Every week we pray “Thy Kingdom come, They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

• What are we praying for exactly??

Wesley affirmed the traditional Christian belief that the Kingdom of God (kingdom of heaven) is a present and coming reality

• Now and not yet.
• Wesley adds to the now-ness that when we experience assurance the Kingdom becomes an internal reality for us that changes our outward behavior.
• Wesley doesn’t seem very interested in heaven after death, he’s focused on the here and now of discipleship and transformation.

Places in Scripture to see descriptions of the Kingdom

• Genesis 1-3: especially note the intimacy of God walking in the garden WITH the humans
• Revelation 21 – 22
• Isaiah 11
• Micah 4: 1-4

Jesus’s ENTIRE message is summed up in Matthew 4:17 – Miracles point to Kingdom now-ness and what will be:

• People fed
• Healing
• Way too much wine at a celebration

What does this mean for us to embrace not just the not-yet-ness but the now-ness of the Kingdom?

• Using our voice/vote/power in alignment with the will of God as American citizens.
• Can we agree that the American ideals/potential/promises are also now and not yet?
• How can we hold these two things together and work for the best for all people?

I cannot give you specific answers here because I am fallible. We EACH have to do this work of discernment on how to make these things true.