Losing My Religion - The Radical Message of the Kingdom

Richard Bradbury

Description

This book arises from twenty five years of study and a passion to see God's people grasp the extent and significance of the Kingdom of God and to apply it in their own lives. This message is not an addendum to the gospel but is in fact the gospel. Christianity is not a religion to be followed but is about seeing the rule of God extended to the earth in every aspect of life: 'Let Your kingdom come; let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. It is not about adopting a philosophy but about renewing the world through the transformation of lives, beliefs, values and behaviours. This renewal extends to all poverty, injustice and the effects of the Fall in the social, political and economic environment of the World. As we grasp this we will see the gospel as the means through which the healing of our lives becomes the basis for the healing of the nations.Richard Bradbury is based in Beverley in East Yorkshire and leads Beverley Community Church, part of the Groundlevel Network of churches. Married with four children, his prime gifting is as a teacher to the Body of Christ. Book reviews online @ www.publishedbestsellers.com

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology

Informations

• Publié par: Pneuma Springs Publishing
• Date de parution: 25 juillet 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781782281627
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Losing My
Religion


The Radical Message of the Kingdom





Richard Bradbury
Copyright
First Published in 2011 by: Pneuma Springs Publishing
Losing My Religion - The Radical Message of the Kingdom Copyright © 2011 Richard Bradbury
Richard Bradbury has asserted his/her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this Work
Pneuma Springs
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Bradbury, Richard, 1962- Losing my religion : the radical message of the kingdom. 1. Christian life. I. Title 248.4-dc22
Kindle eISBN: 9781907728990 ePub eISBN 9781782281627 PDF eBook eISBN 9781782280835 Paperback ISBN: 9781907728174
Pneuma Springs Publishing E: [e-mail] W: www.pneumasprings.co.uk

