A Difficult Kingdom to Enter

The first of three posts on the Kingdom being "Difficult to enter"...

Memory Verse

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 7:21 (NIV)

Reflection

Matthew 7:21 (see above) has bothered me since childhood.  Perhaps you are like me and thought, 'Hmmm.  I wonder if I am one of the ones Jesus is talking about here.'  If you have read that verse and never wondered that, it may be time to start doing so.

It would be one thing if this was just an outlier verse and we seemed to have caught Jesus on a bad day.  Hanging around with His motley crew of disciples, always having crowds follow Him, and having stayed up late praying the night before, you could kind of understand if that was the case.

But this verse is VERY consistent with EVERY time Jesus talked about entering the kingdom.  Take a couple minutes to go to Biblegateway.com or the like and do a search on verses that have both "enter" and "kingdom" in them.  When it was Jesus speaking, He consistently made it clear that entering this kingdom was actually quite difficult.  It wasn't just repeat after me prayers, raising a hand, or walking an aisle.  To enter the kingdom, He said our righteousness needed to surpass that of the Pharisees, that we needed to change and become like little children, that it would be difficult for the rich (note to self - that's you and me by Jesus's standards, not just Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey), and that tax collectors and prostitutes were ahead of us.  He said to "see" and "enter" the kingdom, we needed to be born anew or born again.  There were many times Jesus had large crowds around Him and He never hesitated to turn to them and give full disclosure of what it meant to become one of His followers.

So, back to Matthew 7:21.  What does it mean to "do the will of my Father who is in heaven"?  I believe Jesus answered this in this same Sermon on the Mount.  "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  That's it!  God's will was to see the kingdom of heaven extended to earth.  Not just my life extended from earth to heaven by what we might call "salvation", but the kingdom of heaven, in all of its richness, extended to earth.  WOW!

As a result of that rebirth, I can now commit my life to joining the Holy Spirit in the work of extending the kingdom of heaven to earth.  That's going to require me being not just a believer, but a true disciple.  That is fully worthy of me giving up everything to accomplish.  And that is what will help me accomplish the will of my Father in heaven.

Difficult?  Yes.  Until you start doing it, and then you find out it's much easier than you might have imagined.  More on that in our next post.

Questions to Consider

1.  Have you downsized the kingdom to mean just salvation to have made it easy to enter?

2.  Why do you think Jesus was so consistent in insisting that the kingdom was difficult to enter?

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Read through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and take just one of Jesus' many commands that seems impossible to do, but ask the Holy Spirit to help you start doing it.  A couple of examples - Jesus said "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth" and "do not worry".  Try it for a week.

2.  Think about what the kingdom of heaven must be like.  And then identify at least one way this week to extend a bit more of that kingdom into someone else's life.  

Asians - Leaders in the Kingdom

The third of three posts on the Kingdom being "Global"...

Memory Verse

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
Romans 14:19 (NIV)

Reflection

When we see the work of the Holy Spirit working through faithful Christ followers to make this a very global kingdom, we have much in which to edify our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Here are some of my experiences from how I have experienced more of the kingdom by observing my Asian sisters and brothers in Christ.

Ruth from the Philippines has taught me much about the kingdom.  I have to admit that despite praying The Lord's Prayer a gazillion times in my life, it wasn't until I met Ruth that my reaction to "your kingdom come...on earth as it is in heaven" was other than "yeah, right Jesus - that is NEVER going to happen!".  Ruth leads an organization that is at the forefront globally in extending the kingdom of heaven to earth for the poorest of the poor.  It is there, more than any place on the planet, that I see those who were last becoming first - a sure sign of the kingdom of heaven among us.  After having met Ruth, I now wake up every morning asking how I can partner with the Holy Spirit to extend more of the kingdom of heaven to earth in that day.

Thao from Vietnam has taught me much about living faithfully despite persecution.  I'll never forget a breakfast I had with Thao in Thailand.  "How many times have you been put in prison for your faith," I asked Thao, having never experienced that myself.  "Too many times to count," replied Thao.  He used every opportunity to proclaim the kingdom even when it meant certain persecution.  As one who is often hesitant to mention the name of Jesus in the workplace or on the airplane, I have come to thank God so much for bringing Thao into my life.

Vimal from Sri Lanka has taught me much about trusting God.  Back in May 2006, I had the great privilege of being in the home of my very close friend, Vimal, in Sri Lanka.  The scent of war was in the air, and Vimal, hosting me for lunch, asked for prayer because his home was on the outskirts of the village and would be at risk for one of the first to be hit should war break out.  "We trust God no matter what happens."  Those words have echoed in my soul ever since.  The civil war did break out a week later and lasted for three years.  I prayed often for my good friend, while also praying I could come to trust God like He did and still does.

