True hope doesn’t come from political ideologies or human governments. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Jesus announced the kingdom of God to establish His government within human hearts. The kingdom of God consists of all people who follow and obey the living Jesus. The kingdom of God is active on earth because the living Jesus is present to personally lead and direct those who are willing to obey Him. The kingdom of God is anywhere Jesus is acknowledged and obeyed as King.
God’s kingdom is Christ’s authority being exercised in your life. To enter the kingdom of God, you surrender your will to His. When the living Jesus isn’t obeyed as the King & Lord, the kingdom of God is undermined. To intentionally disobey Jesus is to deny that He is the Lord & King in your life.
The good news of the kingdom of God is that God’s just and compassionate government has been established and we’re invited to align with it. Governments can compel compliance, but only one government can fill hearts with love–the kingdom of God–Christ in you.
The kingdom of God isn’t a metaphor. It’s the reality of God’s inner government that begins to manifest as we surrender to the living Jesus. To live in the kingdom of God is to live in surrender and obedience to the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. If people are being led by the living Jesus, you will consistently see His character in their behavior; if not, you won’t.
Seeing the risen Jesus clearly living in and thru someone reveals the kingdom of God. It is far more powerful than any sermon I’ve ever heard.
When church only lectures, it doesn’t facilitate the kingdom of God. It doesn’t train people to obey the risen Jesus in day-to-day life.
Our comfort zone can blind us to God’s call to humility. It can hinder us from fully experiencing God’s kingdom. In the 1st century, the Pharisees tried to institutionalize and control Jesus. Today, church does.
Search for: Beyond Church Ekklesia.
