No Middle Ground

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Pete

The end of another year . . . unreal! Though cliche . . . it’s true . . . time flies. Can’t help but being a bit pensive. Thinking of the year that was . . . wondering about the year that will be. And while I keep saying I’m not much of a “resolution person,” I do take stock . . . and there are things that I, by the grace of God, aspire to. Some things that I want to do . . . or maybe not do . . . but mostly things that I want to be . . . things that I want to mark me . . . characterize me . . . things I’d like to be known for. Psalm 1 this morning calls out one of those things . . .

Blessed is the man
       who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
   nor stands in the way of sinners,
       nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       and on His law he meditates day and night.    (Psalm 1:1-2 ESV)

O’ to be one who delights in the law of the LORD. That the word of God would be my desire and longing . . . that it would be among my greatest pleasures. And not the word for the word’s sake . . . not just to know it as some inert body of knowledge . . . not that it might be a catalog of facts and data to be replayed as if participating in some trivia game. But that it might be used of God to work the work He has begun in me through His saving grace. That it would be water and bread for a soul that hungers and thirsts after the things of righteousness. . . a two-edged sword set at battle against a stubborn old nature . . . a toolkit used by the indwelling Spirit of sanctification as He conforms me more into the image of the Son. O’ that I might continue to delight in the God-breathed Scriptures.

And, as I hover over these verses this morning, it seems to me that there’s another reason why I would want to pursue the revealed counsel of God. There appears to be no middle ground.

If I am not delighting in His word, then what’s left is to be drawn into the counsel of the wicked . . . to be enticed to stand in the way of sinners . . . and, God forbid, in danger of even aligning myself with scoffers. It seems that something will become our truth . . . and, if it is not THE TRUTH, then that which will fill the void will be the thinking and ways of the ungodly . . . of a world fundamentally set against the things of God. Kind of a scary place for the child of God to think of being. Enough, it would seem to me, to become a “resolution person.”

No middle ground? I’m thinkin’ . . .

So, by the grace of God . . . and for the glory of God . . . I would delight in the law of the LORD . . . I would meditate on His precepts . . . I would submit myself to His word.

Anyone with me . . . ?

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The Lamb Forever

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Pete

Wrapping up my 2013 reading plan this morning . . . hovering over Revelation 21 and 22. A bit in awe of the wonder of that which is yet to come. Taking note again of the promises. Promises of things that won’t be there . . . like tears or mourning . . . no more crying nor pain . . . death is done! (21:4) And promises of things that will be there . . . the spring of the water of life able to satisfy for eternity and, still without payment (21:7) . . . the ability and access to gaze upon the face of God . . . able to see Him both as the Father and the Son. And there will be worship (22:3, 8) . . . ya’ think?

But what jumped off the page, as it has before as I’ve read through Revelation, is the number of times reference is made to the Lamb . . . 7 times in these last two chapters.  That Christ is seen in heaven is no surprise . . . but that He is recognized and referred to so often as “the Lamb” is.

Of all the ways in which Jesus might be known, why is it that the most enduring for eternity will apparently be that of the Lamb? He could be known as the Lion of Judah . . . forever gazed upon as the Bridegroom . . . revered endlessly as the Conquering Warrior . . . bowed before gladly as the Majesty on High, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And to be sure, He will be. But, as John views the culmination of God’s plan of salvation, He sees the Lamb, again and again.

The Lamb come to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) . . . the Lamb, though the Son of God, made of no reputation that He might taste death for every person . . . the Lamb, whose blood shed on the cross of Calvary was the once for all, sufficient, atoning offering for all transgression . . . the Lamb who, after three days in the grave, rose victorious, conquering sin and death . . . the Lamb who is now ascended, having gone to prepare a place for us . . . the Lamb, for eternity recognized, known, and worshiped as the Lamb.

If it were me, I might strike the image from heaven. In a place where there is no death, why be reminded of the death of the Son of God? In a place where there is no sin, why consider and reconsider the awful wages of sin? In a place where all things are new, why the tie with that of old?

But even as I consider the option of a Lamb-less heaven . . . and ask what quickly seem to be ridiculous questions . . . I sense the wonder that will be ours for eternity as we behold the Lamb.

