The Kingdom of God

 

 

Is it really worth it?

The preaching of the kingdom?

Over 2000 years since

The coming of God’s Son?

 

The world is getting worse:

The considered view of some

And there’s little or no influence

Re this heavenly kingdom.

 

John the Baptist preached

That the kingdom was at hand

Then Jesus Christ appeared

According to God’s plan.

 

Jesus in assent to this

Said that the kingdom is come

Yet we are still unduly uncertain

And looking for the Son.

 

Jesus the Son shall reign

Until he subdues every enemy;

The last of these being death

Which is still our reality.

 

The King incarnate came

Just over 2000 years ago,

The evidence shows it was Bethlehem

Just as the prophets foretold.

 

Following his ascension

God sent the Holy Spirit

As the born-again believer’s guide

And an assurance deposit.

 

There in that upper room

One hundred and twenty sat

And when the Holy Spirit arrived

Of evidence there was no lack.

 

Like as of flaming tongs of fire

On each believer he lit

And every one of those believers

Received the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

From thence was the kingdom

And where every believer went,

And the word to all they encountered

Was the message to repent.

 

From very small beginnings

The kingdom grew and grew

To the extent that on this very day,

It includes both me and you.

 

A slow growth at times,

And sometimes with greater speed,

But a significant growth at other times

As sinners see their need.

 

Small, slow and significant

Like the grain of mustard seed,

But having the power of Almighty God

Which no other tree can impede.

 

From darkness to light

In spite of all the naysayers

Thus, trampling sin and triumphing,

Like David the giant slayer.

 

 

For as story-like that event

It foreshadowed the King of kings,

The King of the heavenly Kingdom

Of whom believers sing.

 

That battle was not about David

But of the kingdom plan,

Conceptualized before the earth

About Jesus, the God-man.

 

John saw that Jerusalem

Coming down out of heaven:

The New Jerusalem he called it

Where all are forgiven.

 

The message of so great salvation

From sin to set us free,

Light had come to bring the kingdom

And so too our liberty.

 

For whomever the Son sets free

That one is free indeed,

An heir and joint heir with Jesus:

A done and finished deal.

 

Souls are still being saved,

Even if not in your backyard,

And the Lord daily adds to the Church

Such as are being saved.

 

One day, we know not when,

The final enemy will be conquered

And Jesus will hand over the kingdom

To God, his Heavenly Father.

 

Death will have been vanquished

And eternal life ushered in,

The arch-deceiver will exist no more

And thus, no temptation to sin.

 

 

In the interim we share the Gospel

In whatever way we can,

This is the mandate which Jesus left us

Concerning the redemptive plan.

 

Stewart Russell © March 12, 2023