Three KingdomsWhich King do you serve?By: Ben Stewart
Introduction:
1. I want to teach about the three kingdoms here on earth. I have divided the lesson into: Satan and His kingdom, mankind and his kingdom and Jesus and His kingdom. I want to you to know that you are in one of these three kingdoms. Since you are in one of the three and want you to determine which one you are living in.
2. There is only one Kingdom that produces fruit unto eternal life and peace with the Creator of all things. There is one kingdom that seek to destroy the eternal fruit and purpose of man, and there is one kingdom that recognizes neither of the other two.
I. Satan and his kingdom
A. How Satan and his kingdom was formed
1. Satan is said to be the Father of Lies (John 8:44)
a. Satan told the first lie in Heaven, but he was cast out of heaven for it. (Luke 10:18)
b. Satan told the first lie in Earth, in the garden of Eden, he added one word: not (Gen 3:4)
c. Satan and his people call themselves righteous but are evil (Rom 6:16 1 John 3:10)
2. Satan is said to have no truth in him (John 8:44)
a. Jesus said there is no truth in Satan
b. Satan appears to be an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14-15)
c. Satan is a false prophet like those spoken of in the Jewish Prophets (Mat 7 :15; Mat 24:24)
3. Satan is comes only to kill steal and destroy
a. Jesus said Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:1, 10)
b. One of His ministers is found in (Mark 4:15; 2 Thes 2:9-12) Listen: 2 Thes 2:9-12, “even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and wonders and with all deceivableness of the unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them a strong=g delusion that they should believe a lie that they might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
c. Murder = separation; steal = separation; destroy = separation
d. Satan is a divider causing division (Jude 1:19)
B. The counterfeit that looks authentic
1. Satan said to appear as an angel of light and his ministers as righteous (1 John 4:1; )
a. Jesus said there would many false Christ’s, and there are many that are teaching the doctrine of demons, devils, and their own imagination. Listen: 1 John 4:1, “beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
b. Eph 4:14, “that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”
c. 1 Tim 4:1, “now the Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils”
2. Many world churches and religion are under Satan’s rule (Rev 2:9-13; Gal 2:4; 2 Pet 2:1)
a. Rev 2:9, “I know your works, and tribulation and poverty, but you are rich and I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are of the synagogue of satan”
b. Gal 2:4, “and that because of false brethren unaware brought in who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage.”
c. 2 Pet 2:1, “but there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teacher among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
3. Jesus told us about the wheat and the tares (Mat 13:24-30)
a. Mathew 13:24-30, “another parable put he forth unto them saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field but while the men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tares also so the servants of the householder came and said unto him Sir did you not sowgood seed in your field? From where then does it have tares? He said unto them an enemy has done this. The servants said unto him will you then and that we go and gather them up? But he said Nay lest while you gather up the tares you root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of the harvest I will say unto the reapers gather together first the tare and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
b. Did you know that a tare and a wheat look similar to the eye but the fruit is different? Did you know that the tare roots and the wheat roots can get intertwined? So that when you root up the tare the wheat is damaged.
c. Jesus said, Matthew 12:33, “either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit” It is your choice, do you want to have bad fruit or do you want to have the fruit of the spirit produced through obedience to God and His word?
C. The mission of Satan and his ministers = separation
1. They come to kill or murder our relationship with God and man
a. 2 Cor 11:3, “bit I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtly so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Remember what satan did to Eve, he added to the word of God. He changed the command of God by saying you will not die.
b. 2 Pet 3:16, “as also in all of his(Paul) epistles speaking in them these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest(twist) as they do other scriptures unto their own destruction.”
c. His ministers twist the pure word of God and add to God’s word making void His commandments and laws. They change the grace of God in to lusts of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of mankind.
2. They come to steal our heart, mind, and soul away from God our light
a. There are spirits that draw us away from God saying follow me and I will lead you into eternal life. Look at Islam, and other religion that make many promises that appeal to our fleshly nature and not to the eternal nature of Heaven.
b. These ministers want us to follow after the things of the world promising health, wealth, and prosperity. They use flattering words that appeal to our nature and tell us that we are perfect and we do not need to change our ways.
c. These people do not preach or teach fruits of repentance, but teach that you can never be lost. They do not teach God requires obedience but teach that He is forgiving and kind. They teach that none will be lost and many will be saved from Hell because God is merciful.
3. They come to destroy all that God has made for us to serve Him
a. These prophets of prosperity and false hope tell people they are saved and do not need to change. They teach Hell is not made for you because God will do all the work for you. They teach you need to do nothing but believe and you will be saved.
b. These false prophets are giving out a fake spirit and teaching a false Christ that says I will do everything for you and you need to nothing. Listen: 2 Cor 11:4, “for if he that comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached or if you receive another spirit which you have not received or another gospel which you have not accepted you might bear well with him”
c. Jesus said, Matthew 15:14, “let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the ditch”
II. Mankind and his kingdom
A. How man and his rebellious kingdom came to be
1. Man and his wife were created by God but were tricked by the devil (Gen 3)
2. The rebellious, has always nodded at God and went his own way (Jer 3:11-22)
3. He thinks himself to be wise but is a fool (Jer 11:8)
a. Jer 11:8, “yet the obeyed not, nor inclined their ear but walked everyone in the imagination of their evil heart therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do but they did it not”
B. What are the natural man and his identity looks like or the godless or atheist
1. He tries to leave memories and call himself great (Ezra 1:2)
a. Ezra 1:2, “thus said Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem which is Judah”
b. How many men have tried to leave themselves a great name behind when they die? Some think that living eternal means that you are making history. Some think that if generations after you hear about you then you are great.
