God’s Purpose

NOTES

• Take Home Points

  When we conflate getting saved and going to heaven with the Gospel, we miss the vital bit in between—the part that the Gospel actually addresses: God’s purpose for creation … and its gripping central theme: our role as the custodians of the earth.

  According to Jesus, the Gospel is the Kingdom of God.

  The Gospel of the Kingdom vision was not a new plan. Rather it was a re-envisioning of God’s original purpose revealed in creation: a re-commissioning of humanity’s Genesis-mandate.

  In Jesus, we are restored to the Father, a relationship that restores both humanity’s identity and destiny: our identity as children of God and our destiny as custodians of all creation.

  God’s original plan is indeed His restored plan.

  The Gospel of the Kingdom is an invitation to follow Jesus and to partner with Him in His restoration project for creation. As a new humanity, to use our time, talents and treasures in the service of the King and His vision for a better world.

  The Biblical response to the Gospel is repentance and faith.

  Repentance means turning away from every system, not just every sin, that robs our affection for God and our allegiance to Him.

  Faith means putting our full confidence in God’s character and His words … and wholeheartedly believing in God’s restoration plan, actively participating in its fulfilment.

• Was the Gospel of the Kingdom message capturing an ancient theme?

  The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was a new retelling of an ancient decree. While this primeval mandate echoed down the line of time, resonating most notably through the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant and King David’s Reign, its original form remains the most profound.

  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, 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.

  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

  (Genesis 1:26-28, italics added)

  This Genesis-mandate was God’s original intent for His created order. His vision for humanity.

  Throughout the Scriptures, God repacked the original intent in different contextual downloads. From the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12 to the Mosaic Covenant in the Exodus story, to the Davidic Covenant and the reign of King David, God downloaded a fresh message into time and space to reconnect His people to the original intent.

  Even in John’s Revelation, many of his pictures of the final victory resonate with God’s original intent, making it clear: God’s original purpose is His eternal purpose.

  For example, John sees the host of heaven celebrating Jesus’ triumph: “[They] fell down before the Lamb … they sang a new song, saying, ‘You are worthy … for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth’.” (Revelation 5:8-10). The words resonate loudly with God’s dominion mandate.

  In other words, God contextualised His original purpose at various times to help His people grasp the Genesis-mandate in their generation. The writer to the Hebrews said it this way: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1, 2).

  Think about all the words in the Bible that begin with the prefix “re”, which means “to go back”. Revive, restore, redeem, repent, regenerate, renew, refresh, refine, reconcile, rebuild, repair and resurrect. They all refer to God taking us and His creation back to something original.

  The Gospel, the Good News, is that God’s original plan is restored in Jesus.

• Was the Gospel of the Kingdom political language?

  The word “gospel” (Greek: evangelion) was a political word used of the Roman Caesars. It was used of Augustus Caesar, to capture his dream of a utopian society, declaring that his reign would bring favour upon the world and its inhabitants. Of course, Rome’s citizens—many of whom were slaves—knew what to expect: another bout of tyranny was on its way.

  Think about it. Jesus chose to use these highly charged political words to announce His arrival. Read them again with this in mind:

  The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

  (Mark 1:15)

  The call to “repent and believe” in this context was not just a call to turn from personal sin and embrace the Saviour; it was, in fact, a call to defect from the corrupt Empire (and complicit Religion) and embrace a new King.

  Note that the “Gospel of the Kingdom” was a loaded political phrase, not the dry, dusty and even archaic phrase we might hear today. To first-century ears, it was sizzling hot. It was dangerous. Provocative. Dangerously provocative.

  It’s hard to overstate this point.

  The prevailing backdrop, the framing narrative, of Jesus’ day was the all-conquering, all-consuming, all-powerful Roman Empire and its oppressive domination enforced through the profession of obligation and fear, Caesar is Lord.

  Put it this way: if you lived in Jesus’ day, your life revolved entirely around the Roman Empire. It was wholly defined by it. For the Jews, even their proud, robust religious system was bent and twisted by it.

  By using this explosive political language, Jesus declared His arrival as King and offered a new framing narrative—an otherworldly backdrop at direct odds with the formidable Empire and a religious system co-opted by it.

• How was the Kingdom a transcendent message?

