Approved Workmen

As humans we are very interested in kingdoms. Just consider the concept of a fairy tale. Among other things, the requirements to meet that genre includes some battle with good and evil and royalty. A kingdom that has something wrong that needs to be made right by a hero. 

• Narnia 

• Arendale 

• Neverland 

• Wonderland 

• The Pride lands 

What compels people to keep writing these kinds of tales? What makes them so interesting to children and adults alike? We even call these timeless classics. Why? Because they transcend generations. And even continents. They have universal, wide appeal. 

Why? Where does this originate? 

I believe it is because this reflects the indelible imprint of the image of God in man. We establish kingdoms because God is a king with a kingdom who delegates authority to humanity. And we understand that corruption spoils this kingdom and we want to be in a kingdom with a good king, and joyful subjects and vanquished evil, where everyone lives happily ever after. 

Take your favorite fairy tale off the shelf this afternoon and go read it and you can predict how the story is supposed to end.  

The kingdom is one of the key themes in Scripture.  

The concept of kingdom is all over the Scriptures.  

From a statistical point of view, all but three books in the Old Testament speak of the kingdom. In the New Testament the kingdom is spoken of in all but six books. All in all, 57 of the 66 books of the bible have the theme of the kingdom.1 

So kingdom language is found at the beginning and end. The story begins with God as King and man’s right to rule under Him. It then culminates with God on the throne and man reigning under Him over a new earth.2 

The Bible’s storyline shows how the kingdom created goes to the kingdom fallen, which then leads to the kingdom restored. This storyline is centered and anchored in Jesus the Messiah.3 

I want to set before you this morning the thrilling reality of Jesus the coming King. He is going to be revealed as king and this is to be our great hope. 

Last week we saw that the coming kingdom is not connected to the rise and fall of America. It is not brought about through moral or immoral leaders. It transcends any earthly legates.  

Jesus is bringing about a kingdom that you get the privilege of belonging to. And it is a kingdom that can never be threatened or hastened by wars and rumors of wars. It isn’t guaranteed by the constitution, or a peace treaty, and you lie against Christ, you can imprison and kill his people, but the kingdom will come. 

As we saw last week, this confounded Pilate. Jesus told him straight up, that his kingdom did not originate from this world. 

My ambition over the next minutes together is to fill your mind with truth about the kingdom of God. And that as that truth engages your mind, you will be filled with joy… expectation… comfort… hope… anticipation. We are to pray for this kingdom to come. We are to anxiously await the revelation of this kingdom. We are to live as though we belong to this kingdom. We are to invite others to enter with us into this glorious kingdom. 

This is going to confront some ways that we think wrongly about the coming kingdom. It exposes a lack of faith: 

• Misplaced hope in seeing the kingdom here and now on your own terms—political peace, relational peace, etc. 

• Discontent from trying to find contentment in this current life with a groaning creation—if I could just get to …. If I could just … then I’d be content. 

• Lies abounding… censorship of Christian ideas… immoral men and women ascending to high positions of leadership in powerful organizations and government… tend to get fearful and fret 

Whether you pine for the good stuff or just want less of the bad, it is within all of our hearts. But how you handle that desire or that fear is very important. 

Jesus taught his disciples to pray: 

Matthew 6:9–10 (ESV) Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

What are you praying for, exactly? Are you asking God to save more people? To expand the church? To expand his rulership over all of creation? We get a clue about his will being done on earth as it is in heaven… a clue that the kingdom being spoken of here is looking toward a day where God’s will is not merely decreed and coming about in that manner in the world. But it is being manifested. A time when you could look around and say, “I see that this and this and this and this is according to God’s will.4 

If you are anything like me, often times it is a bit fuzzy. I can point to aspects of this kingdom, but it isn’t always the clearest concept with clearly defined lines. We know that one day Jesus will be revealed as the king: 

Philippians 2:9–11 (ESV) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

We are to be like Joseph of Arimathea in Luke 23:51 who was waiting for the kingdom… 

I want to introduce this with a couple of definitions and then we are going to look at several passages beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. 

First, it seems rather obvious, but what is a kingdom? 

The concept of “kingdom” includes at least three essential elements: Ruler—a kingdom involves a ruler with rightful and adequate authority and power. Realm—a kingdom involves a realm of subjects to be ruled. Rulership—a kingdom involves the exercise of ruling. All three elements are needed for a kingdom, including active ruling.5 

This bears itself out. A kingdom requires a ruler (one with authority), a realm (a place to rule over), and a reign.6 

J. Alvin McClain 

There can be no kingdom in the truest sense without the ruler, the realm, and the reigning function.7 

Consider then a kingdom isn’t really a kingdom unless you have each of these three components..  

So, for example, in Nigeria there are currently many kings—no one has an exact count, but it is estimated to be in the thousands. Every tribe has a king. I met someone who said they were related to the king of Nigeria and I thought, “wow, that’s kinda hard to believe…” then I realized that in Nigeria the kings are tribal leaders. The government in Nigeria has changed and these kings at this point have no real power. One person commented on the irony of referring to kings as such when they aren’t actually ruling: 

[These kings] … have no authority, no armies, fight no wars, bear no responsibility for the development or prosperity of their domain. Yet we indulge in this pitiful fantasy of them being the all powerful as Kings who did all these and more in the days of yore.8 

The point? A king who isn’t ruling over a kingdom is isn’t really a king. A king needs a kingdom to rule over and a kingdom needs a king reigning over it. A ruler, a realm and a reign. 

Seems straightforward enough. But then we go to apply the concept of kingdom to the Scripture, and we find that the concept of kingdom is used in different ways. This answers the dilemma posed by the question—if there is a coming kingdom, then what is God doing right now? If God will be exalted on the throne one day, where is he and what is he doing now? 

Specifically is Jesus raining and ruling right now, and if he is in what sense is he? 

