Have you ever seen those books that say, when you’re hurting read this verse when you’re discouraged read that verse, when you face an important decision read this other verse, and so on....
Have you ever been in a discussion where the justification for a certain viewpoint is, ”Yeah, but what about the verse that says…” whatever?
Not long ago, I saw some Christian book titles such as, One Minute Inspiration, One Minute Insights, and One Verse Evangelism….
…And recently I heard a radio spot that said: ”Grow in your faith with the “verse of the day.” That’s a little like saying become healthy by eating a cracker.
American Christians seems to have bought into the age of sound bites and short cuts. And while there are individual Bible verses that do open a window on deep truths, Scripture is not a book of selected religious one liners to apply to the various circumstances of my own personal life.
I think that If we are to understand the message of the Bible, we must try to discover the long threads of truth woven throughout Scripture, the epoch themes that span the distance from Genesis to Revelation, and from Creation to Eternity. Today, I want to trace the path of one of these long threads.
As I look back on my years of preaching, I find one dominant and recurring theme…..The kingdom of God.
Because of this, there are times, when I repeat myself. I’m not really apologizing for this. I feel that I am in good company. In the four gospels, the word kingdom occurs more than 100 times.
The message of John the Baptist was “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near.” When Jesus sent the twelve out, he told them to proclaim the kingdom of God.
What today, is often called the gospel of salvation, Jesus called the gospel of the kingdom. In fact Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God…because that is why I was sent.”
In one way or another, either explicitly or implied, it was at the heart of just about everything Jesus spoke. This morning, I want to trace, through Scripture, the long thread of the kingdom of God.
I want to tell this story in four parts: I’m going to begin in the middle of the story, in order to offer some definition—then the beginning to discover the origin and roots of the kingdom—then, how it developed over time—and finally how the story ends.
One warning—I will be, so to speak, “coloring outside the lines” of much evangelical Christian thought….To those who know me very well, I’m sure this will come as no surprise.
In John 3 we find what might be the most familiar conversation in the Bible. It takes place between Jesus and a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Here is how it goes.
Jesus: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Nicodemus: (who took Jesus literally) How can a man be born when he is old?...Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born.”
Jesus: “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.…Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Nicodemus: “How can this be?”
Jesus: “You are Israel’s teacher,...and do you not understand these things?”
No, Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was talking about…I wonder if we do.
“No one can see the kingdom of God, unless they are born again.” This has become, for many, the motto of Christian faith.
The general understanding of this statement seems to be based on three assumptions:
—That the kingdom of God is heaven.
—That “born again,” means accepting Jesus and his forgiveness of our sins, which is how we gain entrance into heaven.
—That we will see and enter the kingdom of God when we die.
To be blunt, I don’t think this is what Jesus meant at all. In everything Jesus says to Nicodemus about the kingdom of God, and being born again, he says nothing about sin, he says nothing about forgiveness, he says nothing about dying, and he says nothing about heaven.
Don’t misunderstand, Jesus does speak of sin, forgiveness, and heaven—But not here. In fact, in vs. 12, Jesus specifically tells Nicodemus, that he is not talking about heaven. He says, “…I have spoken to you of earthly things.... ”
So if this is about earthly things—What does Jesus mean by the Kingdom of God? What does it mean to be born again? And when would those who are born again see and enter the kingdom?
At the trial of Jesus, Rome was not concerned about some religious argument the Jews had with Jesus. But when Pilate heard the word kingdom, his ears perked up.
If Jesus had just spent his time debating theology and talking about Jewish law and heaven, Rome would have smiled and ignored him. But he spoke of a kingdom. And talking about a kingdom is what got Jesus killed.
Pilate, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered Pilate with his usual cryptic riddles.“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest…
When Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom was “not of this world,”
I don’t think he was talking about heaven. He meant it in the same way as when he said of his followers, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Or when Paul said “do not be conformed...to the patterns of this world.”
Jesus is saying, my kingdom is not like this world’s kingdoms. It does not follow the same patterns, employ the same methods. or pursue the same goals…If my kingdom were of this world, then my followers would fight….because that’s how this world’s kingdoms do things—they fight!