  Although the Message of Jesus resonated with ancient intent, it sounded new, even transcendent.

  Jesus used this explosive phrase to capture the imagination of His audience but then filled the phrase with a vision at complete odds with the cruel Empire and corrupt Religion that defined and oppressed them.

  The Gospel of the Kingdom message was raw and fresh and otherworldly in two brilliant ways.

  Model Citizens

  • On the one hand, Jesus envisioned a higher way of thinking, living and being that trumped the Empire and superseded allegiance to Caesar … while still maintaining an exemplary above-reproach attitude towards secular and civil authority.

  It was simply ingenious.

  Jesus’ followers defined themselves as citizens of a higher realm and served society from this higher moral code. However, they did so not with a haughty and high-and-mighty attitude, but with humility grounded in sacrificial servanthood. They advocated for society’s marginalised and contended for change yet remained model citizens of society, impeccable and unimpeachable.

  As model citizens, they turned the Empire upside down.

  Model Humans

  • On the other hand, Jesus turned the tables on compromised, complicit self-serving Religion by demonstrating a people-serving, love-based faith that expanded the boundaries of family love to deliberately include one’s neighbour, the stranger and even those perceived as enemies.

  It was simply revolutionary.

  Jesus’ followers renounced lifeless religion to fall in love with their God and with one another, but they ensured their love was outwardly focused, specifically contending for justice for the poor and marginalised of society. They exposed religion’s prejudice and hypocrisy with selfless, substantial love. They showed that, for all its good intentions, religion cannot make better humans or build a better world.

  As model humans, they flipped Religion on its head.

  Thus, the Message of Jesus was as upstream and counter-cultural as you could get. It was engagingly transcendent.

  And sadly, we need to hear this message again.

  If we’re honest, it’s hard to argue with the claim that too much of the church remains, by and large, enslaved by the corruption of Empire building and Religion making.

  I can only look at the fault in my own heart. And in this regard, I realised I had a lot more in common with Nicodemus than I could ever have imagined.

  You know the story.

  When this Pharisee arrived in the dark and private hours of the morning to soften up the “competition” with flattery, he was in for a rude awakening.

  Jesus cut through the façade and said,

  Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

  (John 3:3)

  Today we use the word “born again” incorrectly as an adjective to define a “real Christian”. Jesus used this metaphor of childbirth to say to this expert of religion, “You don’t know anything. You’ll need to go back to the beginning and re-learn all you know if you’re going to even begin to grasp the Kingdom of God”.

  Like Nicodemus, I realised I had a lot of unlearning to do if I was going to fully grasp the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

• How central was the Kingdom in Jesus’ life and ministry?

  Okay, let’s take stock of the centrality of the Kingdom in the life and teachings of Jesus.

  • “Kingdom” was the word Jesus used most frequently.

  Jesus used the word “kingdom” over 120 times. It was His most frequent expression.

  In comparison, He mentioned the word ekklesia, which is translated as “church”, just twice.

  Think about that for a moment. Christendom today is largely defined by the word “church” and the “Kingdom of God” is often merely one of many topics we discuss in “church world”. To put a finer point on this, we’ve settled for a church-shaped kingdom.

  However, Jesus did not proclaim the Gospel of the church. He proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom. It’s the King and His Kingdom that ought to serve as the lens through which we view a Kingdom-shaped church … and everything else for that matter.

  • “Kingdom” was the direct subject of nearly 50% of Jesus’ parables.

  Of the 40 parables Jesus taught, He devoted 19 to explicitly explain the Kingdom. That’s nearly 50% specifically devoted to unpacking the Kingdom.

  Of course, many of the other parables also allude to aspects or principles of the Kingdom.

  • “Kingdom” was the first word out of John the Baptiser’s mouth.

  The prophet John understood the heart of God. As the forerunner to Christ, the first words out of his mouth were, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1, 2).

  • “Kingdom” was the first word out of Jesus’ mouth.

  Jesus announced His arrival with these words, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15, see also Matthew 4:17).

  • “Kingdom” was the message entrusted to the Twelve.

  When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, He said, “As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand…’” (Matthew 10:7).

  • “Kingdom” was the message entrusted to the Seventy.

