In Light of God’s Kingdom: How shall we live? 2

Describe the image.

The prophet Isaiah says, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them...for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6,9). The painting illustrates the artist’s conception of a kingdom of peace based on the prophecy in Isaiah.

Share what stands out to you in the painting. How would you illustrate a peaceable kingdom?

Given the nature of people, is a peaceable kingdom even possible?

Peace is achieved through law. The law of God’s kingdom is an ancient one, described in the Old Testament and restated by Jesus when a Jewish teacher asked him what was the greatest commandment in the law. “‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:29-31).

What do you think is necessary for society to create a peaceable kingdom?

A Promise

Knowing the selfish tendency of human nature, God gives a promise that makes his kingdom possible. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:26-28). Today we receive a new heart and spirit to love God and obey him when we trust in his Son, the King, Jesus Christ, who died and rose on our behalf (Romans 8:1-4).

God offers us a hint of the future world right now. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ to forgive you, have you noticed your desires and ambitions changing? Explain.

There are two ways we prepare our world for God’s kingdom.

1. We unfold the marvelous news of Jesus Christ and invite people to follow him. “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT).

2. We use the gifts God has given us now to love others. Peter describes these gifts in his first letter: “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:10-11, NLT).

What is the main thought in these Scriptures?

What are some of the gifts God has given you? How will you use them to bring God’s love and hope to others?