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Sunday Message for the Bilingual Brethren - 26 July 2020 : “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”

Text: Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15: John 1:12
26 July 2020

BILINGUAL WORSHIP 26 JULY 2020
Theme: The Kingdom of Heaven
Texts: Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15: John 1:12
Title: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”

INTRODUCTION

1. Previous Theme: Faith

a) Important to have it
b) Just as important to cultivate it
c) It is possible to have a good and strong faith

2. Faith in the Lord

a) In His Teachings
b) In His promises

3. New Theme to learn: The Kingdom of Heaven
(Sometimes called “The Kingdom of God”)

THE PERSON WHO PREACHED THE KINGDOM OF GOD

1. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who spoke about the Kingdom of Heaven

2. He wanted to invite people to think about Heaven

UNDERSTANDING A BIT OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF ISRAEL IN THE DAYS OF JESUS

1. The region called “Galilee”

a) The Hebrew name: Galilee
b) There were many Jews living there
c) But there was a large number of Gentiles there too (More than Jews)
d) So, it was called “Galilee of the Gentiles”
e) There were about 200 villages in the region

2. Famous cities in this region

a) Nazareth was the town of the boyhood of the Lord Jesus
i) He spoke at the synagogue at Nazareth
ii) The people there rejected him (Luke 4:16-30)
b) Capernaum was another city in Galilee
i) It had a little port
ii) Fishing trade was strong there
iii) Peter, Andrew, James and John were probably from Capernaum

THE REGION OF GALILEE DESCRIBED

1. It was called “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Matthew 4:15)

2. The people were described as:

a) “Sitting in darkness”
b) In the “shadow of death” (Matthew 4:16)

3. The meaning:

a) The people were not very spiritual
b) They were not enlightened people
c) Darkness
d) Danger of dying without knowing God (death)

4. The Prophecy of a Great Light

a) This was a prophecy given by God to a prophet called Isaiah (Isaiah 9:1-2)
b) The prophecy described this light:
i) A great light
ii) This light would dawn on the people

THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS TO THIS REGION

1. He was that great light

a) He would bring much-needed light
b) He would bring the dawn of a new beginning

2. He came with a great Gospel

a) “The kingdom of heaven”
i) This message had never been heard before
ii) The land was in darkness
iii) Light had come from the Lord Jesus
iv) This kingdom is not like the earthly kingdom at all
v) The kingdom then was a Roman Kingdom
vi) It was not easy to become a Roman citizen
b) The Kingdom of heaven is at hand
i) It was close by
ii) It is not hard to enter into the Kingdom of heaven
iii) Jesus had come from Heaven to invite people into His kingdom
c) Many have wrong thoughts about the Kingdom of Heaven
i) It is only for the very good and holy people
ii) It is only for educated people
iii) It is only for special people

3. What does it take to enter into the Kingdom of heaven?

a) The first word is “Repent” (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15)
i) We must recognize that we are sinners
ii) We need to repent from our sins
iii) We need God’s forgiveness
iv) God can and will forgive all our sins
b) The next word is “Believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15)
i) To believe is to have faith
ii) We are to have faith in what the Lord Jesus said

4. What happens when we believe in the Gospel

a) We believe in the Lord Jesus as our Saviour
b) We receive Him as our Lord
c) To everyone who believes:
i) We are given the right to be called Children of God
ii) We are adopted into the Family of God

CONCLUSION

1. Darkness of Sin

a) We cannot see Hope
b) We cannot see the reality of the Kingdom of God

2. The Great Light of the Gospel of Jesus

a) We see light
b) We can see the kingdom of God
c) We can believe in Jesus and have faith in Him

3. Invitation

a) To confess our sins
b) To believe in Jesus with sincere faith
c) God will receive you into His kingdom as His children the moment you believe!