Confusion About The Kingdom
Confusion About The Kingdom
Wrong ideas about the kingdom of God
The Jews read the Bible and the prophecies in it. They had fixed ideas. They thought that the Messiah would be a military leader. He would defeat the Romans. He would establish their nation.
The kingdom that pleased God
Jesus came to do far more than that. His kingdom would be the kingdom that pleased God. It would be a kingdom that was right with God. For this, Jesus needed new men and new women. He would change people completely by his Holy Spirit. Then they could belong to the kingdom.
When Jesus came for the first time, he came to die for sinners. He offered to forgive them. He offered a new life. He came to give men and women the power of the Holy Spirit. This would change their lives.
The work of Jesus set up the kingdom. He established it by his death on the cross. And when he came alive after death. The resurrection was like an order to make the kingdom grow. The Holy Spirit gave power to the people of the kingdom on the Day of Pentecost.
From then until now the God‘s good news goes round the world. God is calling people to come into the kingdom. This is the Kingdom of God. It gives people joy, peace and security. The call is to repent and believe the good news about Jesus. The kingdom has already begun in our world. But it will come completely when Jesus comes for the second time. He taught more about these things just before he went to die on the cross.
What does God want us to do?
Until Jesus comes again, God's call goes out round the world. It is for each one of us. We must repent. We must obey Christ. We must ask him to be our Saviour and Lord.
Many who heard John the Baptist and Jesus did not do this. They kept their own wrong ideas. They pleased themselves. They enjoyed their sins. Many people today are like this. May God in his mercy, help us to be really sorry. May God help us to obey him. There is still time to be in the kingdom. Then our lives will please God.
Reading: Matthew 3, Luke 3 & 4
