Introduction to Kingdom of God Devotional

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “The Kingdom of God”?

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “the kingdom of God, also called kingdom of Heaven, in Christianity, is the spiritual realm over which God reigns as King, or the fulfillment on earth of God’s will.” For Christians, one of the greatest and most important themes of the Bible is the kingdom of God. That theme weaves throughout the entire Bible, tying the Old and New Testaments together around the reality that God is King. 

Jesus began His ministry in Mark’s Gospel by proclaiming: “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). His hearers knew, from the prophecies, that signs of the kingdom were, “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”

But what does the kingdom of God mean for us today where we live and with what we face? Particularly, how do we navigate being “in the world” but not “of the world” (John 17:14-18) when it comes to living the kingdom in our everyday lives and the world around us? With our present cultural moment more polarized than ever, we need to regain our footing in the fullness of God’s kingdom that orients us toward God as King, Jesus as Lord, and the Spirit as present in the church.

We will wrestle together with these ideas over the next 5 weeks are we explore what it means for us to lives as citizens of God’s kingdom through the words of God. 

Each week of this devotion will feature an page for you respond to your weekly worship experience: what thoughts or images from your time of worship struck you hardest? There will be a weekly memory verse that will help orient your thoughts on God’s kingdom throughout the weekThere will be five scripture passages with reflections written by a variety of Eastbrookers to help you resonate with the God’s Word. And finally, each Saturday there is a page for you to simply respond to all you have experienced and learned that week. What is God telling you about Himself, His kingdom and your part in it? 

Our hope is, as always, you will be drawn closer to Christ through your interaction with His word. May His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

About Eastbrook 365

Due to the uncertainty of the season we find ourselves in, we at Eastbrook are writing and producing a year of daily devotionals that we are calling “Eastbrook 365.” These devotionals will align with our sermon series from September 2020-August 2021 and will help Eastbrookers near and far grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus, while also continuing to pilgrimage together as a Church.

You can read these devotionals in a variety of ways. 

• Download the Eastbrook App for your phone and read each day (eastbrook.org/app)
• Download individual PDFs of each devotional to read at home or print out at home (eastbrook.org/devotionals)
• Sign up for the Eastbrook 365 Devotional email to be delivered to your inbox each morning (eastbrook.org/email)
• Pick up a paper copy at church as each devotional begins (limited copies available)

We pray God’s blessings on you as you spend time with Him each day.

How to use this Devotional

1. Plan a 15-minute window each day when you can thoughtfully do the daily reading. Set a time, create a pattern, and stick to it for all five weeks.
2. Decide whether you want to invite your friends, family, or small group to join you.
3. Begin each day by reading the Scripture passage printed at the top of each page. 
4. Read the devotional and reflect on it. Use the “Dig Deeper” questions to talk about it with someone else or to journal on your own. 
5. Use this online version of the devotional readings to reach out to friends online and around the world. Invite them to follow along with you during this year of devotionals from Eastbrook. Use Eastbrook’s Facebook page (facebook.com/eastbrookchurch) and other social media outlets such as Twitter and Instagram (@eastbrookchurch) to share ideas. Post your comments, thoughts, and questions in the online version. Read others’ comments. This is a great way to learn from the perspective of others.