The Kingdom of God- 2

Subtitle:  Now But Not Yet Fully

Various passages.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on March 23, 2025.

Next week, we are going to talk about how a person enters into the kingdom of God.  But, before we do that, we need to deal with something that was a surprise when it was revealed.

In some ways, Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God as something that people could and were entering in his day, but in other places, the Kingdom of God seems to be something that is still future.  The subtitle of today’s sermon is relaying the fact that the Kingdom of God is right now, but also, not fully here.  To say it in another way, the Kingdom of God is already present on the earth, but not yet complete.

Let’s look at some passages.

Passages that speak of the Kingdom as a present reality

Our first passage is Luke 17:20-21.  We have there a question posed to Jesus by the Pharisees. They wanted to know when the Kingdom of God would come.

The Pharisees as a group did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.  Definitely, there were some who secretly believed, and others who would believe after the resurrection of Jesus.  Yet, we should not suppose that this is a question that is asked out of a sincere desire to hear the wisdom of Jesus.   Their question probably represents an adversarial intent.  They are fishing for him to make his views clear so that they can then use his words against him.

We should keep this in mind when analyzing the answer that Jesus gives.  Jesus always gave truth to these men, but it was in a way that would be missed (or even dismissed) while they remained unbelieving.

The first point made by Jesus is that the Kingdom doesn’t “come with observation.”  The verb is actually present tense here.  Thus, the Kingdom is not coming (presently) with observation.

What is meant by the phrase “with observation?”  Some versions translate this as “with signs.”  This seems contradictory because the biggest sign that the Kingdom had arrived was staring them in the face.  Jesus did many signs before the people, whether casting out demons, healings, and his powerful teachings of repentance.  If the Anointed teacher from God was here, then the Kingdom was surely on his heels. 

Yet, though some of the actions of Jesus may have fit what they expected, many of his actions did not.  They were looking for one from the line of David to rise up, make a rightful claim to the throne, lead an army against Rome, and establish Israel above the nations.  These are the things they expected, or were seeking to observe.  The Kingdom was presently coming, but not in the way that they were expecting, not in that kind of way.  This would not be a replay of David.

Jesus then states, “For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you” (NKJV).  “For indeed” is translating the word look, or behold.  It is exclamatory and calls a person’s attention to something they are missing.  If they had eyes to see, they would recognize the Kingdom.

The translation “within you” is unfortunate.  You will notice that many other translations will give the translation “among you.”  Why the difference?

If we take “the Kingdom of God is within you” to be a statement about a spiritual nature of the Kingdom, we would be able to find many passages in the New Testament that back this up.  The Christians did not try to take over the nation of Israel or establish a capital city with a king on a throne in those days.  Christ’s rule was realized within their hearts and minds.  By the Spirit, they were connecting to the King and living out his purpose and plan in this life.

Yet, in the context, Jesus is not talking to believers.  He cannot be saying that the Kingdom is spiritually in the hearts of these unbelieving Pharisees.  This brings us to a secondary notion of “within you.”  The you here is plural.  Within is most likely not referring to within them individually, but rather, in the midst of the group.   Jesus was even then right in their midst, within them as a group.  Yet, they couldn’t see him for who he was.  This is not a statement of the Kingdom’s spiritual nature, but rather an answer to their question.  It is here right now in your midst, and yet, you cannot see it!

There is no way around this passage.  Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God was already in the midst of the nation of Israel in his day.  He also taught that it was not coming in the outward way that they were expecting.  It would not be a nation like they were used to seeing nations.

We should resist the temptation to refer to this as simply a spiritual kingdom.  Rather, it is a kingdom on this earth unlike any kingdom before it.  It’s King (Jesus) resides and sits on a heavenly throne at the right hand of the Father.  He sends forth his Holy Spirit to draw people unto him and to dwell within his followers.  When we read the Word of God, we cannot observe the Holy Spirit applying it to our heart and speaking within our inner man, but it is very real.  We can’t see executive orders from Jesus to the angelic world and to his people on earth, but they are real nonetheless.  In fact, the followers of Jesus do very real things on the earth in response to a very real spiritual work within them.  Not everything done in Christ’s name is stirred up by his Spirit.  Yet, we cannot deny that the New Testament presents a real king operating by the Spirit in the hearts of his followers.  This is the Kingdom of God in the present age.

This helps us understand the words of Jesus before Pilate in John 18:36.  He tells Pilate that his Kingdom (notice he doesn’t deny its reality) “is not of this world…If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews…”  Jesus is a King over a very real Kingdom, but it is not of this world.  Don’t read that phrase as if it means it isn’t in this world.  Just as believers are born of the Spirit and are no longer of this world, so the Kingdom Jesus is creating is not of the world.  It is not like it, but even more, the world is not its source.  This is a Kingdom that God the Father is originating.  All other Kingdoms were created by mortal men and displayed a particular way of operating.  This Kingdom is not at all like those kingdoms.  This is why they didn’t fight to save Jesus.  His Kingdom is not worldly and focused on worldly attainment.  Rather, his Kingdom is directed by the Father for higher purposes that the world, and those who think like the world, cannot understand.

Luke 11:19-20 gives us another statement of the Kingdom’s present reality.   Again, Jesus is speaking to Pharisees who do not want to believe that he is Messiah.  Of course, they would have to explain the power Jesus displayed in casting out demons.  Jesus knew that some of them were saying in their minds that he was able to do this because he was in league with the prince of demons, Beelzebub.  Thus, it was a satanic ruse to get people to follow Jesus.  This really was the only option for unbelievers because there was too much undeniable evidence for these exorcism.  Men who had been tormented and tormented a whole region for years were suddenly in their right mind at the command of Jesus.

Jesus points out that this logic can be used against their own students who performed exorcisms.   Casting out a demon cannot in itself be proof that a person is in league with the devil.  You would need something else to establish that.

