Subversive Kingdom

I thought this excerpt from Ed Stetzer's study, Subversive Kingdom, was a good follow up to what we talked about at Hub City Church yesterday during The Jesus I Never Knew.

Jesus' birth reveals the surprising nature of the kingdom of God. It's not a political domain but a spiritual kingdom. It wasn't brought forth by a conquering general but by a wandering teacher. And at His birth the angels announced that He is the Chosen One who will save their people from their enemy. The enemy from which he saves, however, is sin, not Rome. The oppression from which He delivers is the Devil's, not Caesar's.
Tragically, the very people who should have been the first in line to greet the coming kingdom were those who missed its advent. Many people during the days of Jesus were so committed to their opinions of how God should work, how His kingdom should function, and what form His deliverance should take that they missed the Son of God in their midst. They saw, heard, and touched God in the flesh, yet did not recognize him.
Could it be possible that the same thing is happening today? Could it be that we are missing the good news of the kingdom of God because we are committed to our version of that kingdom rather than the biblical one?
All around us, there are conflicting messages about the nature of the kingdom of God. Some argue that it's about being healthy and wealthy. Others say it's already come and gone. And some say it will only be seen in a perfect reign of Jesus someday long in the future.
The danger we face in looking at the kingdom is the same today as it was in the past: We might be so committed to the conquering general that we miss the baby in the manger.