1. Paul’s Kingdom Tour - NOW!
Week 9 • Day 1
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I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. - Ephesians 1:16-22
Last week, we saw that the last half of Acts documents Paul’s journeys to reach the rest of the Mediterranean world with the gospel of the kingdom! Over the next two days, we would like to take you on a “kingdom tour” alongside Paul as he travels from region to region and writes a variety of letters to God’s kingdom people meeting together in the local meeting of Jesus followers called the church. These selections will capture the essence of Paul’s conversations with these local churches with a particular focus on how Jesus has made the way to establish God’s rule over God’s place as it expands through God’s people of faith.
We pray that on this journey your heart may be enlightened to the hope of salvation found through the forgiveness of sins made possible by the powerful rule of King Jesus who crushed the serpent on our behalf, the riches of becoming a member of God’s kingdom family of people, and the victorious life-giving power of being filled with the Holy Spirit as we become God’s temple place here on earth!
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. - Romans 14:17
Let’s begin our kingdom tour in Colossae! For Paul, it makes complete sense for the entire story to start with Jesus. If he was in fact the long awaited serpent-crusher, then everything revolves around him! In opposition to a variety of other religious claims which included philosophy, empty deceit, human traditions, and the worship of other spiritual beings, Paul points the Colossians to the reality that Jesus claimed and proved to be God in the flesh when he rose from the dead. This Jesus is the one who makes “peace by the blood of his cross.”
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. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. - Colossians 1:15-20
Jesus, as the “image of the invisible God”, is the only one in history who could overcome the schemes of the serpent. Therefore, true life - whether it be spiritual vitality or earthly fulfillment - can be exclusively found through placing our faith and trust in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to crush the serpent on our behalf. For those who trust in this New Covenant promise, Jesus’ powerful rule is able to forgive our sins and send the Holy Spirit to make YHWH’s kingdom place in our hearts forevermore. Thus, followers of Jesus become God’s redeemed kingdom people as we form new communities across the world “NOW”. In Colossae, we learn that this gospel of the kingdom results in a new type of garden-like community who would (1) love God by walking in a deep, mysterious, and unified relationship “with Christ in God” and (2) love others by dying to the temptations of the flesh and living in harmonious shalom with one another! This kingdom of people that has been forgiven by Jesus and united by the Holy Spirit would be the “body” that spreads God’s glory as it blesses the nations by following the rule of the Father!
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:3–17
In theory, this kingdom idea seems nice, but there are very real obstacles. Although the serpent has been crushed and lost its venom of sin and death, the lingering effects of the serpent’s kingdom continue to create hostility in our world. In order to wrestle with our remaining serpent-like sinful human condition, let’s now follow Paul’s letter to the Roman church. In the 1st century, the church in Rome that had been established by a band of Jews was now severely divided when the founding Jewish members were exiled out of Rome by Emperor Claudius leaving the remaining Gentiles to lead the church. When the Jews were allowed to return 5 years later, the community inevitably had to settle its own internal disputes between the two factions. Watch how Paul speaks directly into to this messy situation by leveling the playing field based on the fallen sinful nature of humanity!
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. - Romans 1:18-32
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. ...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. - Romans 3:19-20, 23-25
Paul had recognized that God’s image-bearers who remained in the fallen flesh had grown in their pride and elevated their hearts over their brothers and sisters, just as God had warned regarding the kings of Israel years ago. In response, Paul points out everyone’s corrupt sinful nature in order to humble the entire church and remind the Romans that following Jesus meant denying the throne of our own flesh and placing God on His rightful throne in our lives by following the Spirit!
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? - Romans 7:21-24
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:1–4.
The entire gospel of the kingdom begins with the reestablished rule of the Davidic Messiah over the serpent who had been defanged of sin and death. Romans affirms that for anyone who believes in the sacrificial work of Jesus, there is now “no more condemnation” as our sins have been eternally forgiven and we have now become God’s place through the power of the Holy Spirit in this life and the next. The result is a new type of kingdom people who are empowered by the Holy Spirit “NOW” to (1) love God through sacrifice and discernment and to (2) love others, even amidst this divisive situation between Jew and Gentile! Once again, the faith of this kingdom community would be the vessel that spread God’s blessing to the nations.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:1–2
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:9–21
Yet what happens when the situation is so dire that it is hard to live this kind of kingdom lifestyle? In situations where the “spirit is willing” but the “flesh is weak”, it is so crucial to hold onto key phrases, songs, creeds, or sayings that remind us of the gospel of the kingdom. Near the end of his kingdom travels, Paul found himself locked in prison several times. On one occasion, Paul encouraged the church at Philippi to hold onto this beautiful song which may have encouraged Paul while he was in prison.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 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. - Philippians 2:5-11
The King of this heavenly kingdom is incredibly humble! Jesus willingly let go of his powerful rule as God in order to become human and pay the penalty that was due for ALL sins on the cross. Later in the letter, Paul goes on to remind the Philippians that by faith in this New Covenant sacrifice and promise, we can share in the righteousness of Jesus as our sins are forgiven and the Holy Spirit dwells in us forever! The song also reminds us that as a result of Jesus’ actions, God took his “suffering servant” and exalted him as the victorious ruler of all things. Today, this early christian hymn is a reminder for all of those who now possess the Spirit of God (place) that they are kingdom people being empowered by the same Spirit that empowered Jesus to (1) love God and (2) love others. Therefore as Christians, we can use our renewed delegated rule to overcome the schemes of the serpent kingdom, conquering our pride in this life (just as Jesus did) and experiencing resurrection in the next (just as Jesus did)!