Of course, these disciples did not have the power and success-rate of Jesus, not even close!  Yet, Jesus is mercifully showing them the error in their logic.  However, their error in logic is not driven by inability to use logic.  Rather, it is driven by their unwillingness to accept that Jesus is (was) their Messiah.

Jesus statement at the end drives the main point home.  “If I cast out demons with the finger of God…”  It is put as a conditional because this is what they are struggling with.  Of course, Jesus knows that he does this with the finger of God.  This is not some admission that he isn’t sure how he is doing this.  The finger of God language comes from Exodus 8, when Moses stood before Pharaoh and his magicians.  They were able to duplicate some of the first miracles, but they eventually tell Pharaoh that Moses was not using magical arts.  This was the very finger of God working with him.  They could not do what God was doing through Moses.  By the way, Jesus is most likely implying to the Pharisees that their disciples are equivalent to Pharaoh’s magicians, and he is equivalent (actually greater) to Moses.  He was the prophet like Moses that they were told was coming (Deuteronomy 18).    When God shows up, there is no comparison between what men can do through ritual and reliance upon fallen spirits, and what He does through His people. 

Back to the statement of Jesus.  “If I cast out demons with the finger of God, behold, the Kingdom of God has come upon you!”  Jesus is challenging them to quit resisting the Holy Spirit and open their eyes.  They are hardening their hearts much like Pharaoh did.  Here it is!  Embrace it!  The King is in front of them displaying the power of the Kingdom over every evil thing, and they are blind to it.

Matthew 21:28-32.  This passage deals with the an issue that was similar with John’s ministry.  By what authority did John baptize people and tell them to ready themselves for Messiah?  Also, by what authority was Jesus doing what he was doing?  Jesus challenges them about John because they were unwilling to state categorically that John was not sent by God as a true prophet.  This was a political unwillingness because John was popular with the people.

Jesus then asks a question about two sons who were asked by their father to go work in his vineyard.  The first said that he wouldn’t do it, but later he regretted it and went to work in the vineyard.  The second son, however, said that he would go, but he never went into the vineyard to do the work.  The question is simple.  Which of the two sons did the will of their father?  The obvious answer is that it was the first son who was unwilling at first, but later did the work.  He then gives a powerful statement that would help them to see what the two sons represented.  “I say to you that tax collectors and harlots [enter] the kingdom of God before you.  He then goes on to connect their entering the Kingdom to believing in John. 

There is more here than I have time this morning.  In one way the two classes of sinners listed are like the first son.  They had rejected God’s purpose for their life and were doing their own thing.  However, the ministry of John the Baptist (and now Jesus) had caused them to regret this.  They believed and were doing “the work” that God had always asked of Israel: trust in Me and believe on My Anointed One when he comes.  However, the Pharisees through their lives were telling God that they were all about doing His work.  Yet, they refuse to embrace John, the Messiah’s forerunner (herald), and the Messiah himself.

We could also invert this by only focusing on John’s prophetic message as the Father’s call to go into the vineyard to work.  These Pharisees were refusing to believe John and now they are refusing to believe the One John pointed out as Messiah.  They could “regret it” and do the work, but they are continuing in their rejection of the Father’s will.  It is still possible that they could repent and do the will of the Father.  Our ability to do God’s will is not prevented by previous failure, though it definitely influences us. 

We should note that the verb in verse 31 is present tense.  Tax collectors and harlots were presently entering the Kingdom ahead of them.  The construction is not about any particular tax collector or harlot.  Therefore, it is not so much a statement about that very moment, but about those days, whether yesterday, today, or tomorrow.  People were entering the Kingdom at that time, and not because they were dying and “going to heaven.”  They were entering by doing what the Father was telling them to do, which was to repent and believe upon the Messiah who is Jesus of Nazareth!

Let’s go next to a passage in Paul’s letter to the Colossians.  Colossians 1:13-14.  Paul writes to the Colossians that “[The Father] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Paul had been one of those stubborn Pharisees who kicked against the goading of God to believe in Jesus.  He had given lip-service to doing God’s work, but when it came down to it, he was resisting and not doing it.  Yet, God broke through to his heart, and he finally embraced Jesus as the Christ.

Here, Paul is writing to the Colossians about something that has happened.  This is not something that is going to happen in the future.  This idea that God was presently transferring people from under the bondage of the power of darkness into the “Kingdom of the Son of His love…”  The Father had placed them in the Kingdom of Messiah Jesus.  This was not a geographical thing with a literal border.  This is a spiritual transfer that happens in the heart.

Let’s now turn to several passages that speak of the Kingdom of God as a future reality in some way.  This may look like a contradiction upon first glance.  But, a careful look will show that it is not a true contradiction.  It may not have been satisfying to many of the Pharisees  in the first century, but it was not contradictory.  Essentially, there are some ways in which the Kingdom is now, but there are other ways in which the Kingdom is still in the future.

Passages that speak of the Kingdom as a future reality

Matthew 28:11-12.  In this passage, we have a Roman centurion who has great faith that Jesus can heal his servant on command without ever going to his house. 

We can limit God through our lack of true understanding.  This is so in the case of the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda.  When Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed, all he could think of was how unable he was to get into the pool when it stirred.  His mind could not fathom that a pool was not necessary if God wanted him healed.  Jesus was willing to go to the centurions house and lay hands upon the servant, but the man protested that he was not worthy of Jesus coming to his house.

Jesus was amazed that this gentile had more faith than most Jews.  The grounds for this amazement has nothing about our ability to have faith.  Jews are not genetically predisposed to having faith at higher levels than gentiles.  Rather, the Jews have a history and records of many ancestors who believed God for impossible things.  They had a whole history of God doing impossible things.  They of all people shouldn’t have even blinked at demonstrating such faith.  Yet, precious few of them did so.

