WHAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS

Romans 14:17-18 (KJV)

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

I would call Romans chapter fourteen the definitive text on individual soul liberty.

• It explains exactly why every person ought to have the right to worship God according to the dictates of his or her own conscience.
• It gives us some understanding about what to do in a relationship with someone who doesn’t see spiritual things exactly the same way we do. and
• It provides us with a principle upon which we ought to treat every person, those with whom we agree and those with who we do not.

I think it might be one of the most important chapters in the Bible when it comes to obeying that verse, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

• Learning how to have passion and conviction in your own faith without being critical of others who do not have the same faith as you.
• Learning how to be evangelistic and at the same time not to be judgmental against those you claim to want to win to Christ.
• Learning how to sincerely live out your faith, believing that it is what the Bible teaches, and at the same time trying not to let your faith trip someone else who hasn’t figured out what you have.

These are skills not quickly learned, and ones that ought to occupy the fervent efforts of any earnest Christian.

I want to focus today on only a small piece of this important passage.

Notice again,

Romans 14:17-18 (KJV)

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

I tend to see the Kingdom of God as a reference to the future:

• Heaven
• The 1000 year reign of Jesus and
• Eternity afterwards

I also recognize that, in the eyes of God, those of us who are saved are as good as there.

I think then what we have here is:

• The qualifications of entry into eternal life
• The characteristics of the possessors of eternal life and
• The fruit and the benefits of possessing eternal life

All of it wrapped up in just these two verses.

Notice what the kingdom of heaven is not:

It is not meat and drink.

Salvation is not obtained by what we do or do not do

It’s not gotten through good works nor is it lost through some cardinal sin.

The Christian life is not defined by what religious deeds we do.

Christianity is not observing the Lord’s Supper or receiving the mass.

Christianity is not attending church, teaching a Sunday school class or saying our prayers faithfully.

It’s not religious duty.

Notice then what it is; 

• Righteousness, and 
• Peace, and 
• Joy in the Holy Ghost

I want to take some time with each of those for our message today.

The kingdom of God is

I. RIGHTEOUSNESS

This isn’t a new subject for anyone in this room, but it is one that I think needs to be repeated again and again because it is so contrary to the fallen nature.

Righteousness is not something we do.

Ever since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, man has had this corrupt notion that he can do good to make up for his sin.

He can be good enough without God.

Adam and Eve saw they were naked – they were ashamed so they sewed fig leaves. God said that wasn’t good enough and made them coats of skin for clothes.

Cain offered the fruits of his own labor, Abel offered an animal sacrifice. God accepted Abel’s offering but did not accept Cain’s.

Nimrod led the people to unite together and build a tower than reached up to God. God was not pleased and confounded their languages so they divided and left off building.

The history of man is the history of a fallen creature attempting to be righteous without God.

When God separated Abraham from his father and promised that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed, there is this slender slice of time when a peculiar people trusted God for righteousness.

But it didn’t last long.

By the time the children of Israel were in the wilderness they had already struggled with righteousness through religion.

Moses went to the top of Sinai and the people below wanted Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship.

God gave them the Mosaic Law to prove to them that they could not earn their own righteousness.

Paul said

Galatians 3:21 (KJV)

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

If righteousness could be earned, it would be by obeying the Law.

Trouble is,

James 2:10 (KJV)

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

If a person lived their whole lifetime obeying the Mosaic law to the letter, every jot, every tittle, every sacrifice, every offering, every thought every ritual obeyed perfectly, but then – just one time – failed, the Bible says he is as guilty and will be condemned as if he had never obeyed any of it, ever.

What was the purpose of that Old Testament law then?

Galatians 3:24 (KJV)

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Which brings me to the point of this point:

True righteousness is not something we do – it is something we are made through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

There is a place to behave righteously,

Titus 2:11-12 (KJV)

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

But it is because of the grace of God that we live that way, not to receive the grace of God.

The kingdom of God is righteousness.

The kingdom of God is

II. PEACE

After Adam and Eve sinned the world, for the first time, knew conflict.

• Adam accused his wife for their sin
• Eve accused the serpent

Both of them were driven out of the Garden of Eden and, for the first time, they saw an instrument of death – cherubim’s were placed at the entrance of the Garden, with a flaming sword.

Never again would this world know peace.

But, because of righteousness, peace is once again possible”

A. Peace with God

Romans 5:1 (KJV)

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Think of it!

For four thousand years it was impossible for any man to have peace with God.

The sin of Adam and Eve had so ruined things that people were fighting each other and all of them felt like God was fighting them.

The Jews of course had some hope.

• They had the Word of God
• They had a religious system given by God and
• They had the promise of a coming Messiah

But the enmity even between them and God was obvious and terrible.

And if it was bad for them, it was worse for the Gentiles.

And then came Jesus.

Shortly before returning to heaven through the crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples,

John 14:27 (KJV)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

And now, because of this peace, we can come boldly before the throne of grace, “to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

I am not the enemy of God, I am the child of God and he invites me to call him, “Abba, Father.”

Peace with God gives us opportunity for

B. Peace with others

Ephesians 2:13-16 (KJV)

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

He did say, 

Romans 12:18 (KJV)

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

It’s not always possible and when we can, it is only through hard work. 

We have to endeavor to keep the spirit of unity.

But for the first time since the Garden of Eden, it can be done.

And because of peace with God we can have

C. Peace in our own heart

Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There is a beautiful hymn which goes,

Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

Refrain:
Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!

What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
So secure that no power can mine it away,
While the years of eternity roll!

I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul!

Oh my friends! 

Do you know this peace?

The kingdom of God is righteousness

The kingdom of God is peace and

The kingdom of God is

III. JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST

This is where the message ties in with both the happiness series and Thanksgiving.

I found no less than four times in the New Testament where God told people to “be of good cheer”

Matthew 9:2  

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 6:50  

For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

John 16:33  

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Acts 23:11  

And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

It’s in response to this encouragement from God that Paul was able to say to those sailors on a sinking ship, 

Acts 27:25 (KJV)

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

People who know the joy of the Lord are very often able to pass that joy on to others.

Conclusion

Righteousness brings 

peace with God which results in 

joy (in the Holy Ghost) it’s not make believe or superficial. It is heavenly and a gift from God.

I quoted earlier from a song. I would like to leave you with the final verse of that song which goes,

Ah soul, are you here without comfort and rest,
Marching down the rough pathway of time?
Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark;
Oh, accept this sweet peace so sublime!