The 5 Ws (and 1 H) of the Kingdom
Too Little, Too Late? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 21 viewsUnpacking the Kingdom of God using the 5 Ws and 1 H.
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Do you all remember way back in English class when they taught us to write stories that answered the 5 Ws and maybe the 1 H? It was supposed to be the way newspaper reporters (remember those) wrote their stories. That’s not what news-people do anymore, but it’s how we are going to unpack the concept Kingdom of God.
Who?
Who?
Jesus
Jesus
Jesus’ good news, then, was that the Kingdom of God had come, and that he, Jesus, was its herald and expounder to men. More than that, in some special, mysterious way, he was the kingdom. (Muggeridge, Jesus: The Man Who Lives)
Whosoever
Whosoever
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And the one who hears, let him say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty, let him come. The one who wants, let him take the water of life freely.
The Kingdom is Jesus and whosoever will.
The Kingdom is Jesus and whosoever will.
It goes without saying that when we say Jesus we are including Father and Spirit.
It goes without saying that when we say Jesus we are including Father and Spirit.
What?
What?
McClain said three things are necessary for a kingdom: a ruler, a realm, and ruling.
McClain said three things are necessary for a kingdom: a ruler, a realm, and ruling.
It’s a place where the ruler has a say; where the ruler’s will is done.
It’s a place where the ruler has a say; where the ruler’s will is done.
Willard says we all have a kingdom, a place of control where we have a say.
Willard says we all have a kingdom, a place of control where we have a say.
Our kingdom is part of the context into which we were born and live.
Our kingdom is part of the context into which we were born and live.
While we often complain about our context, it occurred to me without it we don’t exist.
While we often complain about our context, it occurred to me without it we don’t exist.
God’s kingdom is where what he says goes.
God’s kingdom is where what he says goes.
We know it’s in heaven.
We know it’s in heaven.
We know it’s anyplace on earth where it is wanted. (More on this later.)
We know it’s anyplace on earth where it is wanted. (More on this later.)
When?
When?
Our problem is what we were taught about the word eternity.
Our problem is what we were taught about the word eternity.
We were taught eternity begins...
We were taught eternity begins...
This is only partly correct.
This is only partly correct.
The kingdom of God has 2 ‘when” dimensions.
The kingdom of God has 2 ‘when” dimensions.
There is the “not now” dimension with which we are most familiar which we call...
There is the “not now” dimension with which we are most familiar which we call...
But there is also the “now” dimension with which we are much less familiar.
But there is also the “now” dimension with which we are much less familiar.
Post on FB this week” Life is a test; heaven is our reward for passing the test.
Again partly true but diminishes the “now” aspect of the kingdom.
Again partly true but diminishes the “now” aspect of the kingdom.
When Jesus said the Kingdom was at hand he meant not that it was coming soon but it was as close as he was…and is.
When Jesus said the Kingdom was at hand he meant not that it was coming soon but it was as close as he was…and is.
There is a Kingdom just as real and present as the kingdoms in which most of us function most of the time.
There is a Kingdom just as real and present as the kingdoms in which most of us function most of the time.
Electricity at hand illustration. (39)
Where?
Where?
For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.
This isn’t a complete definition, but, for our purposes, it is where God’s will is done.
This isn’t a complete definition, but, for our purposes, it is where God’s will is done.
Why?
Why?
Because it is God’s desire to share his kingdom with us.
Because it is God’s desire to share his kingdom with us.
It was always his plan.
It was always his plan.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!
So we can have what we were made for.
So we can have what we were made for.
The thief comes only so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
To make sense of life.
To make sense of life.
In him was life, and the life was the light of humanity.
How?
How?
How do you get into any place?
How do you get into any place?
Then Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All those who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep do not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and will go out and will find pasture.
In the story of the whore and Simon, we came across the idea of our point of need intersecting with confidence in Jesus.
In the story of the whore and Simon, we came across the idea of our point of need intersecting with confidence in Jesus.
At this point, we want to introduce another of Willard’s concepts: We submit our rule to his or merge our kingdom with his.
At this point, we want to introduce another of Willard’s concepts: We submit our rule to his or merge our kingdom with his.
But, again going against what we were taught, getting in isn’t the only thing that matters.
But, again going against what we were taught, getting in isn’t the only thing that matters.
Getting in may be an action, but living in is process.
Getting in may be an action, but living in is process.
Jesus isn’t just the best picture of God “ever took,” he’s the best picture of us “ever took.”
In building our house on the rock, Jesus isn’t just our foundation; he is our blueprint.
In building our house on the rock, Jesus isn’t just our foundation; he is our blueprint.
The directions are simple:
The directions are simple:
And one of the scribes came up and heard them debating. When he saw that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to ‘inject’ His kind of life and thought, His Zoe, into you; beginning to turn the tin soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part that is still tin. (CS Lewis, Mere Christianity)
Here is a word for both getting in and living in the Kingdom.
Here is a word for both getting in and living in the Kingdom.
and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
Other kingdoms still exist…sometimes even within those who are in the Kingdom.
Other kingdoms still exist…sometimes even within those who are in the Kingdom.