WAS THE CROSS A PART OF THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM? OF COURSE IT WAS! Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) January 27, 2016 For many years I have heard preachers say that the cross was not a part of the gospel of the kingdom and when men preached the gospel of the kingdom they did not preach the cross for salvation. But what saith the scriptures? The scriptures tell us in no uncertain terms that the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross was a part of the gospel of the kingdom and when men preached the cross they preached the kingdom of God. Here are three examples of men who preached the cross for salvation when they preached gospel of the kingdom. ----Jesus Christ---- Matthew 4:23 says: And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. It’s obvious Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom, but what about the cross? Yes, he preached the cross when he preached the gospel of the kingdom. Consider these verses: In Matthew 20:28 he said: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. At the same time he preached the gospel of the kingdom Jesus declared that he would give his life as a ransom for sinners. In John 6:51 he said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of world. In John 10 Jesus said 5 times he would die for sinners and his sheep when he preached the gospel of the kingdom. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. In Matthew 26:27 when he observed the Lord’s Supper he said this: And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Jesus said he would shed his blood on the cross for the remission of our sins at the same time he preached the gospel of the kingdom. As you can see from these verses the Lord clearly said he would die on the cross as a ransom for sinners, for the remission of sins, for the life of the world and for the sins of sinners at the same time he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. ----The 12 Apostles---- In Matthew 24:13 Jesus said to the 12 apostles: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. In Mark 16 they were told to preach the gospel of the kingdom in all the world. But, when they preached the gospel of the kingdom did they preach the cross for salvation? Yes, they did. Consider these verses written by Peter who was one of the 12 apostles. When he preached the gospel of the kingdom he also preached: 1 Peter 1:18-19: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 2:24: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: ----The Apostle Paul---- Did Paul preach the kingdom of God? Yes, throughout his ministry. Consider these verses in Acts: Acts 14:22: Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 19:8: And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. Acts 20:25: And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Acts 28:23: And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. Act 28:30-31: And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. At the same time Paul preached the kingdom of God, he like Jesus and the 12 apostles preached the cross for salvation. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Notice these two verses in Acts 20:24-25 where Paul preached the kingdom of God at the same time he preached the gospel of grace. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. At the same time he preached the gospel of grace he preached the kingdom of God and at the same time he preached the kingdom of God he preached the gospel of grace. The kingdom of God is a part of the gospel of grace because the kingdom of God is the inheritance given to those who believe the gospel of grace. See Eph. 5:5, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 1 Thess. 2:12. Some dispensationalists object and say they are not going to be on the earth in the kingdom of God, because they are seated in heavenly places and will be there forever. The answer is, we are not seated in heavenly places literally, but positionally in Christ, just like we were positionally crucified on the cross with Christ, buried in the tomb with Christ and raised with Christ. And as Christ did not remain on the cross or in the tomb, he will not remain in heaven either. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says Christ will DESCEND FROM HEAVEN. And when he descends from heaven the Bible tells us exactly where he will then go: Luke 1:32-33 says: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Isaiah 9:7 also says: 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. Jesus Christ will descend from heaven down to the earth and sit on the throne of David and will rule and reign as King in the coming Kingdom of God and according to 1 Thess. 4:17 Paul said; AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD. Where ever the Lord is in eternity is where we will be and we know from Luke and Isaiah and many other verses he will be on the earth ruling as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the coming literal, physical, visible, earthly kingdom of God. This is what the Lord meant when he said in John 14:3: I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Jesus Christ, the 12 apostles and Paul all preached the cross for salvation when they preached the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of God is the future inheritance and destiny of all who believe that Christ died on the cross for their sins and was raised from the dead. And when we preach the cross for salvation today, we should also preach the kingdom of God as Paul did throughout his ministry.