Kingdom of God Part 5
Kingdom of God • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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“The Kingdom of God!”
Part FIVE: The TIMING of the Kingdom (Continued)!
“When IS, or when WILL the Kingdom of God be manifest?”
REVIEW:
REVIEW:
LAST WEEK we saw that the early HERALDS of the Kingdom, the Angel Gabriel, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Twelve presented both a FUTURE aspect (Gabriel), and a PRESENT/NOW aspect (John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Twelve).
GABRIEL was clearly speaking of a KINGDOM! (vv.32b-33) – “…throne …reign …kingdom.” He was also declaring a FUTURE EVENT! (v.32) – “He will be… will be called… […] the Lord God will give him the throne”; (v.33) – “He will reign…” And finally, his announcement to Mary was a PRIVATE revelation!
The UGENCY of JOHN THE BAPTIST’S message (“…has come near”) can be seen in his call for a PUBLIC COMMITMENT to God in repentance, confession of sins, and baptism(Matthew 3:2, 6); in his warning of IMPENDING JUDGMENT (Matthew 3:7-12); and in the positive (though contrasted with judgment) PROMISE of the BAPTISM of the HOLY SPIRIT – (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16)
In the context of the passage, you are either baptized by the Holy Spirit(salvation), or with fire (judgment)! (cf. Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17)
Following the arrest of John, JESUS began preaching the same message (Mark 1:14-15), and if anything, there was an even greater urgency!
(15) “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
καὶ λέγων ὅτι Πεπλήρωταιὁ καιρὸς καὶ ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ· μετανοεῖτε καὶ πιστεύετεἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ.
There are FIVE verbs in the verse: The first is “saying” (λέγων), with the conjunction, ὅτι, because (not in CSB). The next two verbs “fulfilled” and “come near” are both perfect tense (completed actions with ongoing results), active voice, and indicative mood! The final two verbs, “repent and believe” are both present tense, active voice, and imperative (a command, not an option)!
Do you see the urgency? “Because the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is come near, you must repent and believe the good news!”
We also considered what Jesus said in (Luke 4:43), “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.”
But he said to them, “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.”
The REASON Jesus preached is the SAME REASON we preach!
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Summoning the Twelve, he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. Then he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
– There was consistency in the message of THE TWELVE!
LESSON: The TIMING or MANIFESTATION of the Kingdom Continued…
LESSON: The TIMING or MANIFESTATION of the Kingdom Continued…
The opportunity for confusion concerning the timing or manifestation of the kingdom abounds for the following reasons:
FIRST, as we saw last week, John, Jesus and the Twelve all proclaimed the kingdom has “come near” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7). There is a definite imminency to the kingdom of God.
and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”
However, in the message, “come near,” there is also a strong connection between the coming of the kingdom and coming judgment (by both John the Baptist and Jesus), often spoken of as a “harvest!”
Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
The connection between “the good news of the kingdom” and “the harvest” is logical and strong!
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’
“…On that day…” – Entering the kingdom has a strong connection to the “day” of judgment!
When you enter any town, and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We are wiping off even the dust of your town that clings to our feet as a witness against you. Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.
Again, the correlation between, “The kingdom of God has come near…”and “…on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom” being one of judgment is strong.
When Jesus taught the disciples to PRAY, they were to pray, “Your kingdom to come”
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2), indicating it was not yet here (at least in part).
Jesus’ comments to the disciples during the PASSOVER MEAL also point toward a future appearance of the kingdom.
(Luke 22:18) – “…until the kingdom of God comes.”
(Mark 14:25) – “…until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
(Matthew 26:29) – “…until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Still another indication of a future manifestation of the kingdom is seen in Jesus’ language during HIS TRIAL before Caiaphas –
But he kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
THESE MANY PASSAGES may lead one to conclude that the consummation or manifestation of the kingdom is a FUTURE (not-yet) event!
The confusion caused by the use of the phrase “has come near” (by John, Jesus, and the Twelve) is sometimes ignored or explained away in light of the overwhelming textual evidence of a future coming of the kingdom.
HOWEVER, we must remind ourselves of the PRESENT (now) aspect of the teaching of Jesus!
There are at least four passages from Luke which demonstrate a present aspect to the kingdom of God—two of which we looked at last week. The other two are: (Luke 9:20-36; 18:15-17)
In Luke 9, following Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah (v.20), Jesus’ disclosure of His future suffering (v.22) and the cost of following Him (vv.23-26), He tells them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until [before] they see the kingdom of God.”
Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
This statement is given right before the TRANSFIGURATION of Jesus (cf. Luke 9:28ff). The kingdom of God was manifest during the transfiguration of Jesus before Peter and John!
People were bringing infants to him so that he might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
In (Luke 18:15-17), when Jesus was blessing the children, he said, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” indicates a NOW aspect to the kingdom of God.
In CONTRAST to the passages which present opposite views (now vs. not-yet), nine of the eighteen kingdom parables hold these views in tension (NOW and NOT-YET):
· The weeds and wheat – (Matthew 13:24-30)
· The unforgiving servant – (Matthew 18:23-35)
· The laborers – (Matthew 20:1-16)
· The two sons – (Matthew 21:28-32)
· The wicked tenants – (Matthew 21:33-45; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19)
· The wedding banquet – (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24)
· The ten bridesmaids – (Matthew 25:1-13)
· The watchful slaves – (Luke 12:35-40)
· And the talents – (Matthew 25:14-30)
In other words, in each of these stories there is a recognized owner or person of authority—a king, landowner, Father, bridegroom, etc. who is away on a journey.
Though he is not directly reigning, his authority or right to rule is acknowledged and is manifest at his appearing.
AFTER STUDYING ALL THE PASSAGES INVOLVED, I conclude: There is both a PRESENT (NOW) and FUTURE (NOT-YET) aspect to the kingdom of God/heaven!
The simplest explanation is that when the King (Jesus) appeared, His kingdom was manifest (at least in part) with Him (NOW)!
This fact was recognized by Pilate, who ordered the inscription placed over Jesus that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” – (John 19:19-22).
Pilate also had a sign made and put on the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.
There is also a future consummation of the kingdom (NOT-YET) that will be an incredibly glorious moment.
However, this does not change the present manifestation: “…the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21)!
no one will say, ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
IN THE SIXTEEN PASSAGES from the Apostle Paul concerning the Kingdom, he also keeps BOTH the NOW and NOT-YET aspect of the kingdom in tension!
(Philippians 3:20) – “Our citizenship is in heaven…”
(Colossians 1:13) – “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”
(2 Timothy 2:12) – “if we endure, we will also reign with him…”
(1 Corinthians 15:24) – “Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and authority and power.”
Q: “When IS, or when WILL the Kingdom of God be manifest? Is it now or future?”
A: It is BOTH. NOW and NOT-YET!
