Living in the In-Between: Embracing the Kingdom Now

Today, we gathered to reflect on the profound reality of living in the “in-between”—the time after Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God, but before its ultimate fulfillment. Like the disciples and crowds who first heard Jesus’ parables, we often find ourselves asking, “Are we there yet?” The answer is both yes and no. Jesus has already brought the kingdom near through his life, death, and resurrection, but we still await its complete restoration. This tension shapes our daily lives, our hopes, and our struggles.

The heart of Jesus’ teaching is the “gospel of the kingdom,” which is not just about personal salvation, but about repentance, redemption, and restoration. Repentance is more than feeling sorry for sin; it’s a radical change of mind, heart, direction, and allegiance. Redemption means Jesus has bought us back from slavery to sin, fear, and the power of the evil one. Restoration is both a present and future reality—Jesus is already making us new, but the fullness of that renewal is still to come.

To understand the parables, especially the parable of the sower, we must grasp this kingdom gospel. The “seed” is the word about the kingdom—Jesus’ teaching about God’s reign breaking into the world. The different soils represent the varied conditions of our hearts and the obstacles that keep us from receiving and bearing fruit from this word. Some hearts are hardened by misplaced purpose, others are shallow due to misplaced faith, and still others are choked by misplaced hope in the cares and riches of this world. But good soil is cultivated through ongoing repentance and trust, aligning our lives with Jesus and his kingdom values.

We live in the overlap of two kingdoms: the self-centered kingdom of this world and the others-centered kingdom of Jesus. Every day, we are invited to choose which kingdom we will walk in, to let the word of the kingdom take root, and to bear fruit that reflects the heart of our King. This is not a one-time decision, but a daily, even moment-by-moment, realignment of our allegiance and trust. As we do, we become living witnesses to the hope, freedom, and restoration Jesus offers, even as we long for the day when his kingdom comes in fullness.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The gospel of the kingdom is not just about personal forgiveness, but about a total change of allegiance, purpose, and identity. Repentance means reorienting every part of our lives—mind, heart, and direction—toward Jesus and his reign, not just turning from obvious sins. This is a continual process, not a one-time event. [06:13]
• 2. Redemption in Christ is liberation from the powers that enslave us: sin, fear, and the evil one. Jesus’ victory transfers us from the domain of darkness into his kingdom, giving us a new identity and hope that death and evil do not have the final word. Living in this reality means embracing freedom and walking in the authority Jesus has given us. [12:23]
• 3. Restoration is both now and not yet; Jesus has begun the work of making all things new, but we still live in a world marked by brokenness and tension. Our spiritual rest and renewal come from continually coming to Jesus, taking on his yoke, and learning from him, even as we await the ultimate restoration of all things. [14:29]
• 4. The parable of the sower reveals that the main obstacles to fruitfulness are misplaced purpose, faith, and hope. Hard hearts need preparation through love and truth, shallow faith needs depth through honest engagement with suffering, and choked hearts need the weeds of worry and materialism pulled through gratitude and generosity. Fruitfulness comes from ongoing openness and alignment to the word of the kingdom. [24:37]
• 5. Living in the overlap of two kingdoms requires daily repentance and trust. We are called to be good soil by continually realigning our hearts to Jesus, trusting him above all else, and letting his kingdom values shape our lives. This is how we bear lasting fruit and become witnesses to the world of the reality of God’s kingdom. [33:47]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:40] - Different Strokes and “Say What?” Moments
• [02:01] - Expectations of the Messiah and the Kingdom
• [03:56] - “Are We There Yet?” and Living in the In-Between
• [05:29] - The Gospel of the Kingdom: Repentance, Redemption, Restoration
• [07:35] - Daniel’s Prophecy and the Kingdom’s Arrival
• [09:47] - The Nature of Jesus’ Kingdom
• [11:13] - Redemption: Freedom from Sin, Death, and the Evil One
• [13:19] - Restoration: Rest and the Overlap of Kingdoms
• [15:23] - The Tension of Two Kingdoms
• [16:59] - Understanding the Parable of the Sower
• [18:26] - The Four Soils: Path, Rocks, Thorns, Good Soil
• [22:08] - The Hardened Path: Misplaced Purpose
• [26:30] - The Rocky Soil: Misplaced Faith
• [30:46] - The Thorny Soil: Misplaced Hope
• [32:53] - The Good Soil: Repentance and Trust
• [35:25] - Living in the Overlap: Daily Allegiance
• [36:14] - Invitation to Faith and Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Matthew 13:1-23 (ESV) – The Parable of the Sower —
> That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” ... (Read the full passage: Matthew 13:1-23)

Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV) —
> He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV) —
> Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Observation Questions

1. In the parable of the sower, what are the four types of soil that Jesus describes, and what happens to the seed in each case? (Matthew 13:1-23)
2. According to Colossians 1:13-14, what has God done for us through Jesus? How does this relate to the idea of being in a new kingdom? ([12:23])
3. What does Jesus promise to those who come to him in Matthew 11:28-30? How does this connect to the idea of restoration? ([13:19])
4. In the sermon, what are the three key words used to describe the gospel of the kingdom, and what does each one mean? ([05:29])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says we live “in the overlap of two kingdoms”—the self-centered kingdom of this world and the others-centered kingdom of Jesus. What does it look like to experience this tension in everyday life? ([15:23])
2. The parable of the sower is described as the “hub” for understanding all the other parables. Why is understanding the “word of the kingdom” so important for interpreting Jesus’ teachings? ([16:59])
3. The sermon talks about “misplaced purpose, faith, and hope” as obstacles to fruitfulness. How might someone recognize these issues in their own heart? ([24:37])
4. Repentance is described as more than just feeling sorry for sin—it’s a change of mind, heart, direction, and allegiance. How is this different from how repentance is often understood? ([05:29])

Application Questions

1. The sermon says that living in the overlap of two kingdoms requires daily, even moment-by-moment, realignment of our allegiance and trust. What is one area of your life where you feel this tension most strongly? How could you realign your allegiance to Jesus in that area this week? ([35:25])
2. Think about the “soil” of your own heart. Which type of soil do you most identify with right now: the path (hard heart), rocky ground (shallow faith), thorny ground (choked by worries/materialism), or good soil (open and trusting)? What is one practical step you could take to become more like good soil? ([32:53])
3. The sermon suggests that hard hearts need preparation through love and truth, shallow faith needs depth through honest engagement with suffering, and choked hearts need the weeds of worry and materialism pulled through gratitude and generosity. Which of these remedies do you need most right now, and what would it look like to practice it this week? ([24:37])
4. Repentance is described as a continual process, not a one-time event. What is one way you could practice ongoing repentance in your daily routine? ([33:47])
5. The sermon mentions that redemption in Christ means liberation from sin, fear, and the evil one. Is there an area where you still feel enslaved or stuck? What would it look like to embrace the freedom Jesus offers in that area? ([12:23])
6. Jesus invites us to come to him for rest and to take on his yoke. What is one burden you are carrying that you need to bring to Jesus? How can your group support you in this? ([13:19])
7. The parable of the sower challenges us to bear fruit that reflects the heart of our King. What is one specific way you can show the values of Jesus’ kingdom—like generosity, forgiveness, or service—this week in your relationships or community? ([35:25])