Coming King - Almost/Not Yet, What Now?

Are we there yet?

have you ever been on a road trip with someone who is impatient?

Have you ever been on a road trip with someone who is impatient?

they are constantly nagging about are we their yet? and the awnser is always not yet.

I remeber one trip me and my family took, my parents took young Liam to disney land and it was a trip that I remember annoyed everyone becuase I was that kid who said are we there yet?

Even as we entered the gates of disney world I asked, are we there yet?

Even though I am standing at the gates and just waiting in the line to enter the park I am technically there but I am still not there. We can all think of the road trip where you are pulling up to the location but yet you are not there yet, you have to wait in a line or pull off to a side location, wait at the gates. you are already there! but still not yet there.

We ourselves find ourselfs asking that piviotal question, are we there yet. This happens all the time, in our waiting momments.

we wait for something to happen.

When will Covid be over

Maybe you have even said, When will Jesus come back? When will God establish his kingdom on earth?

I find myself saying that all too much and I need to catch myself.

The Kingdom of God is almost/not yet.

See that is the kingdom of God, Jesus has saved us from our sins and thus we are poducing this kingdom of God here on earth but the kingdom of God has not come yet. There are many differnt times where Jesus talks about this already not yet idea that we want to take a hold of for a while.

Jesus through out the gospel has talked about how the kingdom of God has already come but is still not yet here, Jesus says in Mt 3:2 “and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.””. While we read in Mk 1:15 ““The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!””. There is no shortage of Jesus saying that the Kingdom of God is near, but the question that comes from that is how near? how close is the kingdom of God to us? We know that we are not with in the kingdom of God already because of the world around us, it does not look like th imagery that is discribed in Revelation and the worship that surrounds the Lamb. clearly we are in the already not yet right now.

But yet Jesus’ return is not yet, as Paul writes to the thessalonians saying, “1 Th 5:1-2 “Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”. Thus we must not dwell on this day as we do not know of the day. Nobody knows the day that the lord will return, scripture as clearly stated that nobody will know the only one whos knows is the father Mk 13:32 ““But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”.

Here is the tension, how to we react to the Kingdom of God being near but also not knowing how far away it will be? Its so conflicting that the kingdom of god is almost and not yet and if you are lost in that I understand becuase its a difficult idea to understand that the kingdom of god is coming soon but is not here yet.

The Kingdom of God is:

its like two knots in a rope, each knot repersents a event, the first being the ressurection of Jesus where we are ushered into this Golden age where Christ as beaten death and promised us eternal life, freedom of sins, healing, all in covenant with him. The secoand knot being Jesus’ return as the end of the age happens and all the sudden we are entering unto this new heaven and this new earth. The distance between is unknown but it is also where we exist.

We are:

We are just somewhere in the middle of this narrative that God has created.

Jesus is coming back.

We know that Jesus is going to return to earth, there is many passages we read that talk about Jesus and his people being reunited. This is the bride and the bridegroom, see Jesus is the groom and God’s people, those who have been set aside, those who follow him, they will be reunited with him in this wedding that is made mention in the book of Revelation. Even more this propheicy of Revelation talks about how God will dewell among his people, we will be reunited with the Lamb of God. Jesus being the Lamb of God as he died on the cross for his people. The writer of John even saying behold the lion lamb.

However we do not know the time, but we can realize the certiainty. Jesus returns to heaven in the book of acts as he gives his command in the famous verse of international workers, Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””. Keep this in mind as we contiune to dive in. Then Acts 1:9-10

Acts 1:9–10 NIV

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

We are certian that Jesus is now back with the father and the disciples are staring up at the sky wondering what next. How do we move on, is he comign back down? Sometimes I look at the sky I wonder the same thing too, he’s coming back down right?

Well! Acts 1:11

Acts 1:11 NIV

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

We are told here that Jesus is coming back. He has said it to us himself before. There is certianty, Jesus is coming back we do not need to stare at the heavens and watch for him to desecnd back to earth.