For eternity, the grace of God will be known in the Son. Every time we look to the throne of God, and see the Lamb in the midst, we’ll know afresh the depths of God’s love. The nail prints will be a forever reminder of the extreme God went to in order to redeem a people for Himself.

And the awe will flow . . . just like “the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (22:2). And we’ll raise our heads . . . and, with loud voices, join angels in praise of His everlasting works. And our knees will buckle . . . and we’ll go facedown in unrestrained worship of all that He is.

Behold the Lamb . . . the Lamb forever.

To Him be all glory . . .

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Put Me to the Test

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Pete

I think if I was hooked up to a machine that measured your “risk taking quotient” like those machines that measure your heartbeat that I might “flat line.” Whatever the definition of risk adverse is, I think I might personify it. My “bucket list” is probably, by most standards, boring . . . my sense of adventure isn’t. Been this way since I can remember . . . I like to think “that’s the way God made me” . . . and so, I embrace it . . . I’m that part of the decision making spectrum. But I’d also like to think that if I push the envelope anywhere it’s in learning to “trust in the Lord with all my heart” (Prov. 3:5-6). And so this morning, as I’m reading Malachi, there’s an exhortation that’s caught my attention . . . and caused me to think about the need to be “all in” when it comes to seeking first the kingdom (Matt 6:33).

Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And thereby put Me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.   (Malachi 3:10 ESV)

While I find the latter part of the verse attractive . . . heaven’s windows opened . . . blessings pouring down . . . no more need, it’s God’s challenge to “put Me to the test” that stirs me. It’s as if He’s saying, “Put it out there for for the kingdom . . . step out of your comfort zone FOR Me . . . take a risk ON Me . . .and see if I can’t be trusted.”

You got to think that bringing “full tithes” was a risky proposition . . . that making sure God’s storehouse was fully stocked while your cupboards were less than full went against the natural “me and my family” tendencies . . . that knowing that others were bringing tithes too led to the temptation to let others take the chance. But God says, Take a risk . . . Put me to the test . . . See if I can’t be trusted.

Doesn’t come natural for a natural-born non-risk taker. But it does kind of excite me . . . to try the faithfulness of God . . . to know experimentally that the steadfast love of the Lord never fails . . . to prove that His mercies really are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).

I’m not really a New Year’s resolution guy . . . but as I contemplate 2014, and whatever storehouses are to be filled . . . and whatever decision will need to be made, . . . I want to, as led by the Spirit of God and dependent upon the grace of God, put Him to the test. I want to be “all in” . . . and see the windows of heaven opened . . . and know the blessing of His presence as I seek to abide in His will . . . and, regardless of outcomes, need nothing more than Him . . . all for His glory.

Kind of out there for someone’s who’s mostly risk adverse. Kind of appropriate, though, for a follower of a great, great, God.

Amen?

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The Branch

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Pete

To be honest . . . it kills me to be offline . . . that’s where I’ve mostly been these past few days. We drove down to Santa Cruz to see my second oldest graduate as an RN . . . and now we (as in Sue and I, all the girls, a couple of sons-in-law, and one of our “adopted” daughters) are at the lodge that she and her husband manage outside of Yreka CA (check out the URL if your interested http://www.scottriverlodge.com/lodgeindex/#/lodge-gallery/ ). Here, though, the “offline-ness” is due to being “online” with the family. How blessed am I? Pretty!!!!

As I’m wrapping up my reading plan for the year I’ve been working my way through Zechariah . . . and the pause for thought phrase that’s caught me is “the Branch.”

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring My servant the Branch. And say to Him, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch: for He shall branch out from His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD. It is He who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on His throne. . . .”    (Zechariah 3:8, 6:12-13 ESV)

At this time of year we tend to focus on the names of the Savior . . . Immanuel, God with Us . . . Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace . . . “and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” How sweet is the name of Jesus? So sweet! And for the past couple of days, amidst all the “familiar” names of the Son of God at this birthday remembrance, another has been added . . . the Branch.

