Enlarged Understanding of the Kingdom of God
Series: Book of Acts #4
Acts 1:1-11[1]
11-06-05
Intro
We are in a study of the Book of Acts and this morning I what to talk with you about “the kingdom of God.” What does Luke mean by the phrase “the kingdom of God” and how does it apply to our daily lives and ministries?
We quickly encounter the concept in the opening verses of Acts. Acts 1:3 “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about (What?) the kingdom of God.” Jesus has risen from the dead. Before ascending to the Father he takes time to teach his followers. How many would agree that whatever Jesus taught during that time must have been extremely important. So what does verse 3 tell us he spoke to them about? The kingdom of God! It’s important that we understand what that means. In fact, the book of Acts opens with this statement about the kingdom of God and ends with a similar statement in Acts 28:30-31 “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached (What?) the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” This concept runs through the book of Acts.[2] What is “the kingdom of God”?
I. The kingdom of God essentially refers to the Reign or Rulership of God.[3] As Westerners we are prone to think of a kingdom in geographical terms. But the biblical concept is in terms of rule and dominion.[4] Wherever God’s rulership is expressed the kingdom of God is to that extent being realized.
It was difficult for Jesus’ followers to grasp the progressive manifestation of the kingdom of God that Jesus taught. They essentially saw the kingdom of God as a single day—the Day of the Lord—when God would establish His reign on the earth. And it is true that the full realization of the kingdom of God will not occur until the second coming of the Lord. But to understand what’s happening in the book of Acts and what God wants to do in us today we must have a fuller revelation of the kingdom of God. There is both a “now” and a “not yet” dimension of the kingdom of God. As Westerners we have a hard time embracing that. We tend to think linear and in well defined categories. But the biblical concept of the kingdom of God is more holistic than linear. God’s rule is being asserted in the now but the fullness of His rule is yet to come.
(1) The ultimate consummation God’s plan and the uncontested rule of God will not be fully realized until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord[5]—until Jesus returns in power and glory and told in Revelation 19 & 20 and puts down all opposition to the Father.
Peter wrote about that in 2 Peter 3:10-13 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
That will never happen without the sudden return of the Lord. So now we only experience the earnest of our inheritance.[6] The final consummation of God’s plan will involve a cataclysmic intervention of history by the second coming of Christ. Rev 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
So on the one hand there is this abrupt disruption of history at the end of the age.
1 Cor 15:20-28 describes the process by which the kingdom of God will come to full consummation. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.”
One the one hand there is this final fulfillment where everything has come under God’s rule.
(2) But, on the other hand, the rulership of God—the kingdom of God—is breaking into events and lives in the now.[7] That too is an expression of the kingdom of God and that is what Jesus is telling His followers to focus on in Acts 1:7-8. “He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." There is business to attend to in the now. Get equipped for it and be about your Father’s business.
We can see Israel’s difficulty in grasping this “now” concept of the kingdom in Luke 17:20-21 “Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ’Lo, here it is!’ or ’There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." (RSV) I have used the RSV because it gives the best translation for the end of this verse. Most translations conclude verse 21 with Jesus saying, “...the kingdom of God is within you.” It could be translated that way but it is unlikely that Jesus would have said that to the Pharisees. The context would indicate He was saying to the religious leaders, “...the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”[8] It is right here and you are not even recognizing it.
Let’s look at a few places in Luke’s gospel where this aspect of the kingdom is indicated in Jesus’ life.
Luke 9:1-2 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Notice the link of healing and the kingdom of God—the exercise of God’s dominion over sickness.
Luke 10:8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ’The kingdom of God is near you.’”
Luke 11:20 “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” God’s heavenly rule is breaking into Satan’s strongholds and delivering people from his power. We get to be a part of that!
