After the Lord Jesus Christ was risen from the dead He spoke for 40 days with His disciples about the things of the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3 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.
The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins, He died and was buried. After that, He went to Hades, the prison in the underworld where the disobedient spirits are kept.
1Pet. 3:18-20 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient
Jesus Christ rose out of Hades triumphantly! He rose out of prison, He rose out of the pit, He rose out of the grave, with the keys of Death and Hades in His hands.
Rev. 1:17-18 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Like Joseph in the book of Genesis, the Lord Jesus Christ was released from jail and entered the palace to rule as a King. A brand-new Kingdom with a New Covenant came into place, which the Lord Jesus shared with His disciples when He was with them for forty days.
The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into a cloud and was brought before God the Father to receive dominion, glory, and the Kingdom.
Acts 1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Dan. 7:13-14 "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
Christ took His place at the right hand of God and the New Kingdom with its New Covenant was installed. We can find in the last chapters of Matthew (28), Mark (16), Luke (24), and John (20+21) what the Lord Jesus Christ communicated about the Kingdom of God to His Disciples.
Nine things were communicated about the Kingdom of God by the Lord Jesus Christ during the 40 days before His Ascension.
1. BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST TO START A NEW KINGDOM AND A NEW CREATION.
Firstborn among many brothers.
Luke 24:39-43 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?" 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
John 21:14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Rom. 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
2. COMMAND TO BE BAPTIZED IN WATER
We are united in His bodily resurrection. Moving from our old selfish life to our new life to live for Him.
Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Rom. 6:4-5 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
3. SUFFERINGS AND RESURRECTION WERE NECESSARY.
Luke 24:46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
4. CHRIST TELLS US TO BELIEVE IN THE PROPHETS.
Christ tells us to believe the prophets who pointed to Him and the Kingdom. Christ will open our hearts and eyes to understand the Word.
Luke 24:25-27 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Luke 24:44 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."
Luke 24:31-32 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
5. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST’S RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY.
Lord Jesus Christ’s rightful authority, He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Jesus Christ’s heavenly and earthly authority is shared with His Disciples.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Luke 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
6. COMMAND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WORLDWIDE.
Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
7. TEACHING BELIEVERS HOW TO LIVE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Matt. 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
8. THE KINGDOM OF GOD MOVES IN POWER, SIGNS, AND MIRACLES.
Mark. 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
1Cor. 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
9. WAIT TO RECEIVE THE POWER OF THE KINGDOM.
Luke 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should take the things concerning the kingdom of God very seriously. We should read these nine things concerning the kingdom of God daily, and we will discover the amazing authority we share with our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Vine and we are the branches to manifest the glory of the Lord!