Kaew from Thailand has taught me much about prayer.  My fond memories of following Jesus within PEER Servants are too many to count, but certainly one of those fond memories is walking the "streets" of the slums of Bangkok with Kaew, the Thai microfinance program director.  Kaew was short and quiet.  My inability to speak Thai made her even more quiet, although she worked hard to learn English.  Kaew was quiet until she prayed, and that's when Kaew could have woken up Rumpelstiltskin.  It wasn't just the volume of Kaew's prayers - it was her passion. In her prayers I could tell there was an enemy to conquer, a kingdom to extend, and a king who could do something about it.  The volume in my prayers hasn't increased after knowing Kaew, but my passion has and the belief that our God can and will do something about extending His kingdom from heaven to earth!

Lesslie Newbigin was a missionary from Scotland who spent much of his life in India.  Lesslie learned so much more about following Jesus by observing his Asian brothers and sisters in Christ.   He wrote the following in "Foolishness to the Greeks"...

"The fact that Jesus is much more than, much greater than our culture-bound vision of him, can only come home to us through the witness of those who see him through other eyes."

Perhaps you have seen enough of Jesus for you to make him your Savior that will extend your life on earth to heaven. Have you seen enough of Him for you to really make Him your King and give up everything to extend the kingdom of heaven to earth?  If not, complement how you are seeing Him with how our Asian, African, Latin American, and other brothers and sisters around the world are seeing the same Jesus.  You may then be very willing to become one of his true disciples.

Questions to Consider

1.  Do you see Jesus only as an English-speaking North American? 

2.  Of the four ways Asians have blessed this blog's writer (embracing the reality of the kingdom, living faithfully despite persecution, trusting God despite the circumstances, and praying with passion), which one(s) do you need to focus on more to be better equipped to extend more of the kingdom to others?

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Take at least one of the fours ways Asians have blessed this blog's writer and write down a  game plan to improve in that area and extend more of the kingdom as a result.

2.  Embrace someone in your life who sees the same Jesus through other eyes and come to know more about Jesus through their experience.  (If you can't think of anyone in your life whom you could embrace to do this, pray that God would raise up such a person, and then keep your eyes open!)

Africans - Leaders in the Kingdom

The second of three posts on the Kingdom being "Global"...

Memory Verse

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
Romans 14:19 (NIV)

Reflection

When we see the work of the Holy Spirit working through faithful Christ followers to make this a very global kingdom, we have much in which to edify our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Here are some of my experiences from how I have experienced more of the kingdom by observing my African brothers in Christ.

Moss from South Africa has taught me much about forgiveness.  Moss grew up in the darkest days of apartheid and was shot running from a peaceful demonstration.  It wasn't easy, but he had to learn to forgive.  Forgiveness is an area in which our black South African brothers and sisters have much to teach us.  If you are not experiencing all of the kingdom because of your unwillingness to forgive someone, learn from them.

David from South Sudan has taught me much about living simply.  I'll never forget David's words when asked how they survived the long civil war.  "We ate grass," he responded.  While that may be an extreme example, the fact is David and his large family live very simply in post-war South Sudan so that they can be a source of blessing to others with what they do have.  I am learning to live more simply with David's example so that I can be more generous and extend more of the kingdom to others.

Isaac from Northern Uganda has taught me much about hospitality.  Isaac lives just a stone's throw from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.  His village in Northern Uganda is constantly and graciously hosting foreigners in their midst.  Despite their material poverty, they treat their guests like, well, guests.  They don't ask whether their guests are legally there, and they don't insist the guests leave out of their own financial concern.  I have learned much about true hospitality from Isaac and his fellow Northern Ugandan Christ followers.

Azaki from Nigeria has taught me much about evangelism.  Azaki invited my wife and me to speak at a conference of hundreds of Nigerian university students.  They were more eager to go proclaim the kingdom than any group I believe I have ever spoken to.  Many of them left that conference faithful to walk and talk the kingdom.  At least one of them did it to the point of death, being hung by Muslim extremists on his university campus just a few months thereafter.  I have learned so much from Azaki and his fellow Nigerians in being bold in my kingdom witness.

Leaders in forgiveness, living simply, hospitality, and evangelism - and that is just the tip of the iceberg in ways I would edify our African brothers and sisters in Christ.  Is it any wonder that the kingdom has grown so much in Africa?

Just think what a bit more forgiveness, living simply, hospitality, and evangelism could do to extend more of the kingdom to your part of the world. 

Questions to Consider

1.  Why do you think the kingdom has advanced so much in Africa in these recent decades? 

2.  Of forgiveness, living simply, hospitality, and evangelism, which one(s) do you need to focus on more to be better equipped to extend more of the kingdom to others?

