Two Kingdoms, Two Kings

1 John 5:19 NRSV We know that we are God's children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one.

Introduction

We are living in a world with two kingdoms.
B1 Devil’s

C1 1 John 5:19 NRSV We know that we are God's children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one.

C2 Matthew 12:26 NRSV  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 

B2 God’s

C1 1 Chronicles 29:11 CSB Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all.

C2 Psalm 45:6 CSB Your throne, God, is forever and ever; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

C3 Psalm 145:13 CSB Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions.

C4 Matthew 26:64 CSB You have said it," Jesus told him. "But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Characteristics of the two kingdoms

B1 Devil’s

C1 Hates God. Reason? God reveals to them that they are evil and are doing evil in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. John 7:7 NRSV The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil.

C2 Refuse God’s leadership and kingship (This is from the Parable of the Ten Talents): Luke 19:14 GNB Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'

C3 Hate Christians: John 17:14 NRSV  I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

C4 In darkness and the power of satan: Acts 26:18 NRSV  to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

C5 Evil desires for fleshly happiness and satisfaction, what we see will our eyes (I want ____ fill in the blank), pride, financial riches and goods: 1 John 2:15-17 NRSV  Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world;  16  for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world.  17  And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.

C6 Claims all the kingdoms of the world: Matthew 4:8-10 NRSV  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor;  9  and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."  10  Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.

B2 God’s

C1 Truth (reality)

D1 John 14:17 GW  That helper is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it doesn't see or know him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be in you.

D2 Titus 1:2 WEL In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began.

C2 An abandonment of the world system, lifestyle, and desires for what God wants and loves: 1 John 2:15-17 NRSV Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world;  16  for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world.  17  And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.

C3 God, Yahweh, is greater in every conceivable way. He overcomes all enemies. We are now not of the world as our King is not of this world’s system and kingdom. We are God’s children. Rebirthed by the work of the Holy Spirit. We have and follow the Spirit of Truth. 1 John 4:4-6 NRSV  Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.  5  They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them.  6  We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

C4 Wins the conflict over the devil: John 12:31 NRSV  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.

Two Kings

B1 Devil

C1 A murderer from the beginning (of creation) who is unable to tell the truth: John 8:44 GW You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn't know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he's doing what comes naturally to him. He's a liar and the father of lies.

C2 Blinds people to truth, God, and Gospel: 2 Corinthians 4:4 NRSV  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

C3 Brought death to the world, through, Adam’s sin: Hebrews 2:14-15 NRSV  Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,  15  and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.

C4 Deceiver: Revelation 20:7-8 NRSV When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison  8  and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle; they are as numerous as the sands of the sea.

C5 Enslaves people and totally controls them: Matthew 8:28-29 GW When he arrived in the territory of the Gadarenes on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, two men met him. They were possessed by demons and had come out of the tombs. No one could travel along that road because the men were so dangerous.  29  They shouted, "Why are you bothering us now, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before it is time?"

C6 Pretends to be holy: 2 Corinthians 11:14 NRSV And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

B2 God

C1 Destroys satan: Hebrews 2:14-15 NRSV  Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,  15  and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.

C2 Casts out satan: Matthew 12:26-28 NRSV If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?  27  If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.  28  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

C3 Declares believers to be His children (we are adopted): Romans 8:16 NRSV  it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

C4 Prays for us:

D1 For deliverance from satan: John 17:15 NRSV I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.

D2 Romans 8:34 NRSV Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

C5 Gives us victory: 1 Corinthians 15:57 NRSV But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

C6 God loves us, so He will come back for us: John 14:28 GW You heard me tell you, 'I'm going away, but I'm coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.

Two Decisions

B1 Resist God

C1 John 5:39-40 WEL Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are the very ones that testify about me. 40 You are not willing to come to me, that you might have life.

C2 Luke 13:34 NKJV O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 

B2 Believe God

C1 God, Yahweh, rescues, transfers, redeems, and forgives us from the devil’s kingdom, power, and sin to the kingdom of Jesus, the beloved Son, Colossians 1:13-14 NRSV He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,  14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

C2 John 14:1 GW Don't be troubled. Believe in God, and believe in me.

Two Outcomes

B1 Of the Devil’s Kingdom (those who do not believe God):

C1 Revelation 20:10 NRSV And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

C2 Matthew 25:41, 46 CSB Then he will also say to those on the left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! ... "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

B2 Of God’s Kingdom (those who believe)

C1 Daniel 7:18 CSB But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.

C2 1 Peter 1:3-4 CSB Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

C3 John 3:15-16 WPNT so that everyone who believes into Him should not be wasted but should have eternal life. Because God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes into Him should not be wasted but should have eternal life.

2 Corinthians 6:2 WEB  for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you.”Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2 GNB  Hear what God says: "When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you." Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!

Today is the day to be saved!

  
Matthew 25:41, 46 CSB - "Then he will also say to those on the left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! ... "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."