The Kingdom
BY LONNIE J. GOOD
Among the Nations of this world there is a people that believe and act as no other people on the face of this earth. Among cities and in the country, in most, if not all, of this world’s organizations there is a people who are carefully and deliberately planning for one of the greatest events that this world has ever known. That is, the return of their King and the establishment of His Kingdom over all the earth.
This people know for a certainty that they will one day join their King and reign with Him over the entire earth, and yet they are not planning the overthrow of any government. This people will one day rule over all the riches of the world, and yet they are not trying to become rich by chasing after the world’s wealth.
Who are these people? They are the people of God’s Kingdom. They are the poor, the downcast, the hungry, the crippled, the fatherless and the widows. They are people who find no permanent resting place here. They are the caring, the gentle, the humble, and the meek. They are “Those who do the will of the Father here and now.”
Those who are spiritually mature understand that God’s Kingdom is here now–they understand that it resides in the hearts of all of those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and who make His teachings a way of life. And all those who submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, now, before his return, will go to be with Him in heaven where he has prepared a place for them. He has prepared an eternal home, a place that is free from the worries and the struggles of this life–a place where pleasures beyond our imagination abound.
There is another kingdom present in the world today; it is filled with chaos, death and destruction. At a very young age I learned about that kingdom, it is the kingdom of darkness; in the Scriptures it is referred to as The World. Like it or not, we are all born into this world’s kingdom, with all that is has to offer.
When I was six years old I reached into a casket and touched my father’s lifeless body. I felt the pain that this world has to offer. I was filled all of the loneliness any heart could stand. That loneliness consumed me for three decades. The effects of that loss still reverberate in my life.
There was another man who came into my life and helped fill the void that was left from the loss of my father. He was my uncle. I still have vivid memories of standing next to his hospital bed, holding his hand and praying for him, weeping, asking God to remove the cancer that was killing him. I watched him die for a year.
I married when I was 19 years old. (That may sound young, but I had been taking care of a family since age 6. I had 13 years of experience of being a man.) After 13 years of marriage my wife left me and filed for divorce. I was devastated. I lost 30 pounds in two weeks. It was two years before I regained any weight and several more years before I began the emotional healing.
I have been tempted and at times have given-in to this world’s counterfeit comfort. All of us are familiar with the world, we have all reached out and touched, or have been touched by it at some point in our lives. This dark kingdom offers some very seductive and subtle drugs that mask the pain it inflicts on us.
‘Insidious’ is the word that comes to mind when I think of the truth and reality of this world. I liken it to a twisted and tormented doctor who injects his patients with poison that will kill them, but then he gives them other drugs that cover up and mask the pain caused by the poison, the pain that would tell them, You Are Dying, Seek Help!
The numbing action of an adulteress relationship; the temporary pleasure that comes with being on top of the world; feeding one’s lustful pleasures; filling oneself up with so much pride that the words, “I’m better than” precede all other names. The world has much to offer, many different substitutes that will fill any kind of loss that you or I have experienced. But in the end the drug wears off, and it’s too late, the poison has taken its toll.
Christ disclosed all of the world’s lies. When His truth reaches the heart of the listeners, those who are truly hearing what He is saying, they cry out and say, “What must I do to be saved?” Indeed, many of us have asked that question and many more will. We have found, and many more will, that the Gospel is the answer. Therefore it must continue to be preached. Not a watered down rendering, but a complete and unadulterated Gospel–The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
That is our job. To tell the truth about this world and to tell the truth about God’s Kingdom. The world has imitated everything that is good, why would it not imitate the Gospel also. When we share the truth about Christianity, we must tell the entire truth or we are in danger of offering nothing but another numbing drug. The truth of the Kingdom is painful and many choose to medicate themselves rather than accept it, but the truth of God’s Kingdom is the only antidote for this world’s poison.
Christ said this about entering into the kingdom of God: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matt 7:21) Only those who obey the Father’s will ‘inwardly’ will enter His Kingdom. (Bruce)
Note For Those Who Argue Semantics: Matthew speaks of the kingdom of heaven, rather than the kingdom of God. Since the readers were Jewish, they avoided using the name of God. Mark and Luke use the words ‘Kingdom of God’, but mean exactly the same thing. (Bruce)
It is not enough to call Jesus “Lord.” It is not enough to claim to be a disciple. It is not enough to preach. It is not enough to drive out demons or even do mighty works in his name. It is, however, some of the most familiar human failings, not outrageous wickedness, that prevent us obeying His will. The teaching of Jesus, or ‘of the Kingdom,’ is difficult and unacceptable because it runs counter to those elements in human nature which the twentieth century has in common with the first–such things as laziness, greed, the love of pleasure, the instinct to hit back and the like.
