Message Eight
Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom
and Discipling All the Nations for the Spread
and Development of the Kingdom of God
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come—Matt. 24:14
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit—Matt. 28:18-19
Word of Appetizer
Today how can we spread and develop the Kingdom of God?
This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age comes; The gospel of the kingdom must be brought to the whole inhabited earth through the churches in the Lord’s recovery; In His resurrection the Lord is present, and we have His authority, commission, and position to disciple the nations for the spread and development of the kingdom of God.
Spiritual Burden
The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age; The gospel of the kingdom must be brought to the whole inhabited earth through the churches in the Lord’s recovery.
We have been sent by the Lord not only to bring people to salvation but also to disciple the nations; The intrinsic purpose of our preaching the gospel is to bring people of the nations into the Triune God in order to make them the citizens of the kingdom of the heavens.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations”; Through the gospel of the kingdom, God brings people under the ruling of the heavenly authority so that they may become His kingdom, those who are ruled by His authority.
“Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”; To disciple the nations is to make the heathen the kingdom people for the establishing of His kingdom, which is the church, even today, on the earth.
The Experience of Life
Originally we were rebellious and against God, but then a voice of love asked us to return, to turn back, to God. Hence, to repent is to turn back in submission to the Lord and receive Him as our Savior. When we receive Him as our Savior, He comes into us. He enters into us not only in the status of a Savior but also in the status of the King of kings order to make us rebellious ones His kingdom.
“Behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age”; The heavenly King is Emmanuel, God with us. He has promised us that in His resurrection He will be with us all the days, with all authority, until the end of this age. Whenever we are gathered into His name, He is in our midst.
Practice and Application
The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age; The gospel of the kingdom must be brought to the whole inhabited earth through the churches in the Lord’s recovery.
“Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. We have been sent by the Lord not only to bring people to salvation but also to disciple the nations; this is a matter of the kingdom. In His resurrection the Lord is present, and we have His authority, commission, and position to disciple the nations for the spread and development of the kingdom of God.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come—Matt. 24:14
And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand—Matt. 12:26
And saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near—Matt. 3:2
II. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations”
- The kingdom of God is a divine sphere for God to work out His plan; it is a realm where God can exercise His authority to accomplish what He intends.
- The fundamental problem in the universe is rebellion against the authority of God.
- Through the gospel of the kingdom, God brings people under the ruling of the heavenly authority so that they may become His kingdom, those who are ruled by His authority; The gospel is for the kingdom, and the gospel is proclaimed so that rebellious sinners might be saved, qualified, and equipped to enter into the kingdom of God.
- God commands everyone to repent for the kingdom; To repent means that originally we were rebellious and against God, but now we turn back to the Lord in submission.
- The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age; The gospel of the kingdom must be brought to the whole inhabited earth through the churches in the Lord’s recovery.
Key Verses (2)
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit—Matt. 28:18-19
For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit—1Cor. 12:13
II. “Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
- In His divinity, as the only begotten Son of God, the Lord had authority over all; however, in His humanity, as the Son of Man and the King of the heavenly kingdom, authority in heaven and on earth was given to Him after His resurrection.
- Because all authority has been given to the resurrected Christ, He sent His disciples to disciple all the nations; they go with His authority.
- After Christ as the last Adam had accomplished His ministry on earth, passed through the process of crucifixion, entered into the realm of resurrection, and had become the life-giving Spirit, He came back to His disciples in the atmosphere and reality of His resurrection to charge them to make the heathen the kingdom people by baptizing them into the name, the person, the reality, of the Divine Trinity.
Key Verses (3)
Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age—Matt. 28:19-20
II. “Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
- According to Matthew, being baptized into the reality of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is for the constituting of the kingdom of the heavens.
- In Matthew 28:20 the Lord charged us to teach the newly baptized ones to observe all that He has commanded us; this is for the discipling of all the nations.
- “Behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age”.
- In His resurrection the Lord is present, and we have His authority, commission, and position to disciple the nations for the spread and development of the kingdom of God.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1. The preaching of the gospel is to bring forth the kingdom.(Matt.24:14)
(Please explain that the purpose of the gospel is to have the kingdom. The
kingdom of God is the goal of the gospel.)
T2. The fundamental problem in the universe is rebellion against the authority of God. (Isa. 14:12-14)
(Please explain that Satan wants to do in the universe is to overthrow God’s throne.)
D2
T1. The gospel of grace is for us to become believers; the gospel of the kingdom is for us to become the Lord’s disciples. (Acts20:24; Matt. 24:14)
(Please explain that the difference between the gospel of grace and the gospel of the kingdom. )
T2. The gospel of the kingdom, which also includes the gospel of grace.(1 Thes. 2:12)
(Please explain that the emphasis of the gospel of the kingdom is on the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord.)
D3
T1. God commands everyone to repent for the kingdom. (Matt. 3:2)
(Please explain that to repent is to have a change of mind issuing in regret, to have a turn in purpose.)
T2. To “repent and turn to God” (Acts 20:21; 26:20).
(What does it mean to repent? )
D4
T1. All authority in heaven and on earth was given to Him after His resurrection. (Matt. 28:18-19; John20:19-22)
(Please explain that Matthew’s account of the resurrection is very different from John’s.)
T2. Preaching the gospel is different from discipling the nations. (Matt. 28:18-19)
(Please explain that we have been sent by the Lord not only to bring people to salvation, but also to disciple the nations.)
D5
T1. Baptism is to bring the repentant people out of their old state into a new one. (Matt. 28:18-19; 1 Cor. 12:13)
(Please explain the two aspects of baptism.)
T2. The significance of baptism. (Gal. 3:27; Rom.6:3-4; Matt.28:19; 1Cor.12:13)
(Please explain that to baptize anyone into the name of the Trinity is to immerse him into all the Triune God is.)
D6
T1. The heavenly King is Emmanuel, God with us. (Matt.1:23; 18:20)
(Please use your experience to illustrate that wherever we are gathered into His name, He is in our midst.)
T2. He will be with us all the days until the consummation of the age. (Matt.28:20)
(Please explain that the Lord is the King in the kingdom with the kingdom people.)