Afterwords -- the kingdom
"...he said to them, 'I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.'” (Luke 4:43)
January 27, 2024
Dear friends,
We have just returned from a wonderful visit with family (including five grandchildren) living in Georgia. We are so thankful for the Lord's kindness toward our family members!
These days I look around and wonder what kind of world we will be handing over to our grandchildren. As I read history, as well as the daily news, I am aware that the leaders of the nations, including our own, range from somewhat good to very, very bad. In the American election process, I am amazed that we cannot seem to come up with better candidates. To me, it seems neither of the leading candidates (of the two parties) has the moral or mental qualifications to serve in our nation's highest office. But perhaps these two geriatric frontrunners only reflect the fears and polarization of Americans today. John Adams wrote, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” (Letter, 1798) A spirit of fear and reprisal seems to be driving our democratic process, rather than sound moral discernment and the concern for righteousness, both individual and national.
Perhaps we've lost sight of the Kingdom toward which our hearts and energy should be inclined. Jesus said, "...seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..." (Matt 6:33). It isn't that we shouldn't vote or be involved as citizens, but rather that we need to prioritize and truly realize that the day is coming, perhaps very soon, when the kingdoms of this world will be replaced with the kingdom of Christ (Rev 11:15). The Lord will bring worldly rulers to nothing (Isa 1:10; 14:5; 40:23). This age is passing, and Jesus alone will reign forever and ever. Recently, as I was reading the gospel of Luke, I came upon the verse at the top of this letter, that Jesus went about proclaiming "the good news of the kingdom of God" (4:43).
THE KINGDOM OF GOD was Israel's supreme hope, that God would one day send a righteous descendent of King David (the Anointed One), who would sit upon the throne in Jerusalem, bringing righteousness, peace, and prosperity to the people of God and to the nations gathered for worship. This is the "good news", the gospel proclamation. It was the shining hope of the OT; it was proclaimed by Jesus; it was the topic of discussion with the disciples and our Lord in the forty days following his resurrection (Acts 1:3); and its coming is the consummation of the book of Revelation.
In the biblical sense a kingdom is composed of a king, subjects, and land [see diagram above]. There's a ruler, those ruled, and the realm of that rule. In the gospels the kingdom was present in the Person of the King (Matt 12:28). In the church age, as Christ reigns unseen, the kingdom grows in a hidden way (Matt 13:24-33), as new believers (willing subjects) are being added to the kingdom. And finally, when the King returns, he will establish the kingdom in an everlasting, full, visible, and glorious way (Matt 24:30), which will include the restoration of nature.
THE GOOD NEWS. What makes the Kingdom of God such good news is that Jesus is a good, and perfectly good, King. In other words, heaven would not be heaven if Jesus were not there. The Kingdom would not be good news unless an eternally good, all-powerful King reigns there forevermore. This is our hope, our confidence, our future. He is the One who wields power in a good way. He proclaims good news to the poor, opens the eyes of the blind, and makes the lame to walk. With all power and authority, he breaks the bonds of sin and darkness. Luke writes, "Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them." (Luke 4:40) Jesus touched every one of those sick people!
Luke goes on to write about Jesus miraculously filling the nets with fish; and saying to Simon, "Do not be afraid..."; about how Jesus cleansed the leper, healed a paralytic, and called disciples to follow him. He had no need of polls, PACs, donors, coalitions, compromises, or sarcastic soundbites. His words give life rather than produce death. It is Jesus' power, authority, goodness, and compassion which make the Kingdom such good news.
FOR THIS PURPOSE. Jesus said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (4:43) He told Pilate, "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37) Our Lord was not first and foremost a healer, miracle worker, social activist, political revolutionary, popular influencer, or civic leader. He was a preacher, a proclaimer of truth. Before his death for our sins, Jesus went about proclaiming the kingdom of God. David Livingstone said, “God had only one Son, and He was a missionary.”
For us as Christians this does not mean we abandon all political process, but it does mean that seeking and proclaiming the kingdom of God is our greatest love and highest calling. We have an eternal perspective. We must remember, as C. S. Lewis wrote, that “Whatever is not eternal is eternally out of date.”
IN OTHER READING.
-- Over 365 million Christians worldwide are suffering persecution for following Jesus. You can pray, using the World Watch List, compiled by Open Doors ministry.
-- D. A. Carson's messages on "The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God" are excellent, and available as a free download.
-- Books I'm reading: The Question of God (Armand Nicholi); In the Company of Crows and Ravens (John Marzluf); and the poems of Robert Frost.
LISTENING.
-- Knowing God, by J. I. Packer, audiobook. Here's an excerpt from chapter 9.
-- Music: "Come, Lord Jesus" by Sovereign Grace; and "Oh, Give Thanks (Psalm 107)" by Wendell Kimbrough.
FINAL QUOTE.
"Live in the kingdom of God in such a way that it provokes questions for which the gospel is the answer." (Lesslie Newbigin)
That's it for this week!
Sandy
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