Not the grand limb . . . not the flourishing bough . . . but the Branch . . . a sprout . . . a shoot of the Davidic tree. Come, the first time, as God’s faithful servant . . . a meek, lowly, tender Branch. Come, the first time, to rule not on an earthly throne over a physical kingdom . . . but to rule in the hearts of men who, by faith alone, due to grace alone, invite Him in as Sovereign of their lives and welcome the establishment of His kingdom into their lives.

A King who came, the first time, as a servant. The LORD of Creation born as man that He might be the Lamb of God. The Branch . . . a hint of the rule of God over the affairs of men . . . born to die on a tree . . . that through His death, we might know life . . . and life to the full!

But, “Behold the Man whose name is the Branch” will return . . .  to build a temple . . . to bear royal honor . . . and to sit and rule on His throne!  The Branch is coming again!

The Tender Shoot returns as Mighty Warrior. The meek and lowly Jesus comes again with a name written on His thigh, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Just as we anticipate the celebration of His birth tomorrow, so too we anticipate the culmination of salvation’s plan with His return in a day which we hope is not too far away . . . and which we believe could be today.

The world is still as unfriendly to the Branch as it was then . . . His grace compelling Him to wait patiently . . . His Spirit actively wooing men and women toward the Savior. But, there is coming a day . . .

And so, I bless the Branch . . . and I beckon the King.

A blessed Christmas to all . . . for His glory.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.    (John 1:14 ESV)

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According to What He Has Done

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Pete

It is probably one of the most chilling paragraphs in all Scripture. John, in his vision, sees a great white throne and the One who was seated on it (Rev. 20:11). The throne is great because it is the very seat of the majesty and power of God. It is white because it is the seat of purity and holiness . . . the very standard by which everything is allowed into His presence. And standing before the throne are “the dead, great and small” . . . all of them. And beside them are “the books.” The books are the accurate record of every human deed . . . the full and complete account, made by an all-knowing God, of that which every person has done while on earth. And, writes John, “the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done” (20:12).

And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.   (Revelation 20:13 ESV)

“According to what they had done.” That would seem to be the most chilling phrase in one of the most chilling paragraphs in all Scripture.

The thought of standing before Almighty God and having to give account for every thought thought, every word spoken, and every action taken is absolutely frightening . . . fill-me-with-dread frightening. That’s because I know about me what He knows about me. I know the days before being born again . . . I know the failures since being born again. And, if they were the basis upon which I were to be judged by a Righteous and Just Sovereign, I’d be done. The books wouldn’t lie . . . the appropriate verdict would be evident.

But this morning, as the dread of imagining that day settles in my stomach, I also note that, along with “the books,” there is another book open, “the book” . . . “the book of life.”

It is the “Lamb’s book of life” (21:27). And in it, rather than a record of deeds, there is a list of names . . . written from the foundation of the world (17:8). And, for those names listed in that book, their standing before Most Holy God will not be according to what they had done . . . but solely according to what He has done.

The names in the book are the redeemed. Those who plead only the saving grace of a loving God through the finished work of a spotless Savior. If asked on what merit they should be allowed into the very presence of a holy God, they will answer, “Because of the atoning blood of the Lamb . . . because, by faith, I have believed in Jesus as the Son of God and received His once-for-all sacrifice for sin as my own . . . because, by grace, You have washed me clean and robed me in His righteousness . . . and made me new . . . and adopted me into Your family. Not according to what I have done, but according to what Your Blessed Son has done.”

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness . . .

And, while the dread abides for those who dare to stand before God on that day based on their own merit and according to what they have done, there is rising an incense of praise which ascends to heaven as I reflect again upon the grace found in the gospel . . . and I recall the righteousness that is mine in and through Christ . . . and I remember that my hope is founded only according to what He had done.

To Him be all glory . . . to Him be all praise.

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So Unlike His First!

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Pete

His second visit will be so unlike His first. His return in glory will be in a manner so different from His original coming into the world. The non-descript manger gives way to a white horse. The meek and lowly Babe will, in that day, be manifest as the King of kings and Lord of lords . . . His swaddling clothes replaced with many diadems and a robe dipped in blood. He who made Himself nothing . . . condescending to being born in the likeness of men . . . content at His first entrance to utter no more than the gurgling sounds of an infant . . . will, on that day, speak as the Commander of the armies of heaven, and from His mouth will come a sharp sword with which He will strike down nations. He who was called Jesus will be called Faithful and True . . . He was known as the son of Mary, will then be called the Word of God. Yeah . . . His second coming will be so unlike His first.