What is there to learn from Jesus’ ascension into heaven?

Rather we must look not to what the angels tells but rather what Jesus tell us himself. Jesus does not say wait for my return, no his last words to us while he dwelled on earth Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus did not say look to the sky and wait for my return. He said Go.

What was Jesus’ calling on his disciples?

How do we live in the between?

We ask ourselfs after this encounter and even the disciples asked as they looked to the heavens...

What Now?

how do we follow Christ in this space between Jesus’ death and his return. I have two routes for you to choose, I have the easy way and the not so easy way, but I want to give you a easy route ok? there is a easy way to get around this space that is the inbetween his ascention and seconad coming.

A Quiet Life

How do we connect Matthew 25:14-27 and Acts 1:8?

Maybe you choose to live a quiet life where you just wait for Jesus to return, never making too big of a move. Paul does talk about this in 1 Thessalonian 4, however he still asks the thessalonians to live a life that will win respect of outsiders, Paul still seeks for love in these momments a evanglistic life through love of living a quiet life.

However again these are under different context, we are not under persectuion this is Canada a open access country where we can spread the gospel, as shown through this service right now.

However there Jesus also warns about not particapting in his mission as shown through the parable of the bags of gold. where the man gives his servants wealth and they each use it in differnet ways. Jesus tells about these servants and their bags of gold in Mt 25:14-15

Matthew 25:14–15 NIV

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

Then Jesus tells about how each of these men have done with this bag of gold, each given a diffenert number of bags of Gold, the amount is not important but what they do with the Gold is important. Keep with me in Mt 25:16 - 18

Matthew 25:16–18 NIV

The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

Each take their gold and used it how they wished, either multiplying it or leaving it hidden. However when we get back to the parable we see the conclusion for these servants. we can see that the other servants who invested their money and had made a profit have actually done good in the eyes of the man but here is what we find of the one who left it in the ground. Mt 25 24 - 27

Matthew 25:24–27 NIV

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

I warn you do not sit on this, make a investment on your faith. The other servants doubled their return, would it not be better to be one of them?

The calling

So heres the call,

Carry out the mission, you have recceived your bag of gold from the man who went on the journey. You have faith in just that is your bag of Gold, and the man on journey is Jesus, what will your investment be when Jesus returns?

Who is Jesus calling you to?

We are called to this mission becuase we are in the almost not yet. The kingdom of god is still to come and its our mission as followers to excel this mission. Even more our denominational drive is to excel the fact that Jesus is coming, this is why it is in our fourfold gospel. It is important that we try to excel the mission, as Jesus’ return is unknow but yet can be hastened by our works.

in 2 Peter 3:9 it says

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The Lord cares for all of his people, not just the saved, and so he is keeping his promise of coming but he is pacient he is waiting for our move.

If the Lord cares for the lost, which he does. Why do we not?

Why do we sit by as we know our friends do not know the Lord?

we cannot sleep on the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, we must declare it out to all that we know. bring forth a passion within ourselves for two things, that we speed the return of Jesus, yes. Better yet that we have the same heart for the lost as the Lord.

Think of the story of the 99 and how the shepherd leaves them for the one. The parable speaks to us of the love of the Lord.

Even the prodigal son teaches us of the joy that it is to the Father that the lost has repented and come to the father.

We need the same heart for the lost, hasten the day though. Jesus is coming and there is still people that do not know the gospel, or do not love the lord.

its not about the amount of people we need to reach right now, its rather the fact that there is people right now who need to know Jesus. Scale back your scope and understand that its not about the other 99, its still about the one person that’s life will be changed if they meet Jesus.

Does your heart not yearn for those who suffer?

Break my heart for what breaks yours Lord.

Let us be the hands and feet of the mission. No matter how large or how small the work is.

Take in this story that is adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching.  As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea.  The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning!  May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

How can you show the love of Jesus today to someone today?