  When Jesus sent out the seventy in pairs, He told them to proclaim, “The Kingdom of God has come…” (Luke 10:9).

  • “Kingdom” was how Jesus explained His own purpose.

  When Jesus expressed His primary purpose for coming, He said, “I must preach the Kingdom of God … because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43).

  That’s a powerful statement. In His own words, Jesus defined His Kingdom-shaped purpose.

  • “Kingdom” was how Jesus explained our purpose.

  When Jesus explained our primary purpose, He said, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

  The word “first” doesn’t refer to the first in a long list of priorities. Rather, it refers to that which is primary, the source from which all else flows.

  For example, when Jesus told the believers in Ephesus that they’d left their “first love” (Revelation 2:4), He wasn’t suggesting they’d misplaced their priorities. No, they’d lost their heart!

  To seek first God’s Kingdom is to make His Kingdom our primary pursuit.

  • “Kingdom” was the focus of Jesus’ teaching on the end times.

  When Jesus explained our focus in terms of the end times, He said, “And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

  This is actually a point worth underlining.

  When Jesus alluded to the end times, His focus was entirely on the Kingdom of God.

  So many misinterpret Matthew 24 and set their end-times clock by things like “wars and rumours of wars” and other global affairs.

  Yet Jesus said of these news-making headlines, “See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6, italics added).

  The end is not yet?

  Yes, He continued to explain that these things—including “wars and rumours of wars … famines, pestilences and earthquakes”—were only “the beginning of sorrows” (vv. 7, 8). That is, they’re simply part of a world yet to be redeemed.

  So, what should we set our end-times clock to? What should our focus be?

  Jesus declared with crystal clarity: “And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14, italics added).

  Yes, the advancing Kingdom of God ought to be our singular focus.

  • “Kingdom” was the focus of Jesus’ teaching on prayer.

  When Jesus taught us to pray, He said, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9, 10).

  These three profound and powerful sentences really ought to be all we need. They sum up everything about the Gospel: restored to Father God, we’ve got a job to do as His sons and daughters. And that job, as custodians of the planet, is to align earth with the harmony and order of heaven.

  The problem is, I think, we’re too familiar with these words. They’ve lost their power and poignancy to us.

  The single most valuable thing for us to do is to hear these words with fresh ears.

  Allow these words to flavour your love life with the Father and animate your focus and sense of purpose each day.

• What are Biblical synonyms for “Kingdom”?

  Is the Phrase Still Relevant Today?

  Given that the Kingdom of God was a poignantly relevant phrase for the first century, is it still relevant today?

  That’s a good question.

  One may argue that it’s antiquated at best and its sole benefit lies in properly understanding the phrase in its first century context to grasp how we can apply it in our context.

  There’s certainly value in finding and using adequate contemporary synonyms that help us connect God’s original intent with our context. We’d be in good company. Some of the writers of the New Testament did just this, as they sought fresh ways of capturing the Gospel. We’ll look at some of these phrases in a moment.

  That said, with the re-emergence of nationalism and the revival of nefarious power-grabbing ideologies in our world today, the word kingdom may be as relevant as ever.

  Certainly, we’ll continue to use the phrase through these articles as we seek to grasp the urgency and power of Jesus’ Message.

  John and Paul’s Writings

  In their writings, both John and Paul used Kingdom terminology less frequently than the Synoptic Gospels. This was probably a way of connecting different audiences to the Message of Jesus. It may also have served to avoid provoking conflict as Jesus’ Message spread across the Roman Empire.

  In the political cauldron of this time—leading up to and after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70—espousing another Kingdom would certainly have escalated persecution from the insecure, tyrannical rulers of the Roman Empire.

  John’s Phrases: Life and Eternal Life

  John chose to use the word “life” and specifically the phrase “eternal life”—a synonymous expression for the Kingdom of God already established by the time John wrote his Gospel (Mark 10:17-31, c. vv. 17 and 23). He used the phrase “eternal life” fifteen times while he only used the phrase “Kingdom of God” six times.

  For example, John begins his Gospel with the words: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). John then refers to “life … abundantly” (John 10:10) and speaks of “eternal life”. Clearly, the implication is that Jesus has ushered in a new way of living.

