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Saving Sinners
Since God’s purpose for the world is to save a people for himself and renew the world for that people, his kingly rule implies a saving and a redeeming activity on their behalf. This is why the coming of the kingdom in the New Testament is called good news.
In and through Jesus, God, the king, is coming in a way — a new way — into the world to establish his saving rule. First, in the hearts of his people and in their relationships by triumphing over sin, Satan, and death. Then by the exercise of his reign, gathering a people for himself in congregations that live as citizens of a new allegiance of the kingdom — not of this world. Then Christ comes a second time and completes the reign by establishing a new heavens and a new earth.
Already, but Not Yet
The picture you get in the Gospels as Jesus unfolds the teachings of the kingdom is that it is both present and it is still future. In fact, this is what he means when he says that the mystery of the kingdom is here — presence without consummation.
For example, you can hear the future dimension of the kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). We should pray that every day. Bring the kingdom, Lord. It’s not here the way we want it to be. Bring your kingdom. Bring your reign fully in people’s lives, in my life, in the world.
In Luke 19:11, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, but the people supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. But Jesus knew it was not coming immediately. The kingdom of God is not going to appear immediately, and yet repeatedly, Jesus says, “The kingdom is at hand. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”
In fact, he is more explicit than that in Luke 11:20: “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Even more explicitly, Luke 17:21 says, “Behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
How can the kingdom of God be both not yet present and already present? He says, “Pray for it. It’s coming. It’s not yet here. It’s not going to be immediate, and yet already, it’s present in your midst, upon you, at hand.” How can he say all that?
The answer is, the kingdom of God is God’s reign — his sovereign action in the world to redeem and deliver a people and then at a future time finish it and renew his people and the universe completely.
The Risen One Is Lord
After the resurrection, it could be seen now with crystal clarity what the disciples couldn’t fathom during his lifetime. Namely, the kingdom of God would be most gloriously revealed in a crucified and risen king. Therefore, the shift that happens in no way diminishes the importance of what was taught about the kingdom during the lifetime of Jesus. But it does shift. It does put the overwhelming emphasis now on the king himself as the crucified, risen Lord of the universe.
The new emphasis, which is more explicit in the epistles, declares, “Jesus is Lord.” In fact, if you would have pressed me, I’d say “the kingdom has come” is almost synonymous with “Jesus is Lord.” Or to say it the other way round, “Jesus is Lord” is almost synonymous in the epistles with the kingdom — the reign — “the king has come.”
