The Kingdom of God is Near

It's just an interesting phrase to consider. The words came right out of Christ' mouth, spoken to the disciples.

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ - Matthew 10:7 (ESV)

The Kingdom of God is at hand? The Kingdom of Heaven is near? What was Christ speaking of? Was He speaking of physical proximity, chronology, spirituality, or what?

It's also interesting to reflect upon the way Christ was treated by a few select few people and the heavens them self. There were a select few whose conduct generated mighty songs. The Magi from the East bearing gifts fit for a King. There were the few disciples that immediately bowed down in His presence. Then upon Jesus death there was "Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight" - John 19:39 (ESV)

The point is there were a few that recognized Jesus as King. Many mocked Him for claiming to be King of the Jews, but when asked about His Kingdom by Pontius Pilate, Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36 (ESV)

The Kingdom of God is at hand, and indeed it has come. Not to its fullest measure, but it is here. It is very near you. It is on your heart and in your mind, and the moment you die you will face it for eternity. The King has already come and purchased your entry. And we turn to celebrate the birth of this King and His Kingdom in this season of the year.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” - Luke 1:31-33 (ESV)

Listen to the audio sermon, "My King Who Died for Me".

Note: Please be aware of the fact that we do not know Christ' birth date. December 25th is not the correct date. I am sure of that, but not sure exactly what date or season is correct.

Priorities in Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It was released less than three months after my day of birth, but it's one of those classic movies that many of us "more mature folks" have seen and remember, the movie "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World." The plot begins with four car loads of people hearing the dying words of a thief. With his last breath, he tells of a $350,000 treasure buried in Santa Rosita. Then it is off to the races as the quirky cast attempts to grab the stolen cash.

While our life is not as dramatic, the story line is the same. A dying thief has told us a lie about a non-existent pot of gold, and we're now clawing and scratching our way through this world in search of treasure that doesn't exist and will not satisfy, even if we did find it.

The point is to check our priorities. Are the pursuits of this world trampling our relationship with God? Does the routine of domestic gathering dominate our time and undermine our commitment to the commands of our Divine Creator?

There are four basic matters that First Steps Discipleship challenges you to fit into your life.

1. A fulfilling prayer life
   
2. The study of God's Word


3. Fellowship & service to His people


4. Testifying to the Glory of God

With all the quirks of our own personalities, the madness of this world, and the various curve balls thrown our way, there are no more important tasks than the being and doing of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
- Matthew 22:37-40 ESV

Know the Blessing

The Fury of God's Love

"Watch out now." "You better be nice." "You're gonna burn in hell." "You better play by the rules." "Don't make me come down there."

Today, the Christian church in America has shifted too far in the opposite direction, but not too long ago preachers pounded on pulpits and threatened the fires of hell, if you did not accept Christ as Savior. The truth is that without Christ all are condemned to hell. Our condemnation is not the question. The question is, "How shall we escape condemnation?" And yes, Jesus is the answer.

I say these things to beg the question, "Shall we fear God"? Do we need to be afraid of God, and are there different types of fear of God? How can an all loving God be full of wrath? First of all, yes, you should fear God. And I pray your fear is grounded in a balanced knowledge of who is He, and not a one-sided perspective. Allow me to explain.

Put your self in the place of an American slave in the 1800s. Your lord is harsh man. He works you to the ground; He punishes you harshly, when you make a mistake or fail in a task. Though he does provide you with shelter, food, and clothing, you see no hope of ever being free. Your lord has total domination over your life and treats you harshly. You would do anything to escape him. Any positive thing he does for you is overshadowed by your fear and anger towards this abusive person.

Now, let's trade you to another master. This master still requires of you hard work and service, but the master is kind. You are a part of his family. He is providing for you in exchange for your service. You have clothes, food, and shelter. You know your master's business and you help him with it. The work is hard, but you share in it knowing that you are of mutual benefit to each other, and that your lord is a fair man. You are still his slave, he bought and paid for you, and if you try to run, or fail in your duties, there will be stern punishment. But you also know that this master may someday set you free. He has the power and authority to keep you, or to set you free.

The first master is the picture Satan would have you believe about God, when it is really the devil that holds you down. Satan would have you believe that God is an evil one-sided oger that will never let you go. Satan wants you to think God is oppressive, controlling, and full of wrath.

The reality is that Satan is the destructive master. But Satan is also subject to God's sovereignty. God can and has destroyed individuals, families, cities, nations, and even the entire know world. He has destroyed evil, and he will do it again. You should be afraid of that. God has promised to destroy everything that is evil or causes evil, and He has demonstrated this in the past. You do not want the Lord to break out against you. You want to be on His side.

Now, knowing that God has such awesome power over His enemies, we also understand that this is the fury of His love. We know that He destroys His enemies for the sake of His people and His kingdom. Do you want murders in heaven? If murderers lived in heaven, it would not be heaven, would it? Do you want rapists, liars, thieves, and quarrellers in heaven? That would ruin the whole deal.

God is at work fitting us for heaven. He is preparing a place for us. I know you think of mansions, when that phrase appears. But what about the rooms of our hearts? What if it is really the spaces of our heart that need to be made ready for heaven. Certainly it is. We must come to understand that fear of God is justified. He can and does break out against evil. He is holy. He is Mighty. He is the Eternal God. He is also Our Righteousness.

The ultimate deception is associating our fear with unjustified or evil motives of God, rather than the fury of His love.

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. - 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 ESV

- Recommended Fiction Reading: Karen Kingsbury, Every Now & Then
- Recommended Music: Rich Mullins, The Love of God, Songs 2

Know the Blessing

Our Ever Present Savior

The mysteries of Christ are many and marvelous. How can it be that He is both before and after David? How is that He could create the world and then be born into the world that he might save the world? These questions are not beyond explanation, but they are marvelous mysteries that reflect the ever present nature of Christ our Savior and Lord.

How is it that he saved you and me on the cross some two thousand years ago, before we were even born, and yet the salvation he brings is both present and future? How could His past crucifixion bring both a modern day rescue from this world and a future rescue from eternal damnation?

When He died on Calvary he gave me life that is out of this world! When His blood was spilled on Golgotha, he gave me liberty from the bondage of human thinking. When He rose from the dead, he gave me the power to rise in the wisdom of Godly council.

He is the Word in flesh appearing. We are so fixated on appearances that it was necessary for Him to show up. And when He did arrive, he showed the world the power of His word. Some people despise the laws of God as a burden and restriction on their live. When he came into this world, Christ released liberty, true freedom that flows from His Word. He spoke, and demons scattered. He said the word, and bodies were healed. He said the prayer, and the dead were brought back to life.

The ever present Savior is the power of the ever present Word. He is the Word Incarnate. The Word is not a burden; it is life! And not only life, but life to the fullest! By His stripes we are healed. Not only is His blood payment for our sin, but His perfect life is a substitute for ours. It is the freedom to be finished with the world's system, and to truly live in His system.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? - 1 John 5:1-5 ESV

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” - Deuteronomy 30:11-20 ESV

You have a choice. Choose life. Choose the commands of God. Choose the ever-present Savior.

Know the Blessing