C. BOSTIAN                      MEET YOU AT THE BOTTOM PT.2                       4/27/2003

DEVELOPING A KINGDOM PHILOSOPHY

 

Luke 17:20-21

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when

the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and

said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for,

behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

 

I BEGAN THIS SERIES ON THE KINGDOM OF GOD A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH THE EMPHASIS THAT GOD AND HIS KINGDOM IS NOT UP THERE SOME WHERE AND THAT WE WILL ONE DAY MEET HIM UP THERE.   WE HAVE BECOME OBSESSED WITH ESCAPING FROM OUR EARTHLY PROBLEMS AND ENTERING INTO A KINGDOM WITHOUT ANY.  WE HAVE ALMOST MADE THIS THE BLESSED HOPE.  THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU AND THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE AND ENVIORNMENT AROUND YOU AND BRING A LITTLE  BIT OF HEAVEN TO THIS EARTH.  WE ARE TO PRAY: THY KINGDOM COME THY WILL BE DONE.  WHEN THE WILL OF GOD IS BEING DONE HIS KINGDOM HAS COME INTO THE EARTH.  YOU SEE GOD’S MORE INTERESTED IN OUR GROWING UP THAN OUR GOING UP.  ITS NOT, I’LL MEET YOU AT THE TOP BUT RATHER I’LL MEET YOU AT THE BOTTOM.  GOD WANTS US HERE ON EARTH TO FINISH THE WORK THAT HE HAS CALLED FOR US TO DO AND WHEN THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED HIS KINGDOM HAS COME AND HIS WILL HAS BEEN DONE ON EARTH EVEN AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

 

John 6:11-15

11 Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks to God and

passed them out to the people. Afterwards he did the same

with the fish. And everyone ate until full! 12 "Now gather the scraps," Jesus told his disciples, "so that nothing is wasted."

13 And twelve baskets were filled with the leftovers! 14 When

the people realized what a great miracle had happened, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!"

15 Jesus saw that they were ready to take him by force and make him their king, so he went higher into the mountains alone.

 

ONE OF THE MAJOR OBSTICALES TO DEVELOPING A KINGDOM PHILOSOPHY IS THAT WE DON’T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF GOD’S KINGDOM.  AFTER JESUS FED THE FIVE THOUSAND, NOT COUNTING THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN THE WANTED TO COME AND FORCE HIM TO BE THEIR KING.  WHY?  SO THAT THEY WOULDN’T HAVE TO WORK AND JESUS COULD WAIT ON THEM A HAND AND FOOT.  YOU SEE, THAT WAS THEIR VIEW OF WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD MEANT BUT JESUS WOULDN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM.  YOU SEE, HIS KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD BUT IS PATTERENED AFTER HEAVEN.  SO, THERE ARE MANY THINGS ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND.  HENCE, THERE ARE MANY PARADOXES ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

 

John 18:36-37

36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

 

HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT Life is filled with paradoxes. Now a paradox is simply a statement or idea that appears to be contradictory.  there are paradoxes in everyday life. I came across this list of several. We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers, wider freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences but less time. We have more college degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgment. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life, but not life to years. We’ve done larger things, but not better things. We build more computers to hold more information that we print on more paper than every before, but we communicate less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, tall people and short character, steep profits but shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses but broken homes.

1 Cor 2:12-14

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If real life is full of paradoxes, it shouldn’t surprise us that the spiritual life has certain paradoxes in it as well. It’s not because our spiritual lives are less rational than philosophy or physics. It’s simply that KINGDOM life is more complex than our ability to

reason.

