JRNT 88
6/29/2025
The Keys to the Kingdom (Luke 4:43-44) The Gospel of Luke (Part 37
Luke 4:43-44
Jesse Randolph

Well good morning again. In just five days, Pastor Mike alluded to it, but weÕre going to be celebrating the 4th of July. ItÕs a national holiday, of course, which is rooted in our nationÕs independence, hence itÕs formal name . . . Independence Day. ItÕs a national holiday which recognizes, as Americans, that we are a liberty-loving-freedom enjoying-fireworks exploding kind of people. ItÕs a national holiday which affirms the truth that we, as Americans, neither want nor need a king. ÒGive me liberty or give me deathÓ said Patrick Henry Ð famously, many years ago. 

Well, as wonderful as a holiday that the 4th of July is, the 4th of July, or Independence Day, if you prefer, is one of those holidays where our identity as Americans, has the potential to rub up against our identity as followers of Christ. See, though as Americans, we have this natural built-in aversion to the idea of kings and of kingdoms . . . the reality is, we better get used to the idea of a King and a Kingdom, and subjecting ourselves to a King and living in a kingdom. Because thatÕs what the Bible very clearly teaches about our future. And not just our future, I would say that that theme of kingdom is really all over the scriptures. From Old Testament to New Testament. 

Now, what weÕre going to do this morning is take one more slight off-ramp in this series that weÕve been in, in the Gospel of Luke, as we consider this theme of kingdom and specifically the Kingdom of God. YouÕll recall that over the past two Sundays, weÕve done some deeper dives into two different topics, which will arise repeatedly in our study of the Gospel of Luke. Namely, JesusÕ ministry of treating those who were demon possessed, demoniacs. And His ministry of healing those who were sick. WeÕve taken some time, even within those messages, to clarify some of the confusion and abuse of those today, who claim that they have the ability to exercise demons and heal the sick. Today, weÕre going to work our way, quickly through another topic that surfaces repeatedly in the Gospel of Luke . . . that being the Kingdom of God. The title of the sermon this morning is: The Keys to the Kingdom, and youÕll recall, turn with me over back to Luke 4, that has been our starting point over the past few weeks. The scene in Luke 4, where Jesus has just been run out of His native Nazerath, His hometown where He was teaching in the synagogue.  He goes off to this neighboring village of Capernaum. And they were, youÕll recall, amazed at His teaching for His message was with authority. And it was while He was in Capernaum, that we saw these past two Sundays, that He ministered to this demon-possessed man, by casting the demon out of the man.  He also healed PeterÕs Mother-in-law, who was very ill at the time. While still in Capernaum, Jesus said this . . . and this takes us to our text this morning. WeÕll be in Luke 4:43-44, GodÕs Word reads: ÒBut He said to them, ÔI must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.Ó So, He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.Ó As you all know by now, I have great respect and admiration for John MacArthur. He was doing his 10-year, you think you have it bad, 10-year series in the Gospel of Luke. When he got to this passage of Luke 4:43, he covered it in one sentence by saying this: ÒThe Kingdom of God simply refers to the realm of salvation.Ó Now, with all due respect to JMac, I think he has vastly undersold and overly-simplified the theme of the Kingdom of God, in Luke specifically. 

See, the reality is the doctrine of the kingdom . . . the Bible generally, and in LukeÕs Gospel specifically, its complex, and multi-faceted and its glorious. In the time that weÕre going to have this morning. IÕd like us to go a bit deeper into this topic with the passage IÕve just read to you, Luke 4:43-44 being, really the diving board into the deep waters of the doctrine of the Kingdom of God. 

Again, the title of the sermon is: The Keys to the Kingdom. IÕve got ten points for you. Ten points, ten ÒkeysÓ on the keyring, if you prefer. WeÕre going to look at:
Kingdom Proclamations
Kingdom Perpetuity
Kingdom Purposes
Kingdom Prophecy
Kingdom Presentation
Kingdom Presence
Kingdom Postponement
Kingdom Perplexity
Kingdom Promises
Kingdom Partaking
WeÕll see if thereÕs a breath left in me when weÕre done. But letÕs start with that first key to the kingdom, Kingdom Proclamations.

