In recent years we have seen the rise of a new industry called life coaching. A life coach asks you what is most important in your life and helps you shape a personal mission statement around your goals. Jesus assigned his followers their personal life mission statement. He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” But to be honest, without some good theology and a little historical background, the concept of the kingdom of God is way too fuzzy and nebulous for anyone to base his life direction upon, much less translate into a life mission statement. This episode digs into Jesus’ teaching about the nature of the kingdom of God to help us sharpen our picture of what it actually looks like to seek first that kingdom and God’s righteousness.
At the beginning of the final week of his life, Jesus deliberately instructed his disciples to borrow a donkey colt for him to ride into Jerusalem to fulfill Zachariah’s Messianic prophecy, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). The crowd had added the powerful miracles they’d seen Jesus perform, (especially raising Lazarus from the dead just a few miles outside of Jerusalem) to Jesus’ decision to deliberately fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy, and concluded that he was the promised king from David’s descent, the long-awaited Messiah who had finally come to overthrow Rome and establish his kingdom. They mistakenly expected a military/political kingdom even though the OT prophets consistently made it clear that Israel’s subjugation to foreign tyrants like Assyria and Babylon was not because they lacked MILITARY might but because they lacked the MORAL might to overcome sin. Such servitude to foreign powers was God’s judgement upon them for their sin.
Their real oppressors were the triumvirate that had usurped Adam’s kingdom and enslaved his race—Satan, sin and death. For example, in the Isaiah 9 prophecy, the Messiah would rule a kingdom of peace, righteousness, and justice, (requiring Satan and sin to be vanquished), and rule an everlasting kingdom (requiring death to be vanquished). How ironic that as the crowds cried, Hosana, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, joyfully celebrating the arrival of the military conqueror they thought would overthrow mighty Rome and establish peace through might, Jesus wept. The crowds did not see their real enemy, nor the real foes that he had to defeat before Jesus ruled as the Prince of Peace. We read, When he saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, HAD KNOWN ON THIS DAY THE THINGS THAT MAKE FOR PEACE! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Misunderstanding the nature of the messiah’s kingship was not just a problem for the disbelieving crowd of Jews; Jesus followers, after the resurrection were confused as well, asking him, “Is this the time you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel? Throughout its history, the church has often been confused about the kingdom of God. In my view the church today has been greatly impoverished in understanding its mission because we don’t understand how foundational the concept of the kingdom of God is in the NT. One scholar points out, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, is one of the most central concepts in the history of revelation. It constitutes the nucleus of Christ’s parables, indeed of his entire mission and message….The New Testament as a whole is the book of the revelation of the Kingdom of God (The Coming Kingdom, Herman Ridderbos). Here is a quick overview of how important this term is to Christianity.
- John the Baptist, prepares the way of the Lord by, preaching “Repent, for the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is at hand. (Matt 3:2).
- Jesus began his ministry “The time is fulfilled and the KINGDOM OF GOD is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15).
- Matthew summarizes Jesus’ ministry, He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM (4:23)
- Luke summarizes Jesus’ ministry, He went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (8:1).
- Jesus described his ministry, I must preach THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. (Lk 4:43).
- When Jesus sends out the twelve, we read, he sent them out to PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD and to heal. (Luke 9:2).
- When Jesus sends out the seventy-two he instructs, Say to them, ‘THE KINGDOM OF GOD has come near to you (Luke 10:9).
- After Jesus’ resurrection but before his ascension, we read that he was speaking about the KINGDOM OF GOD. (Acts 1:3).
- Jesus’ disciple, Phillip, preached good news about the KINGDOM OF GOD and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12).
- Paul expounded to his hearers, testifying to the KINGDOM OF GOD (Acts 28:23).
- Luke’s final two verses of Acts recount: Paul lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the KINGDOM OF GOD (28:30-31).
- Before his return, says Jesus, This GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Mt 24:14).
WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
Kingdom teaching begins in Genesis 1 with Adam and Eve, designed as God’s image bearers to be the KING and QUEEN of creation. God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Adam and Eve were to develop and exercise dominion over the earth. When they joined Satan’s sinful rebellion, the consequence was that God gave their kingdom over to slavery to Satan, sin, and death. Only God himself, as the second Adam, could defeat the evil triumvirate. So, Jesus invades human nature, lives a perfect life, which is imputed to us. His resurrection and ascension pour out the Holy Spirit to empower us to live righteously as we were designed to. The kingdom of God has invaded Adam’s kingdom and begun to restore everything broken by sin.
The meaning of the term kingdom of God becomes clear in Matt 6:33 when we are told to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. New Testament scholar Herman Ridderbos looks at the way God’s kingdom and righteousness are used interchangeably elsewhere by Jesus and concludes that this grammatic structure is technically a hendiadyst. He writes, “It may rightly be said therefore, that the kingdom and righteousness are synonymous concepts in Jesus’ teaching.” The kingdom inaugurated by King Jesus is the new heaven and new earth established by his overthrow of Satan, sin, and death. That kingdom is the realm where there is submission to the righteous rule of The High King. Praying, “May your kingdom come,“ is praying for the advance of Christ’s kingdom of righteousness over earth. The kingdom of Christ does NOT refer to God the Son’s sovereign rule as a member of the Trinity. It refers to the reign of righteousness that Jesus brought to earth as the second Adam. This reign has begun but will not be completed until Jesus returns to vanquish all evil, making all things new. We live in this interim.
