Submitted by: Bree McDougal, Fort Bragg PWOC, 2VP Spiritual Life
Throughout this summer I’ve been thinking about PWOC’s theme “Your Kingdom Come.” I’ve been listening to sermons on “the Kingdom.” I’ve been researching what others have to say about “God’s Kingdom.” I’ve been looking at scripture to see what God’s word tells us about “His Kingdom” and the more I’ve looked and researched and listened, the more I’ve come to the conclusion that “The Kingdom” is a really abstract concept.
Living or being a part of “a Kingdom” isn’t really an idea that we can touch or taste. As Americans we live in a country that is a republic. We can look, as outsiders, at other countries that are a part of a “kingdom” but for most of us, being a part of a kingdom is a surreal and almost make believe concept.
I think this concept becomes even more difficult when we’re talking about God’s Kingdom. We have the book of Matthew where “the Kingdom” or “the Kingdom is like” is mentioned about 40 times, yet we still don’t have a super concrete definition or vision of what “the Kingdom” really is.
The dictionary defines “kingdom” as: a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen You could also describe it as a place where a king’s rule or wishes or desires are carried out.
Unlike an earthly kingdom however, where territorial lines are drawn, and clear boundaries exist, God’s Kingdom seems to bleed into the here and now. But at the same time our broken world makes it very clear that God’s Kingdom is not yet fully realized. So where is this Kingdom? How do we know when we experience it? Who is the King? What part of the Kingdom is here and what is still yet to come?
One way to help us understand this “Already and Not Yet” aspect of the Kingdom is by thinking about Afghanistan. The country of Afghanistan has a central government. For all intents and purposes the people have a “king.” They people have a “ruler” to follow. Some of the country submits to this central government. But there are pockets of people groups within Afghanistan that don’t and even in these areas, where these pockets of resistance exist, they are still within the territorial boundaries of Afghanistan. (They are still in “the kingdom.”) And while the central government technically has authority over the entire country, this authority is not yet fully realized.
God’s Kingdom is a lot like Afghanistan. It’s already and not yet.
Psalm 24 tells us that The whole earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24 also tells us who the King of this Kingdom is! It says: Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory.
Scripture makes it clear that the earth is the Lord’s yet not all that exist on this earth submits to the King’s authority.
Psalm 103:19-22 states that God has established His throne in the heavens, and yet His rule extends over more than just heaven. His rule extends over all! It also tells us that those who obey His word, do His will, and submit to the King’s authority are the king’s subjects and are living in “the kingdom.” So, “God’s Kingdom” or “the Kingdom” is already! But at the same time the pockets of resistance (sin, pain, disease, brokenness… etc) show us that His Kingdom is not yet fully realized.
One day however, God’s Kingdom will be fully realized. We pray “Your Kingdom Come” and we look forward to the day when ALL will submit to the King’s authority and rule. Philippians 2:5-11 instructs us to have the same mindset as Christ. By doing so we will serve one another, love one another, humble ourselves, and walk in obedience. AND by doing so, we will give our broken world glimpses of what is to come – when “every knee every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We look forward and make ourselves ready for the day that God promises us in Revelation 21 where His word says that God Himself will once again dwell with His people and when there will be no more death, disease, or “pockets or resistance.” And at that point God will make all things new. We will have a new heaven and a new earth and the current state of our world will pass away.
This is all great news! But, in the meantime, we have to live in this funny tension, of God’s Kingdom being already and not yet… I look forward to exploring this tension with you all this coming year. I look forward to seeing how our God will ask us to join Him in his Kingdom business & work. I’m excited to see how we will share glimpses of what is yet to come with our hurting and broken world.
In closing, please join me in praying our theme scripture, Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord’s prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[c]
