Kingdom Disciples

Christ’s reign from the Messianic Throne began following his Death, Resurrection, and Exaltation to God’s presence – Psalms 110:1. The New Testament links Christ’s enthronement to his Resurrection and subsequent Exaltation by applying key Messianic texts to his life. He qualified to reign from God’s “ right hand ” because of his “ obedience until death, even death on the Cross .” This was confirmed when God raised him from the dead and seated him “ at His right hand ” where he now rules over the Universe.

The New Testament applies messianic promises from the Psalms to the present reign of Jesus. He is CHRIST THE KING ! Since his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, Jesus has reigned as absolute sovereign over the Earth, indeed, over the Cosmos. He is seated on the Messianic Throne of David and rules from “ Mount Zion ” as promised. Because of his “ obedience until death ,” Christ is the “ Ruler of the Kings of the Earth .” Before his Ascension, he declared, “ I have all authority in Heaven and on Earth .”  His present sovereignty is limitless.

Humanity is divided into two, and only two, groups, the followers of the Lamb and the devotees of the Beast . In the  Book of Revelation , every man either “ Tabernacles in Heaven ” or is numbered among the “ Inhabitants of the Earth .” The terms are not geographical or spatial but reflect the leader served by each group. Men either belong to “ Heaven ” or the “ Earth .” Those who elect to follow the Lamb “ Tabernacle in Heaven ,” but the “ Inhabitants of the Earth ” choose to submit to the “ Dragon ” and consequently await a grim fate.

Jesus proclaimed a new and different political reality, the Kingdom of God, and it bears little resemblance to the governments of this world .  When Jesus appeared in Galilee, he proclaimed the “ Kingdom of God ”: “ Repent, for the kingdom is at hand .” God’s reign was invading the Earth in his ministry. His realm was and remains entirely different than the political systems of the present fallen age, and it is incompatible with its political ideologies without exception . The Messiah of Israel refused worldly political power, especially when offered by Satan.  Likewise, his Church is summoned to something different than the existing world order. Righteousness must not be advanced by committing evil. - (“ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil! ” - Isaiah 5:20).

The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Good News of God’s Kingdom and Salvation to all Nations until the moment Jesus returns – Matthew 24:14. Jesus charged his followers with announcing his message to all nations. He summarized it as the “ Good News of the Kingdom of God .” Through him and his Assembly, the rule of God will be established but in unexpected and paradoxical ways. He will establish his sovereignty over the Earth and subdue the “ Last Enemy, Death ,” by the time of his appearance. His disciples must proclaim his Gospel to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth ” until the last moment!

As his disciples, we are called to engage in self-sacrificial service for others just as Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many . After predicting his death, two disciples began jockeying for high positions in Christ’s coming Kingdom. Thinking like the world and its ideologies, they did not comprehend what kind of Messiah Jesus was, and therefore, what it meant to follow him. However, he would demonstrate how one achieved “ Greatness ” in the Kingdom of God on Calvary.

The Gospel of Mark provides several examples of the many parables taught by Jesus (“ Apart from a parable he did not speak to the crowds ”). The dominant theme of his parables is the Kingdom of God that began to invade the Earth in his ministry and continues to grow and produce fruit wherever the Gospel is preached. The “ Son of Man ” taught the Jewish people in parables, but only as they “ were able to hear ,” and this clause stresses the responsibility of the listener to hear and heed his words.

The Parable of the Sower and its interpretation provide the key to understanding the parables of Jesus. The Kingdom of God began to invade the present age, starting with the proclamation of the Gospel by the “ Son of Man .” This process commenced with his announcement of the Good News in “ Galilee of the Nations .” Since then, it has advanced across the Earth largely unnoticed by humanity.

Jesus arrived in Galilee proclaiming the “ Kingdom of God ” – “ Repent, for the kingdom is at hand .” In his ministry, the reign of God was invading the Earth. However, the nature of his realm was radically different than the governments and ideologies of the existing world order, and more than once, Jesus refused political power, especially when offered by Satan.

