A. Daniel 2:31-44
B. Isaiah 2:2-3 (cf. Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Timothy 3:15)
C. Joel 2:28-32
II. The establishment of the kingdom
A. Acts 2:1-21 (cf. Acts 11:15)
B. The nature of the kingdom (Acts 1:6; John 16:12-13; 18:36; 1 Samuel 8:1-7)
III. Modern misunderstanding of the nature of the kingdom: premillennialism and its consequences
A. Makes God false to His promises (Mark 1:14-15; Deuteronomy 18:18, 22)
B. Alternates Judaism and Christianity (Hebrews 8:13)
C. Demotes Christ from His place at the right hand of God in heaven to the earth (Hebrews 1:3; 8:1)
A. “Every material effect must have an adequate cause that existed before the effect”
B. God is the cause of the universe (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; Acts 17:24-25; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 3:4)
C. But then, what caused God? (God is not material; He is Spirit – John 4:24)
II. Which God?
A. Moses anticipated this question (Exodus 3:13-14)
B. God’s general revelation (Romans 1:20; Psalm 14:1; 19:1-4; 8:3-4)
C. God’s specific revelation (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
III. God-pleasing faith
A. Believes that He exists (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:24-25)
B. Causes man to seek Him (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:26-28)
A. Not physical, but spiritual (Matthew 4:4)
B. Spend time in the Word and with sound study materials (2 Timothy 2:15-16)
II. Exercise more
A. Spiritual fitness (1 Timothy 4:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
B. Athletics as a metaphor (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1; 2 Timothy 4:7)
III. Spend money more wisely
A. Give to God freely, liberally, and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 9:7)
B. The result of giving as God commands (2 Corinthians 9:6, 8; Malachi 3:8-10; Luke 6:38)
IV. Spend more time with friends and family
A. The church is the family of God (Matthew 12:46-50; 1 Timothy 5:1-2; 3:15)
B. The importance of fellowship (Acts 2:42, 46-47; Psalm 122:1; Hebrews 10:24-25)
I. The importance of listening to all things revealed
A. The disciples’ despair (Luke 24:13-24; 23:53,55)
B. Jesus contrasts their misunderstanding with the actual inspired record (Luke 24:25-27; Genesis 3:15; 22:18; Exodus 12; Leviticus 16:1-34; Deuteronomy 18:15; Isaiah 7:14; 40:10-11; 50:6; 53:3-4; Ezekiel 34:23; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 6:12; 9:9; 12:10; 13:7; Malachi 3:1)
C. Application for today (Matthew 7:21; Mark 16:16; John 12:48)
II. The necessity of hospitality
A. The disciples’ hospitality (Luke 24:28-29)
B. A requirement for Christians, both leaders (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8) and all members (1 Peter 4:9)
C. Jesus was not going to force Himself into their lives or homes – He required the invitation
III. Our attitude toward the Scriptures
A. Their hearts burned (Luke 24:32; James 1:21; 2 Timothy 2:15)
B. They were so excited, they could not wait to tell others (Luke 24:33-35; Mark 16:15)
A. Turn from idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9; Colossians 3:5)
B. Turn to God (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-6; Matthew 18:3; Ephesians 4:17, 22-24)
II. Serve God
A. Includes service to neighbors (Philippians 2:3-4; Galatians 6:10)
B. Involving ourselves in God’s will (Galatians 2:20)
III. Be an example
A. Imitating the apostles (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17)
B. Imitating Christian leaders inasmuch as they imitate Christ (Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 5:2-3)
C. Providing a good example for others (Titus 2:7; Philippians 2:14-15; Matthew 5:16)
IV. Looking forward to His return
A. He promised He will come back (1 Thessalonians 1:10; John 14:1-3; Matthew 24:36, 42; 1 Thessalonians 5:2)
B. “There’s a Great Day Coming” (2 Thessalonians 1:7)
A. The women were perplexed (Luke 24:1-4a; 23:55-56; John 18:11, 15)
B. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:4b-6a; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, 58)
II. “They remembered His words”
A. Jesus predicted His death (Luke 24:6b-7; 9:21-22, 43-45; 18:31-34)
B. The importance of His words (Luke 24:8; 6:46-49)
III. “They told all these things”
A. “I Love to Tell the Story” (Luke 24:9)
B. Who will believe us? (Luke 24:10-11; 8:4-15; Romans 10:14-17)
C. Invite people to investigate the truth (Luke 24:12; 2 Corinthians 13:5)
A. The Bible is to be our guide (Psalm 119:105; 1:1-2)
B. The Bible is all-sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 4:4)
C. Our words, deeds, and even thoughts must be made subject to God’s direction (Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
II. God tells us what to change
A. Put off the old man; put on the new man (Ephesians 4:17-24; Ecclesiastes 2:10-11)
B. Be truthful and trustworthy (Ephesians 4:25)
C. Watch your temper (Ephesians 4:26-27)
D. Work so you can share (Ephesians 4:28; Galatians 6:2)
E. Watch your mouth (Ephesians 4:29; 1 Timothy 4:12; Matthew 12:36-37)
F. Do not grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 5:16-17)
G. Get rid of the bad and replace it with the good (Ephesians 4:31-32)
III. God’s child must have a changed heart
A. The example of Ezra (Ezra 7:10)
B. Protect your heart (Matthew 15:18-19; Philippians 4:8; Psalm 119:11)
A. The cross of rebellion (Luke 23:39; Matthew 27:44; Joshua 24:15)
B. The cross of repentance (Luke 23:40-42)
C. The cross of redemption (Luke 23:43; Hebrews 9:16-17; Acts 2:38; Acts 19:4-5; Luke 16:22)
II. “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit”
A. The rending of the veil (Luke 23:44-45; Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 Peter 2:9; Acts 6:7)
B. The death of our Lord (Luke 23:46; Psalm 31:5)
C. The conversion of the centurion (Luke 23:47; Mark 15:39)
III. Joseph of Arimathea
A. The secret disciple (Luke 23:50-51; John 19:38)
B. His call to action (Luke 23:52-54; Isaiah 53:9)
A. Early disciples changed the whole world (Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 8:5)
B. God’s people are only God’s people if they live according to God’s Word (2 Chronicles 7:14; Micah 6:8; Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 16:25)
C. Live so people see Jesus, not us (Romans 1:16; 1 Timothy 4:12; Matthew 5:13-16)
II. Do not be influenced by the wrong associations
A. “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Proverbs 13:20)
B. Guard against sin (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22; Colossians 3:1-4; Philippians 3:14; 1 John 2:15-17; Hebrews 11:25)
III. Two critical sins to avoid
A. Hypocrisy (Titus 2:1-10)
B. Apathetic indifference; “wanting to have it both ways” (Joshua 7; Revelation 3:14-22)
A. Carried the cross (Luke 23:26; John 19:17)
B. Family connections (Mark 15:21; Romans 16:13)
C. God uses negative experiences to prepare us for something greater in His kingdom (Romans 8:28; James 1:2-3; Philippians 2:14-16)
II. The weeping women
A. “Blessed are the barren” (Luke 23:27-31; Deuteronomy 7:12-14)
B. The destruction of Jerusalem
III. Radical forgiveness
A. Their ignorance (Luke 23:32-34; Acts 3:17; 13:27; 2:37)
B. His enormous love (Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 4:32)
IV. Man’s contempt of Christ
A. Contempt from the people (Luke 23:35a; Matthew 27:39-40)
B. Contempt from the leaders (Luke 23:35b; Matthew 27:41-43)
C. Contempt from the soldiers (Luke 23:36-37)
V. “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38) – how do we treat Him?
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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