The Kingdom Fulfilled, Part Nine

Week forty-three | October 27 – November 2

God’s plans for his Perfect King, Jesus, to come to earth and bring about the fulfillment of his Heavenly Kingdom was not what anyone expected. God had promised back in Genesis, when sin entered the world, to send a son of Adam to crush the serpent’s head, breaking the curse of sin. He then promised to make Abraham into a great nation, the Israelites, who later became the Jews, who would be a blessing to all nations. He promised Moses that all who obey his commands and trust him would be blessed, but those who do not would suffer. He promised David that he would have a descendant on the throne for eternity. Yet as Jesus, the one who came to fulfill all the promises of God, was three years into his earthly ministry, things were not looking good. The religious leaders rejected Jesus even though they knew the teachings of Moses and the prophets. They did not believe he was the fulfillment of the promises of God. Their anger grew into hatred and they plotted to kill the Son of God. How could God’s plans include killing the King he had sent to restore the kingdom? The spark of hope was fading out! 

God’s plans are always perfect and he knew from the beginning that his Son, Jesus–the Perfect King, would have to be given as the perfect sacrifice to take the punishment we deserve for our sin. Even though it was not easy Jesus lived in perfect obedience to his father, all the way through his last breath on earth. He had already demonstrated that he came to bring life by raising others from the dead. He proved the ultimate power over sin and death by raising from the dead! His resurrection renewed the spark of hope in his followers and assured them that he had come to fulfill the law and the prophets and to die so that they might live! This all happened just as God designed it to be. 

Memory Verse

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

John 18:36

Worship

Day One

Read

Here are some verses to read with your family about the events leading up to Jesus’ arrest in Luke 22:14-23, and 39-46. 

Luke 22: 14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.  18For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

Luke 22:(ICB)  39Jesus left the city and went to the Mount of Olives. His followers went with him. (Jesus went there often.) He said to his followers, “Pray for strength against temptation.” 41Then Jesus went about a stone’s throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed, 42“Father, if it is what you want, then let me not have this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” 43Then an angel from heaven appeared to him to help him. 44Jesus was full of pain; he prayed even more. Sweat dripped from his face as if he were bleeding. 45When he finished praying, he went to his followers. They were asleep. (Their sadness had made them very tired.) 46Jesus said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray for strength against temptation.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Jesus, reading about and remembering your death is hard. Our hearts grieve as we remember all the things you did to bring the kingdom of heaven to Earth, and the way you were treated in response. We praise you, Jesus, that your death was for a purpose. Our sin and sick hearts needed you and the salvation you made possible through your death. Thank you, Jesus, for giving us a way back to God. In your name we pray, Jesus, amen.

Day Two

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion from the Gospels of John and Mark. 

John 18:3-5, 12, 36-37; Mark 15:22-26, 33-34, 37-39, 43, 46-47

John 18:3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”  5They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.”…. 12So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 

Mark 15:22And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews….

33And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”….37And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Day Three

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about Jesus’ resurrection:

Mark 16:1-6, 10; Luke 24:36-49

Mark 16: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him….10She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 

Luke 24: 36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Day Four

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20.

Matthew 28: 16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Day Five: Family Sabbath

Be Present

Set aside distractions (electronics, work, chores, etc.) and spend time with God and each other. 

Pray

Spend time together in prayer, thanking God that he has ordained a day of rest and for the takeaways you’ve had from this week’s readings. Consider closing by praying the Lord’s Prayer together. 

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Play

Choose a fun activity to do together as your family rests from work.

• Go fly a kite together
• Throw a party to celebrate that Jesus is alive!
• Write a play together about everything you’ve learned about Jesus during the last 9 weeks. Perform it together or record it and send it to some friends or family. 

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