Kingdom.
September 14, 2007 at 1:01 pm 8 comments
West Palm Beach, Florida
After 4 days of conversation about the Kingdom I wonder what might happen if, as Jesus followers, we started talking about the Kingdom, not as a synonymn for church but a distinct, powerful force for change, not only among followers of Jesus but in the entire world. That is what we have been talking about all week and my mind is inflamed.
If you didn’t know anything about the Kingdom, how would you define it? Jesus said church twice, once to Peter about building His church and one other place that escapes me right now, but almost every thing He said and did was about Kingdom. I can’t prove this right now, here in this airport lobby, but I think every miracle of Jesus brought some kind of statement or parable about the Kingdom. Jesus was up to something related to this Kingdom concept and we need to figure out what it was.
It was way more important to Him, than church! Might be worth figuring out why.
Back to Sayre and Linda.
Entry filed under: Authority, Belief, Christianity, Church, Culture, Faith, Holy Spirit, Institutional church, Jesus, Miracles, Revelation, Supernatural, The Father, Thoughts, Travel.
the view from the juniper tree 
1. The Kingdom of God is Within You « mousewords | September 24, 2007 at 1:47 pm
[…] eloquent writer in the WordPress community recently posed the challenging question: “If you didn’t know […]
2. mousewords | September 23, 2007 at 11:49 pm
This question has challenged me, in my thinking and in my faith life. In studying it, I’ve learned way too much to fit into a comment box! So I’ve blogged about my thoughts. I’d like to post a link to that, if I may:
http://mousewords.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/the-kingdom-of-god-is-within-you/
Thank you for the challenge!
~Christine
3. Victor | September 16, 2007 at 8:12 pm
It is interesting that so often in the evangelical (and elsewhere) world people are quick to cite Jesus’ comment that the “kingdom of God is within you” that phrase is spoken so rarely in comparison to the many times the Kingdom of God comes off the lips of Jesus. Also, the kingdom of God is “within you (KJV)” from Luke 17:21 is not even really a good translation. Here is NASB
“nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Contextually, Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders who were not going to see what was going to come because of the wickedness and pride in their hearts. They were asking when the Kingdom would come and Jesus says that because they are missing who it is who is standing right in front of them, when the Kingdom finally did come, it’d be too late for them to prepare ( by repenting cp Mark 1:14-15) for it.
Why not endeavor to understand this term from Jesus himself, and perhaps starting with the majority texts which Jesus speak of the coming of the Kingdom, the nature of the Kingdom, what one must do to enter the Kingdom, who will not enter the Kingdom and so on.
4. mousewords | September 14, 2007 at 4:19 pm
“If you didn’t know anything about the Kingdom, how would you define it?”
I love this question! Jesus Himself seemed almost to be searching for mortal words to describe what the Kingdom is. How many times did he start a parable with, “The Kingdom of God is like…”
Can you imagine those eyes drifting away from his audience, and gazing thoughtfully up to the clouds as he tried to picture a word that would describe what He had seen?
:):)
5. mousewords | September 14, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Here again, the Lord seems to be setting a treasure hunt for us. :):) Whether it’s in the scientific mysteries of creation, or in the mysteries of the Bible, He reminds me of a loving parent who’s created a “treasure hunt” for a child—placing clues in different places, then watching with a smile as the child tries to solve the mystery.
Jesus did say, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”
Think that’s a clue? :);)
~Christine
6. Ace | September 14, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Jesus said that the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached and then the end would come. He was talking about the RULE OF CHRIST. You are absolutely right. This is bigger than our mindset of church. This is literally in and of itself the real world.
7. Victor | September 14, 2007 at 1:51 pm
I think that you are def. on to something. In Luke 4:43 Jesus says that the proclaimation of the Kingdom of God was the very thing he was sent to do!
I believe that the Kingdom of God is still a future reality – a literal kingdom, upon the earth where all that is wrong with the world will be made right – where finally, as was mentioned above, God’s will will indeed be done on the earth as it is now in heaven. The coming Kingdom encompasses many things, but it will be when God’s original intention for the earth will be restored though Jesus’ coming.
Look forward to more discussion on this
-Victor
8. timglass | September 14, 2007 at 1:13 pm
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.”
We are to mirror what is happening in heaven.That is what the Church should be about, in ministry (loving and serving God and one another). It should also make sure the faithful are being instructed according to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles.
The Church is the Kingdom, we just haven’t treated it as such.
His grace and peace to you,
Tim