The Bible speaks of the concept of the Universal Kingdom: God’s eternal rule over all creation.9 Goldsworthy writes 

The Bible does not leave the kingdom in the abstract. If God rules, he rules somewhere, even if somewhere is everywhere.10 

This is being a creature in his world. This is my Father’s world. You and I live in it. Recognize or not. Submit to it or not. It is an inescapable reality. And in fact, one day every person will meet this sovereign. As a friend or as a foe. 

J. Alvin McClain 

It is not for men to choose whether or not they will be under the rule of the Universal Kingdom. Whether they like it or not, they are already under it (Ps. 75:4–7).11 

Every activity under the sun is within the realm of this sovereign. You don’t choose to join it. There are no signups. There are no quitsies. No backsies. No exemptions. Every human is created in the image God for his glory and placed within the realm of his creation over which he rules. 

Isaiah 66:1 (ESV) Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 

Psalm 24:1–2 (ESV) The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 

Psalm 115:3 (ESV) Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. 

This is the Universal Kingdom: God’s eternal rule over all creation. And for the Christian this is a source of great comfort and joy. We know this king. This king is pleased with us. He is on our side. He has told us how we can be reconciled to him. To fellowship with him. To be with him eternally. Even the temporary flourishing of evil and the presence of sin is under his purview. 

Colossians 1:15–17 (ESV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

From Satan and his demons to every evil potentate, governor, president, judge, commissioner, king, legislator, prison guard, police chief—whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities… they were created through him and for him and he holds all of them together. His invisible reign is in control of every creature and every event. 

No evil deed will go unnoticed or unpunished. Every wrong is accounted for—either paid for by the person who committed the sin, or else by the Savior Jesus Christ in their behalf. The inescapable universal kingdom of God. 

That keeps from freaking out. It stabilizes me. It anchors me. But the universal kingdom of God isn’t the only way the kingdom is portrayed in Scripture. It isn’t all that God has established. 

God is so generous and wise and amazing. 

God wanted to display his glory by delegating his authority to mankind to rule the earth. His glory was to be displayed by people, created in his image, exercising dominion over the domain he has allotted to them. 

Theologians refer to this as the: 

Mediatorial Kingdom: God’s rule on the earth through man who acts as God’s representative. God’s rule on the earth through man who acts as God’s representative. God was pleased to not only rule from heaven directly upon the earth, but to rule from heaven through people ruling on the earth. 

What we see throughout biblical history then is that God delegated an earthly kingdom to Adam who failed. He kept promising that an earthly kingdom would come that would do what Adam failed to do. Jesus the Messiah is that second Adam, he is David’s son. In his first coming he laid the groundwork for the coming of his kingdom, that kingdom that we are still awaiting. 

I want to show you this development. It will leave you with such an appreciation for what God has done and what he is doing and what he will do. We’re gonna do biblical theology this morning. We are going to traverse from Genesis to Revelation and select just a few of the many places to see the development of the kingdom. 

Our outline today is: 

The Hope of King Jesus Revealed in History 

The Development of the Kingdom of God in Scripture… 

1. The preparation for King Jesus 

1. The promise of King Jesus 

1. The preview of King Jesus 

1. The presentation of King Jesus 

Let’s begin of course, at the beginning. Once upon a time. Open your Bible to Genesis 1. I want you to see the design here. The kingdom framework beginning on page one of your Bible. 

Genesis 1:26–28 (ESV) Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  

God eternally pre-existent. No beginning. No starting point. No need to create man. He wasn’t lonely. He didn’t need us. He was fully self-satisfied in his existence. And yet according to his own good pleasure, our Trinitarian God (let us) wanted to make man in his own image. Wanted to magnify his glory by putting it on display in creating. And the very first responsibility… the first form and structure to this creation comes in the second part of v. 26— 

And let them have dominion… 

Dominion. Almost sounds like a kingdom. This word is used in fact of royalty ruling in the Psalms. It means to rule, to govern. It is the work of a king. It is the role of a king. He didn’t say let’s make man to just be our royal subjects or to have playdates or to be little robots or to live passive lives on the earth. Let’s make man to rule. To have dominion. To govern. To take charge… 

… over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, 

This is instruction is to go and conquer the earth. Fill the globe with people. Bring it into submission. 

Subdue is a raw word. It means to bring something into subjection. Even by force. In person-to-person usage in the OT subdue sometimes involves violence and bringing someone into subjection against his or her will.12 The idea is to dominate and subjugate. Enslave. 

This isn’t some license to abuse the earth, but it is the instruction to go and conquer.  

What a wonderful plan! God shares dominion. He gets glory by sharing glory. He rules. He creates man in his image to rule. The King of kings and the Lord of lords delegating authority to human beings, created in his image.  

We each have our realms: 

Psalm 115:16 (ESV) The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.13 

As a side note, whatever station of life you are given dominion, you are conquering for his glory. 

Whether you work in the home or outside the home. Fixing your car. Mowing your lawn. Balancing your checkbook. Sweeping the floor. Wiping a snotty nose. You are bringing the earth into subjection.  

And he looks as says, this is good… very good (v. 31). 

And then Eve believes the lie that God is withholding something good from her and she has a better way to find fulfillment and happiness. And in pride she is deceived and eats of the tree. Adam takes the fruit and eats of it as well. 

The result? You failed to rule in the way God designed. Adam blew it. He was a failed ruler. And so, this realm, this world that man was supposed to rule over as God’s regent, is cursed.  

It’s why we have desires to exercise dominion and why we want to see a good kingdom—it was the original design. But in our corruption we simply aren’t able to maintain this kingdom. 

The good kingdom gets so bad by Genesis 6 that God starts all over. 

He destroys every human and every land animal on the planet except one family and the animals he could fit on a boat. Noah comes out and what is he called to do? Repeat of Genesis 1:26-28. 

Genesis 9:1 (ESV) And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 

What’s humanity do? Mankind, instead of multiplying and filling the earth tries to multiply and stay in one place. Man wants glory for himself. 

And so, what does God do? 

He scatters them at the tower of Babel. He is forcing them to fulfill his plan to spread out over the earth. His kingdom plan keeps getting stymied by sin. Adam isn’t the perfect king. Noah and his family didn’t provide the kingdom of perfect righteousness. 

