Page 88 - Jesus is coming - Class version

THE CHURCH AND THE KINGDOM. 85

It was in the future when the thief cried, "Lord re-
member me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." Luke
-
23:42. Joseph of Arimathea, who laid Jesus' body in the
sepulchre, "waited for the Kingdom of God," which also
indicates that it was still in the future. Mark 15:43.
S !
It was still future when Paul exhorted the disciples to
continue in the faith, and said "that we must through
much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God," Acts
14:22. It was in the future while the persecuted Thessa-
lonians suffered, that they might "be counted worthy of the
Kingdom of God." 2 Thes. 1:4-5.
It Was most assuredly future when, years afterward,
Peter, gave his exhortations as follows : "Wherefore the
rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall.
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abun-
dantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Sav-
ior, Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. 1:10-11. And it has been fu-
ture during all the long, sad history of the faithful and
godly Church, while she has suffered the terrible persecu-
tions of fagot, inquisition, banishment, ridicule and false
9
accusation.
And it will be future until Jesus, "having received the
10
Kingdom," shall return to recompense tribulation to
charged them, saying, Tell the This is my beloved Son, in whom
vision to no man, until the Son I am well pleased.
of man be risen again from the 18. And this voice which came
dead. from heaven we heard, when we
were witn Him In tne hol y
Also Mark 9:1-10; Luke 9:
27 mount.
(9) 2 Tim. 3:12. Yea, and
2 Pet. 1 :16. For we have all that wlll live god i y ln Christ
not followed cunningly devised Jesus shall suffer persecution.
when we made known And
fables, (10) Luke 19 i5. it
:
unto you the power and coming came to pasS) tnat ^hen he was
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but the
returned, having received
were eyewitnesses of his maj- kingdom, then he commanded
esty. these servants to be called unto
17. For he received from God him, to whom he had given the
the Father honour and glory, money, that he might know how
when there came such a voice much every man had gained by
to him from the excellent glory, trading.