Last week I was visited by two Jehovah's Witnesses. I told them I was a Christian, that I attended an evangelical church, read my bible and prayed regularly. Then I asked why they would be motivated to convert someone who already believed many of the same things. I generally understand and have disagreements with the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, but I wasn't really prepared for her response.
She said, "Shouldn't God's children be doing the same work that God is doing? Shouldn't we be building his Kingdom? Last week I spoke to a woman who prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, but when I asked her what it meant to pray for God's Kingdom to come she didn't have any idea?"
Our definitions of the Kingdom of Heaven may be different, but I could not deny the reality and tragedy of her words. I was totally disarmed. I just shook my head and said, "You are right about that. There is little evidence of the Kingdom of God in many churches today. Many Christians have no idea what it means for God's Kingdom to be expressed on the earth." That conversation has been haunting me ever since.
To understand the Kingdom of Heaven we have to know what the word kingdom means. The biblical definition of kingdom is something other than we would find in an English dictionary. George Eldon Ladd explains it well in his book, The Gospel of the Kingdom. Ladd says, "The Kingdom of God is His kingship, His rule, His authority. When this is realized, we can go through the New Testament and find passage after passage where this meaning is evident, where the Kingdom is not a realm or a people but God's reign." So when Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek first his kingdom and His righteousness we are really to seek the rule and reign of God.
Is there evidence in our churches that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Mat 28:18)? Is there evidence that Jesus rules? We have that as a doctrine but do we believe it and show it? I confess that I often feel like the Church is the underdog, trying to impact an overwhelmingly powerful world system. That, however, is not what the bible teaches. Consider the power of God for us who believe.
That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. -Eph 1:19b-22
Notice that his authority is "not only in this present age". That means that Jesus has authority and power and dominion now and in the age to come. So how is that power expressed through his body which is the Church? Where is the evidence of his authority? Is our message demonstrated with the Spirit and power or do we simply have clever words(1Cor 2:4)? Does our love for one another demonstrate that we are His disciples (Jn 13:35)? Do we function out of the gifts of the Spirit or out of human talent and ability (1Cor 12:7-11)?
I'm not suggesting that God's power is nonexistent, but that it is rare. I am not suggesting that there should be a Christian state, or some sort of governmental rule, but that we should demonstrate the kingdom in the way that Jesus did when he preached, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." He brought the rule and reign of God as he taught, preached, cast out demons, healed the sick, and fed the multitude. Jesus demonstrated that there is a heavenly authority greater than any natural, human, or demonic force at work in the earth.
Is there a corresponding reality within the Church? There are humanitarian organizations, humanistic and atheist people who meet together and do a lot of good things. Does the Church demonstrate a power beyond these? Do we have the power to offer real hope and redemption to the lost? Can we say as Peter said to the beggar, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-- walk!" Do we carry the power of God in such a way that we can say, "what I do have I give to you"?
I understand there are many people pouring themselves out in service and difficult work. There is sweat and continual labor going on within the Church. Every person I know in ministry is very dedicated, and working hard and sacrificing and doing the best that they can. But the truth is that much of that hard work and labor is not resulting in a demonstration of the Kingdom of God. There is little evidence that heaven rules, and that Jesus in fact has power and authority. God will not be glorified, and the world will not be moved by our trendy music, slick professional services, and gourmet coffee. I'm not condemning these things, but they cannot bring a heavenly reality to the earth.
If we are so lacking in the power of God that we no longer resemble the biblical example, then why do we continue to go on with things as usual? Why are we so content to continue on in our work without the power of God? Why do we continually busy ourselves with what we can accomplish by our human ability? Does that kind of work really build up the church into the fullness of Christ? Are we really jealous to see His Kingdom come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven?
When will we slow down and ask what has happened to the power of God? Some have actually explained away the power of God, saying it was for Jesus and the early Church but not for us. I can't find that in the scripture, and the only motivation I can think of is that they are unwilling to be moved from their present condition. They are unwilling to be disturbed from the comfort and familiarity of the Church as it is, to consider that things are not as they should be. They say they have all they need, but do not realize they are pitiful, poor, blind, and naked (Rev 3:17). Are we willing to face the reality of our condition and humbly turn to the Lord and ask why?
In the Old Testament, when God's people were not experiencing the blessings of their covenant with Him it was a sign that they had drifted away from devotion to God. Are you willing to consider that the lack (even the expectation) of the power of God is a sign that we have drifted from our devotion to Him? Are we willing to make a drastic turn toward the Kingdom and rule of God?