2. He is full of works that will be destroyed (2 Pet 3:10-12)
a. Look at the Seven Wonders of the World, one of which was the Great Wall of China, Egyptian pyramids, etc. Many a man had built something great to leave their mark one the world. Many kings, emperors, and rulers have made many things to be remembered by.
b. 2 Pet 3:10-12, “but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are there in shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of people ought you to be in all holy behavior and godliness? Looking for hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
c. Man established his ways by building great things but God says He will in the end burn it all up.
3. He also is full of pride, flesh, and eyes (1 John 2:16)
a. I John 2:16, “for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world.”
C. The mission of the man in today’s time
1. Only the strong survive
a. Evolution theory says we are just smart animals, so why then do I not take what I want. Many through violence and oppression gain worldly pleasure.
2. No one will help you so be selfish
a. Self-ambition does not teach to love your neighbor but to take care of yourself first. It teaches it is weakness to be merciful and charitable.
3. Security lies in things and money
a. Many a man serves money and things as his first priority. Money can provide the best doctor, education, house, security, and things but leaves you without eternal riches.
III. Jesus and the Kingdom of God
A. How Jesus and His kingdom was formed
1. Death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:1-4)
a. Jesus came from sitting on His throne after making mankind, to be fashioned as a man to make a bridge and usher in reconciliation between God and man. Being found in the form of man He became obedient to the death of the cross remaining sinless against the laws that He had commanded to be obeyed. He then offered His life in the place of punishment for my sins and your sins. God is Holy and punishes evil, Jesus having never sinned was our substitute and now gives us power over sin and death. He died and was buried three days and was raised on that third day. He gives this power of eternal life and no spiritual death to all those that obey Him and follow Him.
2. Peter and his keys (Mat 16)
a. In Mathew 16, Peter made the confession that Jesus was the Christ the son of God and Jesus gave him some keys to His church and told peter that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church and whatever he bound in earth would be bound in heaven and whatever he loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven.
3. Day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
a. On the day of Pentecost found in Acts 2, Peter using the power that Jesus gave him in Mathew 16 of the keys to build his church open the doors of the church with this gospel message,
b. Acts 2:38-38, “and Peter said unto them repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promise is unto you, to your children, and to all those that are a far off even as many as our Lord our God shall call”
c. Peter loosed every previous command to become saved in the eyes of God, all that Moses had commanded, all that any prophet had commanded, all that Jesus had said on earth for salvation, and the church of Christ was established by the power Jesus gave Peter with the first invitation to become a Christian.
B. What are the fruits of Jesus kingdom?
1. Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-25)
a. Gal 5:22-25, “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law and they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the spirit then let us walk in the spirit.
b. If you were put on trial for being a Christian and When you take an outside look at your life, is there enough evidence of these fruits to convict you guilty of being a Christian?
2. The Oneness (Eph 4:3-6)
a. Eph 4:3-6, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, there is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all”
b. By following the fruits of the spirit and not walking in the flesh or imagination of your mind you produce the unity of the spirit.
3. Obedience to God (Heb 5:8; 2 Cor 10:5)
a. Jesus is our example, “though he was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered” Heb 5:8
b. We can not follow the world listen: 2 Cor 10:4-5, “for the weapons of our warefare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
c. God does not give us command we can not obey, but we have to choose to follow His ways to render obedience to Him. His commands help us and set us free from the lies of the world and the god of this world.
C. The simplicity found in Christ
1. Preach the good news of salvation in Christ for all mankind (Mark 15:15-16)
a. Believe the simplicity of Jesus making the way of salvation
b. Repent or make a turning away from your ways, false ways, the ways of the world and learn how to please Jesus the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord.
c. Confess faith in Christ even to the point of death
d. Be baptized for the remission of sin
2. Being a new creature in Christ
a. 2 Cor 5:17, “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new.”
b. Do you want the same life you have been living? DO you want the same cycles that keep snaring you? Or do you want the freedom found by obeying Christ?
3. Test all things hold fast to that which is good (1 Thes 5:21)
a. 1 Pet 2:5, “ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
b. Rom 12:2, “and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”
c. Our battles are in the mind. We have to believe God’s truth over our perception, believe what is written over our imagination, our moms, our dads, our friends, our teachers are any other strong hold that will pollute our minds from the simplicity in found in Christ.
Conclusion:
1. Which kingdom do you want to be in one the day of Judgement? We have discussed the fruit of Christ and His kingdom or church. The fruits of Jesus kingdom result in eternal life and not in eternal destruction.
2. The kingdoms of men results in earthly pleasure and pride according to the world alone. Everything that is not eternal will be burned up. The greatest achievements’ of man and his labors are but futile and temporary.
3. The kingdom of Satan results in separation from God, and others. Do you lie, or bear false witness? Are you honest in all of your dealings or do you deceive for things? Do you steal? Or does the fruits of your life result in spiritual death or separation from God and His blessings of obedience?
4. Jesus says that He comes that we might have an abundant life (John 10:10). Jesus says (Mat 11:28-30). Jesus says (John 6:35). Jesus says (3:5-6)
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