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Take at least one of forgiveness, living simply, hospitality, and evangelism, and write down a  game plan to improve in that area and extend more of the kingdom as a result.

2.  Identify a follower of Christ you know who is different from you in some way.  How can you edify them?  Write a short encouragement note to encourage them today.

The Kingdom Has Never Been More Global

The first of three posts on the Kingdom being "Global"...

Memory Verse

"People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God."
Luke 13:29 (NIV)

Reflection

We live in a very special time.  Never before in the history of our world have those experiencing the kingdom of heaven on earth had such a global footprint.

Surprised?  Take this short Global Kingdom Quiz...

1.  What country is sending the most missionaries in the world?
2.  Which five (non-island) countries have the highest percentage of evangelical Christians?
3.  What two countries have the largest "non-religious" populations in the world?

According to the most recent edition of "Operation World" (by Jason Mandryk), the answers are as follows:
1.  China
2.  Kenya, Uganda, Central African Republic, El Salvador, and Zimbabwe
3.  China and the United States

The kingdom's not limited to Kansas anymore.

For those of us living in the United States, how do we more effectively extend the kingdom to the second largest nonreligious population in the world?  Let's look to where the kingdom has grown by leaps and bounds in recent decades - Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.  Not everything will be transferable, but much of it will be, if we let it be.

In the next couple posts, we'll look to the our brothers and sisters in Africa, Latin America, Asia and beyond to identify how we can extend more of the kingdom of heaven to our next-door neighbor, the guy on the other side of the cubicle at work, and perhaps even that family member at the next holiday gathering.

The historic mission fields are becoming the mission sending countries, and the historic mission sending countries are becoming the mission fields.  It has become a very global kingdom, and as a result, this generation stands to experience more of the kingdom of heaven right here on earth than the many generations that have preceded us and yearned for a day like today.

Questions to Consider

1.  Does the United States having the second largest nonreligious population in the world surprise you?  Think of your neighbors, coworkers, and perhaps even family members.  Is it so surprising? 

2.  Do you give much thought or take many actions to extend the kingdom of heaven to your neighbors, coworkers, or family members?  Be honest!

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Write down three people you know who you would consider "non-religious".  Pray that God would increase your desire that they experience more of the kingdom of heaven on earth and identify some practical ways you could extend that kingdom to them.

2.  Do a little online research or, better yet, reach out to someone in person (preferably from the country), to learn more about how the kingdom of heaven is being extended to places like Kenya, Uganda, the Central African Republic, El Salvador, and Zimbabwe.

The Now of the Kingdom

The third of three posts on the Kingdom being "Near" and "Now"...

Memory Verse

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst."
Luke 17: 20-21 (NIV)

Reflection

Jesus could not have stated it more clearly.  The "when" of the kingdom of God was "now".  Yes, it is an eternal kingdom, but one that has its starting point when one truly makes Jesus king of their life and when one is willing to give up everything they have to experience such a kingdom.

Are we there yet?  I fear we're not.

This has been a summer of much travel for me.  In the past 2-3 months, I have been in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda, Sri Lanka, and Peru.  Perhaps as a result of spending so much of this time among the materially poor, I have returned particularly sensitive to how little time, thought, and effort we really give to extending more of the kingdom of heaven to the materially poor.  Let's face it - most of us live our lives without giving them much thought.  We spend our money and resources relatively foolishly and self-centeredly relative to the one we claim to honor as King and how concerned He is for the poor.

What if we were much more intentional to live our lives in a more disciplined way such that we had our basic needs met but were able to be much more generous in extending more of the kingdom of heaven to the materially poor NOW?!  What if we joyfully chose to live simply (e.g., eat out much less, not insist on the latest gadget, etc.) so that materially poor parents could generate their own income and send their children to school, or to the clinic, or to a well with clean water?  Saving $25 or $250 may seem small to us, but that could be huge to some living on $2 or less per day.  Are we willing to step away from the NOW of our consumption-based culture to the NOW of the kingdom of heaven on earth?

If we did, perhaps our Master would find us like the ones to whom He gave five bags of gold, and we returned ten; or the ones to whom He gave two bags of gold, and we returned four.  Or, will He find us like the ones to whom He gave one bag of gold, and that's all we could return, because we focused primarily on ourselves?

The best way to experience more of the kingdom NOW is to extend more of that kingdom NOW to others.  Then the kingdom of God will truly be in our midst.

Questions to Consider

1.  If Jesus were assessing how faithful you have been in extending the kingdom of heaven to others, would you be the one to whom He gave five, two, or one bag(s) of gold?

2.  What can you do to be more intentional in joyfully adopting a more simple lifestyle so that you can be the one through whom God extends more of His Kingdom NOW to the materially poor?