Kingdom Proclamations
Note again, our passage, Luke 4:43, where Jesus says: ÒI must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God.Ó Now, this is the first time in LukeÕs Gospel that we see that expression the ÒKingdom of GodÓ used. But then, Luke uses this expression, records this expression 30 different times after this. Meaning, the ÒKingdom of GodÓ is an important topic and theme for Luke, as he writes out this Gospel, this account of the life of Christ. So, what is this ÒKingdom of GodÓ which Jesus spoke of here? What was this Ògood newsÓ of the ÒkingdomÓ which He says He felt compelled to ÒproclaimÓ? Well, the best way to answer that question, is to survey other parts of LukeÕs Gospel, and fill in some of the details, Biblically about this Òkingdom.Ó

Now, we can not be fully comprehensive on this, we donÕt have time to go through all 31 references to the Kingdom of God here this morning. But we can cover some of the major categories. For instance, one thing we know is that according to Jesus here in verse 43, the ÒKingdom of GodÓ is something to be Òproclaim[ed].Ó Not only that, but it is also Ògood newsÓ it says. Which must be proclaimed. ThatÕs what He says: ÒI must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.Ó In other words, the ÒKingdom of GodÓ isnÕt some static detail like the fact that the city of Cincinnati is 450 miles away from the city of Atlanta. Or that Millard Fillmore was our nationÕs 13th President. ItÕs not one of those data points. No. The ÒKingdom of GodÓ is something to proclaim. ItÕs something to proclaim because its Ògood news.Ó There is Ògood newsÓ, Gospel tidings attached to it. Luke records something similar over in Luke 8:1, where he says that Jesus Òwas going around from one city and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.Ó As weÕre going to see this morning, the message of the ÒKingdom of GodÓ is Ògood news.Ó Because at its core, the message of the Kingdom of God is about vile and wretched sinners like you and me who were once under the sway of our father, the devil. Who have now been delivered from the domain of darkness. Who have had our steps redirected from that path toward destruction and everlasting torment that we were once walking on. But now being on this path, which will not simply take us to heaven, but to a kingdom. An eternal kingdom where there will be no pain or tears or suffering or grieving. But instead, weÕre going to experience the blessing of God in His presence forever, where righteousness will dwell. 

Well, speaking of these beautiful truths about future glory. Another truth that we learn about the ÒKingdom of GodÓ in Luke, is that this kingdom is future oriented. But not only is it future oriented, dwelling on future realities of the kingdom is inevitably going to place our present-day sufferings in their proper context. Turn with me, if you would, over to Luke 6:20 where we see the Lord delivering what are known as His beatitudes. Luke 6:20 it says, ÒAnd turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, ÔBlessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are those who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are those who cry now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and exclude you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For their fathers were doing the same things to the prophets.ÕÓ

But note those distinctions. Those who are hungry now will one day, it says, He says, be satisfied. Those who are hated, or excluded, or insulted, or scorned now; they will, one day, Òin that dayÓ He says, Òleap for joy.Ó Why? Because, it says, their Òreward is great in heaven.Ó Those who are poor. Those who are, as James would put it in James 2:5, the Òpoor of this worldÓ. Those who are Òrich in faithÓ, theirs will be this Kingdom of God. But the main idea here is that this ÒKingdom of GodÓ thatÕs mentioned in Luke is future oriented. ItÕs tied to heavenly realities. ItÕs tied to eternal realities. It will be populated by the kingdom will be, people who endured much, and suffered much, for the sake of the Savior in this life.

HereÕs another one. To enter the ÒKingdom of GodÓ will come at a cost. It will come with a price and only those who persevere to the end will enter it. Turn with me to Luke 9:57, it says, ÒAnd as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ÔI will follow You wherever You go.Õ And Jesus said to him, ÔThe foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.Õ And He said to another, ÔFollow Me.Õ But he said, ÔLord, permit me first to go and bury my father.Õ But He said to him, ÔAllow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.Õ Another also said, ÔI will follow You, Lord, but first permit me to say farewell to those at home.Õ But Jesus said to him, ÔNo one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.ÕÓ So, the Kingdom of God then, is not only future-oriented but there are only some who are fit for it. Many are called few are chosen. Only those who faithfully pursue Christ to the end . . . who put their hand to the plow and donÕt look back.  ÒForgetting what lies behind, as Paul says in Philippians 3:13, and reaching forward to what lies aheadÓ only those are fit for the kingdom of God. 

