God’s Kingdom

 John 18:33-38; Revelation 1:4-6,8

Pilate asks Christ if he is king of the Jews to which he replies that his kingdom is not of this world. When Pilate concurs that he is a king, Jesus tells how for this he was born. His rule originates in God. He came into the world to testify to the truth. His kingdom belongs to those who listen to the truth. This is not a physical but a spiritual kingdom.

I love how Jesus doesn’t claim to be king of the Jews since he is king to all who believe in him – Gentile and Jew alike.

The eternity of God and Christ is mentioned in the Revelation passage when it says the one who is, who was, and who is to come. Then in verse 8 it’s stated again using the metaphor of God being the Alpha and Omega. This passage tells about Christ’s future role of being the universal sovereign by also saying he is ruler of the kings of the earth.

Those who listen to the truth are further defined in our Revelation passage. The characteristics of Christ the King are that he loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. What does this kingdom consist of? It is made up of us whom he saved stated when he says, “and made us a kingdom.” The book of Revelation will later talk about how this spiritual kingdom will become a physical one – a new heaven and a new earth.

Pilate a ruler himself doesn’t get the concept of a spiritual kingdom and when told it’s made up of those who listen to the truth, he asks, “what is truth?”

So many things have been perverted in our day. One being what is truthful. We are bombarded with “fake news” and other countries are hacking our social media with falsities to make us not vote for particular candidates. Jesus followers believe that Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the life. We need to listen to God for the truth through God’s word, following the example of Christ, and listen quietly to the Spirit in our prayers.

Let us carry out God’s spiritual kingdom on earth by speaking and living the truth of God’s love for us and for all. Amen.

 

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