SO, Today we’re going to talk about the paradox of God’s Kingdom. ONE OF THE BASIC PARADOXES OF GOD’S KINGDOM IS THAT THE KOG IS A FUTURE REALITY BUT IT IS ALSO A PRESENT REALITY. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE RULE OF GOD IN THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF THOSE WHO YIELD THEMSELVES TO HIM BUT IT IS ALSO A FUTURE HOPE THAT ENCOMPASSES AND EMBRACES ALL PEOPLE.  HERE’S ANOTHER PARADOX OF GOD’S KINGDOM: THE WAY UP IS DOWN.  IF YOU WANT TO BE GREAT IN GOD’S KINGDOM LEARN TO BE THE SERVANT OF ALL.  And  yet, HERE’S ANOTHER PARADOX: IF YOU WANT TO FIND YOUR PURPOSE AND CALLING IN LIFE THEN GIVE IT UP TO GOD IN FULL AND COMPLETE SURRENDER FOR WHOSOEVER SAVES HIS LIFE WILL LOOSE IT BUT WHOSOEVER LOSSES HIS LIFE WILL FIND IT.  LISTEN, THE BIBLE IS FULL OF PARADOXES WHICH MANY WHO ARE IMMATURE STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND.  BUT YOU SEE, MY JOB IS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THEM BETTER.

 

Rom 14:17

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

 

1 Cor 4:20

20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

 

1 Cor 6:9-11

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

1 Cor 15:50

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

 

Col 1:12-14

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

 

1Thes 2:12

12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

 

2 Tim 4:1-3

1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

 

2 Tim 4:18

18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

2 Pet 1:10-11

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Rev 12:10

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

 

SO, LET ME GIVE YOU A SIMPLE DEFINITION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS BSICALLY THE RULE OF GOD.  IT IS GOD’S REIGN, THE DIVINE SOVERIGNTY IN ACTION.  GOD’S REIGN IS HOWEVER MANIFESTED IN SEVERAL REALMS AND THE GOSPELS SPEAK OF ENTERING INTO THE  KOG BOTH TODAY AND TOMORROW. GOD’S REIGN MANIFEST ITSELF BOTH IN THE FUTURE AND IN THE PRESENT AND THEREBY CREATES BOTH A FUTURE REALM AND A PRESENT REALM IN WHICH MAN MAY EXPERIENCE THE BLESSING OF HIS REIGN.  ALTHOUGH THE KINGDOM KOG GOD IS INSIGNIFICANT IN APPEARANCE AT PRESENT, IT IS A REALITY THAT IS DESTINED TO DOMINATE THE WHOLE WORLD.  GOD WILL SOME DAY RULE OVER ALL.

 

NOW ANOTHER MAJOR REASON WHY WE SUFFER FROM THE PARADOXES OF THE KOG IS OUR WESTERN CONCEPT OF A KINGDOM WHICH WE PRECEIVE AS A REALM OVER WHICH A KING EXERCISES HIS AUTHORITY.  THE DICTIONARY FOLLOWS THIS LINE OF THOUGHT GIVING US THE MODERN DEFINITION OF A KINGDOM: A STATE OR MONARCHY THE HEAD OF WHICH IS A KING; DOMINION OR REALM.  THE SECOND MEANING OF A KINGDOM IS THE PEOPLE BELONGING TO A GIVEN REALM.  THE KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE CITIZENS OVER WHOM THE QUEEN EXERCISES HER RULE WHO ARE THE SUBJECTS OF HER KINGDOM.  THESE TWO DEFINITIONS LEAD US ASTRAY FROM A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF BIBLICAL TRUTH ABOUT THE KOG.

 

WE MUST SET ASIDE OUR MODERN IDIOM IF WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND AND DEVELOP A BIBLICAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE KOG.  AT THIS POINT WEBSTER’S DIC. PROVIDES US WITH A CLUE WHEN IT GIVES AS ITS FIRST DEFINITION OF KINGDOM AS THE RANK, QUALITY, STATE OR ATTRIBUTES OF A KING; ROYAL AUTHORITY; DOMINION, MONARCHY OR KINGSHIP.  THE PRIMARY MEANING OF BOTHE THE HEBREW MALKUTH AND THE N.T BASILEIA IS THE RANK, SOVERIGNTY AND AUTHORITY EXERCISED BY A KING.  A BASILEIA MAY INDEED BE A REALM OVER WHICH A SOVERIGN EXERCISES HIS AUTHORITY AND IT MAY BE THE PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO THAT REALM BUT THESE ARE SECONDARY AND DERVIED MEANINGS.  FIRST OF ALL A KINGDOM IS THE AUTHORITY TO  RULE AND THE SOVERIGTNTY OF THE KING.  WHEN THE WORD OF GOD REFERS TO THE KOG IT ALWAYS REFERS TO THE REIGN OF GOD, HIS RULE, HIS SOVERIGNTY AND NOT TO THE REALM IN WHICH IT IS EXERCISED.

