Neville Turley

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”Matthew 24:14 (NIV)

“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)

The kingdom of God was central to the teaching and mission of Jesus. It is frequently mentioned in the Gospels almost always from the lips of Jesus. Imagine the joy of the disciples when Jesus, who could perform miracles, announced that he had been sent to restore the kingdom of God.

Jesus subsequent teachings and descriptions of the kingdom must have deeply puzzled them. He compared the kingdom of God to a treasure hidden in a field, a net cast wide to pull in all sorts of fish, to a tiny mustard seed and a pearl of great price.

Children would be welcomed but it would be hard for the rich to enter. Tax collectors and prostitutes, who repented and believed, would enter the kingdom instead of Chief priests, Pharisees and elders who did not. Not everyone who called him “Lord” would be allowed to enter, but only those who did the will of his Father.

The Jews had long awaited the coming of the Messiah who would overthrow Rome and reign in Jerusalem. Despite Jesus telling them so, the disciples did not grasp that his kingdom was not of this world.

It would take the cross, the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit for the disciples to see that. When they did it transformed them from frightened men to fearless followers of Jesus, prayerfully submitting to the will of God and valiantly serving him to their life’s end. 

To pray “Your kingdom come” signifies our willingness to do the same.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we yearn for the day when our world will be fully restored under your rule.  May the Holy Spirit inspire us to hasten that day, for Jesus sake Amen