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Choose at least one step you will take to be more intentional and disciplined in your life in how you spend your time or money to allow you to extend more of the kingdom to the materially poor now.

2.  Find some means - a Bible verse, a picture, etc. - that you will post in a prominent place to remind you regularly about God's concern for extending the kingdom of heaven to the materially poor now so that it won't be so easy to become self-absorbed and forget them.

Do We Really Need to "Repent"?

The second of three posts on the Kingdom being "Near" and "Now"...

Memory Verse

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."   Matthew 4:17 (NIV)

Reflection

I find it very interesting that when Jesus or John the Baptizer talked about how near the kingdom was, they often cited the need to "repent".  Yet, when I think of how far we have to go to experience and extend the kingdom of heaven here on earth, fulfilling Jesus' prayer of Matthew 6:10, I don't find the correlation with the need to repent to be surprising.

Matthew 6 is one of the great chapters in the Bible on the kingdom.  In the 10th verse, we hear Jesus pray "your kingdom come...on earth as it is in heaven."  Then in the 33rd verse, Jesus tells us to seek this kingdom first.  Throughout the rest of the chapter, Jesus is telling His disciples (and those of us who say we want to be His disciples) what we should or should not do to see that kingdom of heaven come to earth.  Consider the following...

• Vs 1:  Be careful not to practice our righteousness in front of others.
• Vs 2:  When we give to the needy, don't announce it.
• Vs 6:  When we pray, go into the room and close the door.
• Vs 14:  Forgive other people when they sin against us.
• Vs 16:  When (not if!) we fast, do not look somber.
• Vs 19:  Do not store up treasures on earth.
• Vs 24:  Do not serve both God and money.
• Vs. 25:  Do not worry.

How many of us can look at that list and not appreciate the need to repent from our current behavior?  Is it any surprise that we see so little of the kingdom of heaven among us?

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can bring more of the kingdom of heaven to earth, but it will start with repentance, and the list above is where Jesus is telling us to start.

Questions to Consider

1.  Of the eight verses listed above, which one is the most difficult for you to repent from?

2.  Are you relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to help you repent from the items listed above and help you experience and extend more of the kingdom of heaven to earth?

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Identify at least one item in the eight listed above and write down your "repentance plan".

2.  Given that "repentance plan", now identify how you can extend more of the kingdom of heaven to earth.  (As an example, if your "repentance plan" focused on vs 19 and you planned to stop buying so many things you don't need, identify how you could use those funds to proclaim the kingdom to the poor, especially the 2+ billion people living on $2 or less per day.)

How Near is the Kingdom of Heaven to You?

The first of three posts on the Kingdom being "Near" and "Now"...

Memory Verse

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."   Matthew 4:17 (NIV)

Reflection

Jesus talked a lot about the kingdom of heaven being "near".  What an amazing thought -  heaven coming near to us here on earth.  Not just some time after we die.  No, as Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:10, His vision was to see the kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.

I have lived over 50 years on this planet, but I must confess I still love going to Disney World.  When I go to Orlando and see the exit for Disney World off of I-4, I get tingly and excited inside (especially if one of my friends who works at Disney can get me in for free as one of their employee benefits).  Going to Disney World is like stepping into another world, so if someone were to tell me "Disney World is near", I would be getting very excited.

How much more the kingdom of heaven coming near!  Heaven - a place where Jesus reigns as King of kings, and as a result, people honor and worship Him.  They live in right relationship with each other and everyone lives with sufficiency and dignity.  They have power to overcome any force of evil and experience the truly abundant life.  Jesus is saying that kind of kingdom has come near to us on earth.

How near is the kingdom of heaven to you?  Are you experiencing the kingdom of heaven on earth?  Do you experience the peace, provision, and power of Jesus' reign in your life?

If not, check back in the coming days as we share a bit more about how we are to experience the kingdom of heaven coming "near" and "now".

Questions to Consider

1.  How near is the kingdom of heaven to you?

2.  If you're not experiencing that kind of life, what do you think is keeping you from experiencing it?

Action Steps for the Week

1.  Take 10 minutes and identify what the Bible says about heaven.  Then think about how much of that life you are experiencing on earth.

2.  Thank God for the many aspects of the kingdom of heaven you are already experiencing on earth.  Some examples - remember those "heavenly mansions"?  If Jesus were to step into most of our houses in the West (including ours, a 1400 square foot condo), He would identify it as a mansion compared to what He was used to and what the majority of people currently living in our world are used to.  Thank God for your mansion.  And that "heavenly banquet"?  Jesus would open most of our refrigerators and identify what He sees as a banquet!  Thank God each time you open your refrigerator.