The same idea comes out in Luke 13, where Jesus gives this illustration of the narrow door in verse 22. Luke 13:22 says, ÒAnd He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, ÔLord, are there just a few who are being saved?Õ And He said to them, ÔStrive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ÒLord, open up to us!Ó then He will answer and say to you, ÒI do not know where you are from.Ó Then you will begin to say, ÒWe ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.Ó He will say, ÒI tell you, I do not know where you are from; Depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness.Ó In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out. And they will come from east and west and from north and south and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.ÕÓ

Now note that language. In one sense, there will be inclusivity in the Kingdom of God. ÒThey will come from east and west and from north and southÓ it says.Ó The gospel message is to go out to the four corners of the earth as those from every tongue, tribe, and nation are brought in. But in another sense, there will be exclusivity in the Kingdom of God. There will be those who thought they were fit for, and headed to the kingdom, but He will be telling them ÒDepart from Me.Ó  There will be those who assume that they are going to be in the Kingdom; but it says here that they will be Òcast out.Ó 

HereÕs another one. Go back to Luke 11 where Jesus instructs His disciples not only to be aware of the reality of the future kingdom but to actively pray for the kingdom to come. Luke 11:1, it says, ÒAnd it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ÔLord teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.Õ And He said to them, ÔWhen you pray, say: ÒFather, hallowed by Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.Ó So, even the content of what we know as the LordÕs Prayer which would rightly be called the disciplesÕ prayer, not only shows that the kingdom is this future reality. But it is something that JesusÕ followers should be praying for regularly. 

HereÕs another one. Though the Kingdom of God, of which Jesus spoke, was and still is a future reality. When He came to earth, 2,000 years ago, He came as a present-day representative of and in-the-flesh ambassador of that still future Kingdom of God. Look at Luke 17:20, weÕll get into this more, later. But just take these two verses. ÒNow having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the Kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, ÔThe Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ÒLook, here! Or ÒThere!Ó For behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst.ÕÓ Now, when Jesus said that Òthe Kingdom of God is in your midst.Ó He was not saying that the Kingdom of God had officially, at that moment, begun on earth. He was, instead, representing Himself as the One who would one day set up His kingdom on earth . . . and the One who had the credentials inherently to do so. And that He was in their midst. More on that later.

HereÕs another one. Only those with simple, childlike faith with pure unadulterated faith. Those who are not bogged down by the worries and weights of the world will one day enter the kingdom of God. Look at Luke 18: 15. ItÕs a familiar text with many familiar statements. But note all the kingdom-related pronouncements here. Luke 18:15, it says, ÒAnd they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they were rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, ÔPermit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.ÕÓ So, thereÕs that requirement of child-like faith, simple faith, dependent faith trusting faith. 

Then comes the account of the Rich Young Ruler, starting in verse 18 ÒAnd a ruler questioned Him, saying, ÔGood Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?Õ And Jesus said to him, ÔWhy do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, ÒDo not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.Õ And he said, ÔAll these things I have kept from my youth.Õ And when Jesus heard this, He said to him, ÔOne thing you still lack: sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.Õ But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. And Jesus looked at him and said, ÔHow hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.Õ And those who heard it said, ÔThen who can be saved?Õ But He said, ÔThe things that are impossible with people are possible with God.Õ And Peter said, ÔBehold, we have left all that is our own and followed You.Õ And He said to them, Ôtruly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God.Ó Again, not all will enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus didnÕt preach universalism. Nor did Jesus preach salvation as some sort of ethereal concept; some free-floating idea, thatÕs totally detached from earthly realities. You know, it is true that He preached spiritual salvation from sin. But itÕs also true that He preached that those who are saved are being prepared and fit for an eternal earthly kingdom where they will reign with Him and worship Him, forever.

So, weÕve looked at some of what the Gospel records about what Jesus taught on the kingdom of God. More will be seen as we study LukeÕs Gospel. But that gives you a flavor about what Jesus meant in Luke 4:43 when He said: ÒI must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.Ó
ThatÕs one Key to the Kingdom. WeÕve got nine to go.

What weÕre going to do now, is go wide angle, as we consider the universal nature of the Kingdom of God. In the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus spoke of the ÒKingdom of GodÓ He was speaking of His future messianic earthly kingdom. But standing behind that truth, as we take in all of GodÕs written revelation to us is the truth that God is right now and eternally, the King of all. That takes us to our second point, the second ÒkeyÓ on the ÒkeychainÓ which is the Kingdom Perpetuity.