  However, the phrase, “eternal life” has added to a misunderstanding of the Kingdom of God. The English phrase “eternal life” tends to sound “up there” or “after death” relegating what God intended now in “this life” to the “next life”. This is exactly the opposite of what John intended!

  We often make the whole point about getting through our time on earth so we can gain entrance into heaven. However, John’s Gospel reveals Christ as the Son of God who invades our existence now with Divine Life. The phrase “eternal life” in Greek (aionios) literally means, “age life” and refers to a quality of life centred on the Source of Life.

  Jesus defined “eternal life” in His prayer to the Father:

  And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

  (John 17:3, italics added)

  What is eternal life?

  Eternal life is to know God, intimately, personally, experientially now … right now in an ever-deepening and enriching relationship. Eternal life means that our existence is invaded by the Divine Life of God now and that we are forever rearranged as we now find our correct orbit around the King.

  Eternal life has nothing to do with going to heaven. It is a life lived large for God now because it revolves around Him and Him alone. The fact that our love relationship with the Father transcends this life is a deduction we make based on God’s nature. It’s not the primary intent of the phrase. (See What Does Aionios Mean?)

  Paul’s Phrase: In Christ

  Paul used the term “in Christ”. It is well-documented that this was his most popular phrase, one used throughout his writings. However, the fact that it is a synonym for the Kingdom of God is often overlooked.

  In Jesus, we are delivered from the power of darkness and “transferred into the Kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). Luke summed up Paul’s entire ministry with the words: “preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31).

  In his heart-wrenching final moments with the Ephesian leaders, Paul summarised his own ministry with the words: “I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God” (Acts 20:25). Yet he tactfully used the word “Kingdom” a mere fourteen times in all his writings, preferring to use the phrase “in Christ” ubiquitously to encapsulate his message.

  It is “in Christ” that our identity as sons and daughters of the Father is secured. From this place of security, we enjoy the awesome privileges of our Kingdom inheritance and are empowered to carry out our sober Kingdom responsibilities. Re-reading Paul’s letters with the understanding that “in Christ” refers to our new identity as sons and daughters in the Kingdom of God brings further revelatory light to God’s Kingdom purposes.

  Isaiah’s Phrase: Government

  Let’s look at one Old Testament synonym that may help us see the Kingdom with fresh eyes.

  Isaiah was a prophet without equal. He was certainly a heavy-weight prophet in the Old Testament and spoke more directly to Jesus Christ than any other Old Testament writer, earning him the title, the “Messianic prophet”. His descriptions of Jesus are mind-blowing considering that he recorded his prophecies nearly 700 years before Jesus arrived on earth.

  Isaiah described the coming of the Christ with these words:

  For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.”

  (Isaiah 9: 6, 7, italics mine)

  This passage gives us a synonym for the kingdom in the word government.

  The Kingdom of God is the Government of God—where the King is … King; where His rule (authority to govern) and reign (acts of government) are established.

  Thus, the “Kingdom of God” refers to God’s absolute right to govern His creation and His character (loving, just and wise) to do so for our highest good.

  Matthew’s Phrase: The Kingdom of Heaven

  While Matthew’s phrase, the Kingdom of heaven, was helpful in his day, it isn’t the case today.

  It cannot be stressed enough how overly heaven-focused Christendom became during the dark ages, a misdirection that continues today.

  For this reason, Matthew’s use of the phrase “the kingdom of heaven” is often mistakenly thought of as “the kingdom in heaven”, as though Jesus’ message is largely relegated to the afterlife (or the age to come).

  Firstly, the phrase “kingdom of heaven” is a synonym for “Kingdom of God”, as indicated by Matthew 19:23, 24.

  Secondly, Matthew was the only Biblical author to use the phrase and he did so because his primary audience was Jewish.

  The Jews, of course, considered it irreverent to use the name of God too frequently. Respecting these sensitivities, Matthew used the phrase “of heaven” instead “of God”. In fact, of the fifty times that Matthew refers to the Kingdom, he used the phrase “of heaven” thirty two times and the phrase “of God” only five times. In the remaining references, he used the singular word “Kingdom” or the “Father’s Kingdom” or the Kingdom of “the Son of Man”.

