Living in the Tension: A Study on the "Now and Not Yet" Kingdom of GodSample

What Does the Kingdom Look Like Now? Parables of the Present Kingdom

Questions to think through:

1. In the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-33; Luke 13:18-21), what do the small beginnings and significant growth teach us about the Kingdom of God's presence in the world today?

2. The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46) depict the Kingdom as something of immense value. What are the men in the parables willing to give up to obtain it? What does this suggest about the value we should place on God's Kingdom in our lives?

3. How do these parables challenge the idea that God's Kingdom should always be outwardly powerful and spectacular in this age?

4. In what "small" or "hidden" ways can you participate in the growth of God's Kingdom?

We often expect God's work to be grand and dramatic, but Jesus' parables paint a different picture of the Kingdom's current operation. It's like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a great tree, or a small amount of leaven that works its way through a whole batch of dough. The Kingdom of God is often at work in the quiet, unseen corners of our world and our lives. It's in the simple act of kindness, the whispered prayer for a neighbor, the faithful study of His Word, and the consistent choice to forgive. These may seem like small and insignificant things, but they are the very means by which the reality of God's reign spreads. Don't be discouraged if you don't see explosive results. Be faithful in the small things, for in the economy of the Kingdom, they have the power to bring about extraordinary growth.