The Good News Kingdom
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
- Matthew 24:13-14
It's interesting to think of the phrase Gospel of the Kingdom, and have it be associated with being a good thing. I think most of our perception of a king isn't necessarily a good thing. Even in our own political climate half (at least) of our country pretty much always hates our president, whomever it is. And that's our closest picture of a king. We just don't grasp it fully because even the president is not a king.
The ancient Jews would have seen their king as having been appointed by God so reverence for such a king would have been significant. Then Jesus shows up on the scene. A new kind of king, with a different kind of kingdom. His kingdom, he says, is not of this world. And he has no intention of ruling like kings of the past over a section of land. Jesus has something greater in mind. Eternal kingdom.
Ok wait. If His kingdom is eternal, and elsewhere in the Bible it says that we are "citizens of heaven" (Phil. 3:20) when we believe in Christ, that means a couple of things.
0. We have a King and his name is Jesus.
0. We are just visitors here.
Justin did a great job covering Jesus as King on Monday. I will focus in on number 2.
The gospel, or good news, of the Kingdom being present sounds weird. How is that good news? Well first off, it's good news because it's salvation for those who believe. It's also good news because it provides purpose to each of us. That's where our citizenship matters.
We are here on this earth as "aliens" because we are citizens elsewhere. Don't think I mean "aliens" in a sci-for sort of way. I mean it in a citizenship sort of way...think illegal alien to get your mind right.
We are here as citizens of a different kingdom. And we have the good news of that kingdom with us. Our purpose is to put that good news on display. What does that mean? Well, what is good news? That's the question.
If you're an ambassador to a kingdom, it's your job to represent that kingdom and the kingdom we represent is a kingdom of good news! That means that you are good news. Wherever you go, good news should go with you. Whoever you encounter should be able to experience good news when they're with you. Your life should look like good news to the world around us. So much so, that people would look at your life and say, "he must not be from here."
You carry the good news of the kingdom with you. Your job as a representative of that kingdom is to ask, what is good news to the people God places in your life. Church, today, be people of the good news Kingdom. When you're with people, think to yourself, what is good news to them? How can I represent the Gospel of the Kingdom to them?
Be good news people today, church.
Love ya.
Charlie
- Matthew 24:13-14
It's interesting to think of the phrase Gospel of the Kingdom, and have it be associated with being a good thing. I think most of our perception of a king isn't necessarily a good thing. Even in our own political climate half (at least) of our country pretty much always hates our president, whomever it is. And that's our closest picture of a king. We just don't grasp it fully because even the president is not a king.
The ancient Jews would have seen their king as having been appointed by God so reverence for such a king would have been significant. Then Jesus shows up on the scene. A new kind of king, with a different kind of kingdom. His kingdom, he says, is not of this world. And he has no intention of ruling like kings of the past over a section of land. Jesus has something greater in mind. Eternal kingdom.
Ok wait. If His kingdom is eternal, and elsewhere in the Bible it says that we are "citizens of heaven" (Phil. 3:20) when we believe in Christ, that means a couple of things.
0. We have a King and his name is Jesus.
0. We are just visitors here.
Justin did a great job covering Jesus as King on Monday. I will focus in on number 2.
The gospel, or good news, of the Kingdom being present sounds weird. How is that good news? Well first off, it's good news because it's salvation for those who believe. It's also good news because it provides purpose to each of us. That's where our citizenship matters.
We are here on this earth as "aliens" because we are citizens elsewhere. Don't think I mean "aliens" in a sci-for sort of way. I mean it in a citizenship sort of way...think illegal alien to get your mind right.
We are here as citizens of a different kingdom. And we have the good news of that kingdom with us. Our purpose is to put that good news on display. What does that mean? Well, what is good news? That's the question.
If you're an ambassador to a kingdom, it's your job to represent that kingdom and the kingdom we represent is a kingdom of good news! That means that you are good news. Wherever you go, good news should go with you. Whoever you encounter should be able to experience good news when they're with you. Your life should look like good news to the world around us. So much so, that people would look at your life and say, "he must not be from here."
You carry the good news of the kingdom with you. Your job as a representative of that kingdom is to ask, what is good news to the people God places in your life. Church, today, be people of the good news Kingdom. When you're with people, think to yourself, what is good news to them? How can I represent the Gospel of the Kingdom to them?
Be good news people today, church.
Love ya.
Charlie
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