Would Jesus Still Say “Kingdom” Come Today?

Hi Everyone-

I hope you are having a blessed day.  As I write this the sun is shining and I’m about to embark on a day of getting to know people and talking about joining God in displaying His Kingdom in exciting ways.

 

This begs an interesting question though I think.  If Jesus came today would He still talk so much about the Kingdom of God/Heaven?  Would the Lord’s Prayer center around “Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven?”  I wonder if instead, today He would preach and tell parables about the Culture of God and pray for “Your Culture to come on earth as it is in heaven.”  Why do I say that and what does it matter?

 

First, I would like clarify that I am very Kingdom-centric.  It is vital to my understanding of what God is about and doing in the world through Jesus.  That said, the way I perceive Jesus to enact, teach, and show the Kingdom is in what we’d view today as a very cultural manner.  The Messiah was supposed to bring and rule a physical, worldly kingdom with tangible boundaries, armies, etc.  AND even after the Resurrection the disciples were still waiting for Jesus to do this, as seen in Acts:

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ ⁷He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ (Acts 1:6-8, NRSV).

 

I think we see that the Kingdom that Jesus has already brought is one not of earthly power, but of the Spirit’s power.  The Spirit’s power is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These traits were counter to the Roman Empire, their kingdom, which preached power over, control, ,military might, buying and building bigger and better things, achieving higher and higher political/social positions, and such.  The Kingdom of God preaches power under, a power that loves and serves others.  The kingdom of Rome preached power over, power that rules and controls others.

 

Likewise, in my opinion today Jesus’ “Kingdom” ways are more akin to cultural attributes which are very counter to our culture.  Our culture is one of buy, save, acquire, get, spend, look better, achieve more, win, and be the best.  God’s Culture is one of give, love, joy, and service.  This is why I think if Jesus came today there’s a good chance He’d speak of the coming of the Culture of God instead of Kingdom.  Father, your Culture come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

 

What do you think?

Grace and peace,

Lang

 

Two thousand years ago the Roman Empire was won of power, military might