Kingdom Perpetuity
Yes, there is a future ÒkingdomÓ coming for GodÕs children. For those who have put their faith in Jesus, the Savior and Lord. But the reality is the Bible does also teach that God is already King over all. He has eternally been King overall. The VBS verse this year, just a couple of weeks ago, was I Timothy 1:17, ÒNow to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.Ó
See, right there, in PaulÕs doxology, those words of praise, he identifies God as Òthe King of the ages.Ó Which speaks to GodÕs eternal Kingship. That is a truth that is declared all over the Bible. I wonÕt turn you to each of these, you can just jot down these references.
Psalm 10:16 Ð ÒYahweh is King forever and ever.Ó
Psalm 93:2 Ð ÒYour throne is established from of old.Ó
Psalm 145:13 Ð ÒYour kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures from generation to every generation.Ó
ItÕs not only in the Psalms that we learn about GodÕs eternal Kingship. ItÕs also in the prophets.
Jeremiah 10:10 Ð ÒBut the Lord is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King.Ó
Lamentations 5:19 Ð ÒYou, O Yahweh, sit enthroned forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.Ó

So, GodÕs Kingship is eternal. Not only that, but His Kingship is also universal. HeÕs not only the King of the ages, He is King over all the earth. 
Psalm 103:19 Ð ÒYahweh has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules overall.Ó
I Chronicles 29:11 Ð ÒYours, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the kingdom.Ó

Again, we are, as followers of Christ looking forward to a future kingdom in which we will rule and reign with our Savior. Absolutely that is true. But to state that a future Kingdom of God is coming does not in any way take away from the Biblical truth that God already reigns. God is already King over all.  HeÕs not the only King overall, He is King forever. He is King in perpetuity hence our second point there. Kingdom Perpetuity. Now we want to get into some Kingdom Purposes, and thatÕs our third ÒkeyÓ on the Òkeychain.Ó

Kingdom Purposes
WeÕve already looked at the fact that God is eternally King. HeÕs eternally King all over the earth. And as we survey the storyline of scripture, starting with the creation of man Ð all the way back in Genesis 1. We do learn that as King, from the very beginning of the earthÕs existence, God has delegated certain aspects of His Kingship over creation to man. Hear these words from Genesis 1:27-28, where God gives man this mandate to exercise dominion over the earth. ÒAnd God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, ÔBe fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that creeps on the earth.ÕÓ So, though God is eternally King over all the earth. Soon after His creation of the heavens and the earth He delegated authority to man  to carry out GodÕs Kingship over all the earth. ItÕs picked up the very same way in Psalm 8:4, ÒWhat is man that You remember him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You crown him with glory and majesty! [now listen to this] You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the animals of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas.Ó

Now, God didnÕt give man total authority over the earth. He didnÕt toss the keys to man and say here you go. No. God is still God and man is still man. God gave man certain limitations and restrictions in terms of His exercise of authority and dominion like telling man, in the garden, yeah, you see there are two trees there, but you can only eat from one of them.

Of course, we know how that went. Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent. They partook of the forbidden fruit. The entire human race fell into sin and to its current cursed existence. An existence which highlighted manÕs need for redemption and salvation.  Soon after that whole episode, God did highlight the fact that a Redeemer was coming. Genesis 3:15, where God said, ÒI will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.Ó Well, that day when God would send that Redeemer would come later. It would come much later. Because after the whole Garden of Eden incident man, with his delegated authority would continue to behave badly. Like really badly. Because then we get into the scene of Cain slaying his brother, Abel. Then we get GodÕs assessment of man in Genesis 6:5, that, Òthe evil of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.Ó And thereÕs the Flood. And then thereÕs GodÕs merciful rescue of Noah and his family. And then thereÕs the whole Tower of Babel incident, in Genesis 11, where the people there in Genesis 11:4 saying, ÒCome, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name.Ó In all of this, hereÕs the point Ð God was no less a Ruler Ð no less a King Ð over all the earth, even in those moments. He was still ruling. He was still reigning through people in what theologians call the mediatorial rule. Over and over through their delegated authority . . . man acted in rebellion against God. 

Well, GodÕs Kingship over creation extended even beyond that it went through the Patriarchs. Where God zeroed in on a man from Ur of the Chaldeans, named Abram. And later, His sons Isaac and Jacob. Then it was through JacobÕs son, Joseph, that the people ended up in Egypt. And God showed His Kingship even over foreign rulers like Pharaoh in Egypt. Then after the exodus out of Egypt and during IsraelÕs period of wilderness wandering. God demonstrated His Kingship over His chosen people, Israel when He gave them His Law through Moses. In Exodus 19:6, He said to the people of Israel, Òyou shall be to Me a kingdom of priests.Ó After that, after the wilderness wandering, God demonstrated His Kingship over the nations which Israel displaced in the Promised Land.  He demonstrated His Kingship in raising up Joshua and then the Judges. Then, in the days of Samuel, when the people of Israel were clamoring for a king, God gave them a king. But He wasted no words in expressing to Samuel how He felt about the matter. HereÕs I Samuel 8:7, ÒThen Yahweh said to Samuel, ÔListen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.Ó