 

Ps 103:19

19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

 

Ps 145:13

13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

 

1. Here is the first paradox of god’s kingdom: the kingdom of god is coming and YET the kingdom has already come.  It’s those types of contridictions that  cause us to scratch our heads and say “what”.  How can the kingdom be coming and yet it has already come?  When jesus came into this world he brought the king-dom with him. 

 

Matt 2:1-2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

 

Matt 21:5

5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

 

When he left this world he promised to send the holy spirit to indwell his believers.  He promised that he would come again and establish his kingdom.  So we have to conclude that right now the kingdom of god has come through god’s people who are doing his will and that the consumation of his kingdom is yet to come when christ returns at the end of the age.  First of all the kog has invaded the hearts of believers who have invaded this earth and caused the kingdom to come and his will to be done on earth even as it is in heaven.  So the kingdom has come but it is also a future hope.

 

Now I would like to begin to look at four parables of Jesus that describes the kog. each of these parables contains a paradox about the Kingdom of god.

2. FIRST OF ALL THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE A Lamp.

 

Mark 4:9-11

9 Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables

 

Mark 4:21-23

21 He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.

23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

 

Jesus says God’s Kingdom is like a lamp. Now the lamp Jesus is describing here is a small clay oil lamp that was used to light up a room in the ancient world. Remember that there were no electric lights back then, no battery operated flashlights, so they’d use oil lamps. I’m told that these oil lamps are one of the most frequently discovered artifacts by archeologists because they were so common. Jesus says you don’t take one of these clay lamps, fill it with oil, light the wick, and then hide it so it can’t light up the room. Then Jesus tells us that whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed and whatever is concealed is meant to be out in the open. The thing THAT IS hidden and concealed in this statement is the entrance of God’s Kingdom into our world. The people of Jesus’ day believed that the entrance of God’s Kingdom and the consummation of God’s kingdom were the same event. (and so do a lot of god’s uninformed people) So when God’s kingdom came it would come by toppling political structures--especially that of the Romans.  But Jesus says God’s Kingdom has come in a hidden fashion through his life and his message. It cAme concealed in a person, this man born in an obscure rural part of the world And instead of marching to a face off with the emperor in Rome, Jesus is teaching and healing, showing compassion and teaching people how to live under God’s kingdom values. Jesus didn’t come the first time to consummate God’s Kingdom, but he did come to introduce God’s kingdom into our world.  However, that might lead us to think that God’s Kingdom is intended to be hidden and concealed, that we too should keep our mouths shut about it. This is the first paradox. EVEN THOUGH GOD’S KINGDOM CAME TO OUR WORLD CONCEALED, GOD WANTS US TO MAKE IT KNOWN.

God’s Kingdom did enter our world concealed. In fact, WHEN JESUS WAS BORN IN A MANGER THE Kingdom came in such an unlikely and concealed way, through the birth of a baby in ancient Israel. But we shouldn’t conclude from the way God’s kingdom entered our world that God wants to keep it hidden. That’s the difference between Christmas and Easter. At Christmas God’s kingdom was hidden, but at Easter it’s proclaimed through the resurrection.