Only those who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:4) can fulfill the requirements of the Kingdom; those requirements are spelled out in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. It is not enough to say the sinner’s prayer. And when we lead people to believe that they are saved without true repentance, without bearing the fruit of righteousness, we lead them to believe a lie.
This Kingdom has no place for those who seek fame, fortune, or who want to rule. There is but one ruler in this Kingdom, one ruler who will never be voted out, will never resign, will never fail to rule in true righteousness, will never be overrun or overthrown, His Kingdom will stand forever.
“The love of pleasure” can, and will, keep many from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. But without a clear understanding of ‘pleasure,’ we could end up like many who believe that having fun or enjoying life is forbidden. That is not the case. Let’s look at where Christ first used the word that has been translated ‘pleasure.’
Christ said this: “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” (Luke 8:14)
In the Greek this word ‘Pleasure’ is pronounced ‘hay-don-ay’; the radical meaning is ‘sensual’ delight; by implication desire:–it is rendered ‘lust.’ To have a full understanding of that word we need to look at the other uses of it in Scripture. The same word is used in Titus 3:3–“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.” And again in Hebrews 11:25–“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a short time. The pleasure to which Christ was referring was a sinful pleasure, which is short-lived and ends in death. It is the pleasure that masks the pain from the poison of this world.
This needs to be contrasted to the ‘pleasure’ that is experienced in the Kingdom. Ps 36:7-8–“How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.”
In this instance the word pleasure is simply defined as eden. We would need to go back to the garden, back to the time when God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, to understand the type of pleasure that God wants us to enjoy in His Kingdom. There is pleasure in God’s Kingdom, a lasting pleasure, the pleasure of His divine presence.
There are costs associated with entering this Kingdom, they are high, but that is understandable when you consider just how high the stakes are. The stakes are “eternal life” or “eternal damnation.” Christ died so that we could enter into this Kingdom. After his death and resurrection he ascended back to heaven and he poured out His Spirit on all those who believe. His Spirit enables us to live in accordance with the Father’s will, that is, the rules of His Kingdom. His Spirit calls, and empowers, us to be disciples.
We find the cost, associated with being a disciple, in the words of Christ found in the Gospel of Luke. Christ said this:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, and even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26)
Taking up the cross was not simply a picture for taking on annoying burdens. It meant that Jesus’ followers must be prepared to be crucified, as he was. Indeed, many of them were crucified.
Regarding his very hard statement about family–you need to understand that Christ was using a hyperbole, which is a recognized figure of speech. That is, He was using a purposeful exaggeration to make a point; the words were not to be taken literal. This is the meaning, “the cost of being a disciple of Christ is this: to make His teaching an absolute priority. First and foremost, one’s allegiance is with Christ.” If your family turns against you because of your faith in Christ, you will continue to follow him, if your friends turn against you because of your faith in Christ, you will continue to follow him, if you lose your job because of your faith in Christ, you will continue to follow him, and if members of your church turn against you for your faith in Christ, you will continue to follow him; if your spouse turns against you, you will continue to follow Him.
Do not think it odd or strange that those in a church would do this; it was the religious leaders that received the harshest words from Christ and from the greatest prophet the world ever knew, i.e., John the Baptist.
Blinded by our society's values, we too often preach a Christianity that merely "meets our needs" or “masks our pain” rather than one that calls us to sacrifice our highest desires for the Kingdom. Too many Western Christians live a religion that costs nothing, treats the Kingdom cheaply and therefore does not demand saving faith. Saving faith includes believing God's grace so sincerely that we live as if his message is true and stake our lives on it. May we have the courage to trust God as John did, to stake everything on the Kingdom (13:46) and to relinquish our own popularity, when necessary, by summoning others to stake everything on the Kingdom as well.
A political leader did not announce the Kingdom, nor did the reigning king announce it; a prophet of God who was ministering in the desert announced it. And today, in our world, you will not find the Kingdom of God proclaimed by politicians nor will you hear about it on the evening news. You will not find the world giving you the answer or the antidote to its poison.
