Now and Not Yet
The tension within the idea of the now and not yet is something we need to learn to navigate well, both for our own growth and so that we can disciple others.
Given, but Not Yet Fully Revealed
I don’t even like the expression “given, but not yet fully received,” because it sounds like a half-done job on Jesus’ part.
Think of a woman nearing the end of her pregnancy who knows she carries a baby. The baby is not yet revealed to the world, but to her, the baby is very, very real. She feels the movement. S She is hopeful, ready and waiting. She is preparing for more. She is growing.
Jesus’ main messages were about his Father and about the Kingdom.
Too often, I have lived in the not yet — both emotionally and spiritually — waiting for something to happen rather than being fully present and active in my own becoming. Waiting for the next season, the next revelation, the next open door. We talk about heaven: “One day… one day…” And in doing so, we can miss out on living more fully in the reality that the Kingdom is already here.
Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God as something already present, active and accessible to those who have faith and believe. It is here and now, not merely something to wait for.
Luke 17:21: “The kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Jesus said this to the Pharisees when they asked when the Kingdom of God would come. He wanted them to understand that it was being revealed through him.
Matthew 12:28: “The kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Once again, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. Just note this, and stay curious about why he told them this:
“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
We talk about Jesus, our King of kings, and we serve him as King in the here and now. A king has a kingdom. He is not like a king in exile. He is a king with a kingdom. Here and now. We serve him now, not simply in preparation for some future entrance into that Kingdom.
Mark 1:15: “The time has come,” said Jesus. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
It is as though Jesus is announcing a birth — a birth announcement. It has arrived! What you have been waiting for, what you have been pregnant with, is here now.