  In other words, the phrase the “Kingdom of heaven” refers to the “Kingdom of God”. And as such, it is largely concerned with this life not the afterlife. Without this understanding, we mistakenly make our focus on going to heaven when God’s actual intent is to bring His Kingdom to earth!

• What is the Executive of the King?

  The Kingdom project is not an individual enterprise. There are no solo players in the Kingdom.

  Jesus Himself modelled the way of community and team. Aside from the twelve disciples, He walked with the seventy and enjoyed the close association of a number of others, too. In fact, He left behind a nucleus of 120 believers awaiting the explosive launch of the Kingdom project on the Day of Pentecost.

  What do the following names have in common?

  Barnabus, Priscilla, Aquila, Sopater, Phoebe, Aristarchus, Secundus, Euodia, Syntyche, Titus, Gaius, Timothy, Lydia, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Silas, Junia, Luke and Trophimus.

  They’re some of the names of the people Paul walked with in his Kingdom adventure.

  The New Testament is packed with metaphors that convey the importance of the communal nature of the Kingdom of God, such as family, army, building and body.

  Think about it. A child without a family is an orphan. A soldier without an army is AWOL. A brick without a building is rubble. And an arm without a body is, well, morbid and disgusting!

  The Ekklesia

  The word that captures the communal nature and intent of the Kingdom project most profoundly is the Greek term ekklesia (ecclesia is the Latin version).

  Jesus used the word only twice but both times were significant. The first time, Jesus used it in the context of Kingdom authority (Matthew 16:1-20) and the second time, He used it in the context of mediating relational conflict—an act of governance (Matthew 18:15-19).

  While the term ekklesia meant simply “to call out” and thus spoke of the “the called-out ones” or the “selected ones”, it was not a religious word in Jesus’ day. It was, in fact, another political word that referred to those chosen from the general populace to serve as a civil body or an executive arm. In ancient Greece (from as early as 621 BC), the ekklesia was a group of selected individuals who would assemble regularly to deliberate and decide on matters of civil policy. (See What Does Ekklesia Mean?)

  In other words, the term spoke of an executive body whose function was to govern.

  Sadly, over time, the function of governing was conflated with the format of gathering, and the word translated in English as “church” became synonymous with a religious meeting on a certain day of the week or the building in which those meetings took place. So, if we read the word “church” and think of a meeting, or worse a building, we miss the intent of the word.

  While there’s everything right with believers gathering in His name for worship and fellowship, conflating ekklesia with a meeting or a building robs us of understanding our Kingdom identity and role.

  In contrast, Jesus nested the term ekklesia, a political term, in the context of the Kingdom of God. He anchored it on the foundation of God’s Father-heart and directly contrasted it with religion. (See The Time Jesus Confronted Legalistic Religion.)

  It’s this term that speaks to our collective mandate as the redeemed, an executive body through whom He advances His Kingdom.

• What is the Now and Yet-to-Come Kingdom?

  A lot of confusion around the subject of the Kingdom hinges around its “now” and “yet-to-come” aspects. Some defer much of Jesus’ message to the age to come. Others fail to understand the promise of the age to come and slip into triumphalism. Let’s look at the importance of grasping the tension between the “now” and “yet-to-come” Kingdom.

  Jesus began His public ministry declaring, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). He proclaimed something immediate, something that was changing in the “now”. The Jewish people certainly anticipated something to immediately transpire although their expectations of what Jesus intended were misplaced. Jesus never once squelched their excitement; He did consistently correct their interpretations.

  Although Jesus ushered in something immediate—climaxing in His death, resurrection and ascension—He also implied something was “yet-to-come” in His return.

  In His coming, Jesus will consummate His victory, pull down the curtain on this age and usher in the age to come. The apostles clearly grasped this reality and taught the people to live with an earnest expectation of His return, when He would “judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1).

  In other words, through the cross—His death, resurrection and ascension—the Kingdom has come “now”. The devil is defeated and his authority is broken; his power now lies solely in deception and accusation. It is the church’s role now—in this age—to oppose him and enforce the Kingdom’s victory in growing measure until Jesus’ return.

  When Jesus returns, He will close this present age and begin the age that is to come, an age of fulfilment. Thus, there is something of the Kingdom not yet realised in this age, something that is “yet-to-come”.