But God hasn’t given up… and so alongside this failure is also… 

The Hope of King Jesus Revealed in History 

1. The preparation for King Jesus 

1. The promise of King Jesus 

Remember there is a promised seed in Genesis 3.14 

Genesis 3:15 (ESV) I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 

There will be one born of a woman who will succeed. These two kingdoms are going to be at war with one another. One kingdom ruled by Satan in his realm. The other kingdom is going to be led by God’s son. 

You can trace Satan’s enmity through all of human history. 

• The famine that almost wiped-out Israel and his sons, but God preserved his people through sending Joseph to Egypt. 

• Pharaoh trying to kill the Hebrews boys in genocide, yet God delivered them through the Exodus and into the Promised Land. 

• Saul attempting to kill David before he was even had children. 

• Haman trying to kill all the Jews in Persia, yet God preserved his people through Esther. 

• Herod attempting to kill Jesus by slaughtering the baby boys in Bethlehem. 

• When that failed, Satan tried to get Jesus to sin and abandon his mission. He incited hatred in the hearts of the people of Israel at that time to reject Jesus. 

The story is of a Messiah, God’s anointed facing opposition through all of his history. But God promises in Genesis 3:15 that this seed will prevail. He will crush the serpent. 

Genesis 12:1–3 (ESV) Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 

Here’s the promise. Built upon Genesis 3:15 and now expanded with greater clarity. You are going to get a nation. A people group that is blessed of the Lord. And you will have offspring. And all the nations of the earth will be blessed through this seed. 

I’m gonna promise to send one who does what I gave Adam to do in Genesis 1. He is going to be a source of blessing to the entire earth. He is going to be a descendent of Abraham. 

And so, we see that Israel and Israel’s land is a microcosm of what is going to happen worldwide in the church and for all of the people groups of the earth. This was Israel’s hope and consolation. This was Israel’s comfort. God’s covenant with Abraham started to make the picture a little clearer. 

Then we get even more specific. He will be the second Adam. He will be Abraham’s son. A descendent of Isaac, the son of promise. The son of Israel (Jacob, the little brother, not Esau the older one). And then as Israel is blessing his sons we read of the next narrowing prophesy about this coming one: 

Genesis 49:8–10 (ESV) “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 

Fast forward to David. 

David is of the tribe of Judah. Judah was also given a promise. 

2 Samuel 2:4 (ESV) And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah… 

David is the anointed. 

2 Samuel 7 (ESV) 

1 Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” 4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord GOD! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O LORD, became their God. 25 And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” 

Davidic Covenant15 

Prophets 

The Hope of King Jesus Revealed in History 

1. The preparation for King Jesus 

1. The promise of King Jesus 

1. The preview of King Jesus 

I want to show you how connected the reign of Jesus was to his arrival and his mission. He came as Savior, but also as the promised king. 

Matthew 1:1 (ESV) The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 

The seed in whom all the nations would be blessed and the Son who would inherit an eternal kingdom. It wasn’t just how Matthew framed things up in his gospel. Look at how the angel Gabriel framed up the son whom Mary would bear. 

Luke 1:31–33 (ESV) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 

Simeon. Anna. Zacharias. John the Baptist. All saying the same thing.  

He came bringing a preview of the kingdom. 

People think that Jesus did miracles because he was compassionate. Of course, he had compassion on people afflicted in this cursed world. And the miracles attested to his ministry. Just consider: 

Matthew 4:23–24 (ESV) And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 

Mark 1:32–34 (ESV) That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 

Isaiah 35:5–7 (ESV) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water… 

Matthew 12:22–23 (ESV) Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 

This wasn’t the beginning of the kingdom. It was a taste. A sample. Like Costco. Chips and salsa for the family. I had a taste. 

Every blind person had their eyes deteriorate and their ability to focus clearly wane as they aged. Every deaf person who regained hearing lost it as the sensory hair cells in their ears were damaged. Every paralytic he gave movement to would one day be lifeless in the grave. It was a taste, but it was only a taste. 

The Christ is the Messiah. The Anointed One. 

This kingdom motif opens up so many passages. So many places Jesus gives a little taste. A little foretaste. A sample. A preview of what’s to come. Just consider the mount of transfiguration. 

Matthew 17:1–9 (ESV) 1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  

Peter is no dufus. Why’s he so excited and ready to set up booths for Moses and Elijah and Jesus? Because he believes it’s the revelation of his kingdom. You say, how do you get that out of Matthew 17? Peter’s own commentary on this passage. 

2 Peter 1:16–19 (ESV) 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 

We saw his majesty. We saw his power and glory. This is what is on Peter’s mind when he asks in Acts 1—will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 

Where is Jesus right now? 

Psalm 110:1–2 (ESV) The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 

Acts 2:33 (ESV) Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 

That is still coming. We are waiting for the day that he is on the throne.  

Present Age: Jesus is in heaven and the nations do not yet submit to Jesus as King. 

Typology in the OT—David when he was anointed was in fact given the right to rule over Israel. But there was a period of time between his anointing as king and his ascendency to the throne. In a like manner, Jesus is now exalted to the right hand of the Father and given all authority. But he is not yet reigning on David’s throne. 

It is worth noting that the establishment of David’s kingship occurs in progressive stages. He is anointed as the rightful king by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16. Much later, in 2 Samuel 2:4, he is anointed king over Judah. Only after a long war between his house and the house of Saul (2 Sam. 3:1) is he anointed king over all Israel (2 Sam. 5:3–4).16 

All authority at the Father’s right hand, awaiting his kingdom. 

The Hope of King Jesus Revealed in History 

1. The preparation for King Jesus 

1. The promise of King Jesus 

1. The preview of King Jesus 

1. The presentation of King Jesus 

What still remains to come? 

He himself said:  

Matthew 25:31—When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 

He came as David’s true Son. He was and is the Messiah. He came bringing the kingdom and it was rejected and so all that is Israel got was a preview.  

Just as David was anointed and waited receiving the promised kingdom. So we wait for the glory to be revealed when Jesus returns.   

