REQUIREMENTS FOR CITIZENSHIP

Lecture Objectives:

In a previous lesson we learned how the kingdom/church began and spread all over the world. In this lesson we want to learn how people of the first century became citizens of Christ's kingdom. The Bible reports that people did not become citizens of Christ's kingdom by military conquest, but by (1) freely submitting to Christ's citizenship requirements and (2) experiencing an amazing new birth.

References:

John 18.36; Matthew 11.28-30; John 1.11-13; Mark 1.15; 16.15-16; Romans 6.1-6; Acts 2.38-39; 1 Peter 1.22-23; 1 Corinthians 3.16.

Questions for Focus:

1. How did Prince Svyatoslav increase the citizens of his kingdom when he reigned from his capital in Kieve in the late tenth century?

2. What are two different ways one can become a citizen of Russia today?

3. What is your concept of requirements for citizenship in the kingdom of Heaven?

4. Is it possible to have citizenship in a physical kingdom and the kingdom of God at the same time?

1. THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST DID NOT EXPAND BY MILITARY CONQUEST
   1. Military force not Jesus' method of bringing citizens into His Kingdom.
      1. Read John 18.36.
      2. Was Christ's kingdom a political kingdom of military power?
   2. The method of recruitment used by Jesus and passed on to the disciples.
      1. Read Matthew 28.19-20.
      2. How did Jesus gain citizens for His kingdom in Matthew 11.28-30?
   3. The requirements of those who would enter the Kingdom of God.
      1. Read John 1.11-13.
      2. Did everyone receive the invitation of Christ to become citizens of His kingdom?
2. REQUIREMENTS OF JESUS FOR CITIZENSHIP IN HIS KINGDOM
   1. Faith and repentance required. Read Mark 1.15
      1. What did Jesus require in Mark 1.15 to enter the kingdom?
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      2. Repentance means to change one's mind about his life by deciding to quite sinning and to live right (Acts 26.20).
      3. Faith means to trust in Christ's life and death on the cross and not in one's own life of good works (John 3.16-18; 1 Corinthians 15.1-8; Ephesians 2.8-9).
   2. An additional requirement: Baptism. Read Mark 16.15-16 and answers two questions.
      1. What requirement did Jesus add in Mark 16.16 that is not included in Mark 1.15 above?
      2. What blessing did Jesus promise in Mark 16.16 to those who met His requirements?
   3. Baptism defined: Greek word means "immersion"
      1. Read these verses and answer questions:
         1. What did baptism require in Mark 1.9-10 and in John 3.23?
   4. Spiritual meaning of baptism: Student reads Romans 6.1-6 and answers in the blanks.
      1. In Romans 6.3-4 baptism represents Christ's
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         2.  
      2. In Romans 6.3-6 the old man of sin is buried and a new man is raised to
         1. 
            of
         2.  
3. EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO BECAME CITIZENS IN CHRIST'S KINGDOM
   1. Jews in Jerusalem: Student Activity: All students read silently Acts 2.36-42 and answer the following questions.
      1. What expression in verse 37 implies that the Jews believed they had killed the Son of God?
      2. What two requirements for citizenship did Peter command in verse 38?
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         2.  
      3. What two blessings were given to those who met these requirements?
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         2.  
   2. Conversion of an Ethiopian Official: Students read Acts 8.26-39 and answer these questions:
      1. Starting with Isaiah 53.7-8 (Old Testament Prophecy) what did Phillip preach to the Ethiopian?
      2. What did the Ethiopian want to do after hearing Phillip's lesson?
   3. Conversion of a Bulgarian jailor: Read Acts 16.25-34 and answer these questions:
      1. What did Paul command the jailor to do in order to be saved in verse 31?
      2. After Paul explained about what it meant to believe in the Lord Jesus, what did the jailor and his family immediately do?
4. CITIZENSHIP IN CHRIST'S KINGDOM BY A NEW BIRTH
   1. Russian citizenship occurs by natural birth.
      
   2. Christian citizenship occurs by a spiritual birth.
      1. Read John 3.1-6
         1. What was necessary to enter the kingdom of Christ?
      2. Read 1 Peter 1.22-23
         1. What is the "seed" of the new birth?
      3. Read Acts 2.38-39
         1. When the Jews accepted the seed of God's word by believing, repenting and being baptized in water, what gift did they receive?
   3. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Being who works with the Father and the Son as a single God family (Matthew 28.19; 2 Corinthians 13.14).
      1. Read 1 Corinthians 3.16
         1. Who dwells in the body of each true Christian?
      2. In a later lesson we will see that the Holy Spirit guides, strengthens, and comforts the Christian in his daily life.
5. CONCLUSION (CLOSURE)
   1. Answer these questions:
      1. Did Christ's kingdom expand by military conquest?
      2. What were the requirements for people to be forgiven and become citizens of Christ's kingdom?
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         2.  
         3.  
      3. What did people receive when they met the above conditions that enabled them to be born again?
   2. VISUAL AIDS
      1. II.A.4.- MAN TURNING FROM LIFE OF SIN TO FOLLOW CHRIST AND THE WAY OF HIS CROSS
      2. II.C.1. - A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT By Bauer, Gingrich & Danker University of Chicago Press, 1971 BAPTIDZO "dip, immerse,...dip oneself, wash, plunge, sink, drench, overwhelm." page 131
      3. II.D.2. - PICTURE OF A MAN DEAD IN SIN, BEING BURIED IN WATER AND RAISED TO SPIRITUAL LIFE.