In our series on Jesus & the End Times, we have been going through Jesus' teachings on the End Times in the book of Luke. Each of the 3 passages we are preaching from begins with Jesus correcting or expanding the Jews' view of the kingdom of God.
The Jews' thinking was that if Jesus was the promised Messiah he would establish a physical, earthly kingdom of God immediately in Jerusalem. However, Jesus had a different plan. The coming of the physical, earthly kingdom Jesus taught awaits another day, the day Jesus returns. (see Luke 21:31)
For Jesus' contemporaries view of the fulfillment of the kingdom - click here.
A Story
So Jesus told a parable (story) in Luke 19:11-27 to explain the right view of the coming kingdom of God.
The story describes a nobleman (Jesus) who "returns to a far off country to receive a kingdom and then return." He leaves his servant the responsibility of engaging in his works until he returns. Upon his return, he asks for an account of his servants and destroys those who refused to receive him as their King.
This end represents when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead and establishes a new heaven and a new earth where his kingdom will forever reign.
The Questions
The questions that may arise are if the kingdom is "not yet" if it is awaiting its final fulfillment - what is Jesus currently doing? Is he ruling and reigning in the world today? And if so, how?
To briefly address these questions, I will turn to Psalm 110 which parallels the story Jesus told in Luke 19 and gives us a framework by which we can understand our current place in God's plan in history.
Psalm 110
In verse 1, we have the LORD (Father God) saying to King David's Lord (Jesus), "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." This verse points to Jesus' ascension after his resurrection to the Father's right hand. In Acts 7:56, the dying Stephen sees Jesus, "Standing at the right hand of God." In Daniel 7:13-14, Daniel sees "the Son of Man" presented before the "Ancient of Days" and given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. This scene is once again a picture of Jesus ascending to the Father's right hand in heaven and receiving the kingdom that the nobleman returns to receive in Luke 19:12.
In verse 2, we see that although Jesus has received authority and a kingdom for a time he will remain in Zion (heaven) ruling in the midst of his enemies. How does Jesus rule in the midst of his enemies? The clue is found in verse 3. Verse 3 describes a willing people who volunteer themselves for God's cause in "the day of your (God's) power." This description is a picture of the church - a willing community of believers who are living for God's mission in the age of the Spirit's power. As described in Acts 2, the Spirit in these last days is being poured out in an active, empowering on all who believe.
Jesus rules and reigns in the midst of his enemies (those who refuse to acknowledge or have yet to acknowledge him as King) through the Church. This is the age that we live in. We as the Church are the empowered servants of Jesus who faithfully bear witness to the gospel message among the nations until he returns. He reigns and rules as King and great High Priest (see vs 4) in the midst of a rebellious world through his Church.
Lastly, we see in verses 5-7 Jesus returning this time in "the day of his wrath." He shatters kings, executes judgments, destroys the wicked, and drinks from a brook. This is the physical return of Jesus to earth which parallels the description of the death of the rebellious enemies of Jesus in Luke 19:27.
So here is our historic and future Biblical framework from Luke 19 & Psalm 110.
Past: Jesus' Ministry (Commissioning of Disciples) -> Jesus' Ascension
Now: Jesus' Rule & Reign from Heaven through the Church ->
Future: Jesus' Return (To Judge the Wicked) -> The Kingdom Fully Realized (On Earth)
The Jews' thinking was that if Jesus was the promised Messiah he would establish a physical, earthly kingdom of God immediately in Jerusalem. However, Jesus had a different plan. The coming of the physical, earthly kingdom Jesus taught awaits another day, the day Jesus returns. (see Luke 21:31)
For Jesus' contemporaries view of the fulfillment of the kingdom - click here.
A Story
So Jesus told a parable (story) in Luke 19:11-27 to explain the right view of the coming kingdom of God.
The story describes a nobleman (Jesus) who "returns to a far off country to receive a kingdom and then return." He leaves his servant the responsibility of engaging in his works until he returns. Upon his return, he asks for an account of his servants and destroys those who refused to receive him as their King.
This end represents when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead and establishes a new heaven and a new earth where his kingdom will forever reign.
The Questions
The questions that may arise are if the kingdom is "not yet" if it is awaiting its final fulfillment - what is Jesus currently doing? Is he ruling and reigning in the world today? And if so, how?
To briefly address these questions, I will turn to Psalm 110 which parallels the story Jesus told in Luke 19 and gives us a framework by which we can understand our current place in God's plan in history.
Psalm 110
In verse 1, we have the LORD (Father God) saying to King David's Lord (Jesus), "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." This verse points to Jesus' ascension after his resurrection to the Father's right hand. In Acts 7:56, the dying Stephen sees Jesus, "Standing at the right hand of God." In Daniel 7:13-14, Daniel sees "the Son of Man" presented before the "Ancient of Days" and given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. This scene is once again a picture of Jesus ascending to the Father's right hand in heaven and receiving the kingdom that the nobleman returns to receive in Luke 19:12.
In verse 2, we see that although Jesus has received authority and a kingdom for a time he will remain in Zion (heaven) ruling in the midst of his enemies. How does Jesus rule in the midst of his enemies? The clue is found in verse 3. Verse 3 describes a willing people who volunteer themselves for God's cause in "the day of your (God's) power." This description is a picture of the church - a willing community of believers who are living for God's mission in the age of the Spirit's power. As described in Acts 2, the Spirit in these last days is being poured out in an active, empowering on all who believe.
Jesus rules and reigns in the midst of his enemies (those who refuse to acknowledge or have yet to acknowledge him as King) through the Church. This is the age that we live in. We as the Church are the empowered servants of Jesus who faithfully bear witness to the gospel message among the nations until he returns. He reigns and rules as King and great High Priest (see vs 4) in the midst of a rebellious world through his Church.
Lastly, we see in verses 5-7 Jesus returning this time in "the day of his wrath." He shatters kings, executes judgments, destroys the wicked, and drinks from a brook. This is the physical return of Jesus to earth which parallels the description of the death of the rebellious enemies of Jesus in Luke 19:27.
So here is our historic and future Biblical framework from Luke 19 & Psalm 110.
Past: Jesus' Ministry (Commissioning of Disciples) -> Jesus' Ascension
Now: Jesus' Rule & Reign from Heaven through the Church ->
Future: Jesus' Return (To Judge the Wicked) -> The Kingdom Fully Realized (On Earth)
