The Kingdom Is Here
| Jesus said, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” He wasn’t asking religious Jews to repent of some heinous sin they were involved in, for that was not their issue. He was telling them to repent of their religious ideas for the kingdom of God was at hand. When our culture is religious, we do not even realize how religious we are until we hear the gospel of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is not another way of saying salvation, church or some other religious term, the kingdom of God is its own culture; it’s a whole new way to think, operate and process; it is a person; it is a system of government like we have never known before. The kingdom of God is nothing like religion.
Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. This is the call Jesus gave in His day and this is the message from heaven right now. Change the way you think, the kingdom of God is at hand. We are hearing people say the words the kingdom of God but they are not changing they way they think. The kingdom of God is not heirarchal, that is a change in thinking. The kingdom of God is made up of children who are teachable not know it alls, that is a change of thinking. The kingdom of God is love and truth, not knowledge and tolerance, that is a different way of thinking. The kingdom of God is a person not a building, that is a different way of thinking. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. It is not coming soon, it is breaking into the earth realm right now, just like it did when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river. It is among us right now. Repent so you don’t miss it. The gospel of salvation is all about the cross, it is preaching salvation to saved people. The kingdom of God is truth that sets you free, it is an invitation into abundant life. It is coming through the narrow gate, the cross, and coming into wide open spaces that are holy places. We can build new buildings, put different names on television, change the songs we sing or the light colors we use, but none of that is a manifestation of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is seen and heard in what comes out of your mouth. Jesus spoke not as the religious leaders but as one who had authority and everyone marveled at His gracious words. The kingdom is at hand, repent! |