Millennial Kingdom: Jesus rules the nations on earth and punishes those nations who do not act as they should. 

Revelation 20:1–3 (ESV)  

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.  

Clearly the age we live in is not this kingdom. For starters all the physical promises of peace and prosperity as the curse is reversed have to be taken spiritually… not physical changes in the world around us, but simply spiritual ones. It divides or dichotomizes the spiritual and physical vs. viewing the kingdom involving both. 

But most obviously, Satan isn’t bound right now. Jesus isn’t ruling in all his kingdom glory with the devil bound: 

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

1 John 5:19 (ESV) We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV) In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

Jesus is reigning during this time. He is on the throne according to v. 11.  

Revelation 20:4 (ESV) Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 

We are not living in this living under this kingdom reign of Jesus right now.  

Isaiah 65:17–25 (ESV) 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. 

• Animal kingdom getting along (last time I checked at the zoo the goats and the tigers have a fence between them) 

• No more crying or weeping (you haven’t been in my house this week) 

• No more infant mortality (friends who lost a little one just this past month) 

• Older people not dying early 

• People living long and enjoying what they worked for (friends who have lost businesses) 

• People will build houses and live in them (no evictions) 

• Plant vineyards and eat the fruit of their work (gardens uyielding) 

• Violence will be removed from the land 

• Nations and kings will come to Israel 

Look, that description does not match the world we live in. And neither does it describe eternity. Babies being born and elderly dying.  

This is what we await.  

• A world that has basically no healthcare industry because sickness and disease is suppressed 

• A world where I things work the way they’re supposed to. The creation is being restored. All the stuff that continually frustrates you living in a fallen world is it going to be thriving without the curse. 

• A world where peace and harmony prevail. In families. In neighborhoods. The news will be filled with feel-good stories.  

• A world where God’s people are vindicated. God himself is vindicated.  

This is the beginning of the happily ever after ending that everyone wants. 

Before eternity, God is going to give Jesus, the second Adam the rulership to do what Adam failed.  

This view recognizes that the world itself is not bad. It has just been corrupted. And God is going to redeem not just individual souls, but creation. Well, how does this kingdom relate to eternity?  

Well, they are related. In fact, this kingdom is the opening scene in what the Bible calls the age to come. This kingdom is the first phase of this new era. 

Jesus will hand this intermediate kingdom over to the Father: 

1 Corinthians 15:24–26 (ESV) Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 

Jesus reigns. He rules until the end of his thousand-year kingdom and then he destroys all of his enemies once and for all. And then he hands the kingdom over to his Father and so begins the eternal state.  

Eternal State: The nations do exactly as they should with no need of punishment. 

What a marvelous plan. We are to long for this kingdom. To pray that it would come. To wait for it expectantly. To tell the gospel to those who don’t know this king.   

God created Adam as a son and king tasked to rule over God’s very good creation on His behalf. But with the fall, Adam and mankind failed the kingdom mandate.  

Man’s right and responsibility in regard to this world was not forfeited, but in his sinful condition all he could do was fail. God, though, launched a promise plan by which a coming seed of the woman would be victorious in defeating Satan and restoring the creation.  

Several strategic representatives of God would come including Noah, Abraham, and David, but the fulfillment of the seed promise culminated with the arrival of Jesus the Messiah (Gal 3:16).  

He is the One tasked by the Father to fix this fallen world by ruling over it successfully, fulfilling the kingdom mandate of Genesis 1:26–28, and bringing the creation into conformity with the perfect will of the Father.  

Jesus is the One who will succeed from and over the realm where the first Adam failed. Yet Jesus’ kingdom campaign will cover two main phases. With His first coming Jesus laid the basis for the restoration of all things by dying on the cross in fulfillment of the ministry of the Suffering Servant.  

The second coming will bring complete restoration under the King. When Jesus successfully reigns over the earth He will then hand His kingdom over to the Father so God may be all in all (1 Cor 15:28). This is God’s kingdom program.  

The kingdom of God is the great and grand theme of Scripture. The believer in Jesus can know the kingdom is not a spiritual escape to a cloud in the sky, but a transformed planet earth where the nations serve our great God and King Jesus.  

Having a proper view of the kingdom gives the believer a clearer understanding of God’s purposes for this planet and a real hope for a wonderful future. When one contemplates the kingdom how can we not help but be excited for its coming? How can it not affect how we live our lives? How can we not be motivated to share Jesus with those who do not know Him? May the prayer of God’s people be exactly what Jesus taught:  

Pray then this way . . . “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:9–10).  

Amen! Come Lord Jesus

John 18:28-37 

In 1979, the late Jerry Falwell pioneered a political machine known as the Moral Majority. Falwell, originally a pastor and university president, became alarmed at that social and cultural transformation taking place in America through the 1960’s and 70’s and responded by seeking to reclaim the nation through the American political system. 

Falwell saw traditional family values were under attack. Sexual promiscuity was on the rise, the advance of homosexual agenda socially, the legalization of abortion, schools were promoting evolution and removing group prayer. 

Falwell shifted his focus in 1979. Previously he had been a radio and eventually a television preacher. But he found a greater opportunity in politics than in preaching. One historian writes: 

Recognizing that he could gain greater attention by talking about social issues than theological topic, Falwell turned (from television preaching) to politics.1 

Things started off with a bang. 

In the fiscal 1979, the program raised $35 million from the two and a half million people on its mailing lists.2 

Adjusting for inflation, that would be $95 million in today’s money. Almost $100 million raised in one year. The Moral Majority, was self-described as pro-family and pro-American. They were anti-abortion. Anti-pornography. Anti-communist. Anti-homosexuality. Anti-gambling. Pro-Israel. 

In 1980 the Moral Majority was credited with helping Ronald Reagan win the presidential election. A new day of political conservatism seemed to be dawning. Grass roots campaigns were taking place at the local and state level. 

Many others had tried unsuccessfully to create similar movements and failed. 

What gave the movement such success? 