WHAT JESUS TAUGHT ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD DURING THIS AGE
Jesus was very intentional about helping his followers understand that the coming of the kingdom was to be in two stages. Satan, sin and death had been overthrown by Jesus but not destroyed. Jesus gave six parables in Matt 13 to help his followers understand that the kingdom had been inaugurated but will not be fully realized until his final return. Let’s look at a few of these parables.
A. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (vs 24-30).
Since the messianic kingdom was so thoroughly identified with the final, visible, consummation of the kingdom of God, Jesus helps his followers understand the hidden working of the kingdom that would take place during this age. The kingdom has come into history but in such a way that society is not disrupted. The sons and daughters of the kingdom have surrendered to God’s rule and entered into his blessings. Yet, they continue to live in this age intermingled with the lost in a mixed society. Only at the final eschatological coming of the kingdom will the separation take place. It is worth noting that this parable describes the activity of God’s kingdom in the world, rather than within the church.
B. “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (vs 31-32).
The point to this kingdom parable is the contrast between its small, insignificant beginning and glorious fulfillment. The type of mustard grown in Palestine could become a 12-foot tree. This parable again deals with the confusing character of the present manifestation of the kingdom. It’s beginning may seem small and insignificant. But make no mistake about it; remember the mustard seed. One day, the kingdom of God will surpass the kingdoms of the earth. The spread of Christianity over the globe and its impact on culture proves this truth.
History scholars tell us the expansion of the Christian church in history can be seen as a series of 9 major expansions, or epochs, 5 of which were times of advance and 4 of which were times of retreat. “Each major period of crisis and decline is followed by another of advance,” wrote Latourette. “When mankind is seen as a whole, the influence of Christianity upon it becomes, in the course of these pulsations, progressively more extensive.” In fact, in recent years the growth of the church, especially in the developing world, has been explosive. Research reveals that there are now 6 times more Anglicans in Nigeria alone than there are in all of the United States. There are more Presbyterians in Ghana than in the US and Scotland combined. Korea has grown from 1 percent to 40 percent Christian in a hundred years. (Reason for God, Keller).
C. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Though yeast is often used in Scripture for the spread of evil, here it is a symbol of positive growth and influence. As yeast permeates a batch of dough, enabling it to rise into bread, so the kingdom of God spreads through a person’s life, from his own heart attitudes to his closest relationships, to his other responsibilities, and out into the culture and throughout the world. This explanation of the way kingdom members INFLUENCE those around us is similar to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 that we are to be the salt of the earth and light to the world. During this age of church history, the spread of the kingdom happens, not militarily, the way Islam spreads, forcing sharia law upon those conquered from the top down, but through influence. At the end of time, it will be from the top down!
WHAT THEN IS OUR MISSION?
Since the chief end of man is to glorify God, how do I make a connection between my life and his glory? How do I escape from an aimless, purposeless existence? How do I avoid waisted time and lost opportunities? How do I live a life that is worthy of my calling? How do I stay focused on what really matters? The answer is to seek first the reign of Jesus in every part of our lives, beginning with right attitudes and then influencing those around us with kingdom values and Christ’s kingdom agenda in that sphere of life. In fact, Jesus gave us a great personal mission portrait for this age. It is living out the kingship of Christ in your decisions and attitudes, revealed to us in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7). The ESV Study Bible calls this The Authoritative Message of the Messiah: Kingdom Life for His Disciples. Let’s review the first part of this mission statement and then link it back to kingdom life during this age in salvation history. Jesus begins,
- Blessed are the poor in spirit—recognizing our utter dependence upon Christ for the spiritual power to defeat sin and live righteously.
- Blessed are those who mourn—inwardly weeping over the way sin has brought pain and destruction into human lives.
- Blessed are the meek—embracing my role as a servant to Christ and others.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness—longing for others and myself to obey the moral, just laws of God’s design.
- Blessed are the merciful—exhibiting compassion for all whose lives have been broken by sin including those who have wronged me.
- Blessed are the pure in heart—focusing on the needs of others and giving sacrificially to meet their need.
- Blessed are the peacemakers—pursuing harmony in broken relationships by confessing wrongs, speaking the truth, and granting forgiveness.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake—speaking or standing for what is right despite the risk of harm by doing so.
Here is the starting point for our mission. When we exhibit those values of kingdom living, we will INFLUENCE those around us; we will function as leaven, spreading a vital ingredient throughout our society. Jesus emphasizes this same role of INFLUENCE as he continues in Matt 5: You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet (vs 13). Salt must permeate meat to retard decay. The hidden work of God’s kingdom is to permeate society during this kingdom age, retarding decay. But that only happens if we are salty—i.e. living out the values of Christ’s kingdom set forth in Mat 5-7.
Similarly, the more we become like our master (inside and outside) the more God will use us to give light to the world. Jesus said to us, You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (vs 14-16).
God did not assign us the mission of being light to the world, planning to hide us under a basket. He wants our righteousness to be a light to the world. Seeking first Christ’s upside down kingdom—his rule in our hearts—will bring about the good works that point others to God. God wants kingdom living by his disciples to be so radically different from the self-centered lifestyle of the culture that we are a neon sign pointing to the one who loved the world so much that he gave them his only begotten son to die.
For Further Prayerful Thought:
- Do you have a personal mission statement for your life?
- If you were trying to explain to a young believer that he needed to understand the concept of the kingdom of God to understand his mission what would you say?
- Which Christ-like character quality from the beatitudes have you been growing in lately. Which one has been the biggest struggle?
- Summarize what you think Jesus was trying to teach his followers about being leaven, salt, and light?