In other words, God was their King. He had always been their King. But Israel wanted a king of their own and eventually, they got one. They got King Saul. Then they got King David after him. Then they got King Solomon after him. All of whom, of course, were these deeply flawed individuals unlike, we read from Psalm 24 this morning the King of glory who had reigned over them for generations prior. Well, after Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split into two. The two tribes in the south. The ten tribes in the north. And the nation which had always had God as their King, rejected His divine rule. And then God gave them over to dozens and dozens of wicked rulers over the next many generations. But in the middle of it all God gave His people, Israel, the apple of His eye, a promise . . . a prophetic promise. That brings us to our fourth point this morning, the fourth ÒkeyÓ on the ÒkeychainÓ Kingdom Prophecy.

Kingdom Prophecy
Turn with me over to II Samuel 7, as we explore kingdom prophecy. The setting here is during the days of the rule of King David. Who received this promise from God through the prophet Nathan. II Samuel 7, IÕll start with verse 12. This is God speaking through Nathan to David. He says,ÒWhen your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will come forth from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will reprove him with the rod of men and the strikes from the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not be removed from him, as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.Õ According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.Ó
So, in the midst of the reign of a human king, David. God promised here that He would raise up one in DavidÕs line. ThatÕs what it means here when it says. One who would Òcome forth from your own body.Ó Meaning, this One coming in the future would be of the seed of David. This seed of David would have an eternal kingdom God would, it says, Òestablish the throne of his kingdom forever.Ó In the midst of the kingdom of Israel during the kingship of David. The eternal King of all, God Himself promised that a king would one day sit on DavidÕs throne and that His would be an eternal Kingdom. Well, that promised King came in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. Whose person and work and life and ministry are front and center in the very Gospel that weÕve been studying for more than a year now, the Gospel of Luke. 

That brings us to our fifth point this morning, our fifth ÒkeyÓ to the Kingdom Presentation.

Kingdom Presentation
WeÕve just done this high-level review of what the Old Testament reveals about GodÕs rule and reign over Israel, the nations, prophets, judges, kings. Now, weÕre going to move over to the New Testament. Turn with me to Luke 1. We studied this eons ago. Luke 1:32, these are the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary, as he explains to her the status and the position of the Child that she would soon be carrying in her womb. Luke 1:32 says,
ÒHe will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.Ó
Then, in fulfillment of what Gabriel here revealed to Mary when Jesus entered on the scene of earthly history and He came proclaiming that message of the kingdom. This is how itÕs recorded in MarkÕs Gospel. Mark 1:14, ÒNow after John had been delivered up into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and saying, ÒThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.Ó

Now again, note that connection between the Gospel and the kingdom. The Ògood newsÓ that was being proclaimed at this point the ÒGospel of GodÓ that was being proclaimed at this point was that the kingdom of God was at hand. The Ògood newsÓ that was being pronounced was that the promised King, the promised Messiah of Israel was now in their midst. This is why Jesus would say, back in our text, in Luke 4:43 that He came to Òproclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.Ó 

Now, Jesus doesnÕt formally define here what He means by the Òkingdom.Ó When He arrives and He makes this announcement. But He didnÕt need to. To His fellow Jews, to His fellow countrymen His use of the word ÒkingdomÓ would not have been confusing. They would have understood what He meant. They would have understood that He was identifying Himself as their Messiah as the King the One who had long ago been promised by the prophets, the One who would come through the line of David. Here He was right then and there, offering the Kingdom to them to Israel as He declared that the Kingdom of God was at hand. 

That takes us to our sixth ÒkeyÓ this morning, the Kingdom Presence.

Kingdom Presence
Turn with me over to Luke 17. We highlighted this a bit earlier, but I want to explore it a bit more in depth. Luke 17, weÕre going to see that here though that the kingdom of God was, in JesusÕ day and still in our day; is this future reality. There was a sense in which, as Jesus walked in the midst of, and ministered to His people, Israel the kingdom of God was in their presence. The scene here in Luke 17, starting in verse 11, is JesusÕ cleansing of ten lepers. Starting in verse 11, ÒAnd it happened that while He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing through Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him. And they raised their voices, saying, ÔJesus, Master, have mercy on us!Õ When He saw them, He said to them, ÔGo and show yourselves to the priests.Õ And it happened that as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, ÔWere there not ten cleansed? But the nine Ð where are they? Was there no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?Õ And He said to him, ÔStand up and go; your faith has saved you.Õ Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming.Ó