  We have the privilege and responsibility to usher in the age to come. To put it bluntly, we have a job to do, and Jesus is coming when we’ve completed it.

  The question is, what does God require of us now in this present age as we earnestly long for the age to come?

  Put another way, what constitutes the job done?

  The debate around “now” and “yet-to-come” therefore hinges primarily around what one believes God requires us to do in this age versus what only God can do in His return.

  At one end of the spectrum, some conclude that we can do very little but wait for Jesus’ return to rescue us from all the doom and gloom. Playing it safe, this view implies that the point is simply to hold out in the face of increasingly desperate forces of darkness: “We shouldn’t be too optimistic, bearing in mind a massive falling away precedes the end”.

  This tendency to suspend living and wait for the rapture certainly characterized much of the Western church in the late 1900s. At the end of every decade, predictions that the Lord was returning caused many to “pack their bags,” so to speak, for the end. It resulted in a confused army. With a sword in one hand and a suitcase in the other, do we fight or fly? Joking aside, the confusion has fed fear and paranoia.

  Others, in uneasy partnership with this side of the spectrum, deafened to the numerous “cry wolf” predictions of the last millennium, don’t actually anticipate His return at all. For many, the return of Jesus is no longer a reality and, well, we need to maximise life right now you know! Caught up in the spirit of this age, we’re often spoilt for choice and afraid to miss out on something.

  Yet at the other end of the spectrum—and in direct contrast to the escapist and compromising responses—others believe we complete the entire assignment. We’ll fix up the whole mess before Jesus returns. “In God’s grace, we can be extravagantly optimistic! Christ will return for a glorious Bride who has finished her mission; the falling away only serves to purify and empower true believers for greater fruitfulness.”

  Think for a moment which side of the spectrum you find your heart drawn to?

  Yes, this other end of the spectrum has been pushed over the edge into extreme schools of triumphalism, whose arrogance and avarice betray them. And while falling off the deep end is something we’d do well to avoid, think about which end of the spectrum is more consistent with our Kingdom vision.

  The first is entirely defeatist and doesn’t hold any water. In fact, it undermines the first coming of Jesus. To expect Jesus’ second coming to achieve what He, in fact, has accomplished in His first coming is a tragic misunderstanding and under-appreciation of what He has done.

  God’s unfailing commitment to intervene “in history” is seen throughout the Scriptures. Is it therefore not more consistent with the story so far for God to empower a victorious church to fulfil His mandate, appropriating His victory, “in history” as part of His Story? To view the ekklesia for which Jesus returns as a defeated Bride, who only fulfils her redemption potential “beyond history”—in the age to come—seems entirely inconsistent with the nature and plan of God.

  I think we ought to aim at the other side, knowing that should Jesus return sooner in the process than we have in mind, we’ll be caught busy with our Father’s business (Luke 19:13; 2:39). Isn’t this exactly the attitude Jesus imparted to us (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27)?

  Yes, there may well be several places to camp between these two ends of the “what can be accomplished?” spectrum. However, why aim for less than the job done?

  And yes, let’s be honest, even with the very best, most noble human effort on our part, the Kingdom mandate is completely and utterly impossible. However, I think we’ll be amazed at what God intends to do through us as we give ourselves extravagantly and outrageously to that which is humanly unachievable. God does seem to delight in doing the impossible through His people.

  However, the core issue is soberly within our scope of responsibility: Jesus made it clear that when He comes, the one thing He will be looking for is faith (Luke 18:8). Not heads filled with knowledge, but faith translated into action. Not activity for the sake of activity, but faithful and fruitful use of what He has put in our hands (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27).

  Whatever your take on this is; whenever it is that Jesus returns, we ought to be full of faith and hard at work. When Jesus chooses to interrupt us in His coming is His prerogative; that He finds us obedient to what He told us to do is ours (Matthew 24:36-51).

  As we wait for “that Day,” there is work to do in “this day.”

  Any vision that keeps us moving towards God’s expressed intentions for an earth filled with His Kingdom glory is worth it.

• Where Do I Begin? “Your Garden” [Includes Diagrams]

  So, where to begin? Where does one even start with this Kingdom mandate?

  We’re going back to the beginning. To the garden.

