Discipleship

The True Emperor

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Messianic promises from the Psalms are applied to the present reign of Jesus who possesses all authority in Heaven and on Earth. 

Jesus has reigned as Sovereign over the Earth since his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, already, he is seated on the Messianic Throne. Because of his obedience, he is the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth.” Before his Ascension, he declared that God had bestowed all authority on him – “In Heaven and on Earth.” His authority is without limits and a present reality. Thus, working for competing political entities becomes, at best, a waste of time. Only God’s Kingdom will endure.

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Love your Enemy

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When we react to hostility with hostility and anger, Satan wins. The reality of persecution raises questions. How should we respond when attacked by the State, the culture, society, or even our family and friends? Is resorting to anger or retaliation appropriate, or should we emulate examples from the life of Jesus? In his teachings, he warned us to expect “tribulation,” and he summoned us to follow his path (“If they persecuted me, so they will persecute you”).

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His Righteous Kingdom

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Jesus proclaimed a unique political reality, the Kingdom of God. It differs radically from the governments and ideologies of this age.

Jesus appeared in Galilee proclaiming the “Kingdom of God” – “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.” The promised Kingdom had arrived in his life and ministry. He is the Messiah and King of Israel, and all men are summoned to turn from their wicked ways and submit to his lordship while the door remains open.

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The Unwanted Messiah

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Jesus is revealed as the Savior of Mankind in his sufferings and self-sacrificial death for others, including his enemies.

The inability of men to recognize Jesus as the Son of God until after his crucifixion is a central theme of the Gospel of Mark. Ironically, the first man to do so is the Roman centurion on duty at his execution. His self-identification as the suffering “Son of Man” made him unrecognizable to unregenerate men. He was the Savior no one expected or wanted.

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Rejection and Suffering

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To be the Messiah of Israel meant suffering and death for others, and Jesus summoned his disciples to follow that same path – Mark 8:31.

Jesus explained what it meant to be Israel’s Messiah and the Son of God as his entourage approached Jerusalem, suffering and death. This was contrary to popular expectations, including those of his closest disciples. He also summoned anyone who wished to follow him to take up his cross and emulate his example. Failure to do so would result in shame before the Lord of Glory.

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