Then Jesus says “...my kingdom is from another place.” So now is he talking about heaven? I don’t think so? Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied,… the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21
So what does Jesus mean? What is the kingdom, and how did get within us? In Matthew 25, Jesus said that the kingdom of God has been,“...since the creation of the world.” So, to find out, we will have to go back to the beginning of the story.
The creation story, in the first chapter of Genesis ends by saying, God saw all that he had made and it was“very good.” And the Kingdom of God, which is the purpose and will of God for this earth, was born. But, God’s gifts always seem to come as a seed.
For example—Jesus did not come to earth as a full grown man speaking the wisdom of God . He was born as a baby. He had to discover his identity. He had to grow in wisdom. He had to learn obedience.
And so when Jesus told stories about the kingdom of God, he spoke of it not just as a specific place, but as an unfolding reality. He said that It is like yeast that gradually works its way into flour, or a seed planted that, over time, grows into a large plant.
In the beginning God did not wave a magic wand and his kingdom and purpose came to earth full grown. He planted a seed…
…And, He planted that seed within us. God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
The seed of the kingdom of God, began as the likeness of our creator within us….To briefly summarize what Genesis tells us:
—We have the capacity for relationship.
—We have an aesthetic sense: beyond the instinct of animals, we have the ability to discern beauty and quality.—We have an innate morality, distinguishing right from wrong.
—We have a reasoning mind.
—We have an Imagination that holds the possibility of seeing life in broader strokes than only what is visible and tangible.
—We share a creativity, which can give voice and life to what is imagined.
—As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, “God has set eternity in our hearts.” We have a longing for more life.
—And, we have a will of our own,
This is what it means to be human. we are not like the animals. Our abilities exceed theirs. We carry the image of God within us. And these abilities are tools given us for a reason.
Note: when Jesus said that “The kingdom of God is within you,” he was not speaking to his followers who believed in him, but to some pharisees who did not trust or believe him at all.
In every human being, no matter who we are, or what we claim to believe or not believe, no matter how suppressed, denied, or ignored it may be. When buried beneath layers of pride, selfishness, or even religion. And In spite of sin and rebellion…
…Hidden in our forgotten dreams, our whispered hopes, our deepest longings…lies the seed of the kingdom of God, a seed of potential and possibility, waiting to be brought to reality.
And God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number. Rule over the earth...work it and take care of it.
Ruling, working, and caring—By these, we would give definition to the kingdom of God so that it would grow and thrive on the earth.
In Genesis 2:19 we are told more: (God) brought the beasts of the field and the birds of the air to the man to see what he would name them. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
Unlike Nicodemus, I don’t take everything literally. I don’t think this is really about pointing to animals and saying, goat, bear, cow.
It is a metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is does not literally apply.
God is saying, “name life.” And name it well, for whatever you call it, it will be.” In other words, you will determine the shape and direction of life on earth.
But wait, doesn’t God really determine what happens? We hear it all of the time: “It was meant to be.”—“It was God’s will.”—“God is sovereign?”—“God is in control”
This generally seems to imply that God orchestrates and controls everything that happens on earth, right down to the details of my own personal life.
But in the Genesis story, we don’t find the man asking God, “Lord, What is your will for the name of this big grey one with the trunk?” (Metaphorically speaking) No! “whatever you called it, it will be.”
When God gave the man and woman the trees of the garden for food (Another metaphor), we don’t hear the man and woman asking God, “Which tree do you want us to eat from on Mondays?”
God said, “you are free to eat from any tree in the garden… except one. And as we know, they were even free to eat from it, and they did. (Again, Metaphorically speaking).
In short, If God gave me a watch, he would not expect me to ask him what time it is every five minutes.
19th century Scottish author, George MacDonald has said, For God made our individuality as well as, and a greater marvel than, our dependence; made our apartness from Himself, that freedom should bind us divinely dearer to Him, with a new and inscrutable marvel of love...and the freer the man, the stronger the bond that binds him to (the one) who made his freedom.
God did not create this world in order to control everything, and micro manage it.—He made a world where choice, love, relationship, and creativity are really possible.
