THINGS PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM
Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 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: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Christ’s Kingdom
The Gospel Kingdom is the end of all kingdoms! Rev. 11:15 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.
Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
For the Lord, as the Sower that sowed, (Matt. 13), has planted his elect in all the kingdoms of the world, throughout history. Rev. 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Therefore he has sent his gospel soldiers into every nation to gather out of them all that will believe their report into his spiritual kingdom! And he has promised to be with them in doing so through every national campaign, until time shall end! Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 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. Amen.
The Lord chose to raise up the explorers, migrants, discoverers, and wars in order to progress mankind into the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord! (Acts 17:26-27). Therefore the increment of gospel evangelism has always been the individual nations. (See verse 19 of the Matthew 28 passage listed above! Go – and teach all nations! And take note of the Revelation 5:9 verse, also listed above! … out of every…nation;)
And the end of time is based, not upon national Israel, but upon the preaching of the spiritual church as it is raised up in its appointed times within the nations! Matt. 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.
And the last nation, as well as the last kingdom is the church! Matt. 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: THE only ‘nation’ bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit is the spiritual church! And we are not speaking of the organization of religion, but of the organism of the Body of Christ!
Christ’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom within a physical and natural world, which requires a second birth by the Holy Spirit within the natural body! Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
And the Lord Jesus Christ being now the King of all kings, with the only world wide rule since Nebuchadnezzar of the Chaldeans, Darius of the Persians, Alexander of the Greeks, and Caesar of the Romans, comes now to instruct concerning the Things Pertaining To The Kingdom! For his kingdom is the domain of his Sovereign rule! Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God’s Prophet – The kingdom must know that it is to be ruled by the Supreme Commander – The Lord Christ! Here he is! The Prophet of which Moses spake which God should raise up “like unto me!” (Deuteronomy 18:15). And he showed himself alive after his sufferings (passion)! Satan had done his worst! Sin had exacted its penalty! Death and Hell had coupled together to swallow him up! But here he stands, speaking to them! Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Listen to Peter preaching on Solomon’s porch after the healing of the lame man: Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
God’s Promise – One of the next things which the King relates concerning his kingdom is the source of its power and direction! He tells them in verse four to wait for the promise of the Father! For his kingdom shall not be directed by man’s might, nor by human power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts! (Zechariah 4:6).
He will relieve them of the committee’s vote, the individual’s preferences, and the administration’s platform! Peter must lose his sword! Zebedee’s son’s must lose their ambition! Judas must lose his soul! The religious Pharisees must lose their prejudices! And the harlots and publicans must lose their sin and condemnation! For the King of Glory is now to rule by the promise of the Father – the Blessed Holy Spirit!
And we have certain assurance that Christ is presently reigning and is the world-wide ruling Lord by the receiving of the Holy Spirit. For the Spirit’s coming down is only upon the event of the Lord’s going up! Listen at Peter preach on Pentecost concerning David’s prophesy of Christ! Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. Settle it! Do we have the Holy Spirit? Then Christ is presently reigning Lord! For it is only as Christ is presently reigning that the Holy Spirit is sent!
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Are our sins forgiven? Is the Father satisfied (Isaiah 53:11), with the atonement? Then Christ is presently reigning Lord! Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Dear soul, Christ will present himself as ruling and reigning Lord only by the Holy Spirit! John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
God’s Power – We didn’t list verses seven and eight of Acts chapter one in our above listed verses, but it is good to notice that Christ, the Supreme Commander, instructs that there are some things in the Father’s power that his disciples cannot know. But then in the first of verse eight he instructs that there is a power exclusive to them for their work! So our Sovereign is informing us that to get along with the purpose of the Holy Spirit in His kingdom, we must know both our limitations and our abilities. For both are set forth by Him!
Dear friend, God has not done all he could! He has only done all he would! He has restrained all things except those which accompany salvation! Paul was not allowed to publish among men the glories he saw in the third heaven! (2 Cor. 12:4). And John was not allowed to publish all the marvelous things the Lord did in his earthly ministry! But there is a restraint in God’s effectual revelation for the purpose of bringing the elect to God! John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. It will then be a very beneficial blessing for us to learn to do as the Apostle Paul and determine not to know certain things! Too many preachers want you to know that they know more than you do. They wish to display themselves and their intellect in the pulpit. But that is not what the pulpit is for!
1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
If only we were content to work in the power alloted to us, leaving all else aside, maybe our churches wouldn’t stand only in a faith in men! God have mercy!
Pastor Gene Breed
