Thy Kingdom Come
Have we forgotten what Jesus' kingdom is all about?
What a time we are living in! The rapidity of change in the political and social world is unprecedented. Major accidents and natural catastrophies sweep devastation with bewildering frequency. Thousands are wrenched from their homes by tornadoes, floods, earthquakes. The street people go hungry and cold. Political and economic refugees increase day by day. The upheavals of this world are overwhelming. And could it be that God is even breaking down walls of Communism so that the gospel can be speedily finished and His kingdom may come?. Is God trying to tell us something, wake us up?. Do we go on as usual?. Have we any responsibility?. Some strongly believe these are signs that Jesus is coming very soon. Others think time may continue indefinitely.
Nature of Kingdom
Standing on what may be the verge of the kingdom, we ask basic and ultimate questions. "How can we be sure we will be saved?". "Can we be sure?". "What does God really expect of us?". "What is His kingdom really all about?". As we understand the nature of God's kingdom, we will find the answers to some of our other questions, and the resolution to some problems that face us today. God sent Jesus into the world to rescue from Satan's dominion all who would accept the invitation to come unto Jesus and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom. Jesus came to represent God to the human family, to demonstrate what the kingdom of God is and how we can become part of the family of God. Satan was determined to control the world. At the time Jesus came into the world as Redeemer for man, Palestine was the only place on earth where Satan had not established idolatry.
"To the only land that had not fully yielded to the tempter's sway, Christ came to shed upon the people the light of heaven. Here two rival powers claimed supremacy. Jesus was stretching out His arms of love, inviting all who would to find pardon and peace in Him. The hosts of darkness saw that they did not possess unlimited control, and they understood that if Christ's mission should be successful, their rule was soon to end."
Jesus began His ministry by preaching, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 4:17). The Jews claimed to be heirs of God's kingdom. Nicodemus was a Pharisee of the Pharisees and an authority among the Jews. He felt sure of salvation. But as he watched Jesus heal the sick and heard Him talk about the kingdom of God, Nicodemus recognized a power which was completely strange and mysterious to him. Neither he nor any of the rabbis had such power, nor spoke with such authority. He searched Jesus out to inquire about this power. "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him" (John 3:2, RSV). Jesus answered him directly, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Three times Jesus pressed this truth upon him, but Nicodemus did not understand. The kingdom of God?. Nicodemus thought he was assured of a place in the kingdom of God. His good works were many and he felt need of neither repentance nor forgiveness. His lifestyle was impeccable. He needed no change. But Jesus made it very clear that unless Nicodemus was born of the Spirit and of water he could not see the kingdom of God.
A Different Kingdom
Throughout all His ministry, Jesus taught that the nature of the kingdom of God is very different from the kingdom of this world. Since Adam's sin, Satan has claimed the world as his kingdom. By nature the heart of man is evil and all are born in sin. The impulses, thoughts, and actions may be educated and modified to be kind, courteous and polished, but Jesus was pointing out to Nicodemus that no matter how carefully he disciplined himself, he had no power within himself to transform his nature from sinful to holy. Unless he was born again of the Spirit of God, he could not have a part in the kingdom of God. Jesus explained that He had come to this earth to establish the kingdom of heaven—a spiritual kingdom, not a temporal, earthly one. Nicodemus did not understand the nature of the kingdom of God.
The rich young ruler came running to Jesus. "Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (Matt 19:16). Jesus told him, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me" (Matt 19:21). But the young man turned away sorrowful, for he had many worldly possessions. Jesus remarked to His disciples that it was very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Samaritan woman at Jacob's well knew that she was a sinner. But Jesus saw her not for what she was, but for what she might become through the power of His saving grace. Не approached her with respect and requested a drink of water from her. No one had given her hope that she could be a child of God before. But Jesus opened to her the invitation to the kingdom of heaven and to eternal life. Immediately her frivolous manner changed. In His divine presence, she accepted His invitation. She became an effective missionary, witnessing so persuasively to her community that the whole village came out to see Jesus.
A Kingdom of Service
When the Holy Spirit dwells in the heart, the thoughts, the emotions and the behavior are elevated from worldly ambitions and pleasures to sharing the peace and forgiveness of Jesus with others. The kingdom of this world can offer only temporary self-gratification. But the kingdom of God satisfies the inner soul, and a new life of humble service springs forth joyfully and spontaneously. Jesus desired to prepare His disciples for the trials and disappointments they would face when He would be persecuted and crucified. As they were journeying through Galilee, He told His disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to be put to death. Yet they shared the hopes of the Jews that the Messiah would deliver them from Roman rule and that He would set up His kingdom on earth. As they traveled, the disciples disputed among themselves over who should be the greatest. Each wanted a high position in His kingdom.
Who Is Greatest?
As they argued, Jesus was grieved. He wanted so much for them to understand the nature of His kingdom. But they seemed not to hear what He tried to tell them. Finally, one asked Him who would be the greatest in His kingdom. Jesus responded that whoever would be greatest would be the servant of all. Furthermore, He told them that it was not His to appoint the positions in the kingdom, but that was the work of His Father in heaven. (See The Desire of Ages, p. 435.).
At the Last Supper, the disciples still had not learned the lesson. None of them offered to serve by washing the feet of the others at the beginning of the meal. So Jesus arose from the table and performed the task Himself. They were overwhelmed and embarrassed. After He had finished, He told them that He had set them an example of what they must do. They should not let pride and rank and position stand in their way of serving the lowliest of their brothers. (See The Desire of Ages, p. 643.).
