Jesus’ mission and ministry and brought the Church into the picture.

Jesus’ words and works demonstrated that the kingdom arrived with his coming. He brought the presence of the future. He brought the rule of God from the future into the present, and taught that we can now live in the presence of the future. Mark’s Gospel makes it clear that the mission of Jesus was to destroy the activity of Satan in the world. Jesus and Satan were in a cosmic conflict. The works of Jesus and the signs of the kingdom were healing of the sick, demons cast out, and raising of the dead. Men and women are part of that battle field as what is at stake are ownership and ruler-ship in their lives.

In like manner other battles were afoot: hunger, John 6, natural catastrophes, Mark 4:35-41, sickness, Luke 7:21, and death, Luke 7:11-17.

Matthew’s Gospel (12.22-31) clearly demonstrates that the war between Jesus and Satan is not a civil war within a kingdom. Rather, it is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. The strong man, Satan, is bound (deo: to bind—a metaphorical term indicating the curbing of power) so the strong man’s house (Satan’s kingdom) may be plundered. Satan’s power is curbed, but not rendered completely powerless (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33).

Rejection by Israel and her Remnant
Jesus did not begin his mission with the focus of starting a new movement. He insisted that his mission was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 15.24. When he sent his disciples out to minister, he told them to go to Israel only. He proclaimed to Israel that God was acting to fulfill his promises and bring Israel to her true destiny as his children.

However Israel rejected the message of Jesus about the kingdom of God. His proclamation drew instant denial, Mark 3:1-6, intensified during his ministry and culminated in his death on the cross.

While Israel refused to accept the offer of Jesus, and the kingdom, a small group, a remnant, did respond in faith. They were the ones that responded to Jesus’ call to discipleship, to a commitment to himself and his message.

The kingdom creates the Church
The call by Jesus of twelve disciples symbolizes the continuity of the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). By choosing the twelve Jesus taught that he was raising up a new people to replace the nation of Israel who had rejected his message. These disciples were to become known as the Church, the true Israel of God.

Jesus’ mission is still being accomplished by followers who have received his message and become his disciples. The rule of God as presented in the words and works of Jesus confronts men and women to respond and come under his rule, forging a new relationship with him as King. Mark 3:31-35.

When the powerful rule of God impregnates an individual, he or she is made a part of the body of Christ, the Church.

The Church’s mission is to witness to the kingdom to all mankind
The mission of the Church is to bear witness to the kingdom of God. The Church cannot build the kingdom or become the kingdom. The Church is the vessel through which the powerful redeeming acts of Jesus are performed.

This is illustrated in the commission of Jesus to the Twelve, Matthew 10, and to the Seventy, Luke 10. The proclamation of the Apostles in the book of Acts reinforces it. The Church is to witness to all mankind about the kingdom. The seventy disciples that Jesus sent out was symbolic. Jewish tradition believed that there were seventy nations in the world and that the Jewish Torah had been first given in seventy languages. The sending of seventy missionaries appears to be an implicit claim that the message of Jesus must be heard not only by Israel but by all mankind.

Since the Church is the recipient of the life and fellowship of the kingdom, then one of her main purposes is to demonstrate in the life and power of the age to come in this present evil age.

The Church is the people of the age to come, living in this present evil age, and they must provide a model to display the life of the future perfected order.

The Church is a conduit through which the kingdom acts
The Church is the conduit through which God’s kingdom acts are performed. Matthew 10:8; Luke 10:17. This makes discipleship important. The Church has often fallen short of making true disciples of Jesus.

The Church also tends to promote character and community to the neglect of performing such kingdom ministry as praying for the sick and casting out demons.

Proclamation of the kingdom must be words and works combined.

Summary
The kingdom of God is his rule and reign. The mission of Jesus was to invade this present evil age with his kingdom rule. His ministry was to preach repentance, proclaim the good news of the kingdom, and demonstrate that the kingdom had come in him. Those who chose to receive the proclamation of the rule of God are, in fact, the Church. It is the fellowship of those who have experienced the rule of God and entered into its blessings. The kingdom creates the Church, works through the Church, and through her demonstrates the rule of God to the world.

Acknowledgement: We wish to acknowledge that most of the material we have presented at this stage, are derived from the kingdom of God seminars conducted by John Wimber.

Click on the link to see the list of other posts on the kingdom of God.