Buried with Christ
27th Mar 26 | 13:38
Studies by Book
Luke 23 26-43 THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS 27 Luke 23 39-43 The eternal kingdom of Jesus
📖 Luke 23:26-43
Sun 09 Jan 2022 – The eternal kingdom of Jesus - Luke 23:26-43 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (27) - Bible reading: Ephesians 1:18-23
“Lord Jesus, we thank You that to belong to Your kingdom is to repent and surrender to Your authority over us. It is about relinquishing our part in any other kingdom but now coming solely under the kingdom of Jesus. We thank You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.”
Luke 23:39-43 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." (40) But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." (42) Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (43) And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
We are considering this phenomenal statement that this second criminal said to Jesus, on the cross.
"Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
When he uttered the word, “Lord”, he believed in Jesus and crossed over from death to life. Not only did he speak out the word, “Lord”, but he went further to enter into the kingdom of Jesus.
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
This was the great revelation for Nathanael that he saw Jesus as the King. This same revelation was happening for the second criminal. He saw Jesus as King.
We must always see the Goodnews as the Gospel of the kingdom of Jesus.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, (15) and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
The relationship of God with man is a relationship of us being in His kingdom. This was how God set up creation. He was King and we were to be His subjects.
When we sinned, we rebelled against God. We chose independence from God but we landed into the clutches of the evil one. We came into the kingdom of the devil.
I John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
The Lord referred to the devil as the ruler of this world.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 14:30/ 16:11
On the cross, the evil one was being defeated. Jesus was reestablished as the ruler for eternity.
Colossians 2:15 And when he had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross. (ISV)
The powers of darkness were defeated and Jesus took back the rule from the controls of the evil one.
Ephesians 1:18-20 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (20) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places ,
The work on the cross includes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This is the core gospel message.
I Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, (2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Satan was defeated and Jesus was reinstated as the King eternal.
Ephesians 1:21-23 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come . (22) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church , (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Praise God for the second criminal, for he saw Jesus as the one who was restored to be the King of heaven and earth.
When the disciples on the road to Emmaus, were dejected and forlorn over all that had happened to Jesus, the Lord reprimanded them.
Luke 24:26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
The cross was His glory.
This kingdom of Jesus is not only of this age but also of that which is to come. This everlasting kingdom has been given to the church.
The second criminal on the cross was now having the glorious privilege of a red-carpet welcome to becoming a citizen of the everlasting kingdom of Jesus.
Daniel 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.
Friend, are you conscious that though you and I live in this world, we are citizens and ambassadors of the everlasting kingdom of Jesus?
Thought to ponder
We live as kingdom representatives of Jesus, bringing His kingdom rule here on earth.