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:7–11
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8
As a result of the gospel of the kingdom, disciples of Jesus are entirely free to live righteously through the power of the Holy Spirit “NOW”. However, one challenge the early church faced was reconciling what this new freedom meant for the 613 + Jewish laws that the religious leaders strictly enforced on the community of Israel. Paul’s letter to the Galatians reminds this local church that the righteousness of people like Abraham was and has always been based on faith in the covenant promises of God made at the time. Now, in light of the promises of Jesus and the New Covenant work on the cross, Paul’s true and simple gospel invitation is that anyone can come to Him by faith in his substitutionary sacrifice - an act that the law had always been foreshadowing (see Leviticus)!
For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:19-20
Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. - Galatians 3:6–9
Now that Jesus has crushed the serpent and reestablished his rule, the New Covenant promise was that the people of faith would have their sins washed away and the law of God would forever be written on their hearts via the Spirit of God! Instead of being coerced to do something by an enforced law, the Holy Spirit lives in us (place) to fuel and empower His people to (1) love God by walking in obedience to His ways and (2) love others via the “fruit of the Spirit” in our lives. This type of kingdom lifestyle speaks volumes to the surrounding community and can have a tremendous impact and blessing to all of the nations!
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. - Galatians 5:1, 13
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. - Galatians 5:16–26
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. - Galatians 6:9–10
Are you seeing the pattern here? Yes, the gospel of the kingdom starts and is entirely dependent upon Jesus crushing the serpent on the cross and defanging it of sin and death! However, don’t miss that the gospel of the kingdom continues on through God’s people who have become God’s place and have developed a craving to follow God’s good kingdom rule! The faithless nations who continue to suffer under the serpent kingdom, will undoubtedly be blessed by this new and alternative kingdom community that wields a message of freedom and victory over the serpent by faith! Yet as we have seen, there can be so many serpent-like factors that remain a part of our fallen world that keep us from this kingdom of God. Consider the book of 1st Corinthians set in the city of Corinth which is rather comparable to the Bay Area. In this port city and central hub for culture, wisdom, and religious thought, Paul goes out of his way to remind the church that the beautiful wisdom of God is found in the cross (hopefully you can see that by now). However, in the eyes of the world, the message of an impoverished Jewish servant who died a horrific death and claimed to rise from the dead is outright foolishness. That is why when the Corinthian followers of Jesus had fallen prey to the “wisdom of the world”, Paul reminds the church of their true spiritual identity!
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
The wisdom of the cross is that Jesus has established the rule of YHWH by crushing the power of sin and death wielded by the serpent! By faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, our sins are eternally forgiven so that God’s place becomes our hearts. As 1 Corinthians reminds us, our bodies literally become the living temple of God! As a result, we become God’s people who are “NOW” empowered to (1) love God by obeying Him and spread His message and (2) love others by utilizing the gifts of the Spirit we have been given to serve in the family of God!
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. - 1 Corinthians 9:19–23.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body… Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. - 1 Corinthians 12:4-20, 27.
The kingdom of God begins with God’s powerful rule - the victory of Jesus on the cross and the forgiveness of sins available through him alone! It is only by faith in Jesus that we receive the gracious blessings of the kingdom when our sins are cleansed and the Holy Spirit dwells in us - making us the temple place of God “NOW”! From that moment forward, we become God’s kingdom people who learn to (1) love God once more by walking with him in obedience and (2) love others in the way we interact with His kingdom family. This radical love becomes the signal that the kingdom of God has come to earth as it is in heaven and can continue to break through “NOW” in this fallen world!
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. - 1 Corinthians 13:1–8.
Share the Gospel: The kingdom of God begins with God’s rule - the victory of Jesus on the cross and the forgiveness of sins available in him alone! By faith in Jesus, we receive the kingdom when our sins are cleansed and the Holy Spirit dwells in us - making us the temple place of God! From that moment forward, we become God’s kingdom people who learn to love God once more by walking with him in obedience and love others in the way we interact with His kingdom family. This is how the kingdom of God comes to earth as it is in heaven!