As I read in Revelation 19 this morning, while Christmas songs play quietly in the background, I can’t help but once again be moved by the contrast between these visions of which John writes and the pictures portrayed by the songs I hear . . .

Away in a manger . . . no crib for bed . . . the little Lord Jesus . . . lay down His sweet head . . .

Oh, what a disservice is done the Son of God if He never “grows up” and leaves the manger. If only remembered as God’s gift packaged in straw and surrounded by barn animals, then He is really no Savior at all.

The Christ child must grow up . . . the Creator enter fully into the trials and temptations of His creation . . . yet without sin. Having known experimentally the human condition He must then atone for the flesh’s failure . . . the Son of God offering Himself as the Lamb of God . . . the once for all sacrifice for man’s rebellion . . . for, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. Thus He would be the Savior for the penalty of sin.

But that the Holy Infant should taste death for all men could not be the end . . . but just the beginning. Just as there was no room for Him in the inn, so too, there could be no room for Him in the tomb. And so, on the third day, He rose from the dead . . . visibly, physically, demonstrating His victory over sin and death. His resurrection giving way to His ascension . . . and the sending of Another, just like Him, to indwell all those who, through faith, would own Him as Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit taking the rewired spiritual DNA of the reborn, and enabling the people of God to say no to the old man . . . being conformed more and more to the nature of Him who once lay in a manger. And so He would also be the Savior from the power of sin.

And soon, there will come a day when He will be shown to be, beyond all dispute, the Savior who saves from the very presence of sin. When the ascended Christ returns as mighty Warrior. When He puts down all rebellion . . . when He completes the redemption of all things unto Himself . . . when He shows Himself in all His glory, power, and majesty . . . when the Prince of Peace establishes His universal rule.

One of the blessings of this season, where we are reminded of the fulfillment of the promise of His first coming, is the heightened anticipation of the promise of His second coming. When looking back causes us to again look forward . . . when looking down on the Babe in the manager turns our faces heavenward as we anticipate the Rider on the white horse . . . when reflecting on His birth refuels our longing for His return.

Yeah . . . His second coming will be so unlike His first. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay . . . Close by me forever, and love me, I pray . . . Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care . . . And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.

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Where Were You? . . . There You Are!

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Pete

I’m probably pushing the boundaries of “rightly dividing the word” this morning as two somewhat random thoughts from two very opposite readings come together to form one awe-invoking meditation.

First thought . . . book of Job . . . chapter 38 . . . Yes! I read the book of Job to get to chapter 38. That part of the drama where God holds His silence no more . . . where He ends the debate between Job and his not-so-much comforters . . . their dialogue giving way to a monologue from heaven’s throne itself . . . God revealing Himself in all His might, power, and wisdom. And, out of the gate, God asks Job a question . . .a question which echoes through the ages for all who have ears to hear . . . a question spoken to me . . . where were you?

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to Me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? . . . ”   (Job 38:1-4 ESV)

It’s the question that causes complacent familiarity with the Divine to flee. The question that reminds me that, though I enjoy an intimate relationship with the God of heaven and earth, I should not presume upon Him as I would a mortal friend, nor think that I can debate Him as I would a peer. That in His willingness to be known, I should guard against any arrogance which thinks I fully know Him and thus contend with Him when His ways mis-align with mine. That though He, in His grace, allows me to call Him, “Abba Father,” I should never lose sight that He is the God of the universe, nor utter His name with inappropriate carelessness.

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Not there.

But then I’m reading in Revelation 17. The kings of the earth are gathering to make war on the Lamb. Despite the bowls of God’s wrath poured out on a world in rebellion, men refuse to repent . . . continue to curse . . . and, under the deceiving leadership of the beast, the nations of earth come to make war on the Creator of the earth. And what catches my attention are those who are with the Lamb . . .