Jesus takes advantage of this gentile’s amazing faith to make a statement about the Kingdom.  “[M]any will come (future tense) from east and west, and sit down (future tense) with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.  But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness.”  Jesus is telling us that there is a time in the future where believing gentiles will come from all around the world and sit with Abraham and the other patriarchs “in the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Now, we showed last week how the Kingdom of Heaven is just another way of talking about the Kingdom of God.  These “sons of the Kingdom” thought that their genetic descent from Abraham was a golden ticket into the Kingdom when it came.  Yet, Jesus is telling them that they and their golden ticket will find themselves shut out of the Kingdom while Gentiles come in and fellowship with the Patriarchs who were their ancestors.  Again, Jesus is pointing to something that would happen in the future.

Some Christians will interpret this spiritually versus literally.  They reason this way.  First, Jesus said his Kingdom is spiritual.  Second, this means that people are coming to him spiritually and fellowshipping with Abraham in the sense that they are believing just like he did.  It can even be extended to a heavenly meaning.  Many gentiles will die and go to heaven where they can sit down with Abraham and the patriarchs, while the unbelieving Jews will be shut out.

The problem with such interpretations is that they take a thread of truth and make themselves the judge of what God’s Word means.  They either treat everything as spiritual, i.e., nothing is literal, or they treat only the things they like as literal and the rest are metaphorical.  If I only take it literally when I agree with it, that is a problem.  Who is in charge of what the Bible means?  Me?  A religious hierarchy?

Of course, we all have to come to a decision about what the Word means.  However, we need to do so humbly and without limitations upon what God can mean and say.  When you read, ask God to give you wisdom and understanding.  Be humble.

Let me ask you a question.  The first coming of Jesus, was it all spiritual or was there some literal things about it?  Was Jesus the literal son of a literal virgin?  Yet, Jesus set them free from spiritual bondage rather than from the gentile powers.  We must beware of letting a spiritual truth cause us to reject any literal fulfillment.  Most often God is doing both spiritual and literal things.  They can both be true at the same time, or true at different points in time.

This begs the question.  Is the Kingdom of God only a spiritual thing that only take place in a spiritual place?  In this passage, Jesus presents a real common to life scene of believing gentiles sitting down with Abraham in the Kingdom.

Let’s look at another passage.  Matthew 19:27-28.  Peter asks Jesus what they who had left everything and followed him would have as a reward.  Jesus points to a time called the “Regeneration,” in which “the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory.”  He then states that those who have followed him (the Twelve disciples who were faithful to the end) would also sit on twelves thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

The Regeneration is a rare word in the New Testament.  It has the sense of renewal, but this appears to be more than just a spiritual renewal in this passage.  Jesus equates the renewal with him sitting on his throne of glory.  This is a clear reference to the Messianic prophecies that speak of the Messiah renewing all things.  It should not be equated with the New Birth, though some do this. 

The tendency to spiritualize this passage does not come from the passage, but from a person’s prior persuasion.  Jesus is looking forward to a time in the future when all things will be renewed and he will sit on a throne of glory.  At that time, the twelve disciples would sit on 12 thrones judging the tribes of Israel (Judas was replaced by Matthias in Acts 1:15-26).  That seems to be a very clear statement about a literal reign of Jesus and the Disciples.

Some will say that the disciples did reign in the sense that they had authority in the new Church of Jesus.  They will also treat the thrones as symbolic of their authority.  The 12 tribes of Israel, then become symbolic of the various groups of Christians throughout the world, or Jews who believed in the first century.

Of course, it is true that the Apostles had authority to lay down the foundation of the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints.  However, we are left asking why a person would not simply understand it for what it says.  It makes most sense of a statement about a future time when God has restored the righteous through resurrection and setting up a literal kingdom on this earth that has literal thrones.

Now, from 135 AD to 1948 AD (1,813 years), there was no nation of Israel.  Christians would read this and recognize that there wasn’t a nation of Israel.  It was easy to read it and think that it couldn’t be literal.  There is no Israel.  It generally was seen as a replacement thing.  “National Israel is gone and we the “spiritual” Israel have taken their place.  Yet, 1948 blew this out of the water.  Why would God allow Israel to come back into existence?

For far too long, much of the Church has given up the expectation of a returning Jesus setting up an observable kingdom on the earth, one in which the nation of Israel would be “resurrected” from the dead.  This happened to the nation in the natural in 1948, but will also happen to the people of Israel spiritually in the future.

What we have here is Jesus looking forward to a time in which the Kingdom does become observable.  It presently is not observable in that kind of way (Jesus on a throne, the Disciples ruling in Israel, etc.).  However, one day it will be.

In fact, the throne of his glory is given more definition in Matthew 25:31-32.  The throne of Christ’s glory is connect to his coming in glory with the holy angles with him.  This is clearly about the Second Coming.  He speaks of all the nations (those who have survived to that point) being gathered before him and separated like sheep from goats. 

This is a very recognizable point.  The first coming of the Christ did not look like a conquering king.  His was a victory and a kingdom that was spiritual and over the hearts of men (Jew and Gentile).  Yet, his Second Coming will be quite different.  This is shown in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 

We could try and spiritualize even the Second Coming of Christ.  He comes gloriously when his messengers (heavenly and earthly) bring the glorious truth of God into the lives of those who embrace it and believe.  That same word is a judgment and destruction against those who reject it.

In the end, we need to let Jesus tell us what is going to happen, rather than we being the one determining what will happen.

In Acts 1:6-7, the disciples ask Jesus if it is time for the Kingdom to be restored to Israel.  Now, they are not disbelieving what Jesus said earlier.  They are simply asking if the future time had finally come.  Note that a lot of things had happened.  Jesus had been rejected by the rulers of Israel, executed on a cross, and resurrected from the dead.  We can forgive them for thinking that perhaps God had finished making His point, and now it was time to go into the observable aspect of the Kingdom.

