John 18:36 “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Have you ever considered the magnitude of Jesus’ words after Pilate questioned Him?
The Kingdom that Jesus established was not a Kingdom of this world. His servants were not meant to fight for Him because His Kingdom was not under threat.
It was foolish of the world to think that by murdering Jesus they would somehow stop the establishment of God’s Kingdom, it is a pattern the world has maintained for centuries since that momentous time in history. Each attempt to silence the church by murdering it’s people has had very little effect in stopping its growth and development.
*As crucifying Jesus didn’t destroy God’s Kingdom, neither will His people need to fight to save it.
The Kingdom of God was established by God through Christ, for His people, to God’s glory. How can anything or anyone stop what God has ordained?
The Kingdom is Established
What requirements are necessary for entry into the Kingdom of God? Do people have to prove themselves, or be valiant, noble, or good?
Jesus gave a clue as to what the attributes are for the citizens of His kingdom:
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
- God’s people hear the voice of God. Being attune to God’s voice is not some natural instinct that is inherent in some and lost to others, it is a given attribute that is evident by the Spirit of God. Too many times I’ve heard people lay claim to a belief in Jesus as if it is all they need. Belief is evidenced by action and the action of a true believer is repentance. It is not an attempt to prove yourself good before God, it is a position of the heart that recognizes sin and their need for a Savior.
John 8:23-24 “And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
- Dwelling in God’s Kingdom is to be assured of the promise of life to come. Many who lay claim to Jesus reject Jesus for who He really is—God incarnate. The revelation of God to this world is a reality that many do not accept. People will accept Jesus as a prophet, a seed of God, a rabbi, or a wise man, but accepting Jesus as God is beyond what many will accept. God’s people worship Jesus as God and they live to glorify Him as God. Everything that is good, righteous, and holy in people is a result of Jesus bringing life to those who were lost.
Luke 17:20 “Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed”
- Living in God’s Kingdom is to live apart from this world. Everything this world lives for is to please the flesh. The people of God live by faith in the One who saved them. The process of knowing what is required is to know how to please the Savior—the anointing of the Spirit is given to those who walk in Him. The world may mock the things of God or deny His truth because they can’t understand it, but the things of God are spiritually discerned. Those who are faithful are those who seek after God’s will and then obediently follow. They don’t worry about how many people they have led to Christ, they don’t worry about seeing immediate results from their work, what they do receive is the love of God bestowed upon them on a daily basis.
Works Established for Eternity
Just as Jesus reminded Pilate and the pharisees of a heavenly perspective, so He also reminds the world of who His people are.
John 17:14-16 “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”
God’s people live for a world to come….
- living for Christ now, is to prepare to live with Him later.
- loving others is to hope they will know God’s love as well.
- giving everything for Christ is to know there is reward to come.
Whatever difficulties life may bring, the hope for a future with Christ makes it all worthwhile. Jesus freely gave His life because it was an investment into the future. He made a way for mankind to return to God whom they offended. To enter into the Kingdom of God is to enter into fellowship with Christ and His people. The patterns of fellowship with Christ and His church is but a foretaste of what is to come.
Life is shorter than we could ever know, God’s people must stay strong and not give into the enemy, remembering who they are in Christ. The Lord’s desire is to keep you in His hands until that final day. He isn’t holding your past against you but is looking forward to all He wants to accomplish through you now.
Place your investment of time and resources into all that He is leading you into and you’ll find the investment will bring greater return than you ever could imagine.
Remember, the King knows you, He has walked in your shoes, and He holds all the power….do not fear.
U.T. 