Kingdom Tension Part 1
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Tension,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
We are starting a series called “Kingdom Tension.” We will talk about the church as we look at the Bible from Acts to somewhere in Revelation. We will also look at the Now and Not Yet, the idea of Temple (again), and our mission as a church.
Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
In Matthew 5, Jesus tells His followers something powerful: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” With these words, He gives us a clear picture of who we are and what we’re called to do. We’re not just here to believe in Jesus—we’re here to represent Him in the world.
When Jesus began His ministry, He said in Mark 1:15, “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” This was a big announcement. It meant that God was stepping in to fix what was broken. But the Kingdom wasn’t what people expected. It didn’t come through power or politics but through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Jesus came to bring a deeper kind of freedom—freedom from sin, shame, and fear.
We live in a unique time—the Kingdom has already started, but it’s not fully here yet. Jesus began the work, and one day He will finish it when He returns. In the meantime, we live in this “in-between” time, the now and the not yet. So, how should we live?
The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit lives in us. In 1 Corinthians, Paul says we are God’s temple. That means wherever we go, God goes with us. We carry His presence in our lives, just like Jesus did when He walked the earth. We are His Church—not just a building, but a people with a mission.
That mission is to reach one more. One more person who needs hope. One more life touched by God’s love. And we do that by living out our calling—to be salt and light in the world.
Being salt means adding flavor, preserving truth, and improving the world. Being light means we shine with God’s love so others can find their way to Him. This has always been God’s plan. In Genesis, God told Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him. And in 1 Peter, we are called a “royal priesthood”—a group of people who serve God and show His goodness to others.
This is a calling for all of us. God wants to bless the world through you.
Even in Revelation, we see God’s people described as a kingdom of priests who will reign with Him forever. Until that day, we live as new creation people—followers of Jesus who carry hope, serve others, and love well.
At the heart of the Church is relationship. Relationship with God. Relationship with one another. And relationship with those who don’t yet know Jesus. These connections grow as we worship, learn, serve, and share life together.
This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.