This would have  been a prime opportunity for Jesus to explain to these guys that it would never be an observable kingdom (i.e., only in a spiritual way).  Yet, Jesus doesn’t explain to them that they are supposed to go back and spiritualize everything he said about the Kingdom.   However, Jesus tells them that it is not for them to know when this would happen.  It was only for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit and remain faithful to God’s plan for now.  The Kingdom would continue being present, but in a more spiritual way, until the time that God the Father was ready to move to the next phase, a more observable phase.

We could end with Revelation 19:11-20.  Up to verse 16, we could easily apply this completely to the first century with a spiritual interpretation alone.  Jesus has come.  The sharp sword from his mouth is symbolic for the Word of God that he was delivering.  He rules over the nations today, and his judgments are happening like a rod of iron.  The word of God is striking those of the lost who refuse to believe, and thus, they are spiritually slain by it.

However, at verse 17, we are given a description of a great supper of God that is put on for the birds of the air.  The overall picture is that of Jesus coming back to the earth in order to deal with the wicked governmental powers that have not only persecuted his people, but have also bound the whole earth under a beastly system that is antichrist.

Though we could spiritualize this too, we would be hard-pressed to see any way that the wicked governmental powers are being judged  by Christ and removed so that His kingdom could move forward with the righteous, resurrected believers.

On the flip-side, we do see a literal need for Jesus to come back physically and literally remove them.

There are many other passages that we could go through, showing a present or future aspect to the Kingdom of God.  The challenge for believers today is to understand that we are a part of a real and present Kingdom of God right now.  We need to cooperate with the Lord Jesus by pursuing his word and being filled with the Holy Spirit.  We need to do what the early Church did by telling everyone who Jesus is, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Yet, we also need to understand that we are not just doing the same thing over and over again.  We are not just being faithful in our mortal life so that we can enter a spiritual kingdom that is forever in the heavens.  No.  The emphasis on the New Testament is not us going to be with God, but rather, God coming down to be with us.

History is headed to a climax, and the times of the Gentiles will come to an end.  We will reach the great “until” of prophecy, as the Lord Jesus literally comes back riding the clouds of heaven.  Of course, there is room for metaphor and spiritual meanings, but that does not mean we should reject any interpretations that also allow for literal meaning.

The Kingdom is now, but not yet fully what it is promised to be!

Now But Not Yet Fully audio

The Acts of the Apostles 12

Subtitle: Peter Preaches Again part 2

Acts 3:17-26.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on August 7, 2022.

We pick up Peter’s second recorded sermon this morning, which we started last week.  Let’s get into the passage.

God had sent Messiah and they killed him

Peter has outlined how they have been fighting against God in their actions.  God had sent Messiah, but they had crucified him.  They were more than simply resisting God’s directions.  They were hostile to them.

Yet, in verse 17, Peter points out that they and their rulers had done it in ignorance.  Jesus on the cross had prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  They didn’t realize that they were actually killing Messiah, but that doesn’t make what they did good.  It is simply a mitigating factor.  At many points, the rulers and people had mistreated Jesus, refused to accept the truth, and then put to death an innocent man.

Ignorance speaks to the knowledge and understanding that one has.  There are many things we simply do not know.  In fact, we are born 100% ignorant of life.  We begin to accumulate knowledge and understanding little by little.  Can we not see that the things of which we are ignorant are practically infinite?  What we do know only scratches the surface of all that can be known.  Thus, the most knowledgeable among us may not be ignorant compared to the average person, but compared to God they haven’t even reached 1% of what can be known, much less the stuff that we cannot know because God has not designed us with the capacity to discover them.  A wise person recognizes that the more they learn, the more they become aware of just how great their ignorance really is.

This brings up the subject of willful ignorance.  The truth can be staring us in the face, but we refuse to recognize it because of certain ramifications we are unwilling to accept.  Where is the line between inherently not knowing, like a child, and being stubborn and willful in refusing to accept the truth?  Only God can perfectly judge those kinds of issues of the heart.

Peter brings up the fact that God had foretold all of these things through the prophets.  They were told in advance that the Messiah would suffer in many different ways through many different prophets.  This doesn’t mean they should have had perfect understanding of what Jesus was doing and who he was, but they could have had enough understanding to be more careful.  Even John the Baptist, who demonstrated great understanding of the identity and work of Jesus, wrestled with the way things were going.

The people and their rulers could have had a better understanding than what they had.  They had become curiously incurious about certain passages and teachings of the prophets that would have at least helped them be more careful.  Yes, we can’t help a certain part of our ignorance, but some of it we can.

In fact, the most important part of this whole issue is not even our knowledge level.  It really comes down to being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  Peter, John, James, and all the others, didn’t reject Jesus and call for his crucifixion.  They were able to get to that place by responding in repentance and faith at critical points in that 3 ½ years that Jesus ministered in Israel.

We are not so very different today.  The Church can be very proud about the great amount of knowledge that we have received through Jesus and the apostles.  However, that cannot take the place of sensitivity to what the Spirit of God is doing now.  Many very learned people have so systematized the biblical information that they are willfully ignorant to things that contradict their theological traditions.  Sound familiar?  We can become so enamored with the things of this world that we don’t seek God for the truth.  We can be happy with a surface knowledge of many things, or a rationale that we have adopted, but those things need to bow before the authority and power of the Lord Jesus.

Have I become a student of the Lord Jesus?  Think of it.  In the Bible we have a written document of the things that the Creator of all the universe wants us to understand, wants you to understand.  Many people who are ignorant in the eyes of the people around them will be found holding on to the Lord in the days ahead, having wisdom in the one thing that truly matters.  And, many who have the most biblical knowledge will be found fighting against what God is doing, lacking wisdom in the one thing that truly matters.  Jesus is working to give us a love of the Truth (2 Thess 2:10-12), so that it is love for him that will bring us through in the end, just like Peter all those years ago on the shores of Galilee in John 21.

