ONE #3
ONE
TOGETHER IN THE BONDS OF ROYAL COVENANT
This week we’re talking about ROYAL
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" - 1 Peter 2:9
MEANING
1
a : of kingly ancestry the royal family
b : of, relating to, or subject to the crown the royal estates
c : being in the crown's service Royal Air Force
2
a : suitable for royalty : magnificent
b : requiring no exertion : easy
there is no royal road to logic —Justus Buchler
3
a : of superior size, magnitude, or quality
a patronage of royal dimensions —J. H. Plumb
—often used as an intensive a royal pain
b : established or chartered by the crown
4
: of, relating to, or being a part (such as a mast, sail, or yard) next above the topgallant
ROYALTY
We got some historical and cultural baggage to deal with when it comes to this word.
In our experience, royalty denotes class, it denotes separation, it denotes wealth and power and control, it is fantastical, it is sometimes dangerous, for most of us it’s incredibly foreign.
The philosopher, Lorde, sang:
“And we'll never be royals
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B
And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy”
And that’s it really, innit? Royalty to most is just a fantasy.
Even in countries that do have a monarch these days, the majority are either merely symbolic with little to no actual powers.
In this day and age of the UN and other councils and treaties etc, expanding one’s kingdom and conquering land is thought of as a thing of the past. In reality, there are 42 current land disputes in Africa, 55 in Asia, 21 in Europe, 8 in North America, 9 in central america and the caribbean, 11 in South America.
And then outside the UN there are 31 land disputes, including Israel and Palestine, palestine and hamas.
There are even disputes still going on about Antarctica!
(Source; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territorial_disputes)
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
1. UNITED UNDER ONE RULER, OF ONE BLOODLINE
Corinthians 8:6 “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
Acts 17:26 “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;”
2. A COMMON LANGUAGE
Acts 19:6 “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”
Mark 16:17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.”
3. DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE STANDARDS OF THIS WORLD
John 18:36 “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”
Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
4. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS A KINGDOM OF PEACE
BETWEEN PEOPLE
Is 2:2-4 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
James 3:18 “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”
ALL OF CREATION
Is 11:6-9 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
5. KINGDOM OF FORGIVENESS
Matt 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
6. THOSE WHO INHERIT THE KINGDOM BEAR IT'S FRUIT
1 Th 2:12 “That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.”
Matt 25:34-36 “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.,
2 Peter 1:10-11 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
7. OUR KINGDOM IS VICTORIOUS
Isaiah 9:7 “ Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”