Signs of the Kingdom: The Presence of God

Aug 24, 2009 Kingdom

Some months ago, I blogged about the revolution in my understanding of God's Kingdom. Knowing that the Kingdom is 'already-but not yet' is helpful, but from a practical perspective I was left somewhat clueless.

What must I look for in order to "see" the Kingdom's activity? What are the things I must seek and yield to, so that I submit to the Kingdom? I came up with a summary of signs of the Kingdom: my attempt at a recipe to keep me alert to the active reality of the Kingdom in our midst today, in the here and now.

Jesus, the Great Sign

At the top of my list of signs was the "sign" of God's presence. From a historical perspective, the is only one great sign of the Kingdom -- the coming of Jesus in his birth, life, death and resurrection. Jesus was the greatest sign of the Kingdom -- his unassailable character, his tender love, his authoritative teaching and his compassionate power.

His presence in love, power and wisdom perfectly revealed the true nature of God's Kingdom. The King came "incognito" as it were, to "show and tell" of his Kingdom, bringing his own body and blood as a sin offering to pardon to those would receive him. There is no greater sign than this! Every other Kingdom "sign" simply serves to bring us to our knees before this supreme event, the bloody cross of Jesus Christ.

An Open Portal

But was His coming just a preview and foretaste of the perfect rule of God, or was it more? Herein lies a mystery of the Kingdom: Jesus did more than just show us what the Kingdom would be like in the future; He himself was the seed and first-fruits of God's incipient renewal of the world.

We know that God publicly accepted Jesus' sin offering and vindicated him as Messiah by resurrecting him and raising him in triumph to his right hand of power. The mystery is that this act of power has now opened a portal that allows the "new age" to break-in and overlap with this present broken age.

The Kingdom that will one day come in apocalyptic, irresistible finality to judge evil in all the world is now present among us in redemptive, healing grace, seeking out sinners among all peoples to offer entrance into a new order of life. We are gifted to live in this present age while tasting the powers of the age to come. But what are the signs of this mystery now at work among us?

Who replaced Jesus?

I am convinced that the pre-eminent sign of God's "hidden kingdom" is the gift of the Holy Spirit to the world. Jesus tells us that he left us so that we could have something better. This is an astounding truth: Jesus replaced his physical presence on earth with the presence of another (similar) helper, the Holy Spirit. In fact, he says it is to our advantage that he leaves so that he may send the Holy Spirit in his place.

The teaching ministry of Jesus was limited by his audience, but now the Spirit comes to complete what he left unsaid. The Holy Spirit hears from God and brings to every believer the life-giving stream of God's words. We are to be led by him as the disciples were led by Jesus (see John 16:6-15). But what does this mean?

I think implication is this: the leadership of the church is now in the hands of the Holy Spirit.

A Key to Kingdom Life

Therefore the kingdom cannot be taught as a set of values or mores, a set of principles to live by. There is just one key to Kingdom life: developing an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit -- a lifestyle of being attuned his voice and his works. We do not (and cannot) advance the Kingdom -- all we can do is to keep in step with him as he does because the initiative does not lie with us.

No matter where we stand in the pneumatological spectrum in our theology, I believe that the most crucial, practical truth to embrace is that the Holy Spirit is a person! He is not a power to receive or an influence we can manipulate, nor is he a theological add-on to our ministry philosophy -- He is a person we must worship, love and obey.

Jesus points to the Spirit

This can be seen in the way Jesus initiated the apostles into the mission of God in Acts 1. Jesus, for 40 days after his resurrection, taught them about the Kingdom of God. But the most anointed teaching was not enough -- he commands them to wait and receive the Spirit that the Father promised to pour out. I believe that the Pentecostal outpouring of Acts 2 is a paradigmatic symbol of apostolic ministry -- that nothing really happens until the Spirit of God shows up. After this point a profound shift happens in the way the apostles engage in God's mission.

The apostles have, in great measure, grasped the truths of the Kingdom, yet they consciously wait and act only in response to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Since I know virtually nothing about music, I will freely use a musical metaphor: though everyone in the orchestra or choir knows the score to the music, their eyes are fixed on the one who directs or conducts them.

The leadership of the Church

In Acts 13 we see this lived out in the community at Antioch. As a community they hear a specific word of direction from the Holy Spirit and immediately put it into action. They clearly attribute the specific action they took to the leadership of the Spirit. In Acts 15, as another momentous decision is taken they declare boldly: "...for it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us".

The "Gentile problem" addressed in Acts 15 came about because Peter responded to the leadership of the Holy Spirit (over his own reservations) and visits the home of a gentile. The Holy Spirit, without waiting for Peter to "catch up", falls on these Gentile believers causing all kinds of theological and social discomfort. Subsequently we see Paul being held in check or released to minister by the Spirit's direction.

In fact, Paul could give no other reason for why he did not enter into Asia except that he was "forbidden by the Holy Spirit" (Acts 16:6-10). Paul, in his final discourse to the Ephesian elders "passes on the baton" by highlighting his dependence on the Holy Spirit, and then clearly identifies their appointment as elders as by the Holy Spirit, rather than invoking his apostolic authority (see Acts 20:28).

I would suggest that we are being introduced to a new ministry paradigm -- one in which we are called to not only know God's Word, but continually hear his voice through his Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit?

Though theologically we may have great exposition on the person of the Holy Spirit, I wonder how much we truly invite the Spirit to grace and oversee all our ministry... What would our gatherings look like if we worshiped until the Holy Spirit came and manifested himself? Could it be possible that he could come with an agenda, something different from what we've planned?

I am convinced that the manifest presence of God, the reality of the Person of the Holy Spirit, is the clearest and most significant sign of the Kingdom on the earth. It is this Presence that sets us apart in every sense from every other people on the earth as the redeemed of God (ref. Ex 33:16). I would contend that apostolic ministry is marked by a worshipful waiting on the Holy Spirit followed by a lifestyle of instant obedience to him.

Cultivating sensitivity

One final thought about this new relationship we are called into: the Holy Spirit is sensitive. I've heard it said that both the Father and the Son rush to defend the Holy Spirit (see Isaiah 63:10; Matt 12:30-32). The apostles taught the church that the Spirit can be grieved, quenched and resisted. The picture that this seems to portray is the polar opposite of an overbearing, authoritarian style of leadership. Rather, the Spirit's leadership is invitational -- he leads us as we invite him and yield to him, and where he is ignored, his blessing and presence are subdued.

I for one have determined in my heart to plan, prepare, learn and apply wisdom to life and ministry with one overriding attitude: I am being led by a person, the Holy Spirit, whose presence and voice are precious gifts to be sought and treasured. I must strive to bring every one of my plans and purposes subject to his direction and call. Waiting on the Holy Spirit is a lifestyle I want to embrace as central to my spirituality.

The Pre-eminent Sign

The pre-eminent sign of the Kingdom then, is this: The person of the Holy Spirit who fills the church, who has come to fulfill the mission of God. He is a person who loves and is to be loved and worshiped. He is the true Steward of the Kingdom, the one who leads the church triumphant. In fact, the six other "signs" are just the natural overflow of embracing the person and mission of the Holy Spirit, and allowing him to lead us by our yielded obedience.