Week 7 - The Kingdom of Light

THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT

Yesterday, we considered the bad news of the Bible—we are slaves of Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Today, let’s look at the two parts of the Good News of the Bible.

Acts 8:12 (NIV)

Philip … proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God AND the name of Jesus Christ (emphasis added).

Acts 28:30-31 (NIV)

30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God AND taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance (emphasis added)!

The first part of the Good News is that there is another kingdom—the Kingdom of Light. The second part is that there is a Rescuer King—the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though we can’t escape the kingdom of darkness, Jesus can rescue us from it and transfer us to the Kingdom of Light. But more on that in tomorrow’s lesson. Today, let’s focus on the Kingdom of Light.

Let’s start with a compare and contrast. Satan’s kingdom of darkness is characterized by sin and slavery. God’s Kingdom of Light is characterized by forgiveness and freedom. And while God’s Kingdom is eternal, Satan’s kingdom is temporary and doomed.

Jesus came to reclaim the world as His Kingdom and rescue the lost as His people. After He withstood Satan’s temptation, Jesus announced that the rescue mission predicted by the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah was being fulfilled through Himself and His ministry.

Luke 4:14-21 (NLT)

14 Then [after His temptation] Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 

16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come (quoting the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah from Isaiah 61:1-2 & 58:6).” 

20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

This quote from the Prophet Isaiah isn’t just a description of Jesus’ mission, it’s a description of the Kingdom that Jesus brings.

• How would you describe the Kingdom of Light based on Jesus’ quote of the Prophet Isaiah?

Matthew 12:22-29 (NIV)

22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.”

• How do we know that God’s Kingdom has come?

• What does the Kingdom of God do for those who are trapped in the kingdom of darkness?

• How have you seen the Kingdom of God around you? In you?

Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

13 For [God the Father] has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

• Why are freedom and forgiveness two absolutely essential characteristics of the Kingdom of Light? How are these the answer to the sin and slavery of the kingdom of darkness?

• How does Jesus describe the difference between His Kingdom of Light and Satan’s kingdom of darkness in the following verse?

John 10:10 (NIV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

• In light of what you have discovered through the Bible readings and your personal reflections, how will you respond? Finish this sentence: “I will …”