 

Phil 2:14-16

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may

 

Phil 2:14-16

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may

 

Matt 5:14-16

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

 

God wants us to let his kingdom light shine. We let the light shine through our conduct and behavior; through our honesty and integrity.  We let the light shine through our words As we testify how Christ has touched our lives, how his light has healed our blindness.  Jesus told us to let our light shine before people so they can see our good actions and praise our Father in heaven. When we act with integrity, with mercy, with tenderness and compassion, we let the light of God’s kingdom shine brightly.

1 Pet 2:11-21

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For

even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered

for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

We also let it shine through our community, the way we live and interact with each other as a church. As we worship together, serve together, pray with each other in small groups, respond to the word together, celebrate communion and baptism with each other, we let the light shine. Christians living in community with each other is part of how we make known the hidden kingdom of God to people.  This is the paradox: Even though God’s kingdom came concealed, the time for concealing is over: God wants us to make it known.

2. The next parable that portrays the kog is A Scale

Mark 4:23-25

23 if anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

24 "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you-- and even more.

25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

 

Then Jesus compares God’s kingdom to a scale by which we measure something. In the Greek, v. 24 literally says, "Look at what you hear." Now think about that: "Look at what you hear." That’s impossible to do. To tell us to look with our eyes at what we hear is an oxymoron, its a paradox in itself. That statement is meant to shock us into examining how we listen.  Now the hearing in this context is listening to Jesus and his kingdom message, especially as it relates to the parables. How do we hear Jesus’ message? Well with the measure that we use in our hearing, that determines the measure we receive in understanding. If we have some understanding of Jesus’ message, we’ll be given more. But if we have no understanding of his kingdom message, then we’ll get nothing. You see, This short parable is a challenge to invest ourselves in listening. So, Here’s the second paradox. EVEN THOUGH GOD’S KINGDOM IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, WE CAN UNDERSTAND it WHEN WE INVEST OURSELVES INTO the study of god’s word.

2 Tim 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jesus began telling these parables at a crucial time in his life. His popularity was skyrocketing, and crowds of people were flocking to Jesus from all corners of ancient Israel. But most people came to Jesus with their own agenda, with their own preconceived opinions about how Jesus should bring God’s kingdom to the world. They came with their own assumptions and prejudices, they came with their own vision of God’s kingdom. And so Jesus told parables to sort out the real seekers from the mere opportunists.

A person who was a genuine seeker would listen to a parable and yearn to understand more. But someone with their own agenda would grow impatient with the parables, and they’d walk away without any understanding. The parables were kind of like riddles designed to shock people out of their assumptions and agendas and to help them set aside everything they thought they knew so they could really listen to Jesus’ message about the kingdom of god.

The parables are like that: A person must invest himself into the teachings of Jesus to get anything out of them. We must invest ourselves into our own pursuit of Jesus. we must take the risk to trust him because We can’t sit on the sidelines forever scrutinizing and analyzing. We must cast aside our assumptions and agendas, opening ourselves to his WILL AND PURPOSE and to THE PURSUIT OF HIS kingdom. When we do that, the door will open, and much more understanding will come IN. But until we do that, we’ll be frustrated and the door will stay closed.      So even though God’s kingdom is hard to understand, the paradox is that we will understand it when we invest ourselves into it.

When we become followers of Jesus Christ, we begin to live under the rule and reign of God. We exchange our earthly lords for the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We exchange the values of our culture for kingdom values, values of humility and UNselfISHness, values of faithfulness and compassion. We exchange priorities like getting as rich as possible or having as much fun as possible for priorities like honoring Jesus in all we do and making decisions that reflect our love for HIM. In short, we give up our lives--our pursuit of success, our passion for pleasure, our addiction to comfort, our quest for acceptance by other people. We deny ourselves to follow Jesus, to be faithful to him, wherever he leads, whatever the cost. But the final paradox is that in giving up our lives for Jesus OUR KING, we find our lives, AND by dying to ourselves we find ourselves. Under the rule and reign of God we find a sense of meaning and fulfillment, an acceptance far beyond mere human acceptance, a love that’s indestructible, and a reason to live that infuses new meaning into our jobs, our families, our communities.
That’s what happens when Jesus rules and reigns in our lives.