First of all I would like to mention that we do not learn about the beginning of Christ’s reign by the question itself that the disciples asked Jesus regarding the sign of his “presence.” This may seem obvious but it has greatly influenced our present understanding. Our interpretation of the word "parousia" regarding Jesus' future return has not been faulty but surely irrelevant, since it was not part of Jesus' answer but rather the question posed to him. (Matt. 24:3) When the disciples asked him on the Mount of Olives, “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence,” why did they ask him about a sign regarding his “presence” (Greek, parousia)? Not because they discerned that his future return would be invisible. At that time his disciples still did not understand much about Christ’s future reign and the kingdom of the heavens. They “were imagining that the kingdom of God was going to display itself instantly.” (Luke 19:11) They did not even comprehend, right up until the moment of his arrest, that Jesus was going to be taken from them, that he was going to “suffer many things from the older men and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised up,” although he had told them in advance. (Matt. 16:21,22; 26:31-35,56) After his resurrection, when Jesus appeared to them, they still wondered, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” (Acts 1:6)

The reason the disciples asked Jesus about a sign concerning his presence as reigning king was because they had seen how the people failed to recognize him as the promised Messiah up until then, in spite of the many miracles he had performed in their midst. What else in the way of a sign was needed to convince them? The nation as a whole failed to accept him as the “son of man” that the prophet Daniel had seen in vision who was “given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.” (Dan. 7:13,14) Also, had Jesus not promised that they, his disciples who had followed him, would themselves also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel? How would their religious leaders be convinced to accept not only him but them as well? Was he going to perform even greater signs in the future? (Matt. 19:27,28)

The scribes and Pharisees had not accepted Jesus, although they knew the Scriptures. They demanded of him “to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. He replied to them, ‘When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.’ Then He left them and went away.” On another occasion Jesus had explained that the “sign of Jonah” meant that “the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” (Matt. 16:1-4, Amplified Bible; 12:38-40) Unlike that wicked generation of Jesus’ day, we do not need a sign as evidence when Christ is present in kingdom power on his heavenly throne.

The composite sign Jesus gave in answer to his disciples’ question was not about his invisible presence but rather about the nearness of when he returns as God’s reigning king. Notice how he makes that point in summing up the meaning of the events he foretold, “Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, YOU know that summer is near.” No, he doesn't say that summer is here, but rather that summer is near. Then he draws the parallel, “Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.” The sign Jesus gave his disciples was for the sake of encouraging them to endure the time of suffering that would mark the "last days," and stimulate them to be ready for his arrival. That is why he said to them regarding the events he was foretelling, "Prove yourselves ready." (2 Tim. 3:1; Matt. 24:9-13, 32,33, 44; Luke 21:28)

There would be no sign given as to the actual timing of when he returns in kingdom power, as he further explains, “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” That “day and hour” would come unannounced, suddenly and unexpected. Since his disciples would have no way of knowing when exactly he would return, he admonished them, “Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.” “YOU also, keep ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think likely the Son of man is coming.” (Matt. 24:36,42; Luke 12:40)

As an example, consider the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus had given his disciples specific signs that would mark the nearness of her ruin. He mentioned one particular circumstance that, once they saw it, made it urgent for them to flee the city. "When YOU see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolation of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw, and let those in the country places not enter into her." (Luke 21:20,21) The fulfillment of this event in 66 CE signaled the nearness of her destruction and it gave the disciples the opportunity to flee to safety. When would the desolation of the city actually occur? Jesus had not given them any sign to tell them the day or the hour, not even the year. Patient obedience was needed on their part for four years not to reenter Jerusalem, not even for a festival. For those who failed to obediently heed his prophetic warning it meant sharing the fate of the doomed city when the Romans returned in 70 CE.

Although there is no way of knowing the day or the hour of Christ’s return as king, we can understand the nearness by the events leading up to it. Of particular interest is what the Scriptures tell us about certain developments within God’s own household prior to his return, and watching these now unfold is a much clearer sign than watching world events. Sadly, most persons within God’s household are not aware of the significance of these things because we have been taught that they apply to Christendom. (There is enough information on this to fill a book.) Jesus did not urge us to flee to any location before his return but rather, as he pointed out in his letters to the seven congregations in Asia Minor, we must "conquer" by overcoming our errors and sins, (like the specific complaints he mentioned in his letters) and "observe [his] deeds down to the end," until his arrival. (Rev. 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21) Failing to do so would put us in danger of being overtaken as if by a thief, resulting in our being robbed of our hope, “Therefore, continue mindful of how you have received and how you heard, and go on keeping [it], and repent. Certainly unless you wake up, I shall come as a thief, and you will not know at all at what hour I shall come upon you.” (Rev. 3:3; 16:15)

The beginning of Christ's reign will be marked by this event, “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” (Matt. 25:31-46)