Here is the good news.  God is still gracious.  Peter tells the crowd that they can still repent and turn to God.  In English, the word “repent” focuses on turning back to sorrow for one’s actions (for sin), as opposed to continuing forward in them.  This covers several important aspects of what the Bible says must happen in our hearts.  However, the word it is used to translate also has a meaning of a change of mind.  Of course, one must have a change of mind in order to turn back and have sorrow for sin, so I am not quibbling with the translation.  Rather, I am homing in an unseen aspect in this text.

We must have a change of mind about our life, and not just an alternate rationale created by us.  We really must adopt the mind of Christ.  We really must allow him to be the lord of our life.  This change of mind will turn us back from resisting and fighting what God is doing.  It will lead us to put our faith in Jesus, his commands, and the teachings of his apostles.  It will keep us from sacrificing Jesus for the sake of our willful way.

In this life, we will have a continual need for learning.  Thus, repentance will always be a part of the believer’s life.  It must never become a thing of the past.  Instead, it must become the daily path on which we walk.  Many are the exits that will take us off the road of repentance.  May the Spirit of God keep us on that Highway of Holiness, that good path, that we can only know through relationship with Jesus and the Word of God.

This brings us to verse 19.

Repentance will bring blessings

If we repent, then there are some good things from God that we will enjoy.  But, if we do not repent, then we stiff-arm the blessings that God wants to give to us.

Peter tells them that they need to change their mind and turn back into their sins being blotted out.  The direct result of changing their mind about Jesus and putting their faith in him will be the blotting out, or wiping out, of their sins.  It is the cancelling of the official record of our sins.  Sure, the fact that there are blots speaks of sins, but the fact of them being blotted out means they cannot be held against us before God.  Oh, this world will continually try to pin you to your past sins.  However, God offers freedom from those sins, and will not use them against you in the future.  Hallelujah!

In Isaiah 44:22, God promises Israel that, “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (ESV)  Praise God that our sins can be blotted out when we repent, take on the mind of Christ, and exercise faith in the Son of God and the Word of God.

A second blessing is mentioned in verse 19, “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”  The word “may” here does not question that they will come, but rather repentance removes a hindrance that keeps the Lord from sending them.  When it is removed, then he will send them as he determines.

In this life, we cannot get very far without being refreshed.  However, don’t settle for mere refreshing of your body and mind, your flesh.  I guess we could call those “refleshments.”  We not only need our bodies and minds refreshed, but more importantly, we need our spirits refreshed by the Spirit of God.  This is what Peter is talking about.  We need God’s periodic spiritual refreshment in order to successfully navigate this life, and He knows when we need it.  Yet, the problem is that our flesh and the enemy seek to consume us with refreshing the flesh to the exclusion of our spirit.  Another problem is that His refreshment doesn’t always look like such to us.  They had destroyed the refreshment of Messiah in their midst, but here was God offering them a second chance to drink from the wells of salvation and receive the Messiah back into their lives.

This is intended for them as individuals, but also as a nation.  Salvation gives us a relationship with the Lord of Life who cares for our soul and is the good shepherd.  Yet, it is clear that Peter ties in their repentance as a nation to the next blessing- a Second Coming of the Messiah.  It is interesting that the book of Zechariah pictures a great work of repentance in Israel where they will “look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” (Zech. 12:10 NKJV).  Then, in chapter 14 of that same book, God promises to save Israel from complete destruction at the hands of the nations of the world by coming down out of the heavens Himself.  This is the Second Coming of Christ that pictures his feet touching down on the Mount of Olives and splitting it in half.  What a refreshing time that will be for the nation of Israel!

Thus, the next blessing Peter mentions is that God may send Jesus back and begin the Restoration of All Things (verses 20-21).  Jesus must stay in the heavens until the time of The Restoration of All Things.  The earlier refreshments by God’s Spirit would keep them sustained until they came to that Great Refreshing that God has promised in His Word.  All the prophets pointed to a time when all that has gone wrong in this world and in the heavens will be restored to their proper state.  The Bible can be seen as a story of how everything went wrong (think Genesis), and yet how God is bringing everything back to a restored state that is even better than the original (think Revelation with its New Heavens and the New Earth).  That day is set by God.  We have a destiny in the future that cannot be avoided.  Yet, there is a sense where repentance could perhaps speed it up.

Peter specifically reminds them of the prophecy of Moses found in Deuteronomy 18 (esp. vs 18).  Moses leads up to this prophecy by warning Israel against listening to spiritists and those who practice divination.  God had not given Israel over to these lesser Elohim.  They had a greater destiny than the nations who were following the wrong Elohim.  Their destiny was to first receive the word of the One True God through Moses in building up the nation of Israel, and then later, God would send them another Prophet like Moses. 

Hebrews 3:1-6 emphasizes this connection by pointing out that Moses was faithful as a servant of God to build the house of Israel.  However, Jesus Messiah was faithful “as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” (Heb. 3:6 NKJV).  This speaks of the “house” of the Church.  We don’t have time for it today.  However, this language of a house being built by the son for himself so that the Church can live with him is the wedding analogy that Jesus used so often.

In Jesus, Messiah had come to make an offer of betrothal to Israel.  As a nation, they rejected it, but Christ takes a remnant and sends them to the nations in order to raise up a bride that will be married to him at the end of this age.  All the prophets warned of this critical period, and Moses stated that those who rejected this Prophet, Messiah, would be destroyed from among God’s people.  They were in danger of losing their place, their lot, their inheritance.

In verse 25, Peter reminds them of their heritage.  They are the sons of the prophets, and the offspring of Abraham.  This means that they had inherited the writings of the prophets, and the promise of Abraham that the families of the whole earth would be blessed through them, i.e., Israel.  All that we know of God is passed to the Gentile nations through the people of Israel.  Israel is far more important than any other nation in the sense of God’s work in the world.  However, His work is for the sake of all the nations of the world.  In fact, God did not just choose Israel from among the nations back in the days of Abraham.  Rather, God rejected all of the nations, and instead, created a new nation by His own hand as Adam was created directly by God.

