We
can read the newspapers and look around us at what is going on in the world and
think quite frankly – what a mess. Where is God in all this? What’s gone wrong
with the world?
can read the newspapers and look around us at what is going on in the world and
think quite frankly – what a mess. Where is God in all this? What’s gone wrong
with the world?
In
fact lots of people when they see poverty and war and injustice decide that
there can’t be a God or the world wouldn’t be like this.
fact lots of people when they see poverty and war and injustice decide that
there can’t be a God or the world wouldn’t be like this.
Well
in today’s reading from John’s gospel, Jesus goes some way to explaining why
the world is in such a mess. He says in verse 36, “my kingdom is not from this
world.” The New Living translation puts it as; “My Kingdom is not an earthly
kingdom.”
in today’s reading from John’s gospel, Jesus goes some way to explaining why
the world is in such a mess. He says in verse 36, “my kingdom is not from this
world.” The New Living translation puts it as; “My Kingdom is not an earthly
kingdom.”
In
other words Jesus’s kingdom isn’t established in this world, and we don’t see
life lived as God desires. We see people hating and hurting each other. We see
greed and immorality and injustice.
But
why is this – and what’s gone wrong?
Well
the answer is given to us in the first few chapters of Genesis, where we see
that everything went wrong right at the very beginning just after God had
created a perfect world.
We
see Adam and Eve when tempted by the Devil, choosing to disobey God and in so
doing, to allow evil and sin and death – into the world.
God
is perfect. He is perfectly wise and loving and good, so when we choose to
disobey him, and to go our own way, imperfection results.
And
this is what has happened to the world. Since people were first created mankind
has chosen to go its own way in life and to disobey God.
So
now we see a world that is locked in persistent rebellion against its creator
and the mess we see around us is the chaos that results.
Of
course there is also a spiritual dimension to the darkness and chaos we see as
the story in Genesis makes clear.
The
bible explains that this dark spiritual dimension is ruled by Satan or the
devil – who was a powerful angel that rebelled against God’s authority long ago
before the world was created.
Satan
and his demonic followers are squarely opposed against God and so there is a
battle going on in the world between the forces of evil and God and his angelic
host.
Of
course God is infinitely more powerful than the Devil, but for the time being
until he is ultimately defeated, Satan and his demonic host have a degree of
influence in the world.
Satan
encourages people towards death and destruction. He delights in sorrow and
misery and discord and hatred and he seeks to blind people to the truth of the
gospel.
We
see this battle in the gospels when for instance Jesus himself was tempted by
the Devil to disobey his heavenly father and again when Jesus cast out demons
from people.
Jesus
could see when the spiritual forces of evil were oppressing people and he set
them free.
We
get a brief glimpse of what the world would be like if God’s kingdom were truly
established on earth in the book of Revelation where we read about the future New
Jerusalem – a time when God will dwell with his people and will wipe every tear
from his people’s eyes and where death will be no more and where mourning and
crying and pain will be no more.
But
sadly as we all know the world isn’t like this at the moment.
Now
this probably all sounds a bit depressing and I don’t want you to go home feeling
depressed. There is good news and this is that although Jesus’s kingdom may not
yet be established on earth – he is in fact a king. The NIV translates verse 18
of today’s reading as;
“You are right in saying I am a king.”
this probably all sounds a bit depressing and I don’t want you to go home feeling
depressed. There is good news and this is that although Jesus’s kingdom may not
yet be established on earth – he is in fact a king. The NIV translates verse 18
of today’s reading as;
“You are right in saying I am a king.”
Jesus
is the king of the heavenly realms – the spiritual domain – and as he explains
to Pilate, the reason he was born was to reveal the knowledge of his kingship and
his kingdom to the world – to testify to the truth as he puts it in verse 37.
So
when we read the gospels we see Jesus starting to put things right in the
world. Where people are sick he heals them. Where people are possessed or oppressed
by demons he sets them free. Where people have died before their time – he
raises them back to life.
Where
people are willing to confess their mistakes and to change – he enables them to
experience forgiveness and acceptance by God.
We
see the kingdom of Jesus – the kingdom of heaven, start to spill over into the life
of the world.
God
in the person of Jesus came to earth to restore and put right what is wrong
with the world, and to reconcile human beings to their creator.
