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Luke 13:18–21
“[The kingdom of God] is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches” (v. 19).
Standing before the Sanhedrin after being arrested for allegedly violating the sanctity of the temple by bringing gentiles into the sanctuary, Paul said that the real reason for his trial was “the hope and the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6). We know that Paul meant the hope of everlasting life grounded in the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Himself being the firstfruits of that resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20). Paul was referring to the last or ultimate blessings and things to occur in God’s work of redemption. These issues are dealt with under the theological heading of eschatology, and we are going to spend the next few days getting an overview of the Bible’s teaching on eschatology with the help of Dr. R.C. Sproul’s teaching series Foundations.
Topics such as heaven, hell, the return of Christ, the intermediate state, and the millennium all fall under the study of eschatology. One grand theme, however, stands behind them all—namely, the kingdom of God. The Bible tells the story of God’s kingdom, and the last things exist with respect to the consummation of God’s kingdom.
Without a doubt, Scripture teaches that God sits as the sovereign King over all creation (Pss. 47:8; 93:1; Rev. 19:6), so in one sense, the entire universe makes up the realm of His kingdom. When we say that the Bible is about the kingdom of God, however, we are referring to the kingdom of God in a different sense: the realm where people willingly submit to the reign of God and enjoy His blessing. This kingdom was originally manifest in the garden of Eden, but Adam’s sin plunged all humanity into rebellion against God our King (Gen. 3). Happily, God through His prophets revealed that one day all creation would again submit to the Lord (Dan. 7:13–14; Mic. 4:1–7). Some will do so willingly, and others will be forced to bow, but on that day, all people will recognize God’s lordship (Ps. 2; Phil. 2:9–11).
God has appointed the Messiah, Jesus, as the King of this kingdom. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God during His first advent, planting it in seed form (Mark 1:14–15). Since then, it has continued to grow; what started small is growing ever larger, as we see in today’s passage (Luke 13:18–21). Christians serve as the heralds of this kingdom (Acts 1:6–11). By God’s grace and power, we bear witness to God’s reign as we make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18–20). As more and more people become believers, the kingdom becomes more visibly evident.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
As Christians, we are heralds of the kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. We announce to the world that it has come, and we are its ambassadors, offering peace with God to people through the gospel. How are you serving as an ambassador and herald of God’s kingdom this day?
For further study
- 1 Chronicles 29:11
- Psalm 103:19
- Mark 4
- Philippians 3:20–21
The bible in a year
- Jeremiah 8–9
- 1 Timothy 2