This is why God sent His Servant Jesus to Israel first.  They had been and still were the instrument through which God had spoken to the nations.  They were God’s witness to the world.  However, the word first, implies others.  The Gospel of Jesus would go to the nations through his faithful believers, and thus, all the earth would receive a second witness through the Church of Jesus.  Here we are today hearing these same words that Israel heard 1,990 some odd years ago.

O, how America needs a time of refreshing in which we are turned away from our sin into full faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus the Messiah.  It will only happen as Spirit-filled believers, who are keeping in step with Jesus, interact with a people who are steeped in all manner of ignorance.  May God refresh his people today so that we can renew our battle against the works of Satan upon those around us!

Peter Preaches Again 2 audio

The Acts of the Apostles 2

Subtitle: Jesus Ascends Into Heaven

Acts 1:9-14.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on May 01, 2022.

We pick up where we left off last week.  Jesus has given his final instructions and now he leaves them in a manner that has more of a finality to it.

The Ascension (1:9-11)

The term “ascension” is generally used of this event because Jesus used it in John 20:17. He tells Mary Magdalene that, “I have not yet ascended to my Father.”  The Apostle Paul also emphasizes this term in Ephesians 4:10. “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”  This word is also used of the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11.  “And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’  And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies say them.”

It is important to note that the ascension ends this transitional time of Jesus proving his resurrection to his disciples and focusing them on the task ahead.  He will operate from heaven from now on- not that he can’t appear for particular purposes at particular times as he did with Saul of Tarsus- until His Second Coming.  But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The disciples watch this whole event.  There is no slight of hand happening.  We are not told how quickly or how slowly the event happened.  It simply states that Jesus was “taken up.”  This taken up aspect reminds me of the prophet Elijah.  He was taken into heaven in a fiery chariot.  However, he was also in a mortal body at the time.  Jesus has an immortal, heavenly body that has powers that are essential that of angels.  He can appear and disappear, and even ascend into heaven in a fashion that they would be able to see.  He does not need a fiery chariot to carry him to heaven.  I believe that the ascension of Jesus has a greater majesty to it than Elijah’s.  Yet, even it pales in comparison to the descriptions of his Second Coming.

Jesus ascends until he goes into the clouds and is thus out of sight.  This way of leaving would help them to psychologically make the transition.  He isn’t going to appear again like he has been doing.  We need to focus on the task at hand.  It will also serve to encourage them that things are as he said they were.

The clouds are in important reference in this description.  It has Old Testament connotations to it.  Yahweh led Israel through the desert as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  Deuteronomy 33:26 tells us, “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty.”  God riding through the heavens is connected to the clouds throughout the Psalms even referring to the clouds as God’s chariot (Psalm 104:3).  In Daniel 7, the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days “coming with the clouds of heaven.”

This is why the New Testament prophecies about the Second Coming of Jesus often mention Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven (Matthew 24:30; 26:64; Mark 14:62).  Jesus is that Son of Man who would ride the clouds of heaven in order to receive the kingdoms of the earth from the Father.

There is no telling how long they were staring into the sky looking for another glimpse of Jesus.  We are told that two men in white apparel appear.  They are no doubt angels.  We have seen many such appearances of such “men” in connection with the resurrection of Jesus.  However, it is their message that is most important.  Essentially, they ask them why they are still staring at the sky.  The disciples are most likely somewhat in shock.  This question will serve to knock them out of this state and focus them on what they should be doing now.

They emphasize that this “same Jesus” will return in “like manner” to how he left.  This is important.  We are not waiting for another Messiah who will get rid of the wicked rulers.  It is this same Jesus who died on the cross for us.  The suffering servant has earned the right to be our Avenging Kinsman who will come to judge the earth.

Now, the second coming will be far more glorious than the ascension.  We are told that every eye will see the Second Coming.  However, we can make some comparisons.  Jesus will return to earth in bodily form.  It is not merely a metaphor for him coming into our heart at salvation.  It will be visible, and not an invisible return.  He will come on the clouds of heaven.  He will return at the Mt. of Olives first.  Lastly, the disciples of Jesus will all witness this event one way or another.

Let me take a moment to encourage us to remember that our Lord is coming back, and this earth will not continue forever, as it has since then.  Also, though Jesus is coming in bodily form, visibly and actually on the clouds of heaven, there is an important spiritual aspect to all of these.  In other words, the metaphorical meaning behind these things is important too.  Jesus does come into the life of the believer in a very real way.  He is already invisibly here observing all that the world does.  Yet, we should not ridicule or reject the literal.  The literal and the metaphorical are both important.  In fact, you should recognize that the metaphor loses its true meaning if the literal never happens.

The disciples get back on mission (1:12-14)

The words of the angels serve well to snap them out of their stupor.  They now get back on mission.  Yes, the mission is to take the Gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth, but they are also supposed to wait in Jerusalem for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit before they commence.  Verse 12 tells us that they returned to Jerusalem in obedience to the earlier words of Jesus.  They are supposed to be in Jerusalem when the Spirit of God is poured out.

Jerusalem was filled with places that one could rent due to the several feasts of the Lord that required all Israelite males to come to the city and celebrate.  Pentecost is at most 10 days away and people would be arriving and needing a place to stay.  The disciples have a place that is large enough to accommodate 120 people (see verse 15). 

Luke lists some of the people who are there.  The Eleven disciples are there, of course Judas Iscariot is no longer with them or alive.  “The women” mentioned are a group of people that would include the sisters Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene, and others.  Mary the mother of Jesus is of course there.  Notably, the brothers of Jesus are there too.  Clearly the resurrection and appearances of Jesus have convinced them from their earlier skepticism.

We are told that these disciples continued in one accord.  This phrase pictures a group that is working as a unit with a passion for something.  In fact, Paul uses it of a mob in Acts 19.  The idol makers of Ephesus had stirred up the whole city and pictures them rushing into the theater “with one accord” in order to seize Paul and his companions.