  You may recall, Adam and Eve were given a global mandate. To steward the created world.

  Adam was like, “Um, God, the whole thing?”

  Eve was like, “Uh, God, You do know how big the whole thing is, right?”

  Adam was like, “Where do we even begin?”

  Eve was like, “Is there even an end?”

  

  Sound familiar?

  Adam and Eve took a deep breath when God essentially replied, “Here’s your garden. Be faithful, fruitful and fulfilled in your garden and I’ll sweat the rest.”

  

  Adam and Eve did not bear the burden of the planet on their shoulders; no, they were responsible for stewarding the garden entrusted to them. God intended multiplying families to populate the earth, each stewarding a “garden” placed in their trust.

  For the first image-bearers, this was a literal garden. For us, “garden” serves as a metaphor for one’s sphere of influence.

  Just as Adam and Eve were entrusted with a garden, so are you.

  Your Garden: Your Sphere of Influence

  Your “garden” is the unique sphere of influence you have at this moment in time.

  Influence. Your sphere of influence.

  The Kingdom is essentially about influence. And your garden represents the scope of your current sphere of Kingdom influence.

  Your garden includes the mix of relationships you enjoy, from family and close friends to your extended friendship circles, to your work/uni/college/school colleagues, to your neighbours, to those you regularly interact with in sport, hobby or leisure activities, and to those you serve through regular or spontaneous service opportunities. Anyone with whom you enjoy regular or semi-regular contact.

  Every one of us has a sphere of influence as unique to us as our fingerprint or, for international frequent flyers, your retinal scan.

  Why? Firstly, no one has the same mix of relationships you have. Secondly, and just as importantly, no person brings to the table the unique combination of personal resources (heart passions, gift-mix, personality and life experiences) that you have.

   Your sphere of influence is essentially the sum total of all your relationships and resources.

  

   The Power of One Individual

  It’s estimated that we all have meaningful influence over at least 1,000 people over the course of our lifetime. And that’s a conservative estimate.

  But let’s work with that number.

  Over the course of your life, you’ll meaningfully impact over 1,000 people.

  

  That means you’re one person away from 1,000,000 people.

  

  And two people away from 1,000,000,000 people. Yes, that’s a billion people.

  

  This simply highlights the multiplying influence of one person who seeks the highest good for the 1,000 people they’re likely to influence during the course of their lifetime.

  Don’t underestimate the good you can do. Don’t underestimate the lives you can enrich over the course of your life.

  Locus of Control

  LORD, You alone are my portion and my cup; You make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

  (Psalm 16:5, 6 NIV, italics added)

  David had a good sense of where the boundary lines of his sphere of influence lay.

  Understanding and respecting the boundaries of our garden is critical. Exceeding these boundaries creates disharmony and stress.

  Knowing where your boundaries lie helps you to manage the things you can control and accept the things you cannot control.

  To borrow a phrase from psychology, this is called your locus of control.

  Locus of control refers to the degree to which we feel that we, in contrast to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in our lives.

  Think of it like this:

  

  Peace of mind and a sense of empowerment comes from a healthy understanding of what lies inside and outside your locus of control (your boundaries).

  Consider the two extreme cases and their consequences.

  Extreme Internal Locus of Control

  

  Overwhelmed by a sense of over-responsibility, an extreme internal locus of control leads to severe self-criticism and eventually burnout or a breakdown.

  Extreme External Locus of Control

  

  Overwhelmed by a feeling of no control, an extreme external locus of control leads to fatalism, blame-shifting and finger-pointing.

  However, when you enjoy a good grasp of where your locus of control lies, you take responsibility for the things you can control, and you trust God in the things you cannot control.

  

  Taking responsibility empowers us. Trusting God liberates us and leads to peace of mind.

  You can think of the Will of God in this same way:

  

  Taking responsibility for what God has revealed empowers me. Trusting God in what He has yet to reveal gives me peace.

  Generally speaking, what lies within our control?

  

  VAR =

  • Our Values & Convictions
  • Our Attitudes & Thoughts
  • Our Responses & Words

  We enjoy peace of mind and a sense of empowerment when…

  • we take full responsibility for our VAR and
  • we accept that we have no control over other people’s values and convictions, attitudes and thoughts or responses and words.