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful.   (Revelation 17:14 ESV)

While none of us who would be born again into the family of God were there in the beginning, it is evident that members of His blood bought bride will be present in the end. The Word who was in the beginning . . . the Word who was with God . . . the Word who was God . . . He who was in the beginning . . . through Whom all things were made . . . and “without Him was not any thing made that was made” . . . that same Jesus will, at the end of time, be revealed as the Lord of lords and King of kings. And with Him will be those who are the called . . . and the chosen . . . and the faithful. There you are!

I don’t know if Revelation 17 speaks specifically of those martyred during the great tribulation . . . or whether those who accompany Jesus will be a representative sample of those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb through the ages. Regardless, as a part of that body of believers, there is a sense in which all who have placed their faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross will one day join Him in His final victory over His enemies . . . and over death . . . and over sin.

Where were you? . . . There you are!

In the presence of the Creator . . . in relationship with the King.

By His grace, called, chosen, and faithful. For His glory!

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No Loose Ends

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Pete

Sometimes I think I don’t do a very good job of staying on top of this time of year. Nothing’s taken off “the plate” . . . but lots gets added . . . and the challenge is to keep it all going. The calendar gets a bit busier . . . the to do list gets a bit longer . . . and time seems to fly by much faster. Invariably, I find myself with things mostly done . . . but not quite. At any given time, there always seems to be a number of loose ends to tie up. I tend to find myself in a scramble trying to “get it all together” as the celebration of Christ’s birth approaches. Maybe that’s why I’m struck afresh by the completeness of Christ’s work as I read of His death this morning. In Jesus . . . there are no loose ends.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to His mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
(John 19:28-30 ESV)

“It is finished!” Are there three more assuring words?

When it comes to the foundation of our salvation, there are no loose ends. It is finished.

The gospel of grace is the good news of a finished work. He who knew no sin becoming sin for us . . . the Lamb of God offered once for all as the atoning sacrifice for all sin, for all time . . . the wages of sin born fully by Him in those hours of darkness on the cross, . . . that all who would believe, might know the reality of the rest found in “no condemnation” (Rom. 8:1). Done! No loose ends.

Oh, we have an enemy who would cause us to doubt the efficacy of Christ’s work on the cross . . . wanting us to live under the bondage of a lie that some of salvation is yet dependent on our ability to earn God’s favor. Wanting us to buy into the lie that there are still pieces to be put in place when it comes to Christ’s redeeming work. That, apart from our ability to step it up or enter into a deeper blessing, something is lacking . . . something is left undone by Christ through the cross.

But, declare the Scriptures, Christ did not bow His head, nor did He give up His spirit, until He knew “that all was now finished.” All. . . . Finished. . . . No loose ends.

Might be a bit more scrambling still to be done as I prepare to celebrate His birth . . . but no more to be done to secure my salvation as I rest in the finished work of His once for all sacrifice . . . and in the assurance of the promise’s fulfillment given through His resurrection.

No loose ends when it comes to my salvation.

To God be all the glory! Amen?

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Woman, Behold Your Son!

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Pete

I don’t know how many of them we have spread through the house . . . probably seven or eight. Come Christmas, the various nativity scenes are brought out and put on display at the Corak’s house. They vary in number of pieces . . . in size . . . in intricacy or simplicity . . . but they all have one thing in common . . . front and center a baby . . . and right next to the child, a doting mother. That she who had been visited by the angel and declared to be the “favored one” (Luke 1:28-31) should share center stage with God’s great gift is appropriate. It was through her that God would become flesh. Chosen to have the Holy Spirit come upon her . . . to have the power of the Most High overshadow her . . . she would give birth to a child . . . and she would name Him Jesus . . . “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). No one was nearer to the giving of God’s great gift. So, there she is prominently placed in each manger scene . . . looking upon the babe in the manger. Woman, behold, your Son!

After the angel’s revelation of her favored calling, her soul would magnify the Lord . . . and her spirit rejoice in God her Savior (Luke 1:47). After the shepherds’ visit to her stable nursery . . . after hearing them testify of their close encounter of the divine kind, of an angels visitation, of the glory of God shone around them (Luke 2:9-10), she “treasured up all these things” and pondered these happenings in her heart (Luke 2:19) . . . trying to bring it all together in her mind. What Child is this? . . . what plans does God have for His Anointed? Woman, behold, your Son!

