Kingdom Disciples

La Fin ne viendra pas tant que l'Évangile du Royaume de Dieu n'aura pas été proclamé à toutes les nations - Matthieu 24: 14. Lorsque le sujet de la Seconde Venue est soulevé, la question de savoir quel “signe” ou quels “signes” le précéderont est posée. Invariablement, les guerres, les tremblements de terre, les tsunamis, les famines et les catastrophes similaires sont proposés comme les signes avant-coureurs de ce jour. Pourtant, Jésus lui-même nous a donné la réponse définitive à la question, à savoir l'achèvement de la mission de l'Église d'annoncer le Salut et la Seigneurie du Christ à toutes les nations.

The End will not come until the Gospel of the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed to all nations – Matthew 24:14. When the subject of the Second Coming is raised, the question of what “sign” or “signs” will precede it is asked. Invariably, wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, and similar catastrophes are proposed as the harbingers of that day. Yet Jesus himself gave us the definitive answer to the question, namely, the completion of the mission of the Church to proclaim his Salvation and Lordship to all nations.

Jésus donne le Saint-Esprit à son peuple, lui donnant le pouvoir de proclamer la Bonne Nouvelle de son Royaume aux Nations de la Terre . Le Messie est identifié dans le  Deuxième Psaume  comme le Roi messianique destiné à régner sur les Nations de la Terre. Dans le Nouveau Testament, il est oint du Saint-Esprit lors de son baptême, ce qui lui permet de proclamer “ le Royaume de Dieu ” à Israël. Il a donné à ses disciples le Don de l'Esprit, leur permettant de proclamer son message et sa souveraineté à toutes les nations.

L'Esprit équipe et encourage l'Église à témoigner de Jésus, en particulier en ce qui concerne sa mort sacrificielle et sa résurrection d'entre les morts . Au début du Livre des Actes , Jésus a dit à ses disciples qu'ils seraient “ baptisés dans le Saint-Esprit dans peu de jours ” et qu'ils “ recevraient la puissance ” leur permettant de devenir “ Mes Témoins jusqu'aux extrémités de la Terre .” Recevoir l'Esprit a équipé ses saints pour proclamer son message et leur a donné le pouvoir de témoigner “ avec audace ” malgré l'opposition.

The Spirit equips and emboldens the Church to bear witness to Jesus, especially concerning his sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead . At the start of the  Book of Acts ,  Jesus told disciples they would be “ baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence ,” and they would “ receive power ” enabling them to become “ My Witnesses  to the uttermost parts of the Earth .” Receiving the Spirit equipped his saints to proclaim his message and empowered them to bear witness “ with boldness ” despite opposition.

Jésus de Nazareth accomplit la promesse de bénir toutes les nations en Abraham. Le Christ est l'héritier du Patriarche et notre seule source de Salut . Au cœur de la doctrine biblique de la rédemption se trouve l'alliance avec Abraham, qui comprenait la promesse que “ toutes les nations de la Terre seront bénies en toi .” Le Patriarche aurait  d'innombrables descendants . L'accomplissement de la promesse ne se trouve qu'en Jésus de Nazareth, car “ il n'y a pas d'autre nom sous le Ciel par lequel nous puissions être sauvés! ”

Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the promise to bless all nations in Abraham. Christ is the Patriarch’s Heir and our only source of Salvation . Basic to the biblical doctrine of redemption is the covenant with Abraham, which included the promise that “ all the nations of the Earth will be blessed in you .” The Patriarch would have  innumerable descendants . The fulfillment of the promise is found only in Jesus of Nazareth, for “ there is no other name under Heaven whereby we may be saved!”

La mission de l'Église est de proclamer la Bonne Nouvelle du Royaume de Dieu à toutes les nations sans exception jusqu'au retour de Jésus . Jésus a ordonné à ses disciples d'annoncer le même message qu'il prêchait. Il l'a résumé comme la “ Bonne Nouvelle du Royaume de Dieu .” Son Église étendrait ce Royaume sur Terre de manière inattendue et paradoxale. Sa souveraineté sur toutes les nations serait établie et ses “ ennemis ” seraient soumis au jour de son retour. Jusque-là, ses disciples étaient appelés à proclamer son message jusqu'aux “ extrémités de la Terre .”