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer and say “Your kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” [9]we are addressing both aspects of the kingdom of God. We are asking that God will come and put down all opposition and consummate His plan in the eschaton[10]. But we are also asking that God will rule in our own hearts and lives today. We are asking Him to use us as instruments of His authority to bring His rulership to bear against the powers of darkness.
Look quickly in the book of Acts at a few places where this is happening.
In Acts 3 Peter and John are on the way to the temple when they encounter a crippled man asking for alms. In verse 6 “Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” Peter and John had received the power of the Holy Spirit and were advancing the kingdom of God into that situation.
At the stoning of Stephen—Acts 7:54-56 “When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”
Notice how the thin veil between the heavenly and the earthly is opened for Stephen.
Philip’s experience in Samaria: Acts 8:4-8 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.”
Acts is a story about the advancement of the kingdom of God—people like you and me empowered by the Holy Spirit to dispel darkness with light—to destroy the works of the Devil and to assert the rule of God on earth.
How does God what to advance His kingdom through you? What is He calling you to do? When the Lord speaks to you about the kingdom of God what kind of questions come to mind?
Look with me at
II. The Question the disciples ask in Acts 1:6
“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
1st their question was reasonable in the light of what Jesus had just told them. Jesus had been teaching them about the kingdom of God and in verses 4 & 5 He had told them not to leave Jerusalem but wait for the promised Holy Spirit. Verse 5 “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” For devoted Jews there was a direct link between the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of God’s kingdom rule. For example, Ezekiel 36 talks about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the restoration of Israel.
Ezek 36:24-29 "’For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.” Do you see the connection that a patriotic Jew might make between the restoration of Israel and the coming of the Spirit?
Look with me at Isa 44:1-6
“But now listen, O Jacob, my servant,Israel, whom I have chosen. 2 This is what the LORD says--he who made you, who formed you in the womb,and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant,Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. 5 One will say, ’I belong to the LORD’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ’The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel.
6 "This is what the LORD says--Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.”
Of course Joel 2:28-3:1 is the verse Peter refers to on the Day of Pentecost.
Joel 2:28-3:1“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams,your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls. 3:1 In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,”
The question being asked is consistent with the way OT prophets spoke concerning the coming of the Spirit. They were seeing the coming of the kingdom as one great and glorious event. And indeed it is; but the unfolding of that reality involves a process which takes some time. The coming of the Spirit does inaugurate the kingdom[11] but there is more to be understood about how that will play out.
2nd their question was actually an expression of faith.
They begin by addressing Jesus as Lord. Of course, they are conversing with Jesus in His resurrected body and that had to be an awesome experience. Nevertheless, they know that Jesus is able. He is capable of restoring the kingdom to Israel. They have come a long way since the time of the crucifixion. Do you remember the words of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:21 concerning Jesus? “...but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.”
“We had hoped”—past tense—at that point they had lost all hope. That was a time of utter despair. Their question is a sharp contrast to that.[12] “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” I hear a tone of enthusiasm in their voice; I hear expectation, anticipation, and faith.
Notice at the beginning of Acts 1:6 the word “So”. That links their question back to what Jesus had been telling them. It was a logical question to ask.
However, by
III. Jesus’ Answer in verses 7 & 8 we know their understanding was incomplete.
Acts 1:7-8 “He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”
1. They were asking the wrong question. “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” The Bible has a lot to say about eschatology and what will happen in the future. But the primary purpose of that revelation is to communicate assurance and peace to God’s people. It is not there to simply satisfy human curiosity. Deut 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Can we live with the fact that God does not answer all our questions or tell us everything He knows? In this life we see through a glass darkly. One day it will be face to face with the Lord. [13] But now “the just shall live by faith.”[14] You and I will encounter many things in life that leave us asking questions: what’s next, when will it happen, why has this happened to me? Sometime the answer the Lord gives us is simply this: trust Me—lean not on your own understanding—know that I am a good Shepherd—know that I love you and will always have your best interest in mind—know that I have it all worked out for you. Just obey Me one step at a time and you will get to where you need to be.