Well Falwell was joined by other megachurch pastors—Charles Stanley (adding a Southern Baptist contingency) and D. James Kennedy (from the PCA, the Presbyterian Church in America). Reached across doctrinal lines within Christianity. 

And not just from within Christianity, but beyond it. They found allies and supports among Catholics, Mormons and Jews who shared the same concerns about society and desire to see cultural transformation.3  

As sociologists reflect on what made this movement so powerful, it credits the key to the apparent success the fact that they were able to enlist the support of 72,000 pastors. 

72,000 pulpits that began to unite a grass roots campaign and a concerted effort to take back America and reclaim the moral high ground. 72,000 pulpits that began to prioritize the focus of God’s people from the simple message of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, to one of reclaiming America. 

That was the trade. 

Fast forward ten years to 1989 and the Moral Majority had already disbanded, and although they had aligned the American church with the republican party in the so-called religious right, even they recognized that their ambitions never materialized as they hoped. 

So, what’s to show for all the time and money today? 

Every moral battle the Moral Majority fought for in America is now either in the same spot or much worse. Go down the list and compare the legislation, the legal rulings, the media and entertainment industry, the practice and celebration of sin and compare the 1980’s to today. 

What was the problem with the Moral Majority?  

Was it what they stood for? No. Not really anyway. Christians should care about many of the things the Moral Majority did. They should fear the Lord, affirm what he affirms and hate what he hates.  

Was it that they involved themselves in politics through legislation and supporting candidates? No. Christians have a stewardship and the privilege of living in a democratic republic where we get to tangibly support what we believe honors God. 

The problem was a misplaced hope and a misplaced means for accomplishing that hope. 

What they failed to understand, and what we so often fail to understand is that although there are consequences of legislation and legal rulings from court battles and elections, God’s mission for his church is to center on the evangelizing of the lost and the edification of the saints so that we would be worshipers of God, for his glory. 

What they wanted was a good desire. 

What Christian doesn’t want to see righteous leaders and just laws. And punishment of evil doers and the promotion of legitimate civil liberties. The restraint of evil. Truthfulness. And honor and respect. The protection of the vulnerable. And peace. 

That kingdom is coming, but it isn’t here yet. 

We struggle because we want to see the promised kingdom come here and now through our own efforts. Through something that we can control. Something we can fundraise for. Mobilize. Gain enough influence and clout. Have the right party in control. Have the right person in the White House. 

God’s mission for his church is to center on the evangelizing of the lost and the edification of the saints so that we would be worshipers of God, for his glory. And to wait for his coming kingdom. 

It is a misplaced hope and a misplaced means for accomplishing that hope. We want the promised kingdom to come here and now through our own efforts. 

My friends, there is no such thing as a Christian nation or empire. 

What if the Moral Majority had been successful? What if every initiative had proved successful? What if we had a Christian for a president? Christian governors and judges and senators? What if abortion was illegal? What if evildoers were punished and true civil liberties were protected? Everyone feels better about their grandkids and reading the news and what others are posting online. But how does achieving that impact the cause of Christ? 

We don’t know exactly. 

But we have somewhat of a case study in church history. At the end of the third century, Christians suffered the most intense persecution the church had ever faced to that point. 

It started in rather indirect ways. First, pressure came against Christians regarding the military.  

Around A.D. 295 a number of Christians were condemned to death, some for refusing to join the army, and others for trying to leave it.4 

Basically, Christians were viewed as a problem because they might not be embracing the military the way the pagan would. It was viewed as a threat to military morale. So, the pressure for conformity wasn’t direct (i.e., you believe in Jesus) but rather your lack of conforming to our military expectations. 

Next, in 303 A.D. Diocletian issued an edict to remove Christians from positions of responsibility within the empire. It seemed fairly benign. Just remove believers from government positions. 

And yet when it came to applying this decree, there were those who did it with greater zeal—they went beyond what was commanded by the decree. They began to destroy Christian buildings and books. If people refused to hand over their books, they were tortured and condemned to death. 

This caused conflicts that led Diocletian to become convinced that Christians were conspiring against him. And so he decreed all church leaders be arrested, and every Christian sacrifice to the gods. 

Thus was unleashed the most cruel of all persecutions that the ancient church had to endure… efforts were made to encourage Christians to abandon their faith. Accustomed as they were to the relative ease of several decades, many Christians succumbed. The rest were tortured with refined cruelty, and eventually killed in a variety of ways.5 

Galerius was the mastermind behind Diocletian who was pushing the agenda against Christians. He was succeeded by Maximinus, who: 

…sought to perfect the policies of Galerius by having Christians maimed and put to work in stone quarries.6 

But of course, that work didn’t stop the progress of the church: 

But then many of the condemned began organizing new churches in their places of punishment, and Maximinus had them killed or deported.7 

Soon there was a decree granting a stay to stop punishing Christians as long as they “do not interfere with the public order.” 

I highlight that because the injunction wasn’t to stop preaching Christ, but to not do things that would threaten society. Public health and safety and peace in the empire were the ways that pressure came against the church. 

All of this set the backdrop for the arrival of Constantine. Constantine the night before a battle for the empire, had a dream where he received a command to put the Christian symbol on the shields of his soldiers. He didn’t come to salvation through repentance and faith in the finished work of Christ, but he had an experience that led him to believe that he wanted the Christian God on his side. 

And we get a window into what happens when the church goes from being persecuted to being in vogue. 

Constantine legalized Christianity. Finally, we had a guy who was on our side. He immediately upheld the free exercise of religion. He gave Christians back their property. Constantine was convinced that the glory of the Roman empire would be realized not apart from, but through Christianity. 

With the empire led by a supposed Christian, people were flocking to the churches. Apparent converts were happening so fast that there was hardly time to catechize them before baptism, let alone disciple them in the faith, or even validate if they were truly regenerate. 

Churches were receiving donations from the government. Soldiers were ordered by edict in A.D. 324 to worship the God of the Bible on the first day of the week. Constantine appointed a number of Christians to high positions within the government. He called together a church council in 325 and also sought to remove pagan temples and replace them with churches. 

