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FUNDAMENTALS 2.0: Your Kingdom Come


Icebreaker:

What is your favorite “kingdom” movie or TV show?
What is your favorite “kingdom” time period?

Overview:

This week we finish our month-long refresher of fundamental Christian beliefs with a study of the kingdom of God. We love a good TV show or movie where the good prince wages war against the bad prince and wins the whole kingdom (and usually a beautiful princess). The people during Jesus’ time had experienced those types of kingdom takeovers. They expected Jesus to be the conquering hero and were surprised when He said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

“Christ rejected the idea of an earthly, carnal kingdom. Every kingdom that has been built by force has fallen; and if Christ’s kingdom were established on the same principle, it would be no better than the kingdoms of this world. An earthly kingdom is inadequate for God’s kingdom.” – Arlo F. Newell, The Church of God as revealed in Scripture.

Discussion:

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” — Jesus quoted in Luke 17:20-21 ESV

Jesus settled the question about the kingdom.

Read Mark 1:14-15.

What kind of kingdom is God’s kingdom?

What kind of kingdom is it NOT?

How do you become a part of the kingdom of God?

Why is the kingdom of God here now and not a future event?

We are to proclaim a kingdom message.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. – Romans 14:17

What fruits are present where the kingdom exists? (Romans 14:17)

What does a servant in the kingdom of God look like?

How are we to proclaim the message of the kingdom?

We are to pray for the kingdom to come.

And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” – Luke 11:2

Why do we need to pray for the kingdom of God to come?

Prayer:

Pray for His kingdom to be present now and to come.

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