The passion of the disciples was focused on receiving the Holy Spirit, and so they are spending their time in prayer asking for Jesus to send the Spirit.  Two words are translated “prayer” and “supplication” in the NKJV.  The first is a general word for prayer.  The second emphasizes a petition, or asking.  They are waiting for the Holy Spirit, but they are not inactive.  They are praying. 

We should note that their activity is not focused on their flesh.  Yes, they would have to sleep and eat, but they have a single focus and passion for receiving the Promise of the Father!  Is it possible that our lives are so full of other things to be passionate about that we are no longer as singular in our passion for the Spirit of God, like they were on that day?

Let us know that Jesus has gone into the heavens.  It does not help us to stand still staring at the heavens looking for his return.  He will come back at a time that we do not know.  Meanwhile, we must be about our Father’s business.  We must obey the commands of Christ in taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth in the power of the Holy Spirit.  We must be on mission, but also filled with the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus comes back, what will he find us doing?  May he find us being good and faithful to him and his work.

Acts- Jesus Ascends audio

Jesus Prophesies about the Future V

Mark 13:32-37.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 18, 2020.

This morning, we will finish this section in which Jesus tells us about what is in the future.  His prophecy breaks up into three sections: a time of birth pains, also called the times of the Gentiles, that follows his ascension, the Great Tribulation, which is the climax of the end times, and the Second Coming of Jesus.  These three sections start out slow and long, 2,000 years, but then become a quick succession of blows (7 years and then 1 moment/day).

After those prophecies, each of the three synoptic Gospels take time to emphasize that you will not want to be caught off guard by the Second Coming, and that is what we will look at today.  The Christian is not oblivious to the judgment that hangs over this world.  God has a contention with all of the nations of this world and has judged them all to be unworthy of ruling the earth.  Because of this, Christians are to live a life that is focused on God’s work, and being ready for the return of Jesus at all times.

Only the Father knows when the Son is coming back

By way of refresher, we have talked about how the Second Coming of Jesus is like a Galilean wedding.  John 14 tells us that Jesus went back to his Father’s house to make a home for his bride, the church.  He will no doubt come back for his bride at some point in which they all go back to his Father’s place to have a wedding party.  Eventually, Christ and his bride come in judgment to take up the rule of the earth.

One thing that was unique about the Galilean wedding is that the son could have a place prepared and want to go get his bride, but he had to wait until his father said it was time.  This may help us understand a bit more why Jesus would emphasize that he doesn’t know the time (even though he clearly knows that it will be longer than his followers will want to wait).  Let’s not jump ahead on this point yet.

Jesus first points out that “no one knows”, which is a reference to all humans.  Through the years, many people have predicted when Jesus was coming back, whether they spoke of it as the Rapture or as the Second Coming.  They typically justified their predictions by some slight of hand.  Some would emphasize that you couldn’t know the day or hour, but you can know the 2-day window, or week, or month, or year.  Some would emphasize that they have received a vision from the Father or Son and God now wants us to know.  However, this seems odd since Jesus warns that the end times will come as a trap and at a time that the disciples do not think.  His point is not, wait until God reveals it.  Rather, it is always be watching and ready!  No, there will not be a time when God changes His mind and begins telling believers when the Son will return.

Jesus follows this by saying that not even the angels of heaven know when it will occur.  Incidentally, this would rule out the devil and his angels.  If they angels of heaven don’t know then those who had earlier fallen would not know either.  Satan is chomping at the bit and always ready for his chance to dominate the world and have it worship him.  Are you ready?

The next point, however, is the true puzzler.  Not even the Son knows the day or hour.  Now, it is one thing for Jesus to say that the Father has not given him permission to share that knowledge, but it is quite another to say that the Son of God does not know.  It begs this question.  How can Jesus be both divine and not know this?  Isn’t he supposed to be omniscient?

I do not want to get bogged down in the weeds of answering this question, but let’s spend a few moments exploring it.  Many biblical teachers have talked through various aspects of its implications.  Let me just make a couple of points so that we can be clear that this is not a true contradiction to the divinity of Jesus.  First of all, it is unclear whether Jesus means that he didn’t know in his human nature, and that his divine nature was just keeping it from his human side through wisdom.  Of course, this gets into the quagmire of how the mechanics and internal operation of the incarnation of Jesus worked.  We should fear to tread too far into that territory since the Bible says precious little on that topic.

Second of all, it is also unclear whether Jesus meant that he didn’t know then, but that he would know when he ascended to the right hand of the Father.

Perhaps, it is best to understand this in the same way that we understand the subservient role that the Son fulfills.  Though the Son is equal to the Father in the sense of his being or substance (that is, divine) he can perform a subservient role without diminishing his essence or being.  Think of one human being serving another human being.  The lesser role does not somehow render the servant as less human than the one served.  Thus, in eternity past, when the plan of salvation was created, it was agreed upon that only the Father would know and that the Son would voluntarily restrict his omniscience to the time of his Second Coming.  We could say that omniscience is to know all things that one chooses to know.  Just as omnipotence does not mean that God has to do whatever we tell him to do, in order to prove it- He can exercise restraint in accordance with His own wisdom- so the Son can choose to restrict or restrain the exercise of his omniscience in any particular area he so chooses.  This is not a true contradiction, but rather a point that is totally unexpected.

There are some practical implications to the reality that no one knows when Jesus is coming back.  We should stop listening to people who set dates and invite us to sell all of our stuff and join them in a rural compound.  We should even be careful of those who do not prophesy particular dates, but only say that certain dates are somehow more possible than others.  Of course, no one can live without conjecturing about the future.  However, pumping up particular dates every year or more has the opposite effect upon people’s readiness.  They tend to have a flurry of activity leading up to the time, and then a relaxing when it doesn’t happen.  This is not what Jesus has called us to do.