This is something of the juxtaposition that came to mind as I read in John 19 this morning. There, the angel is gone . . . Pilate instead is the one who testifies of Jesus’ innocence. The animals of the stable are replaced with the animals of the Roman guard . . . delighting in flogging, beating, and mocking the meek and lowly Jesus who, “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, . . . opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53.7). And the shepherds, who gave glory to God in the highest, are displaced with the Sanhedrin and their cries of, “We have no king but Caesar! Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him! (John 19:15). And, while no longer front and center with her boy . . . yet not far away . . . is His mother. Woman, behold, your Son!

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. . . . So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
(John 19:23-26 ESV)

Standing by the cross of Jesus was His mother. She who knelt beside the manger looking down upon the radiance of God’s delight and favor, now stood next to an instrument of death looking up at Him who had been forsaken of men . . . and would be soon forsaken of God . . . as He who knew no sin was to be made sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Cor. 5:21). Her Son was born to die . . . come to give His life as a ransom for many.

And while I love taking a few moments to focus on one of the many nativity scenes lying around our house . . . while I delight in trying to enter into the awe and wonder of that night . . . as I try, with Mary, to treasure up these things and ponder them in my heart, as well . . . in their shadow is a cross . . . and, praise God, that cross is in the shadow of an empty tomb! O how the world needs to behold the Son.

And O, that I might not lose sight of the full picture of the wonder of Immanuel. That I might, afresh, behold the Son. Not just the Child asleep on the hay . . . but the Christ nailed to the cross . . . and the King coming again in glory.

O come let us adore Him . . . Christ the Lord!

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Not of This World

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Pete

Caught in the middle . . . that’s where we are . . . in the middle. God foretold through Micah the prophet that from Bethlehem “shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). Done! The birth of the Christ child accomplished . . . the gifting of the Savior revealed to shepherds in their fields . . . the birth of the King of the Jews made known to wise men. Done! But Micah also prophecies that this Ruler from Bethlehem “shall stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God” (5:4). Uh . . . not done . . . kinda’. That there is a day coming when the King will reign from the holy hill is clear. That His kingdom will be established on earth seems apparent from the prophetic voices of the Old Testament. But until that day we’re kind of caught in the middle. I say “kind of” because even now there is a kingdom . . . one in which Christ rules . . . but one which is not of this world.

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”   
(John 18:33-36 ESV)

My kingdom is not of this world.

Though He will one day return to stand on the earth in glorious majesty and to visibly reign, the essence of His kingdom is not dependent on His physical presence . . . rather, it is established upon precious promises. The promise of the Sovereign come to be a Shepherd . . . of a Lion submitting Himself to the Father’s will as a Lamb . . . of the Creator giving His life for the creation. The promise of rescue and redemption for all who would believe . . . of purchase from sin’s slave market, that men might live in true freedom — free from sin’s dominion, free from the fear of sin’s wage, death. The promise of being brought into a family . . . of being formed into a body . . . of being ushered into a kingdom . . . a kingdom not of this world.

May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.   (Colossians 1:11-14 ESV)

Every blood bought believer has been delivered and transferred. Removed from darkness . . . conveyed into the kingdom of light. A kingdom not of this world . . . but a kingdom “of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

A righteousness not our own, but found in Him . . . and imputed to all who “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:7) on the basis of His perfect life and substitutionary death. A peace that the world is incapable of giving . . . known only in His kingdom . . . peace with God through the once for all atoning work of the Crucified and through the on-going ministry of the risen Savior as our faithful High Priest. And joy . . . a joy unspeakable as we possess a hope founded on the very nature of a God whose purposes are unchanging (Heb. 6:17-18). A joy that transcends circumstance because of the reality of a kingdom not of this world . . . one established in our hearts and souls through the abiding active agency of the Holy Spirit.

Kind of caught in the middle . . . between His first advent . . . and the one soon to be introduced by a trumpet’s blast. Remembering a King born in a manger . . . anticipating the return of that same King in all His glory. Caught in the middle . . . kind of . . . yet caught up into a kingdom not of this world.

To Him be all glory . . .

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