Published in the United Kingdom. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher.
Dedication
To my dear wife without whose support and encouragement this book would not have been completed. Also, with grateful thanks to Christine Webb who worked so hard correcting my manuscript and making suggestions that helped to bring this book to print.
Contents
Losing My Religion: The Radical Message of the Kingdom
Introduction: Not the Kingdom of God again!?
Section 1: The Realm of the King
1. The Context of the Kingdom
Reducing the Kingdom
The Background to the Kingdom
Pharisees
Sadducees
Essenes
Zealots
Common People
The New Israel
Kingdom Applications
2. Defining the Kingdom
Introduction
The Throne
The All Encompassing Kingdom
The Messianic Fulfilment of a Time / Space Kingdom
The Kingdom in Relation to the Church
The Kingdom of God is God’s Household
The Kingdom of God as opposed to Satan’s Rebellion
The Future Dimension of the Kingdom
Summary of the Kingdom
3. The Messianic Kingdom
Introduction
The Davidic Covenant
The New Covenant
Conclusion
4. The Church and the Kingdom
The Throne
The Cross
The Kingdom in Relation to the Church
God’s Governmental Assembly
What is the Church
The Church as God’s Third Established Community
The Nature of the Church
The Role of the Church
5. The Role of the Church
Introduction
To be the Agent of the Kingdom
To be the Expression of Christ to the World
To be the Means of Reconciliation
To be the Mediator of God’s Salvation
To be the Agent of Purification and Revelation to the World
To be a Demonstration to the Principalities and Powers of the Many-coloured Wisdom of God
To be a Sacrament and Sign to the World
Sacrament
Sign
Conclusion
6. Kingdom Authority
Introduction
Authority Defined
Authority is Power delegated
Authority is rooted in the Godhead
To exercise Authority you have to be under it
Authority in the Church
Authority in the World
Conclusion
Section 2: The King’s Charter
7. The New Testament Teaching on the Kingdom
Introduction
The Kingdom Announced
The Kingdom Manifesto
The Kingdom is broader than Israel
The Kingdom Invested
The Kingdom Challenged
The Keys of the Kingdom
The Coming of the Kingdom
Rank in the Kingdom
The Rich and the Kingdom
Obedient Sons enter the Kingdom
The Kingdom in the Gospel of John
The Kingdom in the Book of Acts
The Kingdom in the Epistles of Paul
The Kingdom in Hebrews, James and Peter
Conclusion
8. The Parables of the Kingdom
Introduction
The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Seed
Tares amongst Wheat
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
The Hidden Treasure and the Costly Pearl
The Dragnet
Labourers in the Vineyard
The Parable of the Landowner
The Parable of the Marriage Feast
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
The Parable of the Talents
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
Conclusion
Section 3: Living for the King
9. The Kingdom and the State
Introduction
The Throne
Love not the World
The Basis of the State
The Problem with the State
The Beliefs of the State
The Evils of Socialism
The Evils of Capitalism
Our Christian Heritage
Our Response
The End of all Things
10. Kingdom Stewardship
Introduction
Defining the Issues
Ecology is a Kingdom Word
Justice to the Poor
The House of God
Conclusions
11.The Kingdom versus the Flesh
Introduction
The Throne
The Flesh Defined
The Battle against the Flesh
The Efficacy of the Cross
Walking in the Spirit
The attitude of the Kingdom - Overcoming Pride
Doulos
Love Slave
Diakonos
Implications
Ministry
Resources
Conclusion
12. Kingdoms in Conflict
Introduction
The Battle in the Wilderness
Ministry
The Weapons of our Warfare
What is our Default Position?
Winning the battle of the mind
Conclusion
13. Your Kingdom Come
The Kingdom Established
Events during and after the Millennium
Implications for the Church
The Hope of the Resurrection
The Significance of the Resurrection for the Future
This World was created for my Habitation
The task God has given to me is to rule over the earth, to ‘fill it and subdue it’
God is restoring the earth and will complete the task on Jesus’ return
I am not created to live in heaven but I am created as an eternal being
Eventually He will create a new heaven and a new earth and it is on the new earth that I will dwell
Significance of the Resurrection for Now
Conclusion
14. The Kingdom Revisited
Appendix A . The Gospel and Postmodernism
Appendix B : The Spiritual Battle
The Roots of the Battle
The Heavenly Army has a Commander
The Army has an Enemy
There is a Battlefield
The Army has Weapons
The Army is a Disciplined Unit
There is a Strategy
We are on a Mission
Bibliography
Introduction : Not the Kingdom of God again!?
From the commencement of the Charismatic Renewal, there has been much written and taught concerning the Kingdom of God. Is there really a requirement for more words? Is there anything more that can possibly be said on this subject that has not already been said? This is for the reader to decide. Suffice to say that each writer brings their own slant on this topic and interprets the scriptures concerning this Kingdom according to their own experience and doctrinal pre-disposition. Thus, there is no point in writing unless one believes one has something to add to the dialogue.
My first reason for writing this book is that I do believe I have something fresh to bring concerning the Kingdom. I have thought about and studied this subject for the last thirty years, reading and listening to preachers and teachers from all kinds of backgrounds and traditions, and have come to the conclusion that the Kingdom of God is the most important and fundamental doctrine in the Christian faith. I believe that everything else hangs off this truth and, unless we grasp this, we will miss the whole point of our faith. My hope is that the reader will get hold of this same understanding and apply its implications to their own world.
Secondly, at the time of writing, the first generation of those who came through the Charismatic Renewal are now largely the senior members of the new churches. A new generation has arisen that has perhaps not been exposed to the teaching concerning the Kingdom to the same extent. I believe there is a need for this subject to be revisited in each generation since it is the fundamental message which Jesus came to proclaim. At the start of His ministry (Mark 1:14-15),
….Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” 1 .
__________
1 All scriptures quoted in this book are taken from the NASB translation unless otherwise stated.

At the end of His time on earth, indeed in His last interaction with the disciples, (Acts 1:3) we read that,
...to these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the Kingdom of God.
For any one of us about to leave those we have been closest to - those we have invested our time in - the last thing we say to them is something we would want them to remember above all else. Clearly, from this verse, Jesus was absolutely convinced of their need to understand the Kingdom before He departed from them. If it was so important for them to grasp this truth and to proclaim it in their time, it is equally important for the new generation that has grown up to understand this fundamental message in order to live it and to declare it to a post-modern world. If we do not understand something of the Kingdom, it is questionable what gospel it is we are proclaiming.
Thirdly, our understanding of the Kingdom of God will help shape our view of the future, not just our eschatology, but the expectation of our eternal destiny. In order to form a view concerning the future we need to understand the Biblical view of the Kingdom of God, particularly as it is interpreted in the New Testament. Prior to Jesus’ arrival, the Kingdom of God was synonymous with the Kingdom of Israel. The expected coming king was the deliverer of Israel who would throw off external rule and establish the everlasting Kingdom. He would sit on David’s Throne forever. When Jesus came, He proclaimed something very different from the common understanding, which is why He was largely misunderstood. Our evangelicalism has proclaimed our future hope as an expectation of a mansion in heaven, but that is not what Jesus taught. Heaven may be part of the package, but we have a destiny that includes more than just heaven and which should change our view of the world we inhabit now.
Recently, I asked a full time Christian worker what he understood the Kingdom of God to be. His response was very revealing. At first he looked at me as if I had asked him to explain the m