Earlier Jesus had told his disciples another illustration about “the Son of man” being the sower of fine seed, which represented “the sons of the kingdom,” and “the Devil” sowing weeds among them, which were “the sons of the wicked one.” Jehovah would tolerate the weeds and the wheat to grow together until the harvest. And as the Scripture says regarding the wicked, “Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily, that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad.” (Eccl. 8:11) Therefore, Jesus’ first action as reigning king will be to separate, with the help of his angels, the good seed from the weeds, the sheep from the goats. As he explains:

“The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things. The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where [their] weeping and the gnashing of [their] teeth will be. At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43)

The references to the separating of the sheep and goats, the weeds from the wheat, and the ungodly from the righteous ones, all talk about the same event. How will this take place? Since the judgment starts with God’s own house when Christ returns in kingdom power, the separating of the sheep and the goats takes place within that household, which is made up of “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” (1 Peter 4:17; Rev. 7:9) The prophet Daniel foretold that some “will be made to stumble, in order to do a refining work because of them and to do a cleansing and to do a whitening.” While some will stumble and remove themselves from the midst of God's people, others will be removed by the action of God's angels. How this will transpire remains to be seen. (Dan. 11:35)

Also, it will be at the time of returning in his glory that Jesus will definitely provide the answer to the rhetorical question he posed, “Who then is that faithful steward, the wise man whom his master will set over those in his household service to supply them their allowance of food at the appointed time?” (Luke 12:42, Amplified Bible) As Jesus pointed out, speaking in the singular, his servants will be judged individually according to how each one discharges his God-given responsibility. (1 Cor. 4:4,5) If the appointed servant proves faithful upon the master's arrival, he has reason to be happy for he will be rewarded with greater responsibility in the kingdom of his Father. (Matt. 24:46,47; Luke 12:32) But if that servant should turn out to be wicked, having oppressed the members of the household, yes, causing them tribulation by beating them in “rage and anger,” and getting drunk with self-importance, having reasoned that the master was delaying, then he will “be satiated with dishonor instead of glory,” for the master will punish him “with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones.” (Hab. 2:15,16; Luke 12:45,46)

The apostle Paul also speaks of God exacting punishment against those who cause tribulation to his servants, in connection with Christ coming with his powerful angels:

”This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for YOU, but, to YOU who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, at the time he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who exercised faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among YOU.” —2 Thess. 1:6-10.

Those who will “undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction” will include all those “who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” Jesus had given his disciples a “new commandment,” that they love one another just as he had loved them. In fact, he said, “By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves.” (John 13:34,35) The apostle John added to this, “If anyone makes the statement: “‘I love God,’ and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also.” (1 John 4:20,21; compare Rev. 2:1-5; 1 Cor. 13:1-3)

The sheep are gathered to Christ’s right side because they had that identifying mark of a true disciple, LOVE. (Matt. 25:33-40) The goats on the other hand, as well as the slave that will be rejected as having been wicked, had no such love. That evil slave tolerated no dissention. He did not hesitate to beat and disfellowship any of his fellow brothers whose only sin may have been to complain or disagree about the “grass that's trampled down and water that's been muddied,” that was being served to them. (Matt. 25:41-46; Ezek. 34:19; Message Bible)

Since there is no advance sign of the exact time when the events in connection with the beginning of Christ’s reign will take place, we must “keep on the watch” at all times, otherwise we could be in the same danger as were the people in Jesus’ day who “did not discern the time of [their] being inspected.” When the time comes for Jehovah, by his reigning king Christ Jesus with his powerful angels, to carry out his righteous judgment against his own household, this will provide the evidence that Christ has indeed started to rule. Too late for any who did not keep on the watch. His next action will be directed against Satan’s world, starting with the religious element called Babylon the Great, and ending with the destruction of the entire political system and all supporters of it. (Luke 19:44; Dan. 2:44; Rev. 18:2,8, 20-24; 19:11-21)


Just to summarize my answer to your questions:

Christ has not yet started his reign. The period of time leading up to Christ’s return can be identified by the signs we have been given in the Scriptures, including events taking place within God’s own household.

The first evidence that Christ has sat down on his glorious throne will be the separating of the sheep and the goats, that is, the removal from God’s kingdom of all causes of stumbling and people who are doing lawlessness. Also, Jehovah promises deliverance for his sheep “when I break the bars of their yoke and I have delivered them out of the hand of those who had been using them as slaves.” (Ezek. 34:27) He will act in behalf of his people who were crying out to him, “O Jehovah our God, other masters besides you have acted as owners of us. By you only shall we make mention of your name.” According to prophecy, there will be a great crowd of such ones. (Isaiah 26:13; Rev. 7:9,14)

The individual letters that Jesus wrote to each of the seven congregations in the district of Asia, as recorded by the apostle John in his book of Revelation, are apropos to the condition within God’s household today. Jesus is very specific as to what he approves of and what is unacceptable from God’s standpoint. According to the evidence, there seems to be very little time left to repent, conquer, and to make any necessary adjustments in our attitude and works. Jesus summed up his letters to the seven congregations by saying, “All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.” But how can we repent when we refuse to acknowledge our errors. (Rev. 3:19)

 
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