Now note that important sentence even the Pharisees knew that the Jews were expecting the kingdom to come and for their King to come for them. 
But reading on in verse 20, ÒHe answered them and said, ÔThe kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ÔLook, here!Ó or ÒThere!Ó For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.ÕÓ
What was Jesus saying there? What was He saying in Luke 11:20 where He says, ÒBut if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.Ó Well, He was saying that the King, the Messiah, the One who would one day establish His kingdom on earth, was right there in front of them. The kingdom hadnÕt arrived at its fullest expression; the kingdom hadnÕt already begun at this point. Nor was Jesus, this is important for todayÕs purposes, speaking of a kingdom which resides spiritually in their hearts. No. By coming to earth and by visiting His people and by performing various signs, and miracles, and wonders by casting out demons, by healing the sick. Jesus was highlighting His regal credentials as the One who would come to set up His kingdom on earth. He was that King. So, the Kingdom of God was revealed at this time. It was genuinely being offered through the King, Jesus, Himself as He called on His people to repent and believe in the gospel, the gospel of the kingdom. 

As weÕre going to see next, this is our seventh point, or seventh ÒkeyÓ His offer of the kingdom was rejected. Our seventh point is Kingdom Postponement

Kingdom Postponement
Jesus came to His people as the King. He came offering the kingdom. He preached the gospel of the kingdom. Remember the words of our text Luke 4:43, ÒI must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.Ó But His kingdom offer wasnÕt accepted, was it?  No. John, in His Gospel, gives away the end of the story, in John 1:11 he says, ÒHe came to what was His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.Ó

WeÕve already seen traces of that very truth in our study up to this point of Luke 4. Recall, that as He comes to His hometown of Nazareth He goes to that synagogue in Nazareth and He makes this claim to be their Messiah. You remember the scene. He reads from Isaiah 61; He says the Spirit of the Lord is upon me HeÕs anointed to preach the gospel to the poor. HeÕs been sent to proclaim release to the captives HeÕs the one that would provide recovery of sight to the blind, setting free those who are oppressed. Then what did He say as He rolled up that scroll? In Luke 4:21 He says, ÒToday this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.Ó In other words, your Messiah is at hand the kingdom of God is at hand. 

Well, though Jesus came offering the kingdom. Although He performed signs and wonders to certify that His kingdom offer was genuine and that He truly was the Messiah. The people of Israel, and specifically, the religious leaders of the day Ð the Pharisees rejected Him. And itÕs really in Matthew 12 and 13 where we see this fundamental shift in terms not so much of whether the kingdom would come but instead the form that the kingdom would take and when the kingdom would arrive on account of IsraelÕs initial rejection of the king. 

Turn with me over to Matthew 12, and IÕll show you what I mean. Matthew 12 begins with this scene where Jesus is passing through the grain fields on the Sabbath.  He authorizes His disciples to glean from the heads of grain, they are hungry, so He says they can satisfy their hunger that way. Of course, the Pharisees come in and they bust Jesus for Sabbath-breaking, to which Jesus replies in Matthew 12:8 that He is the ÒLord of the Sabbath.Ó Then, still on the Sabbath day, the Lord goes to the man with the withered hand.  He heals the demon-possessed man and then in Matthew 12:24, the Pharisees ratcheted up a notch their indictment of Jesus when they said, ÒThis man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.Ó


ThatÕs when Jesus has had enough. By attributing His works to the works of the devil the Pharisees had taken things way too far. They had committed the act of the unpardonable sin they had blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Jesus made clear that He was done with them, that He was moving on from them. That He was turning from them. The apostate Jewish rulers of His day, who He calls ÒevilÓ and ÒwickedÓ in this account. Later, in Matthew 12, we were not going to see the inauguration of His kingdom. Rather, their fates would be sealed in the fires of hell. In the meantime, His offer of the kingdom would now be postponed, and delayed until the end of days, on a future day when future Israel, now repentant, will turn to the One who they have pierced and will embrace the Messiah they once rejected. And as Paul says in Romans 11:26, on that day Òall Israel will be saved.Ó

But, between IsraelÕs rejection of their King, during JesusÕ day. And IsraelÕs coming embrace of their King, which is still in the future. A mystery Ð a truth not previously disclosed Ð was revealed. That ÒmysteryÓ is recorded in Ephesians 3, where Paul says, in verses 5 and 6, that to
ÒOther generations [it] was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit: that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.Ó 

The Òmystery,Ó then that previously undisclosed truth, thatÕs the definition of a ÒmysteryÓ, Biblically was that between the MessiahÕs First Coming and His Second Coming there would be this period of time this gap not previously recorded in the Old Testament in which Christ would introduce a new institution which we know as the church. Now, He did make mention of the ÒchurchÓ in a couple of passing references in the Gospels. In Matthew 16 and Matthew 18. But the church, we know, wouldnÕt formally be birthed, and introduced until after Christ was crucified after He was resurrected after He was ascended, and after the Spirit was sent at Pentecost, in Acts 2.
That brings us to our eighth point, ÒKey to the Kingdom.Ó ThereÕs a connection here, Kingdom Perplexity.

