Who is Really in Charge?

Speaking of mission, I would like to share with you something that I came across in my reading and study just this morning by Arthur Glasser (2003) in Announcing the Kingdom: The Story of God’s Mission in the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic) pp. 20 – 21:

God’s right to reign and rule over all creation and over all peoples of the world must be univocally understood. This brings together the message of the OT and NT narratives because the Kingdom of God is one of the most central themes of the Bible. Although explicitly a New Testament theme, we are deeply persuaded that the Old Testament can also be understood from this perspective…The lordship of Christ can be best understood when it is informed by OT concepts of kingship.

As part of my sermon preparation for this Sunday I printed out the verses that speak of the “Kingdom of God” and Matthew’s synonym, the “Kingdom of Heaven.” I was amazed that just the verses (not the context verses) on the “Kingdom of God” take up five pages and the “Kingdom of Heaven” verses take just over two pages. The “Kingdom of God” takes us from Matthew 6:33 to 2 Thessalonians 1:5. Understanding that the Kingdom is what God has called us into in the present even as we wait for its ultimate fulfillment (when Christ returns to rule and reign) invites us to live beyond this world as the “light” and “salt” that Jesus called His disciples to. This has a major impact upon our lives as we are to, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13 – 16, vs. 16 quoted). When we live with the realization that Jesus is King of all things it will call others to surrender to the Rightful King! This is the evangelism/discipleship that Jesus called His disciples to in some of His last words with them (Matthew 28:16 – 20; Acts 1:8). As Jesus’ modern day disciples, this calling is now ours. It all begins with the realization of Who the True Sovereign is – Who is really in charge! Have you and do you (and I) continue to surrender to His Kingship? Something to meditate on.