earth, such as God’s kingdom come, God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).
In the final glorious day, God’s kingdom will be on earth, and everything will be perfectly aligned to His will. But not now.
Christ invited us to follow Him and heed His teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Each time we do that, or we get closer to doing that, we will experience and show glimpses of the kingdom of God.
Summarized from a John Ortberg’s sermon from a set of sermons at:
https://www.crosspreach.com/sermons/listall/25/page:9