During this time there were those who saw Constantine as God’s man for the job. He had been given to bring the church and empire together and for history to culminate. Constantine’s influence is difficult to underestimate because western civilization and much of our view of Christianity here in the West is connected to these very roots. Just consider some of the changes that were taking place… 

Christian theology was being shaped by the new circumstances, even to the point of abandoning some of the traditional themes…  

For starters, the prevailing view of the early church was that it was rare for the rich to see their need for salvation and be saved. But under Constantine,  

Riches and pomp came to be seen as signs of divine favor… 

Church buildings went from simple structures to get the job done (i.e., be a place to gather) and became ornate. There was a clerical aristocracy that began, that is to say church leaders began to operate in an official capacity, not longer just one of the common folks. They began to change from normal clothing to special attire. 

But perhaps the most significant change was in the area of a believer’s hope. Eusebius of Caesarea was one of the great theologians of his time. He was caught up in the apparent success of Christianity as marked by money and buildings and social clout and favor. And in the midst of that, his theology shifted. 

Although Eusebius does not go as far as to say so explicitly, in reading his words one receives the impression that now, with Constantine and his successors, the plan of God has been fulfilled.   

Beyond the present political order, all that Christians are to hope for is their own personal transference into the heavenly kingdom… there was a tendency to set aside or to postpone the hope of the early church, that its lord would return in the clouds to establish a Kingdom of peace and justice… the scheme of history that Eusebius developed led him to set aside a fundamental theme of early Christian preaching: the coming Kingdom of God.8 

Do you see what happened? The shift from being out of season, to being in season marked a shift in focus among God’s people. Rather than think about the kingdom to come, they began to focus on seeing the kingdom come in their own time in their own way. 

My friends, it is a luxury to have such a view. 

In fact, I would dare say that the worldview that things will get better and better until Jesus comes not only misunderstands the Scripture, but could only be maintained if you live in a place like Rome during the time of Constantine or America for the past 300 years. 

And the kingdom is not here right now. We are not living in the spiritualization of kingdom promises. By that we mean to say that this world does not fit the description we read about in Scripture when the Messiah is reigning and ruling with his enemies subdued under his feet. 

World religions. Islam fastest growing religion in the world right now. Buddhism. Hindu. Atheists. Paganism and other faiths. Then you have within the supposed Christian numbers Roman Catholics. Prosperity Gospel. Protestant liberalism (to say they don’t believe in the core tenant of the Gospel). 

Worldwide lawlessness abounds. Error abounds. There’s no nation you can point to that is experience peace within and without, with God-fearing rulers who love justice and citizens who live righteously. 

We reject post-millennialism, that is to say that we are going to see the kingdom ushered in through the gradual progress of Christ’s dominion on this earth. We reject amillennialism, which says either the kingdom doesn’t exist at all, or we are in the kingdom right now.  

Rather, we believe that the kingdom is a bona fide reality where Jesus will actually be visibly seen, seated on a throne, and by which his glory will be made known. He is coming to establish this kingdom. 

The Bible teaches that we are still waiting for this to come to fruition. Turn with me to Acts 1 to see this in just one place so evidently. This was after Jesus died and was raised and appeared… 

Acts 1:6 (ESV) So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

Is it gonna be here now?? What does he say next? 

My kingdom, the promises you have been waiting for are actually spiritual realities. I’m head of the church, so all of that stuff about peace and justice and righteousness, I meant that will happen in the church, not in society. You misunderstood the promises of my kingdom. No. 

Acts 1:7–8 (ESV) He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.  

We are waiting on it. I’m not giving you a date. But in this Jesus is affirming that there is a kingdom and in that kingdom is coming. What are the disciples to do in the meantime? 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

Wait for the spirit and then get to work. I’m tasking you with a mission until my kingdom comes. 

Make your way back to John 18 with me and we get to see how this kingdom is presented here by Jesus. 

Pilate meets his maker today and declares him innocent (John 18:29-38). 

Last week we parked on the first verse and saw that… 

1. Religious hypocrites do anything to keep saving face (28) 

That was our main point. Religious hypocrites don’t want to be righteous, but they don’t want to stop looking righteous. So they pretend. 

1. Pilate meets his maker and declares him innocent (29-38) 

John 18 (ESV) 28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”  

31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.  

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. 

John’s purpose here as we said, is to demonstrate that Jesus Christ was unjustly condemned and in fact, exonerated of any guilt. He records the details, and we will look at them briefly as we make our way to the statement, we are going to hone in here in v. 36 my kingdom is not of this world. 

28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters.  

The they here, is explained by Mark in his Gospel as:  

Mark 15:1—the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation;  

This was the Sanhedrin, the ruling body in Jerusalem made up of various religious leaders. Almost like a city council, except they operated in behalf of the nation. 

It was early morning.  

Not a legitimate trial. This was carried out through the night. 

But a man wasn’t to be tried and convicted on the same day according to their own statutes. Due process is being violated because they aren’t concerned with justice. This is an outcome-based trial.  

We know what we want and so we force the situation to fit into those rules. 

Jesus knew this was going to happen and said as much: 

Mark 10:33–34—…Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 

The whole thing is a sham. But these men are hell-bent on their own desires and they are blind to their hypocrisy. 

They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 

Save face at all costs. 

Unwilling to come clean and drop the pretending. The religious leaders, filled with pretense, must still keep the appearance of righteousness. They must keep it up to appease their own consciences and to garner the esteem of others. 

Normally the governor lived in Caesarea, but during the great feasts it was prudent for him to come to Jerusalem in case a riot or insurrection took place. Passover was particularly dangerous because emotions ran high as the Jews remembered their deliverance from bondage. 

29 So Pilate went outside to them and said,  

He goes outside. One time when the Jehovah’s witness ladies came to our door and I didn’t know that that’s a big no-no for them to come into the house. So, I told ‘em, “come in, let’s talk…” 

I told them… I’m in seminary right now, and we were just talking about you guys the other day. I’d love to sit down and try out some passages on you. They never came back… I think we had a different idea of a good time. 

