The Kingdom of God

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray a very earthly and political prayer: "Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, ON EARTH as it is in heaven."

Jesus taught his followers to pray this prayer during the reign one of the greatest empires this world has ever known. The Roman Empire would promise you a life of peace and prosperity if you would sign on to this phrase "Caesar is Lord." It was an allegiance with benefits. It could promise you a life of security, your children a good education, and land for you to live on.

It is in this surrounding culture and context that Jesus teaches people to pray, "Your Kingdom come."

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The story of Jesus is loaded with “kingdom” language.
In Matthew it is “the Kingdom of Heaven.”
In Luke it is “The Kingdom of God.”
In Mark it is 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
All four gospels (especially the first 3) join in great interest to present Jesus as the King of an upside-down Kingdom…a Kingdom that would have no need for a president, dictator, or Prime Minister because Jesus alone could hold the title.
There would not be a need for a palace, mansion, or capital, because this Kingdom was going to flourish on street corners, market places, inner cities and suburbs.
There would not be the need for leaders of self-defense because this kingdom would win people over by truth clothed in love and compassion.

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At times the word “kingdom” has been reduced to the church. There are those who have believed that the Kingdom came at Pentecost and that Acts 2 was the fulfillment of God’s kingdom on earth.
For those who hold this interpretation of “Kingdom,” when they say that we are attempting to grow “the kingdom” they are simply referring to “growing the church.”
Kingdom=church
Church=kingdom
This interpretation claims that the Kingdom points to Acts 2 (we’ve often read our Bibles as if Acts 2 is the ultimate climax of the NT)
Actually, the Kingdom points to Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t point to Acts 2, but Acts 2 points to Jesus

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It is interesting that Jesus never defines the kingdom.

We are people who like concepts defined. We want elaboration, certainty and definition. After all, we are recipients of the enlightenment period...an era of reason and learning.

But Jesus never defines the kingdom. He only offers hints, analogies, metaphors and images. In Matthew 13, he tells 7 parables concerning the Kingdom, but not one time does Jesus say, "The Kingdom of God is..." It is always, "The Kingdom of God is like..."

Here's what we know about the Kingdom from Luke 17, "The Kingdom of God is among you...it is within you."

The Kingdom of God is greater than any kingdom we can imagine and we are invited to swear our allegiance to it.