30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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LUKE 19 45-48 JESUS THE TEACHER 06 Living out the kingdom of Jesus
📖 Luke 19:45-48
02Feb2021 - *Living out the kingdom of Jesus* - _Luke 19:45-48_ - JESUS THE TEACHER 5 – Bible reading: _John 18:36-37_
Jesus was teaching daily at the temple and the people were attentive and they were also astonished at His teaching. Jesus taught the people on the basis of what He did at the temple.
_Luke 19:47-48 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, (48) and were unable to do anything; for all *the people were very attentive to hear Him*._
_Mark 11:18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all *the people were astonished at His teaching*._
The teaching of Jesus came with authority. _Matthew 7:29 for *He taught them as one having authority*, and not as the scribes._ We have begun to look at three specific reasons why the teaching of Jesus came with authority.
The first reason for the authority of Jesus in His teaching was because it was teaching that came from the perspective of God and not from the perspective of man.
The second reason why the teaching of Jesus was with authority was that it came from the heart of God, who was reconciling a lost world back to Himself.
The third reason why the teaching of Jesus was with authority was that He was revealing His kingdom and welcoming people to come and enjoy the fullness of His kingdom.
Repeatedly, in the gospels, the Lord said that He had come to give the good news of His kingdom.
_Luke 4:43-44 but He said to them, "*I must preach the kingdom of God* to the other cities also, because *for this purpose I have been sent*." (44) And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee._
He longed for people to repent and enter into His kingdom. _Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, *preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God*, (15) and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."_
There needs to be repentance for a person to enter into the kingdom of Jesus.
Why is repentance necessary? We have been under the rule of the devil, of the world and of the flesh and it is satan, who is ruling our world _(I John 5:19)_. There needs to be a turnaround, a rejection, to the rule and authority of satan over us and we turn and surrender to the rule and authority of Jesus.
We can come into His kingdom, only we surrender to His lordship over us. This is obvious but sadly many of us still like to have Jesus only as our Saviour and we tell ourselves, “I’m gradually coming under the lordship of Christ”. This is a fallacy. Jesus must be your Lord for you to enter into His kingdom.
The disciples and all the others were expecting Jesus to overthrow the Romans and establish His rule but His kingdom was not of this world.
_John 18:36-37 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." (37) Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."_
We are His kingdom people, irrespective of what nation or government we are under. This kingdom of God is the kingdom of truth, set against an environment of falsehood. The evil one has sway over our world, and the devil is the father of lies _(John 8:44)_
The kingdom of God has other sides other than the dimension of truth. _Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit._
The kingdom of Jesus and citizens of His kingdom are here to demonstrate and live out the life of God’s kingdom in a context where all things are contrary to that of His kingdom.
It is into this world that the Lord is teaching us, training us and sending us, to bring down the rule of evil and establish His kingdom.
_Matthew 16:18-19 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (19) And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."_
The authority of evil cannot triumph against the church and the church has the keys to open and close for the rule of God’s kingdom to prevail here on earth.
*Thought to ponder*
```Will not the Judge of all heaven and earth ask the church as to what we did with the keys to the kingdom of God, entrusted into our hands?```