She said, "Shouldn't God's children be doing the same work that God is doing? Shouldn't we be building his Kingdom? Last week I spoke to a woman who prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, but when I asked her what it meant to pray for God's Kingdom to come she didn't have any idea?"
Our definitions of the Kingdom of Heaven may be different, but I could not deny the reality and tragedy of her words. I was totally disarmed. I just shook my head and said, "You are right about that. There is little evidence of the Kingdom of God in many churches today. Many Christians have no idea what it means for God's Kingdom to be expressed on the earth." That conversation has been haunting me ever since.
To understand the Kingdom of Heaven we have to know what the word kingdom means. The biblical definition of kingdom is something other than we would find in an English dictionary. George Eldon Ladd explains it well in his book, The Gospel of the Kingdom. Ladd says, "The Kingdom of God is His kingship, His rule, His authority. When this is realized, we can go through the New Testament and find passage after passage where this meaning is evident, where the Kingdom is not a realm or a people but God's reign." So when Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek first his kingdom and His righteousness we are really to seek the rule and reign of God.
Is there evidence in our churches that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Mat 28:18)? Is there evidence that Jesus rules? We have that as a doctrine but do we believe it and show it? I confess that I often feel like the Church is the underdog, trying to impact an overwhelmingly powerful world system. That, however, is not what the bible teaches. Consider the power of God for us who believe.
That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. -Eph 1:19b-22
Notice that his authority is "not only in this present age". That means that Jesus has authority and power and dominion now and in the age to come. So how is that power expressed through his body which is the Church? Where is the evidence of his authority? Is our message demonstrated with the Spirit and power or do we simply have clever words(1Cor 2:4)? Does our love for one another demonstrate that we are His disciples (Jn 13:35)? Do we function out of the gifts of the Spirit or out of human talent and ability (1Cor 12:7-11)?
I'm not suggesting that God's power is nonexistent, but that it is rare. I am not suggesting that there should be a Christian state, or some sort of governmental rule, but that we should demonstrate the kingdom in the way that Jesus did when he preached, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." He brought the rule and reign of God as he taught, preached, cast out demons, healed the sick, and fed the multitude. Jesus demonstrated that there is a heavenly authority greater than any natural, human, or demonic force at work in the earth.
Is there a corresponding reality within the Church? There are humanitarian organizations, humanistic and atheist people who meet together and do a lot of good things. Does the Church demonstrate a power beyond these? Do we have the power to offer real hope and redemption to the lost? Can we say as Peter said to the beggar, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-- walk!" Do we carry the power of God in such a way that we can say, "what I do have I give to you"?
I understand there are many people pouring themselves out in service and difficult work. There is sweat and continual labor going on within the Church. Every person I know in ministry is very dedicated, and working hard and sacrificing and doing the best that they can. But the truth is that much of that hard work and labor is not resulting in a demonstration of the Kingdom of God. There is little evidence that heaven rules, and that Jesus in fact has power and authority. God will not be glorified, and the world will not be moved by our trendy music, slick professional services, and gourmet coffee. I'm not condemning these things, but they cannot bring a heavenly reality to the earth.
If we are so lacking in the power of God that we no longer resemble the biblical example, then why do we continue to go on with things as usual? Why are we so content to continue on in our work without the power of God? Why do we continually busy ourselves with what we can accomplish by our human ability? Does that kind of work really build up the church into the fullness of Christ? Are we really jealous to see His Kingdom come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven?
When will we slow down and ask what has happened to the power of God? Some have actually explained away the power of God, saying it was for Jesus and the early Church but not for us. I can't find that in the scripture, and the only motivation I can think of is that they are unwilling to be moved from their present condition. They are unwilling to be disturbed from the comfort and familiarity of the Church as it is, to consider that things are not as they should be. They say they have all they need, but do not realize they are pitiful, poor, blind, and naked (Rev 3:17). Are we willing to face the reality of our condition and humbly turn to the Lord and ask why?
In the Old Testament, when God's people were not experiencing the blessings of their covenant with Him it was a sign that they had drifted away from devotion to God. Are you willing to consider that the lack (even the expectation) of the power of God is a sign that we have drifted from our devotion to Him? Are we willing to make a drastic turn toward the Kingdom and rule of God?
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