Christians spend entirely too much time trying to make the Gospel less offensive than it is. We try to synthesize our faith with our culture so that it will be more palatable, but our Savior came declaring a Kingdom that makes demands on your lives. One of the fundamental Kingdom principles He proclaimed is that "the last will be first, and the first last." Christians are so familiar with Jesus's many aphorisms that we forget just how earth-shaking they are, and, subsequently, we fail to live them out as consistently as we should. They're wise sayings, yes, but they are so much more than that. They are operational principles for life.
When we read Jesus's teaching, especially the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), we see that this Kingdom He proclaims reverses roles. It flips the carnal world on it's head. The Kingdom of Heaven plays by different rules than this world. The world says that it's a dog-eat-dog world. Jesus says to bear your cross and follow Him. Jesus says to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The world says to do unto others before they do unto you. Jesus came to establish a Kingdom whose citizens turn the other cheek and love their enemies.
Nowhere is this contrast (between Christ's Kingdom and the world) more apparent than in the way that authority is a) gained and b) utilized. When Jesus was preparing His disciples to continue the mission after His Ascension, He said, "But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus wanted the Apostles to know that the key to power in His Kingdom is not ruthless self-advancement, but service. If you would rule others, you must begin by demonstrating humility. Any power you are then given is delegated to you for the express purpose of blessing your fellow man, particularly your brethren in Christ.
If you study history at all, you will soon find that it is marked by the blight of aggression. No matter what century (ours included) or culture (yep, ours included) you explore, you'll find that kingdoms have come and gone as one regime asserts its will on its predecessor and/or the populace. Sometimes the means are barbaric and bloody, while other times the tactics are more democratic, but the motivators are always pride, lust, and greed. We see several such kingdoms rise and fall in the centuries leading up to the Advent of Christ. The Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Kingdoms epitomize the totalitarian mindset of the world, but then another Kingdom enters the scene and changes things (see Daniel 2). This Kingdom is not of this world. It is inaugurated, not by brute strength or superior military strategy, but by the death of her King, the ultimate parable. If you would be a citizen of this Kingdom, you must follow His example, humbling yourself and laying down your life for your friends.
When we read Jesus's teaching, especially the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), we see that this Kingdom He proclaims reverses roles. It flips the carnal world on it's head. The Kingdom of Heaven plays by different rules than this world. The world says that it's a dog-eat-dog world. Jesus says to bear your cross and follow Him. Jesus says to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The world says to do unto others before they do unto you. Jesus came to establish a Kingdom whose citizens turn the other cheek and love their enemies.
Nowhere is this contrast (between Christ's Kingdom and the world) more apparent than in the way that authority is a) gained and b) utilized. When Jesus was preparing His disciples to continue the mission after His Ascension, He said, "But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus wanted the Apostles to know that the key to power in His Kingdom is not ruthless self-advancement, but service. If you would rule others, you must begin by demonstrating humility. Any power you are then given is delegated to you for the express purpose of blessing your fellow man, particularly your brethren in Christ.
If you study history at all, you will soon find that it is marked by the blight of aggression. No matter what century (ours included) or culture (yep, ours included) you explore, you'll find that kingdoms have come and gone as one regime asserts its will on its predecessor and/or the populace. Sometimes the means are barbaric and bloody, while other times the tactics are more democratic, but the motivators are always pride, lust, and greed. We see several such kingdoms rise and fall in the centuries leading up to the Advent of Christ. The Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Kingdoms epitomize the totalitarian mindset of the world, but then another Kingdom enters the scene and changes things (see Daniel 2). This Kingdom is not of this world. It is inaugurated, not by brute strength or superior military strategy, but by the death of her King, the ultimate parable. If you would be a citizen of this Kingdom, you must follow His example, humbling yourself and laying down your life for your friends.
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