Transfomed Part 2: Building on Generations of Gospel Faithfulness
The Kingdom of God is not just a distant hope—it is here, breaking into the present. It is as real in our daily lives as it was when Jesus walked the earth, healing the sick, proclaiming good news to the poor, and announcing the reign of God. I once had a friend who would pray for the sick in grocery stores. There was no stage, no microphone, no official church service—just a heart full of faith, believing that the power of God’s Kingdom was available now. Some were healed instantly, while others walked away unchanged, at least on the surface. But every time, something significant happened: the reality of God’s reign was being made visible. These moments were echoes of Jesus’ own ministry, where the sick were made well, demons were cast out, and people encountered the tangible love of God. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17), He wasn’t speaking in metaphors—He was announcing a present reality, a kingdom already at work in the world, yet not fully realized.
But this kingdom did not appear out of nowhere. It is part of a great unfolding story, one that stretches back to the very beginning. In Genesis, before the fall of humanity, creation was whole—God’s rule was unchallenged, and man and woman lived in perfect harmony with Him. But when sin entered the world, that harmony was broken. Yet even in that moment of rebellion, God spoke the first words of hope. In Genesis 3:15, He declared that the offspring of the woman would one day crush the head of the serpent. This was the first prophecy of redemption—the promise of a coming victory over sin and evil. From that moment, the story of salvation began to unfold, a story that would take shape through a particular people, a promised King, and ultimately, a new covenant that would change the world forever.
The first great milestone in this unfolding plan was the call of Abraham. God chose him, not just to bless him personally, but to create a people through whom salvation would come to all nations. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you... and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3). This was more than a promise of descendants; it was the establishment of a lineage through which the promised seed of Genesis 3:15 would come. Abraham’s faith became the foundation of God’s covenant people, and through his descendants, Israel was born—a nation set apart to carry the promise forward. But even as Abraham’s children multiplied and became a great people, the world still longed for the fulfillment of that original promise, for the seed who would crush the serpent’s head.
Centuries later, God expanded His covenant again, this time to a shepherd boy who would become a king. To David, He said, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). This was not just about David’s personal reign but about a coming King, one who would rule with perfect justice and righteousness. Isaiah later expanded on this, prophesying of a child who would be born, a son who would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). This was the King who would fulfill God’s covenant with David, who would rule not just over Israel but over all creation. The people of Israel waited for Him, longing for the day when their Messiah would come.
And then, in the fullness of time, He came. Not with military might, not in royal splendor, but as a child laid in a manger. On that night in Bethlehem, as Mary wrapped her newborn Son in cloths and placed Him in a feeding trough, the heavens could not remain silent. An angel appeared to a group of shepherds in the fields, declaring, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Then suddenly, a vast multitude of the heavenly host appeared, praising God and proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). The King had come. The long-awaited promise was now flesh and blood, dwelling among us.
Yet He did not come in the way many expected. He did not take up a sword or overthrow Rome. Instead, He announced a different kind of kingdom—one that was already at hand but not yet fully realized. “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21), He told the Pharisees. His reign was demonstrated not through political power but through love, healing, and the breaking of spiritual chains. Every miracle, every act of mercy, every moment of forgiveness was evidence that God’s rule was breaking into the present world.
But the kingdom did not stop with Jesus’ earthly ministry. Before He ascended, He commissioned His followers to carry it forward, declaring, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The baton of faith was passed to them, and they ran their race, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, often at the cost of their own lives. And generation after generation, that race has continued. The Kingdom has spread across the world, carried by those who have believed in the promises of God, trusting that the same Spirit who moved in Jesus moves in them.
Yet, even as we experience the reality of the Kingdom now, we know there is more to come. The promise is not yet fully realized. Revelation 21:4 gives us a glimpse of what is ahead: “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” We live in the tension between the already and the not yet—the Kingdom is here, but its fullness is still coming. Hebrews reminds us that we are part of a great cloud of witnesses, running the race of faith that has been passed down through generations (Hebrews 12:1). Those who came before us—Abraham, David, the prophets, the apostles, and countless believers throughout history—carried the promise forward, even though they did not see its final fulfillment.
And here is the astonishing truth: they will not be made complete apart from us. “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). The fullness of the Kingdom—the final victory of Christ—is something we will experience together, across all generations, when He returns to reign.
Until that day, we run our race. We carry the baton forward, proclaiming the Good News, praying for the sick, bringing the hope of the Kingdom into every corner of our lives. We do so knowing that we are part of something far greater than ourselves, a story that began in Genesis and will culminate in the glorious return of our King. The seed has been planted, the people of promise have carried it forward, the King has come, and the Kingdom is advancing. One day soon, it will be complete, and we will stand together—every saint from every generation—before the throne of the Lamb. Until then, we press on, running with perseverance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. The Kingdom is here. The Kingdom is coming. And we are part of its unfolding story.