Anyway, we had to stay outside to talk. Pilate goes outside. He’s no dummy. He knows this is a sham. And so, he asks them, 

“What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”  

Great non-answer. Just be honest. They say if he were not doing evil… 

What’s the truth about what Jesus has done? 

… he has cured every kind of diseases, has driven the devils out of men, has made the paralytics and the lame to walk, has restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and life to the dead? Such were the real facts, and those men knew them well; but… when men are intoxicated with pride, nothing is more difficult than to arouse them to form a sound and correct judgment.9 

31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”  

Look, I’m not going to be sucked into this. You can’t even bring a legitimate charge for something that I need to deal with. 

The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”  

We can’t. the Sanhedrin already condemned Jesus for blasphemy. But they can’t carry out the sentence because they would be breaking Roman law. They need the conviction at that level.  

Pilate isn’t going to swallow this thing.  

Even though he could at times be hard on the Jews, he has no interest in petty matters, and he certainly isn’t interested in granting false death sentences. So, he chooses rather than to simply affirm the case the Jews have made, to conduct his own trial and investigation. 

All of these events from the individuals are just happening. But God has a divine purpose in all of it. Verse 32 is an editorial comment by John. This would be in parenthesis if we were writing it today. Note: 

32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.  

If the Sanhedrin had Jesus killed they would have stoned him. Stoning broke bones. Here Jesus would be crucified in order: 

(a) to fulfill prophecies (e.g., that none of His bones be broken; cf. 19:36–37); (b) to include both Jews and Gentiles in the collective guilt for the deed (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:27); (c) by crucifixion, Jesus was “lifted up” like “the snake in the desert” (cf. comments on John 3:14). A person under God’s curse was to be displayed (hanged) on a tree as a sign of judged sin (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13).10 

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 

What’s he trying to figure out? Is this guy actually an insurrectionist? Is he trying to overthrow the government? 

34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”  

Putting it Pilate’s conscience. Is this really what you think I am? The charges of course were partly true and party false. Jesus was in fact the Christ, but Luke tells us the charge they made was: 

Luke 23:2b—We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King. 

They knew the claim to be a king would be the only potential way to get Rome involved. Jesus is an enemy of the state. 

35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”  

Why are you here? You’re the one who got delivered over today… not me.11 

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”  

I wonder what went through Pilate’s mind at that moment. Jesus is no doubt unphased being before Pilate. He isn’t begging for his life. He isn’t railing insults. He is calm. And he is undeterred. Unintimidated. And he looks him in the eyes and he says: my kingdom is not of this world. 

Unlike your kingdom that is of the world, mine is not. Jesus is speaking of origin here. The preposition of is ἐκ = source. It doesn’t originate from this world. It isn’t brought about through traditional forms of conquest. 

What’s his evidence? 

If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting,  

We would have organized a militia. We would have some plan to overthrow Rome. I would have been campaigning. Stockpiling resources. Organization. Planning. When I was to be brought into custody my servants would have been battling… 

that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.12 

There would have been a coup. A coup d'etat is defined as a group who overthrows a government and rules for at least a week. Usually requires significant skill or resources to overthrow even a weak government. You need a lot of power on your side. 

Jesus is saying, if my kingdom originated here on this earth, I’d have some military guys who knew how to use weapons and kill people. Instead look at me… I’ve got fisherman, tax collector, one random zealot with Simon who was involved in politics but wasn’t a trained military man that we know of.13 

Look, if you need proof, just go ask Malchus. Malchus is the servant of the high priest who Peter took a swipe at with his sword in the Garden. The guy should be dead right now because Peter went for his head and came away with just an ear. 

Jesus gives him the truth. Gives him the opportunity to submit himself to the truth, which Pilate will not do. He repeats himself. 

But my kingdom is not from the world.”  

Such strange words. Not backing down his claim to authority. This would be unnerving. You catch an insurgent leader—someone trying to lead a rebellion you expect them to be either 1) belligerent and defiant; or 2) diminutive and meek. 

Either still fighting or else trying to smooth things over. Either spit in your face or kiss your hand. But to stand there and not be angry or defensive and also not cower is astounding. 

Jesus sticks to the claim. He repeats himself. I’ve got a kingdom. Rome?  

Whatev… Yawn. Jesus doesn’t mock Pilate, but you could almost see him laughing… oh wait, you think I’m talking about this goofy little empire you guys have going? No. Sorry Charlie. I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in your cute little job Pilate. That’s so cute you guys stamp your faces on your money in your little kingdom. 

Pilate’s trying to figure out if Jesus wants Rome. Jesus is sticking to the facts—I’ve got a kingdom and it has nothing to do with yours. 

I actually feel bad for Pilate here. 

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?”  

Struggling to track this whole situation. 

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.  

Jesus never claims to be a king during his first coming. It wasn’t part of his mission at this time. Jesus never refers to himself “the King of the Jews.” He says, “the designation is yours” 

And He answered him, “It is as you say.”  

Why? Well, because it is true that he is the promised, anointed one of Israel. Calling himself a king is going to bring confusion.14 

Pilate is going to call him King of the Jews. The Maji are going to call him that. But that’s not a moniker he takes for himself. It’s not the right timing for him to be revealed as such. He’s not going to be caught saying, “I’m the King of the Jews” because it is going to be misunderstood, and his kingdom is going to include a lot more than just Jewish people. 

Nevertheless, the kingdom is a central theme of the earthly proclamation ministry of Jesus.15 Some would say it’s the central theme of the Bible. 

Explain Michael Vlach…  

Just let’s take one sample. Here in one gospel record. Matthew wanted to demonstrate Jesus was the promised Messiah fulfilling Jewish prophecies. But he’s just recording Jesus ministry. Let this convince you of how central the kingdom is. 

Matthew 2–Jesus Messiah… 

John the Baptist came on the scene before Christ saying what?  

Matthew 3:2 (ESV) “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

Satan comes to tempt Jesus. And what’s the bait? 