I believe Genesis tells us that the greatest act of God’s sovereignty and control, is to lay it down for the sake of a higher good. It also reveals that the highest good requires the greatest risk. And it tells us that God is the great risk-taker.
We are not merely living out a prewritten script designed and controlled by God. Humanity has been writing the story of life on earth since the beginning. In the truest sense, we “name life.”
And so, through the compassionate rule, the care of creation, the good work, the imagination and creativity, and the free choice and will of those created in God’s likeness, God’s kingdom, would grow on the earth from the seed within us….Or…it would not.
In our God-given freedom, we chose, to abandon God’s purpose and build our own kingdoms... And the ancient prophets tell us what we “named life.”
Habakkuk—Violence, injustice, destruction..strife, and conflict.
Amos—trampling the needy, skimping the measure, boosting the price, and cheating.
Isaiah—creating unjust laws...depriving the poor of their rights,,,withholding justice from the oppressed…calling evil good and good evil…acquitting the guilty for a bribe, denying justice to the innocent... and exploiting workers...
Jeremiah—They make their countryman work for nothing, not paying them for their labor, while they build themselves spacious rooms with large windows and cedar panels.
James—...hoarding wealth...not paying your workers….(yet) you have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.
Jeremiah—I weep for the mountains and take up a lament concerning the wilderness grasslands. They are desolate...the lowing of cattle is not heard. The birds have all fled, and the animals are gone.
Welcome to the kingdoms of the world; to humanity’s “naming” of life: Self-centeredness, greed, poverty, abuse, and violence…Corrupt governments, unjust legal systems, inequitable and oppressive economies, an obsession with wealth and power, and the abuse of creation.
And In the days of the prophets, all this was occurring in a society of very religious people.
The prophets were not impressed with religious observances, and they told the people, in no uncertain terms, that neither was God.
—Amos said, I hate your religious assemblies, offerings, and songs.
—Isaiah criticized them for limiting their worship to only one day each week.
—Mica spoke sarcastically about their sacrifices.
—Jesus called out the pharisees’ praying, tithing, fasting, and Bible study as merely self-centered public displays.
What God really wanted was for his people to partner with him in reclaiming his kingdom on his good earth. Instead they built their own kingdoms: personal, political, economic, and religious.
But isn’t God in control? Won’t the kingdom of God come in God’s own time? Won’t he be the one to do it? No! In a world of choice and free will, the problem began with humanity, therefore, the corrective would lie with humanity.
And so, the prophets called the people themselves to reinstate the kingdom of God.
Isaiah, “Loose the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked clothe him, and spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry.”
Moses, “Let there be seasons of rest for the land. Don’t plant your fields to the very edges, leave wild spaces for the animals… and in the seventh year let the land rest.”
Micah, “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”
And Moses even got specific…“If one among you becomes poor and is unable to support himself,...help him, so he can continue to live among you...You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit.
No interest for the poor, no profit for those who have plenty. Do you think that idea might catch on in our business culture today?
And this brings us back to where we started...No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again...No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of...the Spirit.
Oh, Nicodemus, Nicodemus, (or Dick Jones) don’t you understand? I am not talking literally, I want to birth in your spirit, the same love and compassion that the Father and I have for this broken world, this good earth, and my purpose for it.
I’m not talking to you about your past sins. I’m talking about your present blindness. I’m not talking about forgiving you, I’m talking about waking you up. I’m not talking about heaven when you die, I’m talking about this earth while you live.
Unless you are reborn, your eyes opened and your spirit awakened, the kingdom of God, will remain buried within you. And the possibilities for reclaiming my kingdom in this world, will be right in front of your eyes, and you will not even see it...
...And because you do not see the kingdom of God, you will not enter into it, and take up your full humanity and responsibility as one created in God’s own likeness and called to “name” God’s purpose into this world.
No, this is not about later, it is about right now, and In Luke 9:27 Jesus says, “...some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
The prayer of Jesus was, Father, …your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…
Jesus brought no magic spell to cast over the world and make it right again. He came to water the seed and awaken the dream, of the kingdom of God within us.