Years ago I had a lot of clever charts laying out God’s plan for the ages for everyone to see. I suspect now that most of it was wrong but more importantly I was looking for the wrong thing in my study of biblical. I was pursuing my own curiosity-- trying to lay out a good, logical sequence of events. And God did not give that revelation to simply satisfy my carnal curiosity.
At least, I knew enough to not try to set dates for Jesus’ return. Jesus made it clear that no one would know the date of His coming. In Mark 13:32 Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
It’s amazing to me how whole movements get started with the momentum of date setting. Of course, you have the false predictions that have been made by The Jehovah Witnesses, Joseph Smith, The Heaven’s Gate, and other cults. But even orthodox Christians can get pretty gullible on these matters. I was amazed by the people excited in 1988 by Edgar Wisenant’s book, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur in 1988. Over 4.5 million copies were sold. When it didn’t happen he adjusted his calculation to 1989[15] and people jumped on that. Prophecy is not in the Bible to excite our flesh or satisfy our curiosity.
So why does the Bible tell us about the end times?
First, to warn us about being faithful in our walk with God. We mentioned Mark 13:32 where Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour...” Jesus had been talking about the signs of His coming. In verse 33-37 Jesus gives the application. “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ’Watch!’" That is not a call to make a chart.[16] It’s a call to live right and be faithful to God.
Perhaps just as important as the element of warning is the comfort and assurance we can receive from the Bible promises concerning the end. Let me just share a few examples this morning.
Phil 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
1 Thess 4:15-18 “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
There is something wrong with a Christianity that does not long for the coming of the Lord. There is something wrong with our relationship with our Lord and Bridegroom if we are not desiring His glorious appearing. There is something wrong about our relationship with the world if our whole orientation is this life alone. The promise of His coming is something that ought to ignite courage and excitement in our hearts.
Rev 3:11-13
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Doesn’t something in your heart respond with “Even so come Lord Jesus.” The Spirit says come and the Bride says come according to Rev 22:17. When I read the book of Revelations I don’t get bogged down on who the beast may be or what the 666 may represent. I get excited about the coming Bridegroom. I get encouraged about the fact that no matter how things may appear God is always in control. I draw comfort from this one theme: we win! You may be experiencing some battles and even some setbacks. But I’ve got good news from the book of Revelation—the Devil loses and we win!
Jesus’ promise in Rev 22:12-13 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
All the dates and details are already worked out by our heavenly Father. That frees us up to get focused on Jesus, to live in a holy anticipation of His coming, and to be faithful right now to what He has called us to do.
In the question asked in verse 6
2. They were also focusing on the wrong agenda.
Jesus brings the conversation back to what is supremely important for the disciples in Acts 1:7. This is also what is supremely important for you and me today. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” It’s not about political power and worldly success. It’s about the divine empowerment of the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of God’s purposes. We will talk much more about this next week. Our principle need is not knowledge about world events and how they relate to biblical promises. I’m not totally discounting that. However, it is not to be our point of focus. What we need is the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives—enabling us to live holy, honorable lives that bring glory to God—empowering us to serve God in His supernatural strength.
The disciples that asked the question in Acts 1:6 are still thinking too narrowly about the kingdom of God. All they see is the nation of Israel—their own agenda. But God sees the world and is sending us to the world. “For God so loved the world (all nationalities) that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Is your vision too small? Are you thinking too small? These disciples in Acts 1:6 were. As we walk through the book of Acts we will see God enlarging their boundaries—first they are in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. By Acts 8 the influence has expanded to Judea and Samaria. And by Acts 13 it is spreading to the uttermost parts of the world. But we will see that one of the challenges they faced was to get their thinking changed. It took a supernatural vision to get Peter to stop seeing Gentiles as unclean.[17] There were all kinds of discussions about circumcision and how to deal with the newcomers.[18] When we are asking God to enlarge our ministry—enlarge our influence—the answer to that prayer almost always requires an enlargement of our thinking—a breaking past barriers of prejudice and old patterns. Are you ready for God to transform your thinking? All you willing to turn loose of the past so that you can lay hold of the future?
