Definition of the Kingdom of God

To the same apostles also, after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God…. So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He told them, “You are not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”(Acts 1:3, 6-8 NET Bible)

At one point in His ministry, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “May your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 NET Bible). During the forty days after His resurrection, he continued to focus on the kingdom of God (as quoted above). So it is no surprise that the disciples would wonder when that prayer would become a reality. But the disciples made a crucial mistake. Their view of the coming kingdom was too small. Their focus was on the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Jesus was focused on something far bigger: the coming of God’s kingdom to all of the nations. It is in that context that we find the familiar verse in Acts 1:8 telling us that we will be witnesses to the ends of the earth.

So what then is the kingdom of God? Good question! The Bible never lays out a simple, clear definition. Most of the time Jesus used analogies and stories to illustrate it. But living in a time when a Roman emperor (another word for king) reigned over them, they understood the concept. A kingdom was not just land or territory. It referred to the rule and authority an individual had over other people and even over nature. God’s kingdom therefore refers to His rule and authority being exhibited in every area of our lives.

To be continued…

Entering the Kingdom of God

As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near!”
(Matthew 10:7 NET Bible)

What is the message we are to bring to the nations, including those in our own backyard here in Cedar Rapids? Every month we send support checks to our 23 Kingdom Partners (money that comes from your faithful giving) to enable them to do prayer, care, and share among various people groups all over the world. This coming weekend we will participate in Healing the Heartland, a culmination of three years of focusing on prayer, care, and share in our own community. As we pray for those who don’t know Christ and care for them in the name of Christ, what do we hope to share with them so that they can enter into a relationship with Christ?

If you had asked me this a few years ago, I would have replied the message we bring is the Gospel: Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. And I think that answer is true, it is just incomplete. After taking Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (twice!), I find myself rereading the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles and coming to a different conclusion. The message they preached was based solidly on Jesus Christ and him crucified, but the focus was on something else: The Kingdom of God.

What is the Kingdom of God? It is not a concept that fits easily into our American world view. We are used to a very democratic and individualistic mindset. The very idea of a king who has full authority and under whose sovereignty we live is almost repulsive. I fear that carries over into our spiritual worldview. We would rather see Jesus as our companion and buddy rather than the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I want to suggest that what we are truly inviting people to enter into is not just eternal life or a relationship with God (though both are true), but ultimately we are asking them to enter into the Kingdom of God. I will explore more of what this means in future weeks.