And so, when a man recognized that to love God and to love his neighbor was greater than merely obeying religious rules, Jesus said, “you are not far from the kingdom of God.”
John the Baptist said—”The one who has two coats should share with the one who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.—Why? because “the kingdom of God is near.”
Jesus told a story about a good Samaritan who came to a man lying in the road. The man had been beaten, robbed, and left for dead.
The Samaritan saw the kingdom of God. And when he gave his own resources to help the man and made provision for his recovery, he entered the kingdom of God.
But isn’t this salvation by works? Well, you decide?
When a rich man asked him what he must do to have eternal life, Jesus told him, “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor...then come, follow me.”
When a tax collector named Zacchaeus said to Jesus, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house...”(Luke 19:8-9)
In Matthew 25 Jesus speaks of his return...“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world...
....For you were born again and saved?—NO! For you abstained from a lot of wrong things?—NO! For you had a deep prayer life, went to church on Sunday, studied the Bible, and believed correct doctrine,—NO!
Come...take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared...since the creation of the world......For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to visit me….
In other words, as you lived on this earth, you saw the kingdom of God. When you acted on its behalf, you entered the kingdom of God. Now, you inherit the kingdom of God.
Maybe Jesus is saying that heaven is not a reward for religious belief and good behavior. It is the obvious destination of a road traveled, the logical outcome of a life lived.
Maybe the truth is that without new birth: having our eyes opened, our spirits awakened, and eternity reclaimed within us, we are left merely with a dangling morality of good-deed-doing.
...However, without partnering with Jesus to bring justice, equity, peace, healing, and renewal to people and creation in real time and in tangible ways—maybe there is no personal salvation just to get me to heaven.
From Genesis to Revelation, from creation to eternity, woven into Scripture and life, there are only two stories: The kingdom of God, set in motion at the beginning of time, and the kingdoms of this world, that attempt to replace it.
…Revelation 11:15 tells the end of the story. When the seventh trumpet sounds, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.
Scripture tells us that one day,—The purpose of creation will be realized—The longing of the prophets will be satisfied—The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus will reach its full meaning—And the prayer of Jesus will be answered, Father,…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.
When?
So much is being said today about the end times. Modern-day self-proclaimed prophets construct time lines and claim to have insight that even Jesus said he did not have.
Bible prophecies are matched with news headlines, and we are told that the “signs of Christ’s return are being fulfilled right before our very eyes.”
Well, this isn’t the first time that has been said. For centuries people have been interpreting supposed signs of the end through the current events of their time. Martin Luther predicted that the end of the world would occur no later than 1600.
The apostle Peter seem to say otherwise. He spoke of a new heaven and a new earth...the home of righteousness. And he says that we look forward to the day of God…
But Peter says something else. He says,…as we look forward to the day of God, AND SPEED ITS COMING.
Peter speaks of no set date or specific signs, he seems to say that, we who follow Jesus, are partly responsible for when the “seventh trumpet” of Revelation will sound, and the kingdom of God is restored.
It’s been more than 2000 years. 500 years from now? 1000? 10,000? What is that to the God who is from everlasting to everlasting, and for whom a thousand years is like a day gone by?
Maybe the world will end in destruction by our own hand, but make no mistake, either by the perseverance of people of faith, or when the Father finally says, “ENOUGH”—The kingdom of God will become the reality of earth.
And we are not called to sit around trying to interpret what are called the signs of the end. There is work to be done.
There is still good on God’s earth. Wherever compassion, and generosity are shown. Wherever creative minds and good work honor our creator. Wherever the hungry are fed, the sick are cared for, the poor are helped, the stranger is welcomed, the prisoner is encouraged, and creation is honored…the kingdom of God advances.
There is hope for this world that God loves! The seed of the kingdom of God is within us. We are called into the fellowship of the reborn…Those whose eyes have been opened and eternity awakened within them. Those who see the kingdom of God.
…Those who enter the kingdom, right here, and right now, to partner with Jesus in bringing the reconciliation of all things…to reclaim the kingdom of God, which has been from the creation of the world, which is still within those created in God’s likeness, and which will one day reclaim God’s good earth.
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