We too are asking questions-- not unlike the one asked in Acts 1:6. We are often thinking in narrow terms—“God will you at this time restore this or do that.” And God has to answer our sincere but limited request—“But you will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be...” I got bigger and better things for you that you know. I want to do something greater for you than you are asking. It will help you much more than to have a nice chart with the right eschatological dates on it. What will really help you is to receive what I’m trying to give you!
The disciples needed a whole paradigm shift in their thinking about the kingdom of God and God’s plan for their lives. They had formed a narrow box defining what God would do and how He would do it. They could only see Israel. But God was wanting them to see the whole world. They could only see a one time event. But God was wanting them to see and participate in a process that would prepare for that event. Jesus’ answer to them asks that they start thinking outside that box. What kind of questions are you asking God? Are you ready for a paradigm shift in your thinking? Will you allow God to break you out of the confines of your preconceived ideas and receive understanding beyond what you have known in the past? If so, you are being prepared for the new thing God will do in your life!
Invitation
TEXT: Acts 1:1-11
1:1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (from New International Version)
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
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[1] Text was shown using “The Visual Bible: Acts (Part One) (0:02:09) to (0:04:16). For more info see www.visualbible.com Text is provided at end of this manuscript. All Scripture quotes are from New International Version unless otherwise indicated.
[2] Jack Hayford, A Study of Acts: Kingdom Power in the Spirit-Filled Life Bible Discovery Guides (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993) does an outstanding job of following this theme all the way through the book of Acts.
[3] George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993) p 89 writes, “Our central thesis is that the Kingdom of God is the redemptive reign of God dynamically active to establish his rule among human beings, and that this Kingdom, which will appear as an apocalyptic act at the end of the age, has already come into human history in the person and mission of Jesus to overcome evil, to deliver people from its power, and to bring them into the blessings of God’s reign. The Kingdom of God involves two great moments: fulfillment within history, and consummation at the end of history.” Ladd’s book is an invaluable resources for understanding the biblical concept of the kingdom of God.
[4] John Wimber, Power Evangelism (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1986) p. 5
[5] Revelation 11:15
[6] Ephesians 1:14
[7] We do not have time to adequately deal with the subject of God’s kingdom. But it is important to understand the two dynamics of now and not yet. Now the kingdom rule of God is to be expressed through our ministry.
[8] Ladd, p. 91
[9] It is popular to identify this as a command since the Greek is in the imperative. However, since God is being addressed it is an entreaty (Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammer Beyond the Basics, p.488.
[10] Eschaton refers to ultimate climax or end of history wherein Christ returns to earth to establish his eternal kingdom of righteousness. See Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, by Stranley Grenz, C.F. Nordling, et. al.
[11] Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998) p 110. Witherington also demonstrates the association of Mal. 3:1-3 with the promise in verse 5. Also see Luke 3:16-17.
[12] G. Campbell Morgan, The Acts of the Apostles, 27th printing (Westwood, NJ: Fleming Revell Co.,) p 17.
[13] 1 Corinthians 13:12
[14] Hab 2:4 ; Rms 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb. 10:38
[15] www.letusreason.org/Proph7.htm accessed 11-5-05.
[16] Perhaps I have overstated my case a bit. There can be value in analyzing Scripture is such a way as an effort to better understand what is being said. However, we Westerners tend to produce overly rigid categories and dispensations that are inadequate representations of the biblical concepts.
[17] Acts 10:15
[18] Acts 10:45; 11:1-2; 15:1-2; 18:6; 21:25-28; 22:21-22; 28:28-29 Also note how God allowed persecution to scatter them from the confines of Jerusalem.
