DT-II October Class Q & A

 

DT-II October Class Q & A with Pastor Maurice & Mrs. Ruth Charman

DT READING-V: KINGDOMS IN CONFLICT: REDEMPTION & REIGNING WITH GOD

“Repent, for the Kingdom of God has come near you”_ Jesus Christ

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am glad to learn together with you again. I hope you have read and thought through the readings we had in the last two months. May the Lord continue to encourage you even as you labor to learn and grow in the knowledge of God! Today we will look at a crucial theme, which is “the kingdom.” I believe as you read contemplatively you will be guided, encouraged, and helped in the Lord.

 READING V: LEARNING OBJECTIVES

-        What is a kingdom?

-        The many kingdoms

-        Kingdoms in conflict

-        With whom are you reigning?

-        Disciples reigns with God

WHAT IS A KINGDOM?

A kingdom refers to a country, state, or territory ruled by a king or queen, as in the Kingdom of Thailand.  In a kingdom such as Thailand, it is the king who rules the nation. His choice, his will, and his decision fundamentally determine what happens in his Nation.

A kingdom however also refers to a domain in which something is dominant; it refers to a realm that is uniquely our own, where our choice determines what happens.

We all have our own kingdom, in other words, we all rule, we govern, or are in charge of at least our own lives. When you come across a boy, who shout and scream at other boys not to come near him, or not to touch his toys, he is basically saying “I am in charge of these toys,” “I rule over them,” and you boys (have no right or) should not touch my toys. Well, that’s a kingdom thing. A boy is reigning and he rules over his toys.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, Your Will be done” (Matthew 6:9). The key to understanding a kingdom is “Will.” In His likeness, God has created us as free will creatures, we are made to exercise our Will, to rule, to govern, and that is what makes a human being unique. We are given a “Free Will,” power and ability to choose and reject, to build and destroy, to rule and govern, etc. that is what it means_  “to be human.” Dallas Willard poignantly wrote, “In creating human beings God made them to rule, to reign, to have dominion in a limited space. Only so can they be persons.” (Divine Conspiracy, 29)

THE MANY KINGDOMS

Not only do people have their own kingdoms, we learned from the Bible that even Satan has his kingdom. In Matthew 4, we learned how Satan tempted Jesus after 40 days and nights of fasting. Satan pointed Jesus to the kingdoms of this world and said he will give it (assuming his power over and reign over the kingdoms of this world) if Jesus would bow down and worship him. In Mark, we read an account where the teachers of the law accused Jesus saying that he is possessed by the prince of demons, and Jesus replied, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” (Mark 3:20-24). So apart from kingdoms we all rule and govern, there are the kingdoms of the worlds, and there is a kingdom of Satan. Each one governs their own kingdoms.

When Jesus came to the world, he came to announce the Kingdom of God, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God has come near you” (Matthew 4:7). Jesus announced the Good News that His coming to the world has now made it possible for all of us to be in God’s Kingdom here on earth, to rule and reign with God.

 

KINGDOMS IN CONFLICT

The nation of Israel after the reign of King Solomon was divided into the Northern and the Southern Kingdom. They fought with each other, they fought against enemies, and they even fought with among themselves, in their own kingdom. As Jesus truly stated, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand,” so it was with the Nation of Israel. Both the kingdoms were totally destroyed by their enemies!

Do we also not see the countless divisions and conflicts in our society and the world today? It’s a kingdom conflict.

When Jesus came and announced the Good News of the Kingdom of God, the teachers of the law, the Pharisees, and many other people opposed Jesus. There were countless conflicts, kingdoms in conflict. The teachers of laws and Pharisees wanted to rule and reign even in the streets and the Synagogues. They strongly opposed Jesus and eventually with the help of the Roman government they crucified Him.

There was a group of people who opposed the truth of God’s grace and bewitched the believers in Galatia. Their beliefs and practices were in conflict with the Gospel of Grace and the teachings of the Apostles. In such context, Paul rebuked believers wrote, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you (to bewitch a person, frequently by use of evil eye and with evil intent) before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified” (Galatians 3:1). Apostle Peter wrote to believers to be alert and of sober mind, because their enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

The last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation ends with a great conflict between the kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of Jesus, a mighty war between the kings of this world led by Satan and the King Jesus Christ along with his followers. Of course, the victory was easily won by King Jesus because He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19).

The kingdoms in conflict are real. History is loud and clear about the conflicts. The present-day is not without exception. There are conflicts and wars (physical and spiritual) happening somewhere even as I write, and there are conflicts and wars happening within each one of us, in the spiritual realm, every day, and every hour.  Indeed we must heed the words of Apostle Peter, to be sober mind because our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

WITH WHOM ARE YOU REIGNING?

 “For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living,” writes Apostle Paul (Romans 14:7-9).

We all have our own kingdom, we live, we rule, and we reign, but by our will, our kingdoms are either given, and so controlled by the kingdom of Satan, or submit, and so received into the kingdom of God. Satan dominates and controls people to do his will- which are evil, destructive, and bad. God liberates and frees people to do His will- which is good, pleasing, and perfect.

If someone’s lives, deeds, and beliefs are opposite to how Christ lived and taught, he or she is living in his own kingdom and is reigning with Satan. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and other rulers of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:1-2).

Those who have surrendered their “will,” and said to God and themselves, I am no longer the one and only in charge of my own life, I am no longer the one and only ruler of my own desire, and have I submitted my life under the Lordship of Christ.  Such people will begin to reign their lives with God

Jesus reigned with God when He came on the earth for the redemption mission that is why He said, “My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not my will, but as your will” (Matthew 26:36-42); “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken” (John 12:49).

DISCIPLES REIGN WITH GOD

At the gate of the temple called Beautiful, a lame beggar begged Peter and John for money, but they don’t have it with them. Peter then looked straight at the beggar, said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk! Then taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk” (Acts 3:1-8). Again on another occasion the Apostles were persecuted and commanded not to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God, but in such a thorny situation Peter and the other Apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29).

Without God’s power, Peter could never have performed the sign and wonder. The miracle event at the gate of the Temple was a manifestation of Peter reigning with God. Also in the midst of the life-threatening situation, the Apostles could courageously stand on their ground, to do the will of God which was to keep preaching the Good News. God was with them, they were reigning with God.     

What about us as disciples of Jesus? Do we see God’s working through our lives? We are very limited in our ability and power to bring about changes and good things; we have lots of limitations as humans. I would like to quote Willard once again, he said, “Now, what we can do by our unassisted strength is very small. What we can do acting with mechanical, electrical, or atomic power is much greater…. What we can do with these means (mechanical, electrical or atomic power) is still very small comparing to what we could do acting in union with God Himself, who created and ultimately controls all other forces.” (Divine Conspiracy, 30)

Wow! As disciples of Jesus, if we reign with God there is much we can all do… Do you believe that?

As we continue to seek, to learn, and to obey as disciples of Jesus, may the Holy Spirit teach us to know more about the Good News of the Kingdom of God!

 “When we submit what and where we are to God, our rule or dominion then increase”_ Dallas Willard

 PRAYER POINTS:

1.      Pray that you submit yourself to God, and then resist the devil (James 4:7)

2.      Pray for God’s Kingdom to come and for His Will to be done in your life, in our society, in our political realm (Matthew 6:9-14)

3.      Pray that God will continue to give you wisdom and knowledge to live as a faithful disciple of Jesus (James 1:5)

4.      Pray for RCFD Discipleship-II members.