KINGDOM NOW, THEN, and WHEN?

The first stage [of the Kingdom] was the presence of spiritual power in the Holy Spirit under the intercessory ministry of a heavenly Christ, and the second stage [is] the future, visible return of the Lord in his glory to reign with his saints judging and putting his enemies under his feet... [The first stage] suggests that we see church as the sphere in which the coming eschatological Kingdom's power is active. This power of the coming Kingdom is today visible in the church.

The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus
by Mark Saucy
Word Publishing
(C) 1997
pg. 347

Here, in this last section , Saucy draws a picture of the Kingdom--offered by the incarnate Christ, rejected by the Jewish establishment, gone underground in mysteries (like a hidden seed, growing covertly), and yet awaiting the physical, political, historical, and ethnic fulfillment: The King will sit on his throne!

In stage one (the in-between-time of covert operations) where is the Kingdom active? With Son as the seated Intercessor and the Spirit as the indwelling Advocate, the power of the Kingdom of God leaks--indeed, pours--through the life of the Church.

• What are the means through which the Kingdom's power is expressed through the church?
• Given society's opinion of Church in the West, it does not seem a stretch to say that Kingdom power is not evident. Which beliefs, affections, and behaviors might be hindering the expression of Kingdom power?
• How can we better submit to and live by in eschatological Kingdom power?
  

Doctrine of the Holy Spirit articles on bible.org
UnChristian by David Kinnaman
Kingdom in Matthew (passages)
Kingdom in Matthew (article at bible.org)

Tag(s): ecclesiology church christian theology