Let’s go back to the time when the announcement was made in the wilderness. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matt. 3:2) He quoted from Isaiah, saying, “prepare the way for the Lord; make straight a highway for our God.” (Is. 40:3) He was not talking about building roads. He was talking about making a way to the hearts of all mankind. He was talking about making a way for man to escape the corruption in the world. He directed his followers to repentance and to Christ.
John was more than a prophet–he was the messenger that preceded Christ. According to Christ, John was one of the greatest men that had ever walked the earth. Jesus said this about John, “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matt 11:11)
John stood and announced the dawning of the new age, without himself entering that new age. Although he was unrivalled in his own eminence, he was overtaken by the least person in the new age in terms of privilege. Christ made a great distinction between John’s position as an Old Testament prophet, and that of “the least” in this new Kingdom. John was murdered before Christ fulfilled his complete mission.
You have heard the words of Christ regarding John and you have also heard what Christ said about the least in this new Kingdom. Let me ask you this; is it right that you or I should be considered greater than John the Baptist? We should look at the reality of our identity in Christ and be motivated as never before. Motivated to live a life that is pleasing to God. Be thankful that we are not called to live in the desert, to eat locus, and to wear animal hides. God has given us the greatest opportunity of all time; he has given us the opportunity to be His sons and daughters. He has given us a new position.
God’s riches are beyond measure, yet we are like the woman of Canaan who came to the Lord asking for crumbs that may fall from the table, while He waits for us to take our rightful position at His table.
The greatest paradigm shift in the history of man was that which took place when all of The Law and The Prophets were fulfilled in Christ. There were countless analogies made by Christ to a new way of thinking; a new way of worship; a new way of being; and a new relationship with the Father. The shift occurred two thousand years ago and yet we still find ourselves looking at the old and at times using it as a pattern for the new.
Take this great prophet for example. There is a tendency, when we look at John, to transfer characteristics of this Old Testament prophet to our image of a New Testament prophet. I want to emphasize the word ‘image,’ because false images that we create, have always been, and will always be, a breaking of God’s commandments. Under the Law, it was graven images that were unacceptable to God, but now it goes beyond that, now it is a matter of what images we have erected in our hearts. We have a greater position with God, and therefore a greater responsibility to walk in holiness.
Let me expound on what I mean in regard to transferring characteristics of the old onto the new. As I prepared this sermon I looked at, and drew from, some very reputable sources. This is what one biblical scholar said about John the Baptist:
“John could safely draw crowds there [in the desert] as he could nowhere else, and it provided him the best accommodations for public baptisms not sanctioned by the established leaders. Thus John’s location symbolizes both the coming of a new exodus, the final time of salvation, and the price a true prophet of God must be willing to pay for his or her call: exclusion from all that society values–its comforts, status symbols and even basic necessities.”
We all know that a prophet is a great person, and in religious circles, there is a certain status associated with that title, but we need to be extremely careful with titles and positions in this new Kingdom. This scholar points to the price that must be paid by, “a true prophet of God,” as though the price a prophet must pay is higher than that of another. Indeed, the price that any great man or woman of God must pay is great, but we will see that the method of payment differs from the days before God’s Kingdom came to be among men. Also, this scholar’s statement would reinforce a person’s tendency to withdraw from family; friends; and even society for the sake of an apparent spirituality. But when you look at the new Kingdom’s policy and procedures, regarding those who will be great, we find a new way of seeing a great person.
Jesus Christ, the King, said this about great people in this new kingdom, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matt. 23:8-12)
The price that must be paid by all who will enter this Kingdom is death, that is, an irreversible turning from the sin nature, with all of its pride, greed, and lustful pleasures.
When anyone in this new Kingdom bears a title of Apostle; Prophet; Preacher; Teacher; Pastor; Evangelist; or any other, which in our case could be Deaconate; Deacon; and Deaconess; Teacher; or Sunshine Person; that person’s life must be marked by humility, acts of service, and a clear departure from the old nature. The greatest positions in the Kingdom of God are reserved for the greatest servants. Those who have paid the greatest price are those who exhibit the greatest self-control and selflessness. When those characteristics are evident in a person’s life, there is no room left for selfish desire. You will not find a humble servant striving for a position of power or seeking a title.
The camel hide that John wore was an outward, visible indication of an inward commitment. He could have been clothed with fine linen, he could have eaten and drank with all of the others, and he did not need to live in the desert. We too must wear humble clothing; we must cover our hearts with John’s camel hide. We must cloth ourselves with an inward humility if we want to be great in this new Kingdom.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus were preaching that a New Kingdom was near, one that required a different form of righteousness than that which was being emulated by the religious leaders of that day.