The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Good News of God’s Kingdom to all nations without exception until Jesus returns – Matthew 24:14. Jesus commanded his followers to announce the same message he preached. He summarized it as the “ Good News of the Kingdom of God .” His Church would spread this Kingdom on Earth in unexpected and paradoxical ways. His sovereignty over all nations would be established and his “ enemies ” would be subdued by the day of his return. Until then, his disciples were summoned to proclaim his message to the “ ends of the Earth .”

Jésus a convoqué ses disciples pour proclamer la Bonne Nouvelle de son Royaume à tous les coins habités de la Terre . L'Évangile de Jésus-Christ ne vise pas à réformer la société ou les gouvernements. Son message appelle tous les hommes à se repentir et à rejoindre un ordre social et une réalité politique radicalement nouveaux, le Royaume de Dieu . Son message est contraire aux idéologies politiques de l'ordre mondial actuel. Nous devons répondre positivement à son invitation car la fin de l'âge approche où le système existant disparaîtra.

Jesus summoned his disciples to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to every inhabited corner of the Earth . The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about reforming society or political systems. Christ’s message calls all men to repent and join a radically new social order and political reality, namely, the  Kingdom of God . This message is contrary to the political ideologies of the present world order. It subverts mankind’s philosophies and popular beliefs.

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!

Jésus a convoqué ses disciples pour proclamer la Bonne Nouvelle de son Royaume à tous les coins habités de la Terre . L'Évangile de Jésus-Christ ne vise pas à réformer la société ou les systèmes politiques. Le message du Christ appelle tous les hommes à se repentir et à rejoindre un ordre social et une réalité politique radicalement nouveaux, à savoir  le Royaume de Dieu . Ce message est contraire aux idéologies politiques de l'ordre mondial existant.

In the Book of Revelation , the men redeemed by Jesus form a new priestly company that transcends all national, social, and cultural boundaries, and they persevere in the “ Testimony of Jesus ” before the world through every affliction and persecution. This is how they follow the “ Lamb wherever he goes .”

Before his Ascension, Jesus claimed to have been given “ all authority in Heaven and on Earth ,” therefore he would send his disciples to announce his Lordship and salvation to the “ nations ,” to the “ uttermost parts of the Earth .” The Era of Salvation commenced with his Death and Resurrection, and his Life-Giving message must therefore be proclaimed to all men, women, and children. Did he not die for the entire world and not just Israel?

After completing his sermon, Peter summoned his audience to repent and be baptized “ in the name of Jesus Christ .” However, something more than just a call to accept the Gospel was transpiring in the passage. He concluded his sermon on a note of fulfillment and with a foretaste of things to come. It began with a citation from the Book of Joel , and it finished with a clause from the same passage, thus neatly bracketing the message.

The disciples of Jesus are called to leave everything, if need be, and dedicate their lives to his mission of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom on Earth. Though the story as recorded in Mark is brief, in it we glimpse the cost of following Jesus. He began to build his new covenant community in “ Galilee of the Nations ” by inviting four fishermen to leave their livelihoods and follow him on the way that would lead to his death in Jerusalem.

La Bonne Nouvelle annoncée par Jésus de Nazareth offre le salut et la vraie vie aux hommes et aux femmes de toutes nations et nationalités . Jésus a proclamé que “ tout pouvoir au Ciel et sur la Terre m'a été donné, par conséquent, allez et faites des disciples de toutes les nations! ” Il a envoyé ses disciples pour annoncer sa Seigneurie et son Salut aux “ extrémités de la Terre ”. L'Ère du Salut avait commencé avec sa Mort et sa Résurrection; par conséquent, son message vivifiant doit être annoncé à tous les hommes.

The description of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost stresses the theme of fulfillment. On that day, what was foreshadowed by the ancient feast began to receive its promised substance. The bestowal of the Spirit was an epochal event that marked the start of the Age of the Spirit, and the Gift of the Spirit fulfilled what the annual Levitical feast symbolized.

Two repeated themes in  Revelation  are closely related - “ Witness ” and “ Overcome .” Beginning with Jesus of Nazareth and his martyrdom on Calvary, his followers are summoned to persevere in his “ Testimony .” In this way, they will “ overcome ” and emerge victorious in the city of “ New Jerusalem .” They must “ overcome, even as I overcame .” Moreover, Jesus is presented to the “ Seven Assemblies of Asia ” as the “ FAITHFUL WITNESS, the Firstborn of the Dead, and the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth .”