Message Notes

INTRODUCTION

1. Invitation to enter into the kingdom of heaven

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”   Matthew 4:17

2. Instruction concerning the Kingdom of heaven

1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.   Matthew 5:1-3

a) Teaching of the Disciples

b) The kingdom of heaven

THE MAKING OF DISCIPLES

1. There were the original Disciples

a) They were invited from different walks of life   (Matthew 4; Luke 5)

b) They were made Apostles   (Luke 6:12-16; Matthew 10:1-4)

c) They were sometimes called “The Twelve”   (Mark 4:10)

2. There were other Disciples added

a) Seventy Disciples were appointed for Ministry

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.   Luke 10:1-2

b) The harvest field was greatly in need of workers

c) These Disciples were sent out by the Lord Jesus

SENDING OUT THE SEVENTY DISCIPLES

1. Sending out The Seventy

9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’   Luke 10:9-11

a) “The kingdom of God has come near to you”   (Luke 10:9, 11)

b) “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”   (Matthew 4:17)

(They are essentially the same in meaning in the Greek text)

2. Serious Warning of Rejection of the Lord Jesus

a) There will be some who will not receive   (Luke 10:10-11)

b) This is not failure on the part of the Disciples

3. The Success of The Seventy

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”   Luke 10:17

a) The Excitement of The Seventy

i) They met with demonic resistance

ii) But they were able to overcome these demons

b) The Power of God was with them in ministry!

i) The Twelve were given Power   (Matthew 10:1)

ii) The Seventy had been given Power too   (Luke 10:17)

4. Satan falling like lightning

18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 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. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”   Luke 10:18-20

a) One aspect of The Kingdom of God

i) There is authority and power

ii) The Disciples were able to wield the power of God

b) Another vital aspect of the Kingdom of God

i) It is not just about Power and Authority

ii) It is about the reality that our names are written in heaven

iii) Names written in the Book of Life

c) The Book of Life

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before [c]God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.   Revelation 20:12-15

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.   Revelation 21:22-27

i) There is a Book of Life   (Revelation 20:12, 15)

ii) It is called The Lamb’s Book of Life   (Revelation 21:27)

CONCLUSION

1. The Kingdom of Heaven

a) It is real

b) It is relevant

2. The Book of Life in Heaven

a) Invitation to believe

b) Invitation to enter into the kingdom of heaven

c) It is near at hand