Part 3 The King arrives:

Redemption accomplished

Act OneAct One: God Creates His Kingdom: God Creates His Kingdom

Act TwoAct Two: Rebellion in God’s Kingdom: Rebellion in God’s KingdomAct ThreeAct Three: Promise of Restoration of : Promise of Restoration of Kingdom: Kingdom:

Israel’s MissionIsrael’s MissionAct FourAct Four: Kingdom Restored: Jesus’ Mission: Kingdom Restored: Jesus’ MissionAct FiveAct Five: Kingdom Tasted and Displayed: : Kingdom Tasted and Displayed:

Church’s MissionChurch’s Mission–Scene 1: Church Begins Its Mission to the Scene 1: Church Begins Its Mission to the Nations Nations –Scene 2: Our Place in the Story: Church Scene 2: Our Place in the Story: Church Continues Continues

Act SixAct Six: Consummation of God’s Kingdom: Consummation of God’s Kingdom

Living at the CrossroadsLiving at the Crossroads

Westernstory

Modernity

collapsing into

postmodernityBiblical

story

Creation, fa

ll

redemption

Monarchy

Northern Kingdom

Southern Kingdom

Israel

Judah

Assyrians

Babylonians

Persians

Greeks

Romans

400

NT

Patriarchs

70

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

One Solitary Life

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of humanity upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life. ( Dr James Allan Francis)

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”Matthew 3:1,2 - John the Baptist

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”Matthew 4:17

As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near.”Matthew 10:7 to the disciples

Jesus Prepares forJesus Prepares forHis Kingdom MissionHis Kingdom Mission

‣ Early yearsEarly years

‣ John the Baptizer prepares the wayJohn the Baptizer prepares the way

‣ Baptism of JesusBaptism of Jesus

‣ Descent of SpiritDescent of Spirit

‣ TemptationTemptation

Jesus’ Public MissionJesus’ Public Mission‣ ObscurityObscurity

‣ Popularity (Galilee)Popularity (Galilee)

‣ Opposition Opposition

‣ JerusalemJerusalem

Jesus’ Kingdom MissionJesus’ Kingdom Mission

Announces arrival of the kingdom:Announces arrival of the kingdom:

‣The reign of God is alreadyalready present.Matthew 12:28

‣The reign of God has not yetnot yet arrived in fullness.Matthew 6:10

This age The age to come

Overlap:

Already

but

Not yet

The age to comeThe age to comeThis ageThis age

Jesus’ parablesJesus’ parables

The kingdom is The kingdom is nownow

The kingdom is The kingdom is not not yetyet

Jesus’ Miracles Jesus’ Miracles

The kingdom is The kingdom is nownow: : it is announced with mighty deedsit is announced with mighty deeds

The kingdom is The kingdom is not yetnot yet::shows that all is not as it should shows that all is not as it should bebe

Jesus’ Miracles Jesus’ Miracles Naturalism: Naturalism: world is normal - world is normal - miracles are abnormalmiracles are abnormal

Christianity: Christianity: world is abnormal - world is abnormal - miracles are normal miracles are normal

‘Redemption in Jesus Christ reaches just as far as the fall’

Al Wolters Creation Regained

We privatize this mighty We privatize this mighty work of grace and talk as if work of grace and talk as if the whole cosmic drama of the whole cosmic drama of salvation culminates in the salvation culminates in the words ‘for me; for me.words ‘for me; for me.

Lesslie NewbiginLesslie Newbigin

RRee

demptionstorationconciliation

• It is cosmic in scope

‣15 He is the image of the invisible God, ‣ the firstborn over all creation. ‣16 For by him all things were created: ...‣ all things were created by him and for him. ‣17 He is before all things, and ‣ in him all things hold together. ‣18 And he is the head of the body, the church; ‣ he is the beginning and ‣ the firstborn from among the dead, so that ‣ in everything he might have the supremacy. ‣19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

Colossians 1: 15 ffColossians 1: 15 ff

20 and through him to 20 and through him to reconcile to himself to himself

all things, ,

whether whether things on things on earth

or things in or things in heaven, ,

by making peace through his blood, shed on the by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross..

• It vindicates creation

• It deals with the consequences of the fall

• It is cosmic in scope

Jesus died to restore His creation...

...we participate in that new creation as we trust in Christ.

Resurrection of JesusResurrection of Jesus

‣Jesus: Dawning of new creationJesus: Dawning of new creation‣ Firstborn from the dead (Rev.1:5)Firstborn from the dead (Rev.1:5)‣ First fruits (I Cor. 15:20)First fruits (I Cor. 15:20)

‣Resurrection in three stages:Resurrection in three stages:‣ Jesus (Mk. 16:1-8)Jesus (Mk. 16:1-8)‣ Church: Resurrection life in foretaste Church: Resurrection life in foretaste (Romans 6:1-14) (Romans 6:1-14)‣ Church and creation Church and creation (1 Cor. 15:12-28; Rom.8:18- (1 Cor. 15:12-28; Rom.8:18-25)25)

Go into all the Go into all the worldworld ( (kosmoskosmos) ) and proclaim the and proclaim the gospel to all of gospel to all of creationcreation ( (ktsisktsis))

Mark 16:15Mark 16:15

Where are we? We are in a purposeful, lawful creation.

Who are we? We are the image bearers of God. Why are we here? To subdue and rule the creation as stewards of God. To develop and unfold God’s good creation To play our part in God’s developing story

What’s wrong? We are in a fallen distorted and broken world

What’s the remedy? Redemption and restoration through Jesus Christ