Jesus began to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God in Galilee after the arrest of John the Baptist. That incident foreshadowed the opposition he would face throughout his ministry. Resistance to his efforts would culminate in his arrest, trial, and execution. His message brought fulfillment but also opposition. Unlike the ancient prophets, his work did not begin or center in Jerusalem, though it certainly ended there - (Matthew 4:13).

Despite human pretensions, History demonstrates  WITHOUT EXCEPTION  the impermanence of political power and governments. Rome endured for a thousand years, but that Empire fell all the same. Like life, political power is fleeting, and regimes often collapse quickly and unexpectedly when their allotted time expires. Only the “ Kingdom of God ” will endure.

In popular usage, the English term ‘Christendom’ refers to “that part of the world in which Christianity prevails,” either because most of a nation’s citizens claim to be Christian, or because a specific church or denomination is recognized by the State as the country’s official religion. Thus, the nation becomes identified as “Christian,” it is one of the “Christian nations” as opposed to the less enlightened non-Christian peoples and cultures of the planet.

Jesus declared that “ violent men are seizing the Kingdom of God .” Was he referring to malevolent men from the outside who attempt to take control of the Kingdom through force? Should his disciples “forcefully seize” the promises of God and otherwise vigorously “press into” the Kingdom and the “spirit realm”? Or must it advance in the world through forceful action? In the passage, Jesus is discussing the ministry of John the Baptist, and how he was rejected and abused by the leaders of the Jewish nation.

Jesus has reigned as Sovereign over the Earth since his Death and Resurrection, already he is seated on the Messianic Throne. Because of his obedience, he is the “ Ruler of the Kings of the Earth .” Before his Ascension, he declared that God had bestowed all authority on him - “ In Heaven and on Earth .” Thus, his authority is without limits and a present reality.

The man who decides to follow Jesus joins his “ Kingdom of Priests ,” and as one of his priestly representatives, the new disciple rules with him, both now and in the future. This understanding raises the question: How, exactly, does a believer participate in the sovereignty of his Lord and exercise his authority? Fortunately, Jesus and Paul have provided us with straightforward answers.

Church leaders often exhort their members to work diligently for the election of politicians of whom they approve, claiming it is God’s will to do so as well as their “Christian duty.” They warn of the dire consequences that will befall the church and the nation if they fail to immerse themselves in partisan politics and promote the moral values and social policies endorsed by them. Moreover, they do this despite what Scripture declares on the matter.

The present sovereignty of Jesus is based on his past Death and Resurrection, and His disciples participate in his reign on the Earth. Like him, their position is paradoxical. It is characterized by self-sacrificial service rather than the suppression of unredeemed humanity. The shedding of his blood is what consecrated them as “ priests ,” and priestly service for others IS how they rule with him.

After his baptism, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by the Devil as Israel was. However, he overcame and succeeded where Israel failed. Following his baptism, the Spirit “drove Jesus into the wilderness… for forty days and nights.” Like Moses on Sinai, the Messiah of Israel was alone in the desert where he was tested by the Devil and molded by God. He was tempted like Israel, only he overcame every challenge and emerged victorious and “full of the Holy Spirit.” Only then did he proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, starting in the villages of Galilee.

According to the Psalmist, the anointed “ Son ” would reign “ on Mount Zion… my holy mount .” As attested by the New Testament, that king is Jesus of Nazareth. His reign over the Earth began following his Resurrection and Ascension. Ever since he has been extending his sovereignty by sending his envoys to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth ” to announce his Gospel to the nations.

Opponents question Jesus about divorce to trap him, but he uses the issue to teach the higher ways of the Kingdom of God .  In Mark  and  Matthew , Jesus is confronted by opponents with questions about divorce. However, this is intended to trap him with his own words. They are not soliciting an all-encompassing ruling on divorce from him. In  Mark , the incident is another in a series of confrontations between Jesus and the religious establishment linked to the Temple.