Kingdom Perplexity
WeÕve just seen that Jesus offered the kingdom to Israel in His day. WeÕve just seen that the kingdom offer has been postponed. WeÕve just seen that thereÕs this in between period of time that weÕre living in today, known as the church age. But youÕve probably heard expressions, from I believe, well-meaning other Christians, who will say things like theyÕre Òbuilding the kingdomÓ right now. Or, that theyÕre Òadvancing the kingdomÓ. Or theyÕre just trying to live faithfully as a Òkingdom citizenÓ and youÕve heard it, IÕm sure. 

Now, I have to say, if the world that we are living in today is the ÒKingdomÓ with all its sin, and vices, and sicknesses, and heartbreaks, and heartaches, and trauma, and tragedy it is a pathetic kingdom. Truly. But even more fundamentally and based on a simple and straightforward reading of scripture there really should be no confusion on this matter, as to whether the church age we live in today is the kingdom. Because a plain, on the face reading of the Bible reveals some simple truths to us. Jesus came. He offered the kingdom to Israel. Israel rejected JesusÕ kingdom offer. The kingdom of God on earth was postponed to be re-introduced after the Lord comes again, after His Second Coming. In the meantime, in this period in between, where the kingdom offer has been rejected, Jesus announces that HeÕs going to build His church, that is us.

The church is in fact birthed at Pentecost some 2,000 years ago. But these are clearly, as you just read the progression of scripture, two different programs the kingdom program and the church program. In fact, there are 114 references in the New Testament, to the church, the ecclesia, not one of those times is there any mention of the kingdom in the same breath. They are separate. Christ, today, is building His church. He is not building His kingdom. We are called, today, to advance the Gospel in the church age in which we live. WeÕre not advancing the kingdom. We will, one day, be dwelling in GodÕs kingdom, but weÕre not there yet. 

Two more. Our ninth ÒkeyÓ to the kingdom, Kingdom Promises.

Kingdom Promises
While the Jews of JesusÕ day rejected His kingdom offer and though Jesus eventually postponed His kingdom program for Israel while allowing the Gentiles to be grafted in and the Church to be born. The reality is, there is a future messianic kingdom on earth that is still coming. The Bible does teach that God is going to take His church, the church, out of the world in an event known as the Rapture. Then HeÕs going to pour His wrath on this sinful planet, in a seven-year period known as the Tribulation. Then, Jesus will return to set up His kingdom on earth. The very kingdom that was promised back in the days of the Old Testament prophets. The kingdom that was offered to the people of Israel during JesusÕ ministry. And the kingdom that, until now, has been postponed. 

The kingdom of God, in other words, will come to this earth. Because God has promised that it will and God is faithful. It will come in two phases. ThatÕs what we see in the New Testament. The kingdom will begin with a 1,000-year period known as the Millennium where Jesus will rule from DavidÕs throne. During which, as it says plainly in Revelation 20:6, we Òwill reign with [Christ] for a thousand years.Ó I take a thousand years to be literal, just like I take the six days of creation to be literal. This Millennium will be this period of unparalleled prosperity and peace and harmony on earth. It will be a period of restoration and blessing for Israel. Isaiah 11:12 says, ÒAnd He will lift up a standard for the nations and assemble the banished ones of Israel and will gather the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.Ó ThatÕs in the millennium. At the same time, this will be a period of blessing and prosperity for Gentiles at that time. Micah 4:1-2 says, ÒAnd many nations will come and say, ÔCome and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh and to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may instruct us from His ways and that we may walk in His paths.Ó This will all take place in the millennial, 1,000-year reign of Christ the first phase of the eternal kingdom of God. 


