We had a good time in our Young Professionals house church listening to Derek Morphew's sermon on the kingdom of God. Derek is regarded in Vineyard as a foremost teacher on this subject. His sermon was preached on July 11, 04 at the Vineyard Champaign, and you can hear the sermon online by following the weblink.

Fantastic introduction to the subject.

We noted the following key points:

How did it happen in the coming of Jesus?
His arrival as the One foretold in Old Testament prophecy was sudden. He had complete authority, which was demonstrated in his ministry. There was a tension between Jesus starting the work and completing it.

What did Jesus explain about the coming of the kingdom?
(1) It will come in the future.
(2) In his arrival it is in the present!
(3) It is near, at hand, about to arrive. There is a picture of advanced labor.
(4) It has been delayed.

These teachings seem to give conflicting ideas about the kingdom of God and therefore there is a mystery about it! (How is it that it will come in the future, is in the present, is about to come, and has been delayed?) It can be confusing unless we accept that Jesus knew what he was saying. And that the essence of it and the reality is that the kingdom God is simultaneously here, almost here, delayed, and coming at the end of time.

There is thorough teaching to be found in the Bible and a lot of scripture text, and not just a few isolated references.

Chart of history – beginning to end time line – to explain the mystery
The chart is a useful tool that "integrate" scriptural text found all over the Bible.

If we have experienced Jesus, we have experienced the kingdom of God.

Because of the cross the Day of Judgment has passed for believers, God has judged our sins and we have passed from death to life.

The resurrection of Jesus is a prototype of what will be the destiny of all who are credited with the righteous of Jesus; the nature of his risen body is a proto-type of our new bodies.

At Pentecost, Peter said that the manifestation of the Spirit’s power as He was outpoured upon the people was actually the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. And Joel was prophesying about end of the world events, and the great outpouring of the Spirit that will come to prepare God’s people.

The kingdom of God is the rule of God (the power which is present in the coming age, in the new heaven and the new earth) that has arrived in advance, in the coming of Jesus Christ.

Christians, Already and Not Yet People
Christians are born into this "in-between" time zone. This is our present reality.

A good example of the "already and not yet" is expressed in 2 Corinthians 6: 3-10. Absolutely contrary values or states were expressed by Paul:

Glory / Dishonor
Geniune / Imposter
Live on / Dying
Rejoicing / Sorrowful
Rich / Poor

And in 1 John 1:8-10 and 3:6:

John on the one hand said that "no one goes on without sinning". Later on he said, "No one who lives in him keep on sinning." They did not just write the good stuff on a good day and the negative stuff on a day that they got up from the wrong side of bed.

We (as pastors and teachers) need to share more about this prophetic revelation of the kingdom God: It is how things actually work in this world and present time. Two ages are competing for supremacy in our lives. And we live in a war zone!