Signs of the Kingdom - Tues 15 May 2007

Jesus taught us to pray 'your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven'. Matthew 6:10

But what does the kingdom look like? How would we know if it had come on earth as it is in heaven?

To answer these questions we need first a glimpse of heaven and more importantly to see what the bringer of the kingdom, Jesus, actually did. John the Baptist, once he’d been locked up in prison by Herod began to have doubts about Jesus. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus the question “Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?” Matt 11:4

Jesus response was very clear and one that echoed his “manifesto” that he read from Isaiah (61:1,2) at the beginning of his ministry. He replies to John’s disciples:

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor”. (Matt 11:4,5)

The evidence of the coming of the kingdom of God are the demonstrations of power that accompanies it – or where the reign of God triumphs over the reign of evil. The demonstration of the power of the kingdom went hand in hand with the proclamation of the good news – the two must go together.

We long to see the kingdom of God come in power so pray today with renewed conviction:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom, your will be done,
On earth as in heaven! Amen