Then, after ChristÕs final victory over Satan, after the Great White Throne Judgment will come the second phase of the eternal kingdom with the arrival of the New Heavens and the New Earth mentioned in Revelation 21 and 22, where God the immortal God the sovereign King of the Ages, weÕre told in Revelation 21:5, Òsits on the throne.Ó ThatÕs kingly language from which He says: ÒBehold, I am making all things new.Ó

HereÕs our tenth and final ÒkeyÓ to the kingdom. WeÕve looked at:
Kingdom Proclamations
Kingdom Perpetuity
Kingdom Purposes
Kingdom Prophecy
Kingdom Presentation
Kingdom Presence
Kingdom Postponement
Kingdom Perplexity
Kingdom Promises
Last, Kingdom Partaking

Kingdom Partaking
This is going to take us to the Communion portion of our service. Turn with me to Luke 22:14, it says, ÒAnd when the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. He said to them, ÔI have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.Õ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ÔTake this and share it among yourselves. For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.Õ And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ÔThis is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.Õ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ÔThis cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.ÕÓ
So, Jesus told His disciples, on His final evening with them on earth. That He wouldnÕt Òdrink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.Ó As weÕve seen this morning, that kingdom has not come yet. WeÕre in this parenthetical period known as the church age. But in the meantime, as the church, we have been given a commission to partake of these very elements the bread and the cup. In remembrance of the death that Christ died for us and for our sins. 

Paul instructed the early church, in I Corinthians 11:26, he said, ÒFor as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.Ó As we do when we celebrate Communion, thatÕs what weÕll do. WeÕre going to remember right now, that Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God the Word who became flesh died for us. We are Òproclaim[ing] the death of the Lord.Ó

In a couple of minutes, the men will begin serving the elements. Men, you can go ahead and rise and head to the back to gather those. And as they do so, I think we have Sam and Katie Pelton who will be leading us musically a Pelton will be here. 

But, before those elements are served, I do want to remind you of some important warnings, and words of caution about taking of these elements. 
Remembering first, that only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are to partake of what will be partaking of. What we are doing now, Communion, is in every sense a family meal. ItÕs one of the two ordinances the Lord has given the church. HeÕs given us Believers Baptism and HeÕs given us Communion. But this is a Christian ordinance for those who have repented of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If you have not put your faith in Jesus, believed upon His death. Believed upon His resurrection as the means by which you might have eternal life, as your sins are forgiven. I invite you and encourage you to let these elements pass you by. DonÕt partake, rather, talk with one of us, one of the leaders of the church this morning. We would be happy to share with you what it means to give your life to Christ, and to follow Him faithfully, all the days of your life. 

The second warning and caution I want to give is to believers in the room. Which is that we are warned, in scripture, against taking of these elements in an unworthy manner. Paul, in I Corinthians 11:27 says, ÒTherefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord, but a man must test himself, and in doing so he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.Ó So, as we prepare to partake of these elements, I do want to make sure that you are confessing any unconfessed sin to God. That youÕre resolved to turn from any sin thatÕs clinging to you right now. And to be resolved to live in an upright, Godly manner, as any follower of Christ is called to do.

Last one, you hear me say it all the time, we, because we are bound to what the Bible teaches, we donÕt have any traditions here as it relates to Communion. Like the Roman Catholic Church, or the Lutheran Church would have. We donÕt believe, like the Catholic church teaches, that these elements that weÕll partake of, become the actual body or blood of the Lord Jesus. We donÕt believe, as the Lutheran Church would teach, that Christ is Òmystically presentÓ in these elements. These are mere representations of the body of our Lord and the blood of our Lord, who took humanity upon Himself who lived in a body of flesh, a body that was eventually beaten and bruised on our behalf and then He shed His blood as an act of great and supreme love.

Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, wrote these words in I Corinthians 11:23, ÒFor I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was being betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ÔThis is My body, which is for you . Do this in remembrance of Me.ÕÓ

Paul would go on to write in I Corinthians 11:25, ÒIn the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, ÔThis cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.ÕÓ

Our God in heaven, we again say thank You this morning for sending Your Son, the Lord Jesus, into this world, to die for sin. Our sin was laid on His shoulders. Our sin is what resulted in the blood leaving His veins shed for the sins of the world. God, we praise You, for the magnificent, matchless love that You have shown us, through that act on the cross. I pray that the cross will not simply be a symbol or a trinket for anyone here this morning. But we would continually look at the cross as the very means by which our sin was paid for. Our sin debt cancelled. Forgiveness issued. And our eternal hope was secured. May we walk around following Jesus, taking up our cross, daily, to follow Him, to pursue Him, to live for Him faithfully. Knowing what a great and tremendous sacrifice He made on our behalf. May the blood of Christ transform all that we think about, all that we say, how we interact with one another, how we interact with the world. Help us to be a people who are motivated, in light of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Not simply to hoard this truth up for ourselves, but to share the message of hope and reconciliation to You, the God of all, through the shed blood of Your Son. ItÕs in His name that we pray. Amen