Introduction

• Acts 7:1-8 – Stephen summarizes the formation of the nation of Israel.

The nation God created and cared for

• Genesis 12:1-3; 15:3; 17:3-8
• Exodus 13:3 (Deuteronomy 5:6)
• Exodus 19:3-6
• God loves to bless His people!
  • Luke 18:28-30 – Even if we must leave the physical, we will gain the spiritual.
  • Ephesians 1:1-6
  • Ephesians 3:19-21

The nation who made Him grieve

• Hosea 2:2, 7
• Hosea 11:1-9 – Israel just kept turning away from God.
• Nehemiah 9:26
• God’s heart breaks when we sin.
  • Ephesians 4:30
  • We must learn not to turn our backs to God!
  • Hebrews 10:28-29

The nation who gave the world our savior

• Matthew 1:1, 20-21
• God allows anyone to become a child of Abraham!
  • Romans 2:28-29
  • Romans 9:3-8
  • Galatians 3:6-9, 28-29

Mark 1, continued:

• Mark 1:14-15 – Compare the message of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7.

The kingdom promised and prophesied

• Daniel 2 – Prophesied the rule of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and then the kingdom of God.
• Daniel 7 – Four beasts: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome. Then the kingdom of God would come and saints would prevail despite persecution.
• Daniel 7:14 – See Acts 2:14-47; Ephesians 1:18-23.
• What is the kingdom that is at hand?
  • The word “kingdom” is used in different ways:
    • The universal dominion of God – Psalms 145:13
    • Heaven – II Peter 1:10-11 (see also I Peter 1:3-4)
    • Inhabitants or population subject to a king Individuals who’ve been “translated into the kingdom” by being “born again” (baptized) – Colossians 1:13; John 3:3, 5
  • The kingdom is the saved!
    • Colossians 1:13-14
    • Acts 2:22-36
    • Matthew 7:21
    • John 3:3-5
    • I Peter 3:15
  • The church is the saved!
    • The church is the “called out.”
    • II Thessalonians 2:14
    • Romans 6:3-11
    • I Corinthians 12:13 (Ephesians 5:26)
    • Ephesians 5:23
    • Ephesians 5:24
  • The house of God is the saved!
    • I Timothy 3:15
    • Galatians 3:26-27
    • Ephesians 2:16-22 – church, kingdom, and family
  • Kingdom, church, and house of God – three different terms identifying the same group of people.
• Acts 2 – Fulfillment of all
  • Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Matthew 16:18; Isaiah 10:22; Romans 9:27
  • This is what was at hand.
• Luke 1:32-33
• The kingdom coming with power!
  • Mark 9:1
  • Acts 1:6-8
  • Acts 2:1-36
  • The kingdom came with power when the Holy Spirit came with power on Pentecost in Acts 2.
• In the church, in the kingdom.
  • Colossians 1:12-14
  • Revelation 1:4, 9
  • Churches:
    • Baptized into – I Corinthians 12:3
    • Member of body – I Corinthians 12:14-26
    • A house / body of stones – I Peter 2:5-9
  • Kingdom:
    • Baptized into – John 3:3-5
    • Citizen of kingdom – John 3; Ephesians 2; Hebrews 8
    • A kingdom of priests – Exodus 19:6; I Peter 2:6-9; Revelation 5:10
• Jesus came to preach!
  • Mark 1:38
  • Salvation is at hand!

Introduction

• I Samuel 18:1

A good friend helps others see the truth.

• Proverbs 27:6, 9
• A true friend is willing to tell you the cold, hard truth.
• A good friend is not someone who always agrees with you.
• Esther 5:9-14 – What should Haman’s friends have said? They should have encouraged him to let this go. Instead, they encouraged him in his foolishness.
• If you have a friend that will tell you the truth, count your blessings! If you don’t have this kind of friend, is it because you are too intimidating?
• Proverbs 15:2 – The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable.

A good friend brings out the best in others.

• Proverbs 13:20; 27:17
• Proverbs 22:24 – Bad friends bring out the worst in you!
  • What if my friend always uses bad words at red lights?
  • What if my friend is always complaining?
  • Will we not tend to start doing the same things?
• Proverbs 16:28; 17:9
• Luke 15:6, 9 – Good friends rejoice together in spiritual things!
• Acts 10:24 – Cornelius called his friends and relatives to hear the gospel. That’s being a good friend!
• I Corinthians 13:6
• How have your friends influenced you? Do you think about spiritual things more? How do you dress and act? What kind of friend are you to them?

A good friend helps when it counts.

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – Friends make us stronger when trouble comes.
• Proverbs 19:4, 6
• Job 2:11-13 – Before they started speaking bad advice, Job’s friends were good friends.
• Proverbs 17:17
• John 11:19, 31-36 – In grief, good friends come to grieve with you.
• Romans 12:15
• Am I this type of friend?
• Are my friends true friends like this?
• II Timothy 4:16
• John 15:13