Satan's Plan
Are we aware that there are truly two forces in this world?. Satan claims the world as his kingdom. He watches continually to control the minds and hearts of those who desire to be followers of Jesus. We are warned:
"Satan is continually seeking to overcome the people of God by breaking down the barriers which separate them from the world... All who are not decided followers of Christ are servants of Satan. In the unregenerate heart there is love of sin, and a disposition to cherish and excuse it. In the renewed heart, there is hatred of sin, and determined resistance against it."
We war against principalities and powers. Satan is always working to control us, to distract us from our purposes, and to destroy us. We are not capable of overcoming him in our own power. But we need not despair, for we have the promise of help:
"Christ will give strength to all who seek it. No man without his own consent can be overcome by Satan. The tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to sin. He may distress, but he cannot contaminate. He can cause agony, but not defilement. The fact that Christ has conquered should inspire his followers with courage to fight manfully the battle against sin and Satan."
Entrance Requirements
The entrance requirements for the kingdom of heaven are the same today as they were in the days of Nicodemus, the young ruler, and the disciples. We cannot see the kingdom of heaven unless we are born of the Spirit and of water. Our Redeemer made the kingdom of God possible for each of us. He invites us to come to Him. But it is not automatic for us, not even if we are born into a good Seventh-day Adventist family or are workers in the employ of the church. We must make a personal decision, daily submitting our lives to Jesus. It is a death to self and sin and a new life after the Spirit of God. True Christianity is not a modification of the old natural life, but a new creation. We must become new persons in Jesus, with Him abiding in our lives.
Death to Self
In early youth, I remember Elder Meade McGuire illustrating what it means to die to self and sin. He described very vividly a funeral ceremony. Beautiful flowers surrounded the open casket before the pulpit. The minister was telling of the good deeds of the dead man but he mentioned that sometimes he allowed his temper to get the best of him. Immediately, the dead man jumped up in his coffin. Pointing his finger at the minister, he remonstrated, "That's not true! that's not true!". Elder McGuire asked, "Would the dead man do that?". No. Of course not!. It would not matter what was said about him. He would not react at all, not a blink of his eyelids, because he was dead.
If we are dead to self and sin, we cannot be hurt by others' slights or abuses. It does not matter if someone else is given credit for our hard-earned accomplishments. When we are dead to self we do not worry about being recognized or honored for our good works. For if we are truly Christ's, it is not we but Christ who works in us. To Him is due the credit and honor. Paul endured persecution and imprisonment, yet praises to God were upon his lips and in his heart. His testimony rings through the centuries that for him to live was Christ. We may often find the old self rising up within us to defend some personal desire or right. Then we have to tell ourselves, "Lie down; resist the temptation.". It is by resisting temptations that our characters are strengthened to do right. When we do fall, we betray our Master even as Peter did. But Jesus has promised that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and will forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
"The old nature, born of blood and of the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The hereditary tendencies, the former habits, must be given up."
"The only hope for us if we would overcome is to unite our will to God's will and work in cooperation with Him, hour by hour and day by day. We cannot retain self and yet enter the kingdom of God. If we ever attain unto holiness, it will be through the renunciation of self and the reception of the mind of Christ. Pride and self-sufficiency must be crucified. Are we willing to pay the price required of us?. Until we are willing, the transforming grace of God cannot be manifest upon us."
Growth in Christ
Not only must death to self be a reality, but the new birth in Christ must be genuine. And as newly born Christians, we must continue on to grow into the full stature of Christ. What a privilege God has given us to become sons and daughters of His kingdom!. As we turn our eyes upon Jesus and learn of Him, as we search the Scriptures and meditate upon His Word day and night, as we contemplate His works in nature, and as we experience the guiding of His Spirit in our lives, the things of this world grow dim. There is no greater joy than to recognize the voice of God speaking to our hearts. What marvelous love He hath bestowed upon us!. We cannot help but praise His name and share His love with others. We can know when we belong to the kingdom of God by this simple test:
"Who has the heart?. With whom are our thoughts?. Of whom do we love to converse?. Who has our warmest affections and our best energies?. If we are Christ's, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. All we have and are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His spirit, do His will, and please Him in all things."
Two Kingdoms
Yes, there are two kingdoms. We are born into the kingdom of this world which Satan claims. But through the Holy Spirit, God is constantly wooing and drawing us to Him. We may surrender our lives to God and become members of His kingdom. The invitation is still open,
"Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
The two kingdoms are clearly distinguished by character and results. Satan manipulates peoples' minds and seeks to control them by force. He tempts all to indulge appetite, to gratify self, to make "I" the center of life. "I" is the center of sin and until self is crucified, Satan is assured of his victim. The end result of sin is eternal death. But the kingdom of God never compels, never forces, never demands. Jesus invites. God respects personal freedom and personal dignity. He draws by divine and everlasting love. He offers to take our burden of sin and create His image within us. He promises to unite His omnipotent power with our human energies. He invites us to cooperate with Him in His message of hope for the salvation of the whole lost world. What a high and holy calling, to be colaborers with Him!. And if we are His, we share the promise of eternal fellowship with God and all of His marvelous creation.
Which Kingdom?
The choice is ours. To which kingdom do we belong?. By our character and by our fruits we may be distinguished. The fruit of the Spirit of God is love, joy, peace, a humble heart and a contrite spirit. Discord and strife, pride and self-ambition are the work of Satan and the fruit of sin. If we would have the kingdom of God in our hearts, our lives will be hid in Christ. We will search the Scriptures diligently and seek to do God's will. Our delight will be to meditate upon His law day and night. We will do the works that Jesus asks us to do. We will long to share His love with those who know Him not. Murmurings and strife will not be found among us. There will be no strivings for honor or position. Rather, with a spirit of unity we shall become channels through which God's love will flow to others. Then we will be able to truly pray the prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples: