He Must Reign, Lesson 5.4

‘He Must Reign’: The Kingdom of God in Scripture

Lesson Five: The Spread of the Kingdom in Acts

Lesson Objectives

  1. To understand how Jesus’ parting words to His disciples form a map of the ideal Davidic kingdom.
  2. To see how the structure of the Acts of the Apostles follows that map.
  3. To see how Luke paints the nascent Church as the Davidic kingdom perfectly restored.

IV. Discussion Questions

1. At the beginning of Acts, who states the argument or program for the whole book?

2. According to the covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7, how long would the Davidic kingdom last?

3. Jesus chose twelve Apostles, and Peter declared that a replacement for Judas was necessary to fill out the number. Why was the number twelve significant?

4. What position did Peter occupy in the newly restored kingdom?

5. What was the theme of Peter’s first sermon?

6. Why is it important for us to know where the people in the crowd at Pentecost came from?

7. Why does Luke end his narrative with Paul preaching in Rome?

For personal reflection:

Christ reigns as "Most High over all the kings of the earth." What does that mean for the way we live every day? Is Christ King over everything in our lives, or are there parts of our daily routine where we refuse to acknowledge Christ as supreme?

Begin Lesson 6

Lesson Outline

  1. The Mission
    1. The Argument of the Book
    2. The Ideal Kingdom
    3. The Promise Forgotten?
  2. The Kingdom Restored
    1. The Structure of the Book
    2. Enthroned in Heaven
    3. Twelve Thrones
    4. The Prime Minister
  3. The Good News
    1. Peter’s First Sermon
    2. The Dispersion Reversed
    3. Preaching the Kingdom Restored
    4. The Ends of the Earth
  4. Study Questions

Other Lessons

  • Lesson One: A Throne Established Forever
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To begin to appreciate the significance of God’s covenant with David for understanding the content and meaning of the New Testament.
    2. To understand the biblical idea of the monarchy and the Old Testament background for the Davidic covenant.
    3. To understand the basic outlines of the promises made to David and the shape of the Davidic kingdom under both David and Solomon.

    Begin Lesson One

  • Lesson Two: Looking for the ‘New David’
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the basic outline of Israel’s history in the centuries between the collapse of the Davidic kingdom and the beginning of the New Testament era.
    2. To appreciate how the collapse and disappearance of the Davidic Kingdom shaped Israel’s hopes and beliefs in the five centuries before Christ.
    3. To understand how God’s covenant promises were interpreted by Israel’s prophets and how those prophecies were understood in the last centuries before Christ.

    Begin Lesson Two

  • Lesson Three: The Son of David in Matthew’s Gospel
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the symbolism Matthew uses to convey the truth that Jesus Christ is the perfect Son of David.
    2. To see how the baptism of Jesus corresponds to the anointing of the Davidic kings.
    3. To understand how Matthew sees Jesus’ kingdom as the fulfillment of the promises in the prophets.

    Begin Lesson Three

  • Lesson Four: The Throne of David, His Father
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To see how Luke emphasizes Jesus’ lineage as Son of David in the infancy narrative.
    2. To see how Jesus appears in public as the Son of David throughout Luke’s Gospel.
    3. To understand how, at the climax of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus takes his place as heir to the kingdom of David.

    Begin Lesson Four

  • Lesson Six: ‘The Key of David’: Church and Kingdom in the New Testament
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the characteristics and identity of the kingdom of God as it is portrayed in the New Testament epistles and the Book of Revelation.
    2. To see how the Church is identified with the kingdom in the New Testament.
    3. To understand how the Church, as it is portrayed in the New Testament, bears the characteristics of the Davidic kingdom.

    Begin Lesson Six