Matthew 3: Kingdom Trailblazer (7)
Pray Psalm 66.13-16.
I will go into Your house with burnt offerings;
I will pay You my vows,
Which my lips have uttered
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals,
With the sweet aroma of rams;
I will offer bulls with goats. Selah
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
Sing Psalm 66.13-16.
(Regent Square: Angels from the Realms of Glory)
To Your house we come with off’rings, what we vowed, LORD, help us do.
O, receive our praise and homage as we give ourselves to You.
Come and listen, all who fear Him: hear what this great God can do!
Read aloud and meditate on key words in Matthew 3.
What words jump out as you as you read? Pause to think on them.
Prepare.
1. From this chapter, what seem to be the key components of the Kingdom?
2. For what was John preparing the people? What was “at hand”?
Meditate.
John came as the forerunner and trailblazer of Christ, and his message of repentance was with a view to the coming of the Kingdom of God. The coming of the Kingdom, not just of the salvation of the Lord. These days what we hear preached in many churches is a gospel of salvation, not the Gospel of the Kingdom. The gospel of salvation promises forgiveness, peace, a measure of happiness here and now, and a home in heaven in the great hereafter. The gospel of salvation mentions the Kingdom, but typically ignores its present implications and postpones its full realization.
John declared that the Kingdom of God was “at hand”. Jesus came to bring it, as the rest of Matthew’s narrative explains. The Gospel of the Kingdom includes the promise of salvation. The salvation realized within the Kingdom is entered by repentance—of which we hear precious little in the gospel of salvation. The salvation realized in the Kingdom proliferates in works “fruits worthy of repentance”—that is, works that prove repentance is real—self-denying, sacrificial, others-serving, witness-bearing, stake-your-life-on-it works.
The Gospel of the Kingdom transforms accepted traditions and ways, replacing them with the holy and righteous and good Law of God, and all His Word. It is not an add-on to one’s present busy life, but a replacing of that life with a new life. The religious leaders of John’s day believed they were God’s chosen people, His pals and confidants, and that if anyone was going to heaven it was they. John called them a “brood of vipers”, leaving no doubt concerning his view of their paternity.
Jesus came to bring a new, long-anticipated, all-encompassing and all-transforming dimension of being to this world of time and space. His is not the gospel of salvation only, but the Gospel of the Kingdom; and if we believe anything other than what Matthew is about to unfold for us, then we’re believing another gospel, a form of near-Christianity, and not the “at hand” rule of King Jesus over every area of life.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The Christians of the Celtic revival (430-800AD) understood about Kingdom living.
An aspect of reclaiming their society was to take worldly things that had been made by others,
and transform them into Christ-honoring things of beauty (e.g., Celtic crosses).
As current Kingdom dwellers, we have been tasked with reclaiming God’s creation for Him—for His honor and glory. Let’s take church buildings and worship sevices as examples: well, ooops, it seems the world has overtaken and transformed the church, whereas it should’ve been the other way around.
Instead of the glorious buildings of old (small and large), and the majestic music heard within, and an awestruck and respectful attitude to whit, we now have accommodations that would make any movie/concert-goer comfy and relaxed. We roam about refilling our coffee mugs, we wear sneakers and shorts, and we are bombarded with guitars and drums and back-up singers (a la Gladys Knight and the Pips).
We have not reclaimed society; society has reclaimed us.
We try to compete; but we cannot. Why do we even try?
We cannot compete; but we must prevail. On our terms. With our rules. In God’s Kingdom.
Then gladly invite others to join us in our transformed and reclaimed worldview to participate in the reclamation process. And so on, and so forth.
Now let’s talk about the Word of God and His Law (Ex. 20.1-17; Matt. 22.37-40). We wouldn’t want to offend, right? So, we gloss over things like fidelity, obedience, Sabbath holiness, stealing, lying, honoring parents, and coveting; and worst of all, we do not dwell on loving, serving, and obeying the Creator, the King, the God of heaven and earth. Daily. Constantly. Forever and ever.
Again, it seems, as we water down the truth, we have been transformed by the world.
We learn about salvation, but only as a Get out of Jail Free card or a super-duper fire insurance policy.
And that’s where the Good News stops. But then what?
Shouldn’t something other-worldly and outstanding be happening within us, as we are filled with the Holy
Spirit and His power to transform us, to live in His Kingdom, to transform the world?
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2.10) Right now.
“You are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5.13). Right now.
“You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5.14). Right now.
“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, [Right now]
that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4.18).
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but mighty in God
for pulling down strongholds,
casting down arguments
and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity
to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Cor. 10.4, 5). Right now.
This is the Gospel of the Kingdom: repent, turn, love, trust, obey, and work.
Here and now on earth.
For the there and then in heaven and beyond.
Daily transforming the world into the image of God.
Reflect.
1. What is the Gospel of the Kingdom that John and Jesus proclaimed?
2. How has that Gospel impacted your life?
3. With whom can you share this Good News this week.
The kingdom of heaven? This refers to justification by faith and sanctification by the Spirit. This is why it says elsewhere, “the kingdom [of heaven] is within you.” Cyril of Alexandria (375-444), Fragment 17
Pray Psalm 66.1-12.
Pray that God will use present conditions in the world to prepare people for the proclamation and Good News of the Kingdom of God. Ask God specifically to use you as a trailblazer and witness in someone’s life today.
Sing Psalm 66.1-12.
(Regent Square: Angels from the Realms of Glory)
Shout for joy to God, all people, sing the glory of His Name!
Give Him glorious praise and say, “How great Your pow’r and great Your fame!
All the earth shall worship gladly as they praise Your glorious Name!”
Great and awesome is our Savior in the works which He has done.
He the sea and river dried to let His people cross as one.
Then our joy was great to worship Him our mighty, sovereign One.
He the nations watches ever—all you rebels, humbled be.
Bless our God, all men and nations, praise His Name eternally!
He preserves our souls, and He will keep His paths beneath our feet.
You have tried us, LORD, as silver, and have brought us into nets,
made us carry heavy burdens, let men trample o’er our heads.
But through all Your grace sustained us and has brought us through to rest.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from If Men Will Pray. Our Crosfigell teaching letter begins a new series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column begins a new series on the Church. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
