Things Pertaining To The Kingdom Of God
Acts 1:1-3
“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (NKJV).
The Kingdom of God has been a personal pursuit of mine for many years and especially the last several months. I have asked several questions. Is it the same as the Kingdom of Heaven? Why is it important? What are the plural “things” of the Kingdom? Why are more people – believers – not operating in it? Why was it so important that this would be the 40 day teaching subject of Jesus? If it were that important would the devil want to keep us blind and deaf to its treasure?
1. Obviously, Jesus thought that the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God were important.
In Matthew 6:33 He made it a priority with a promise; “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these other things will be added unto you.”
2. But what is it and where is it?
I believe it to be different than the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is an external place. The Kingdom of God is an internal dimension. In Luke 17:20-21, Jesus told a group of Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was “within” them. If this is true then we ought to be able to seek it and access it while here on earth (Matthew 6:33).
3. Why is it important to us?
It appears to be a treasure house. In Matthew 6:33 the “other things added unto you” were not a reward for putting it first but as the place from which they come forth.
It was so valuable to Jesus that He operated totally in it:
He would withdraw to a quiet place to check the word of the Father in the Kingdom of God.
Before He chose the disciples
Before walking on water
Before raising Lazarus
Before doing mighty signs
Before the crucifixion
It was so important to Him that He said that He could nothing except for what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19). And where did He “see” the Father doing things? Was it not in this Kingdom?
4. What are the key elements of accessing the kingdom of God; the keys to the treasure house?
a. A word – from the Kingdom as revealed by the Holy Spirit to Believers.
b. A vision – of the way it will be in the final form. We must have eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart that understands (Matthew 13:13-16).
c. Faith – just a little. i.e. Peter walking on the water.
d. Confession – connecting the word of the kingdom to our world by positive faith statements and speaking. Jesus said, “If you believe and doubt not… If you say…” mountains will move for you.
Much of the believer’s problem today is that we are not “seeing” and “hearing” and “believing” and we are not “saying.”
5. An example of this principle is found in Roman’s 10:8-10 in regard to salvation.
In the passage we see that there is the “word” from the Kingdom and from God (the Gospel). There is faith acting on a word in our heart. And there is the “saying” or confession.
6. The problem today is what Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13:13-15 as He quoted from Isaiah the prophet.
It is one of spiritual blindness, deafness, and lack of heart understanding. It was this way in Noah’s day, in the Old Testament days of Isaiah, when Jesus was on earth, and the Bible predicts that it will be that way when Jesus returns (“as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be when the Son of Man returns”).
Conclusion:
God would have us be people who see and hear into His Kingdom –
To observe His Word
To believe His Word without doubt
To always seek His Word as a first priority
To confess His Word openly in our world
To “do” His Word
To proclaim His Word to a blind and deaf world
For in His Kingdom is His Word which is most important and most valuable. In it are treasures beyond compare available for those who will see, believe, say, and act.
