106 Misunderstood Texts (Kingdom of God 15)

Find out what the most commonly misunderstood texts about the kingdom are as well as how to interpret them within their own contexts.  In this final session of the kingdom of God class, we’ll look at these important verses:

1. Matthew 16.28 “Some…will not taste death until they see…the kingdom”
2. Luke 17.21 “The kingdom of God is in your midst”
3. Matthew 24.34 “This generation will not pass away until all these things take place”
4. Luke 23.43 “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”
5. John 18.36 “My kingdom is not of this world”
6. John 14.3 “I go and prepare a place for you”
7. 2 Corinthians 5.8 “to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord”
8. Philippians 1.23 “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better”
9. Ecclesiastes 12.7 “The dust returns to the earth…and the spirit returns to God”

This is lecture 15 of the Kingdom of God class, originally taught at the Atlanta Bible College.  To take this class for credit, please contact ABC so you can do the work necessary for a grade.

Notes:

1. Some will not taste death until kingdom comes

• Matthew 16.28-17:9 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”  1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.  3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.  7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”  8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
• they received a vision of the kingdom; this fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy that they wouldn’t die before “seeing” the son of man coming in his kingdom

2. Kingdom is within you

• Luke 17.20-31 20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,  21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”  22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.  24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.  25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah en