Picturing Theology

A Schematic for a Theology of the Kingdom and the Church The Urban Ministry Institute

P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y 3 7 6 /

The Reign of the One, True, Sovereign, and Triune God, the LORD God, Yahweh, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The Spirit Hope - Rom. 15.13 Lord of the Church

The Son Faith - Heb. 12.2 Prophet, Priest, and King

The Father Love - 1 John 4.8 Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible Creation All that exists through the creative action of God.

Church The one, holy, apostolic community which functions as a witness to (Acts 28.31) and a foretaste of (Col. 1.12; James 1.18; 1 Pet. 2.9; Rev. 1.6) the Kingdom of God. The Church is an Apostolic Community Where the Word is Rightly Preached, Therefore it is a Community of: Calling - It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. - Gal. 5.1 (NIV) (cf. Rom. 8.28-30; 1 Cor. 1.26-31; Eph. 1.18; 2 Thess. 2.13-14; Jude 1.1) Faith - “If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins”. . . . To the Jews who had believed him Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” - John 8.24b, 31-32 (NIV) (cf. Ps. 119.45; Rom. 1.17; 5.1-2; Eph. 2.8-9; 2 Tim. 1.13-14; Heb. 2.14-15; James 1.25) Witness - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. - Luke 4.18-19 (NIV) (cf. Lev. 25.10; Prov. 31.8; Matt. 4.17; 28.18-20; Mark 13.10; Acts 1.8; 8.4, 12; 13.1-3; 25.20; 28.30-31) The Church is One Community Where the Sacraments are Rightly Administered, Therefore it is a Community of: Worship - Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you. - Exod. 23.25 (NIV) (cf. Ps. 147.1-3; Heb. 12.28; Col. 3.16; Rev. 15.3-4; 19.5) Covenant - The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” - Heb. 10.15-17 (NIV) (cf. Isa. 54.10-17; Ezek. 34.25-31; 37.26-27; Mal. 2.4-5; Luke 22.20; 2 Cor. 3.6; Col. 3.15; Heb. 8.7-13; 12.22-24; 13.20-21) Presence - And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. - Eph. 2.22 (NIV) (cf. Exod. 40.34-38; Ezek. 48.35; Matt. 18.18-20) The Church is a Holy Community Where Discipline is Rightly Ordered, Therefore it is a Community of: Reconciliation - For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create one new man out of two, thus making peace and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to those who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we have access to the Father by one Spirit. - Eph. 2.14-18 (NIV) (cf. Exod. 23.4-9; Lev. 19.34; Deut. 10.18-19; Ezek. 22.29; Mic. 6.8; 2 Cor. 5.16-21) Suffering - Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. - 1 Pet. 4.1-2 (NIV) (cf. Luke 6.22; 10.3; Rom. 8.17; 2 Tim. 2.3; 3.12; 1 Pet. 2.20-24; Heb. 5.8; 13.11-14) Service - Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high offi - cials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matt. 20.25-27 (NIV) (cf. 1 John 4.16-18; Gal. 2.10)

Kingdom The Reign of God expressed in the rule of his Son Jesus the Messiah.

Freedom (Slavery)

Rev. 8.18-31 

The eternal God, sovereign in power, infinite in wisdom, perfect in holiness, and steadfast in love, is the source and goal of all things.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” - John 8.34-36 (NIV)

Wholeness (Sickness)

Rev. 21.1-5 

O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearch able his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen. - Rom. 11.33-36 (NIV) (cf. 1 Cor. 15.23-28; Rev.)

But he was pierced for our trans gressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed. - Isa. 53.5 (NIV)

Justice (Selfishness)

Isa. 11.6-9 

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my spirit on him and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not put out till he leads justice to victory. - Matt. 12.18-20 (NIV)