Thus
Luke records that right at the start of his ministry Jesus says; “The Spirit of
the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for
the blind, to release the oppressed.”
And
this is the commission he has given to his church, to those who believe in him
today.
With
the help of his Holy Spirit – who lives in the heart of believers – we are to continue
Jesus’ work, to bring peace and healing and the knowledge of salvation to our
small corner of the world.
the help of his Holy Spirit – who lives in the heart of believers – we are to continue
Jesus’ work, to bring peace and healing and the knowledge of salvation to our
small corner of the world.
God
is in the business of putting right what is wrong with the world and he does it
person by person, individual by individual, heart by heart.
There’s
part of a verse in the song ‘I vow to thee my country’ – about God’s kingdom,
which I particularly like.
It
reads; “And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, and her ways
are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.”
God’s
kingdom is established in the world as individuals repent and cease rebellion
against their creator and seek to serve him in their lives.
Jesus’s
message was repent because the kingdom of heaven is close at hand, and this is
his message to people today.
God
can only start to put things right in the world as we as individuals – cease
rebellion against him and start to try and do things his way.
He
calls us to acknowlege our wrongdoing – our contribution to the mess the world
is in – and to start to try and live our lives in obedience to him – to kneel
before him and to acknowledge his kingship in our lives.
I
know some of you here have had military careers. Well when you joined the army
you were required to swear an oath of allegiance to queen and country.
You
chose to dedicate your life to the service of your monarch and her country and
to be obedient to the orders you received.
Well
God asks us to do something similar if we are to join his army of followers.
He
asks us to the best of our ability, with the help of His Holy Spirit, to commit
ourselves by faith to the service of His kingdom and to be obedient to what He
asks us to do.
And
his kingdom can only start to be established in our lives as we do this.
Jesus
says in verse 37 that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice.
In
other words those who are genuinely on God’s side will listen to what he says
and act in obedience to it.
With
his help, they will seek to bring the knowledge and power of the kingdom of
heaven into the lives of those around them.
With
his help they will seek to bring peace and reconciliation and healing where
there is hatred and discord and sickness.
And what can we expect when we choose to follow Christ
and to serve others in this way?
Well we will find that God starts to restore his divine
order to our own lives and to make us whole.
I’m sure most of you have seen some of these house
restoration programmes on telly where someone buys a run-down house and
gradually restores it to its former glory.
Well this is what God will do with us. As we follow him and
seek to serve him, he will help us to become more like Jesus.
He will help us to put things right in our lives. This
will be relationships with other people but also most importantly our
characters. He will help us to become more Christ like – more loving, joyful,
peaceful, patient, kind, good, gentle and self controlled.
He will also gradually heal our personalities from past
hurts and disappointments.
When I first became a Christian I was a fearful and
insecure person and at one stage I got very depressed.
In the depths of my depression God told me that he would
put my feet on rock, and over the years this is what he has been doing.
I am now a much more confident and secure person and things
that in the past would have caused me to be fearful no longer do so.
As we seek to reach out and serve others and follow
Christ, God gradually transforms our own lives and makes us fit for the kingdom
of heaven.
This may also include physical healing if we need it.
As his kingdom becomes established in our lives we are gradually
made whole by the King.
So I think the question we need to ask ourselves today is
do we recognise Jesus as a king?
And if we do, are we obedient subjects? Do we kneel
before the king of heaven and with the help of his Holy Spirit seek to serve
him in our lives.
Are we seeking in our own small way to bring God’s
kingdom into the lives of those around us?
Is the prayer of our hearts – thy kingdom come and thy
will be done on earth as it is in heaven – or are we still continuing to live
in rebellion against God?
will be done on earth as it is in heaven – or are we still continuing to live
in rebellion against God?
That might sound a bit harsh but the bible says that we
can’t sit on the sidelines. There is no middle way. There is no centre ground.
Jesus says in Matthew 12 verse 30 – “Anyone who isn’t
with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working
against me.”
If we are not actively serving God, then we are opposing
him.
Since the time of Jesus, God has been raising up an army
of people around the globe – who are willing to acknowledge his kingship and to
actively serve him – who are seeking to extend his kingdom in their corner of
this messy world.
Have you enrolled in that army yet or are you still a
member of the opposing army?
In the name of the living God. Amen