It is not our job to predict when Jesus will come back, and thus we shouldn’t listen to those people.  However, it is good to recognize the signs of the times that we live in, and the signs of the times that are next on the docket.  They can encourage our faith to keep focused on Christ and being ready.  We live in a time where the prophesied events of the book of Revelation are not only possible, but becoming more and more likely every day.  The world is clamoring for a global governance that can control, or harness, the power of mankind.  Like a Neo-Nimrod building a modern tower of Babel, our world is rushing forward into the Great Tribulation.  However, it is still being restrained by God until that point that He says enough.

This means that we should live in a way that we are always prepared.  The Coast Guard motto is Semper Paratus, or Semper Par as they say; “Always ready!”  Those who remember the Royal Rangers youth program of the Assemblies of God will know that the motto taught to young Christian boys was “Ready!”  It meant to be ready for anything.  If you are trying to predict a date then you will have a series of relaxing and stressing, being ready, and then not being ready.  Over time, such a build up and let down can wear out our faith in its truth.  However, if you are always living prepared and Jesus doesn’t come back during your life time then you will also be ready for that next moment after death.  In that moment, you either go into the grave awaiting judgment, or you go into the presence of the Lord.  Friend, don’t put off your preparation for that day a day longer.  Make sure that you have turned from your sin and this world, and that you have turned toward Jesus and following him.  Though the Christian is to live always prepared for our Lord’s return, notice in verse 33 and 34 that our Lord has work for us to do.

You need to focus on the work that Jesus commands

Verse 33 gives us a series of commands to believers from the Lord.  We are first told to “take heed.”  It means to see and discern the world around us and our own spiritual condition.  Luke 21 warns, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.”  Wow!  Believers are not to live a life of carousing, drunkenness, and worried about the cares of this world and our flesh.  Such a life is not only unprepared for the Second Coming, it is also unprepared for its own death as well.  This world is used by the devil to tempt Christians into all manner of sinful activities.  They become an exit ramp from remaining vigilant and discerning about the condition of our soul.

The second command is “Watch.”  The point is not so much sitting and looking at the sky, but rather at its root means sleeplessness.  A man who was on watch dared not fall asleep.  It meant disaster for the camp or village if he did.  It speaks to a wakeful frame of mind in the midst of a world designed to put you to sleep spiritually.  Matthew 24 adds the warning that before the flood of Noah’s day came, people who had been warned were going about life as if nothing bad was on the horizon.  They were asleep spiritually.

The New Testament often ties the word “watch” together with the word “pray.”  The third command from our Lord is to “Pray.”  As we pray to God, we are watching over our souls and maintaining our faith so that it is not diminished in any way.

When we put all of this together, we find that, through prayerful vigilance, we can live a life for God’s purposes.  We can live a life following the Spirit of God and not our flesh, a life of the love of God for others, a life of strengthening fellow believers, and a life of sharing the Gospel with those who do not believe.  We are to be a light in this generation.  When they see our lives, they will get a glimpse of who Jesus was and is, the very righteousness of God.  When they hear the Gospel, some of them will believe and be brought into the family of God.  We must focus on the work that he has given us in our families, jobs, Church, and community, being a light because the night is coming when no man can work!

Jesus gives another analogy

Jesus ends with a parable or analogy that is very clear and simple.  There is a man who leaves his house and goes into a far country.  He puts his servants in charge of his affairs.  There are two aspects regarding his servants.  First, they have been given authority to run his affairs.  If we think of this as a group of believers then we see how we are to be working together and yet certain ones may have a higher authority than I do.  Whatever gift and role God has given to us, and at whatever level of authority, we need to use it for the building up of the faith and the life of one another as brothers and sisters before God.  This starts as a faithful companion in worshiping, and living for Jesus, whether in or outside of church.  We are to encourage one another as a family.  It may specialize beyond this, such as those who lead in music, teach in various ways, preach, watch over the affairs of the property, oversee a food pantry ministry, etc. 

In this scenario, those who are the doorkeepers and are watching for the Lord’s return would represent the prophetic role that warns God’s people of external enemies, internal laxity, and the Lord’s return.  God calls watchmen who are to be vigilant in this sense.  This doesn’t absolve all believers of personal responsibility, but becomes an added layer of protection, especially for new believers.

However, we should also see this at an individual level.  We all have a duty to be diligent in the things that the Lord has given to us to do.  We can fall into the trap of wanting something bigger, greater, or more like another servant.  This only diminishes our gusto for the tasks that we have been given.  Give yourself to the people, relationships, and godly duties that you have right now.  Meanwhile watch over your spiritual life, and the temptations of the enemy so that you will be ready at his return, or your death.  Like Nehemiah and the exiles who had returned to a devastated Jerusalem and were rebuilding the wall, we live this life with a trowel for building in one hand and a sword for defending in the other.  We are to live in this world focused on the mission of Jesus, vigilant against our spiritual enemies, and not losing faith that our Lord is returning one day.

Let me say this again; you do not want to be caught sleeping or abusing your authority when Jesus returns.   In verses 35-37, he reminds us that we don’t know if he is coming in the night, or midnight, morning, or noon.  In fact, globally it will be all of these at once.  For some it will be each of these times depending on your time zone.  The problem would not be sleeping physically, but sleeping spiritually.

In Mark, we are only warned that we don’t want to be caught sleeping.  Yet, in Matthew 24, Jesus follows this up with a greater explanation.  The faithful and wise servants will be found doing exactly what their master told them to be doing, making sure his house is running well, and increasing.  However, there will be some evil servants who say in their heart that he is delaying his coming, or even that he will never come.  Jesus warns that such evil servants will abuse their power in his Church and abuse their fellow servants, even eating and drinking with the drunkards.  The warning is severe.

“The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 24:50-51 (NKJV)

It is not enough to join God’s people and even receive a high position of authority within it.  If we use God’s things for our own pleasure then we are following the spirit of this world rather than the Spirit of God.  Such people will receive judgment from the Lord.  You do not want to be caught spiritually sleeping, or drunk on the pleasures of this life.  So, Watch!