John and Jesus had a very uncomfortable message for Israel concerning religion in this New Kingdom. The message was simple, the hypocrisy exhibited by the religious leaders of the day would not be tolerated, nor would it find any place in this New Kingdom.
Christians today often think of "Pharisees" as hypocrites and hence do not feel threatened when hearing them denounced. But the Pharisees' contemporaries thought of them as very devoted practitioners of the Bible, and of the scribes as experts in biblical laws. In today's terms, Jesus was thundering against many popular preachers and people who seemed to be living holy lives--because they were practicing human religion rather than serving God with purified hearts.
One scholar writes this: “I suspect that much of what passes for Christianity today is little more than human religion with the name of Jesus tacked onto it, because like most of the religion of Jesus' contemporaries, it has failed to transform its followers into Christ's servants passionately devoted to his mission in the world. When rightly understood, Jesus' woes may strike too close to home for comfort. When religion becomes a veneer of holiness to conceal unholy character, it makes its bearers less receptive to God's transforming grace.”
Jesus said this about the outward show of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees: “everything they do is done for men to see; They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them Rabbi.” Matt 23 5-7
The phylacteries of verse 5 are parchments containing four extracts from the Old Testament. They were placed in a leather container and worn on the forehead and left arm. The fringes or tassels were prescribed in Numbers. Unthinking people might see extra-large phylacteries and tassels as signs of special piety. Jesus ordered his followers to avoid such displays, and do without titles of honor. He insists on service and humility as the badge of his disciples.
Salvation demands personal commitment, not merely being part of a religious or ethnic group. No one can take one's spiritual status for granted simply because one is Jewish, Catholic, Baptist, evangelical or anything else. As the saying goes, God has no grandchildren; the piety of our upbringing cannot save us if we are not personally committed to Christ. Even depending on our past religious experience is precarious.
Whereas historic Calvinism teaches that the elect will persevere to the end and Arminianism allows that apostate converts may be lost, neither supports the now-common view that those who pray the sinner's prayer but return to a life of ignoring God will be saved. Yet at a popular level, vast numbers of people believe they are saved because they once prayed a prayer. If this modern popular misunderstanding of the once-saved-always-saved doctrine is false, it may be responsible for millions of people's assuming they are saved when they are in fact lost. John's message constituted a decisive challenge to false doctrines of his day that cost people their salvation; John's successors in our day must be prepared to issue the same sort of unpopular challenges.
John Meier, a Roman Catholic scholar, notes Jesus' prohibition of the title father and questions the use of ecclesiastical titles, which arose even in Matthew's church in Syria a few decades after his Gospel (1980:265). But while we Protestants may determine "pecking order" by different means, most of our churches offer the same temptations for personal advancement. In most church services, ministers (including guest ministers performing no function in the service) grace the platform; many churches use various forms of social conformity to increase offerings. In some circles ordained ministers are taken aback if they are not greeted with the title "Reverend," which literally means "one worthy of reverence, one who should be revered." Is it possible that the very criticisms Jesus laid against the religious establishments of his day now stand institutionalized in most of his church? (Intervarsity Press Commentary)
Ø The Kingdom of God is here now. It resides in the hearts of men, women, and children who believe in Christ and who follow his teaching. Be filled with His Spirit now, serve Him now, and while you plow the fallowed ground in the hearts of people, look up from time to time and know that our King is coming.
Ø It is not enough to say Lord, Lord! Look at all the outward things that we have done in your name. Do not let the outward outshine the inward. Let your hearts be transformed, which in turn will produce good works. Do not think that good works will save you.
Ø Worldly pleasures that we are to reject are those, which are lustful, those that appeal to our sinful nature. Do not fulfill the desire of your flesh. Rather, let God’s Spirit be your pleasure.
Ø The cost of being a disciple is high. It must be considered and not be forgotten. Know this: there is no turning back once you have committed your life to Christ. You may stumble, you may fall, but you will get back up and be more determined than before to remain steady, to walk on the narrow road.
Ø Position in the Kingdom is directly related to humility and selflessness. Those who are great in God’s eyes are the most humble. Not a false humility but a genuine heart that seeks God’s favor.
Ø There is no place for those who seek titles and who want to be “seen by men.” Let your service be unto God and not to men.
Ø This Kingdom requires that each person entering it has done so through their relationship with Christ, by His Spirit, and who have submitted to His Lordship.