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THE CHURCH THROUGH THE AGES I. TEXTUAL
THOUGHTS 1. Daniel 7:13-14- His kingdom is
everlasting. 2. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12- God has
called Christians into His kingdom and glory. II. MAIN
THEME: God planned to
reveal His glory through the church, which is the body of Christ. The message of
salvation is to be preached by the church.
Wherever the gospel is preached, and people obey the
gospel, the church is established.
Those who are in the church are in the everlasting kingdom of God. 1. God's kingdom in prophecy. a. To be everlasting,
Dan 7:13-14; Mat 16:18. b. To begin in the
days of the Roman Kings, Dan 2:44; 8:23-27; 9:24-26. c. All nations to flow
into it, Isaiah 2:2 2. The church is in the kingdom of
God announced by Jesus and His disciples. a. Jesus has called
Christians into His kingdom, 1 Thes 2:9-12; Col 1:13. b. Christ the King
reigns over the church, Eph 1:18-23; Col 1:15-18. c. Those who are born
again may enter the kingdom, John 3:3-5; 1 Cor 12:13. d. John was in the
kingdom when he wrote Revelations, Revelations 1:9. 3. The Church is built upon Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. a. Jesus is the Son of
God, Luke 1:31-33; 3:21-22; Mat 16:18. b. He proved it by His
resurrection, Rom 1:4; Psalms 2. 4. We are called by the gospel to
be one family. a. A people for God's
possession, Eph 2:17-22; 1 Pet 2:9-10. b. Called and saved by
our response to the gospel, 1 Cor 15:1-4; Rom 1:16. c. No barriers between
God's people, Eph 2:13-12; 1 Pet 1:22; Eph 4:1-3. 5. God's kingdom is eternal. a. It cannot be
shaken, Heb 12:28; Mat 16:18. b. Those who are
faithful will inherit its eternal blessings, 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Rev 2:7,11,17,25-28; 3:5, 11-12, 20-22. III.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 1. We need to fulfill our purpose in the church- a. To be holy, 1 Cor
6:19-20; 1 Pet 1:15. b. To be zealous of
good works, Titus 2:14; 3:14; Phil 2:12-16. c. To glorify God, Eph
3:9-10, 20-21; 1 Pet 2:9-10. d. To love each other,
Eph 4:11-16; Phil 2:1-4; Col 3:12-16. 2. Everyone is in one of two
kingdoms; either the kingdom of this world which belongs to Satan, or the kingdom of God which belongs to
Jesus Christ. Col 1:13; Rev 20:11-15. 3. Our lives will give evidence to
which kingdom we belong, Luke 9:23-26; 1 John 2:1517. 4. The church is chosen by God to
reveal His wisdom in the world, so we should expect God to work through the church. As members of the body of Christ, we should glorify God in our lives, Eph 3:10, 21; 1 Cor 12; Rom
12. IV. MEMORY
VERSES- I PETER 2:9-10. |