Matthew 4:8 (ESV) Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 

You can have your glorious reign now with all of the nations bowing to you in worship, and I’ll offer it to you without the pain of the cross. Bypass the humiliation and get the glory now. What’s his temptation? The kingdom exaltation without the suffering. 

Right off the bat, same chapter the preaching ministry of Jesus is centered on what? The kingdom.16 

Matthew 4:17 (ESV) From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

It is near. Matthew 5, Jesus preaches what we know as the sermon on the mount. What does he address in that sermon? 

Who inherits the kingdom? Who gets to be in? 

Matthew 5:3 (ESV) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 5:10 (ESV) “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 5:20 (ESV) For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

The future kingdom is to influence your life today recognizing that there are those who will be great and those who will be the least in this kingdom… 

Matthew 5:19 (ESV) Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

You are to pray for the arrival of this earthly kingdom: 

Matthew 6:10 (ESV) Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Your entire life is to be oriented around Christ and the future you have with him. 

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

Finally, entrance in the kingdom will not be based upon what you have done for God or done in his name. It will be based upon those who those who obey God out of a heart of love because they have been born again. 

Matthew 7:21 (ESV) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

Jesus is found preaching about, you guessed it, the kingdom.17 

• Sons of the kingdom, Matthew 8 

• The gospel (good news) of the kingdom, Matthew 9 

• Sends his disciples to go preach 10:7 that the kingdom is at hand 

• Talking about the kingdom in Matthew 11 

• The kingdom in Matthew 12 

In Matthew 13, Jesus says that: 

Matthew 13:11 (ESV) And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 

And from then Jesus begins to teach in parables saying, “the kingdom of heaven is like…”18 

• The seed that a sower sows on various kinds of soil 

• The wheat and the tares (good soil mixed with weeds) 

• Like mustard seed 

• Like leaven 

• Like a treasure 

• Like a fishing net 

It’s going to be a place where righteousness and justice reign: 

Matthew 13:41–43 (ESV) The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 

The church is given the keys to this kingdom. Talk about an amazing and wonderful responsibility. The idea that the church is carrying out the responsibility of on earth clarifying who is and isn’t part of the kingdom 

Matthew 16:19 (ESV) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 

Humility is esteemed in the kingdom…  

Matthew 18:1–4 (ESV) At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

A few days prior to this, Jesus had come riding into Jerusalem on an unridden foal. It was the sign of a humble king: 

Matthew 21:9 (ESV) And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 

Many are called into this kingdom, but few are chosen. Matthew 22 records that Jesus tells a parable of a King who offers an invitation to his son’s wedding. And when his invitation is disregarded (in this case by Israel) he extends the invitation to anyone who will come. And yet those who come in their own clothes, their own righteousness are cast out. 19 

You are to be ready for this kingdom by repenting and turning to Christ now while there is time. So, you are not left like the virgins who are unprepared when the bridegroom arrives and they miss entering the kingdom. 

Matthew 25:1 (ESV) “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 

You are to be looking forward to the fact that there is a new kingdom coming that will be your inheritance. God will be doling out rewards and punishment. 

Matthew 25:34 (ESV) 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. 

The glorious promise of this kingdom. What you are desiring is good. And it will be fulfilled. Just not yet. So many in Israel at the time of Jesus had a hard time understanding his ministry, not because they were completely wrong about the fact that Jesus was David’s promised Son who would rule. But they misunderstood that he wasn’t establishing his kingdom in his first coming. It was coming later. 

Too often we lose sight of this coming kingdom and we want to see these things here and now through means that we can control. It’s a misplaced hope. What you want isn’t wrong with regard to the desire for a coming kingdom. But you have to understand the timeline and agenda for getting there. It’s a different path, generally speaking: 

Acts 14:21–22 (ESV) When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 

That message isn’t suffering so that you can get saved. You get saved by trusting in Christ. But entering the kingdom, that process—is fraught with many trials. Many hardships. 

Right now, where is Jesus in all of this?  

He is seated at the right hand of the Father. He has all authority. He has been affirmed in the right to rule. But not all things have been put in subjection to him. Satan is still deceiving the nations. World superpowers are still doing what they will in rejection of Christ. Error and deception and wickedness is running amuck. 

1 Corinthians 15:24–25 (ESV) Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 

You can belong to this kingdom. Jesus invites you to enter into his kingdom. He beckons you to be part of it. 

How do you gain citizenship in this glorious kingdom? Faith in his all-sufficient sacrifice for you. But there’s a catch. You’ve gotta wait for it. 

Conclusion 

See his kingdom not of this world. It doesn’t originate from any human authority. And it isn’t brought about through human means. This should be an anchor point for you. It should be invigorating.  

Hebrews 12:28–29 (ESV) Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. 

His kingdom agenda is not cultural transformation. It isn’t to eradicate poverty. Or to relieve human suffering. That day is coming. But it comes when he brings it. And it comes when he is seated on David’s throne and he rules over all in perfect justice and righteousness and peace. It comes when he subdues his enemies underneath his feet. And at that moment he comes and reverses the curse and begins to make right what is currently wrong with this earth. 

Pilate has Jesus killed. Ok so that just accomplished God’s will. And then it didn’t even work because Jesus came back to life.  

Diocletian tries to get people to abandon their faith. Maximinus starts maiming Christians and sending them to work camps—ok now they have work camp church plants.  

Constantine ushers in a golden age of Christianity. Well kinda. Some huge benefits to the church—free to work on out theology and yet it also weakened the the church. 

Earthly kingdoms rise and fall. Pendulums will swing. The wicked are going to prosper.  

Not bringing the kingdom here and now… 

Your invitation… 

• Are you part of this kingdom? 

• Then are you joining in advancing this kingdom? 

• Don’t you dare for a second get caught up in the wrong definition of the kingdom. 

• You can properly care about good legislation and good candidates without hoping in it. 

So now we are ambassadors for this king: 

Matthew 24:14 (ESV) And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 

It was the words of our Lord to comfort his disciples: 

Matthew 26:29 (ESV) I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.