Citizens of His Kingdom
What is the prevailing message of Jesus? You might think this would be an easy question to answer, but ask a room full of people, and you’ll likely get a variety of responses. Yet, in Luke 9, throughout the Gospels, and in the book of Acts, the answer is made clear: the central message of Jesus is the kingdom of God.
The Kingdom and the King
The message of Jesus is not that Jesus and the Bible are the kingdom of God. No, Jesus is the King, and the kingdom is His righteous, loving presence and reign in and throughout all of humanity and the cosmos. He has come to reconcile the world to God, and His rule and authority are evident wherever He goes. The feeding of the multitudes, the casting out of demons, the opening of blind eyes, and the healing of the lame and the mute—all of these acts declare the presence of the kingdom.
This kingdom is not exclusive. Citizenship is being offered to ordinary people, to broken people, to you and me. Through Christ, God has made a way to reconcile us to Himself, to make us new, and to bring us under His rule and reign. By His death on the cross, He has reconciled us. And now, by the Spirit of God, He empowers us to live out His kingdom life—the very life of His Son.
Living the Kingdom Life
As Jesus walks with us, the kingdom shows up. The result of His kingdom life in us is freedom, joy, love, and the fruit of the Spirit. This life sets us free from our past, our regrets, and our shame. It allows us to live in the joy of forgiveness and the assurance of our adoption into the very life and love of God.
The one sitting on the throne has declared, “I am making everything new.” Everything. And we see it wherever Jesus goes. There is power in the King, and there is power in His abiding life with us. This King has made you His own. You are a citizen, and He is your King.
Embracing Our Citizenship
Let us live as citizens of the kingdom of God. Let us embrace the abiding, saving, and reconciling life of Christ. Let us be ambassadors of this message, proclaiming that through Christ, all have been reconciled to God. See it. Believe it. Repent. Change your mind and step into the life that is yours in Him.
A Prayer for the Kingdom
This is the prayer I have for my own soul. It is the prayer I have for my family—for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And it is the prayer I have for you:
May we see the kingdom of God. May we live as citizens of His kingdom, bearing the fruit of His Spirit. May we tell others of this great reconciliation that is ours in Christ. May it be so. Let us pray.
