Are You A Citizen?

Oh, I’m sure you are a citizen of India or Canada or America. But are you a citizen of the new country Jesus came to found–the kingdom of heaven? Jesus emphasized this unique citizenship at the start of his ministry. “From that time (after his baptism and temptation) Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near'” (Matt 4:17). Then in his great Sermon of the Mount he explains citizenship in this kingdom and the responsibilities of its citizens.

His sermon begins with the manifesto of his kingdom. It was not to be a kingdom delineated by geography, the racial makeup of its citizens, the military prowess of the government, nor the GDP of this new entity. No, the wealth of this kingdom was in the character of its citizens. He went on in the beatitudes to describe 7 characteristics of heavenly citizens.

First, they are “poor in spirit,” that is humble. Why? Because these men and women understand the rebellious, independent, proud, and sinful nature of their own hearts. They are conscious of their spiritual poverty. They realize they are unrighteous and totally in need of God’s forgiveness to enter his kingdom. Which leads them secondly to “mourn,” that is, grieve over their own sins, confessing them to God and asking for his forgiveness. When they discover to their astonishment, that God forgives them, comforts them, and adopts them into his heavenly family, they become, thirdly, meek. Instead of continuing to adopt the worldly habits of being pushy and assertive and demanding, they become submissive to God’s will relying more on prayer and faith than their own skills and willpower for results.

In Christ’s kingdom, character counts. And those who adopt these attitudes through the help of the Holy Spirit discover a growing blessedness, an increasing happiness.

Fourthly, these citizens hunger and thirst for righteousness. Instead of a passion for wealth and sex and prestige, they delight in God’s commandments which they come to realize are good and perfect. They long for holiness, “without which no man shall see God.”

Fifthly, as these character qualities transform their lives, they become passionate about being merciful and doing deeds that bless others. Sixthly, in order to progress in these qualities, they cull out everything in their lives that is harmful so that they may be pure of heart, that is, have an undivided heart that focuses on King Jesus and all that pleases him. Purity of vision, clarified by Scripture.

Seventhly, they early discover that in essence Christ’s kingdom is not a war-like entity but bent on spreading blessing. And so they spread peace, working always to heal divisions and bring people together in love for each other and Christ.

Strangely, all these qualities of character which ought to be celebrated by mankind do the opposite. They stir up resentment, jealousy, and anger resulting in persecution which heavenly citizens expect and accept. Wherever we look today, whether in Nigeria or France or Canada, citizens of the kingdom of God face persecution to a lessor and greater degree. In Canada, harmful laws are enacted to limit the freedom of disciples to declare truth. In Nigeria churches are burnt and Christians killed.

The kingdom of heaven is distinguished by the character of its citizens. It is important to note that these seven qualities of character are not embraced in isolation from each other. As G. Campbell Morgan writes; “There is a great sequence. Experimentally, no man enters into any of these, save in the order indicated. First, the poverty of spirit, which ends rebellion, and, submissive to the King kisses His scepter; then the mourning that follows; then the meekness that ensues; then the passion that flames; then the service that is merciful; then the purity of heart that enables a man to see God’ and then the great, sweet, strong, influence of peace, and man becomes a peacemaker.  The proportion in which men release this character is the proportion in which they realize happiness.”(Studies In The Gospels, p.45)

To be continued.

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The Further We Drift from the Christian Faith, the Needier We Become – Essential Belief, #43

Our culture indoctrinates us to say, we are independent, self-reliant men and women. And if by chance we do have needs there is always a doctor or psychiatrist or philosopher or beer-buddy to point us to help—or simply commiserate.

The foundations of western civilization tell us different. They go back, back, back to the Man of Galilee, Jesus of Nazareth who came because we were needy, because the best that human wisdom affords was an abysmal attempt to satisfy our needs. I’m not talking about warmth, shelter, and food which many civilizations have done a commendable, though flawed, job in providing.

John Stott (at 88) writing about the neediest among us comments; “I sometimes hear old people, including Christian people who should know better say, ‘I don’t want to be a burden to anyone else. I’m happy to carry on living so long as I can look after myself, but as soon as I become a burden I would rather die.’ But this is wrong. We are all designed to be a burden to others. You are designed to be a burden to me, and I am designed to be a burden to you. And the life of the family, including the life of the local church family, should be one of ‘mutual burdensomeness.’ ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ’ (Galatians 6:2)” — John Stott, The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling

As Stott points out there is something in us that resists admitting our neediness. Not only is the Christian faith designed by God to help us bear one another’s burdens, at it’s root it is a cry to enter God’s presence through the wicket gate of confession and repentance for our sins—admitting our ultimate neediness. Pride keeps us from admitting our sinfulness, which is the most fundamental of our needs. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It may not only keep us from seeking practical help, but it may keep us from embracing God’s need-meeting Saviour. Who? Jesus Christ, the Lord, who has been eternally appointed by God to be mankind’s prophet, priest, and king, fulfilling three offices that address humanity’s fundamental needs.

Jesus is the prophet we need because we are ignorant of eternal truth and the operation of God in the beginning and continuing operation of our universe. We need a divine teacher, Jesus, to dispel our ignorance. We operate as self-centered beings inventing amazing machines but blasé about ultimate questions. Indeed, we are—dare I say it—wilfully stupid. We have no idea about what is beyond the grave. We march blithely toward our hellish destiny with seldom a care. Then Jesus, the Prophet, calls us to stop, listen, and believe the gospel. “The Word [God’s communication] became flesh and made his dwelling among us…No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, [Jesus, the Son of God] who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (John 1:14,18). “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Listen and believe.

Jesus is the priest, the mediator between Heaven and earth. He shed his blood to secure our salvation. Only he can reconcile us to God through pleading his crossly sacrifice before the Father in order to blot out our guilt. Only he can render us acceptable to God. As our priest he continues to intercede for us. “Christ came as high priest…He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:11, 12). “Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:24,25).

Jesus Christ is King, the only one powerful and insightful enough to rescue us from our spiritual adversaries including that arch enemy, the devil. Do we realize that, “your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8)? As the 1689 confession states, “We need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, sustain, deliver and preserve us, until we finally enter his heavenly kingdom. He came proclaiming the kingdom of God. The New Testament ends declaring, “He is Lord of Lord and King of Kings” (Rev. 17:14).

As prophet he teaches us about our spiritual need of rescue. As priest he rescues us through his blood and continues to intercede for our transformation. As King he guides, sustains, and protects until he calls us home to enjoy the blessings of His kingdom.

The One Behind Christmas: Prophet, Priest & King

Who is this one who came at Christmas? A great teacher? So much more. Like David we should cry, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). But we don’t need to go to a temple. God has come near in Jesus. We can contemplate his beauty for the rest of our days and never do more than touch the edges of his glory. Sunsets and flowers and mountains and the rising moon and rivers and the ocean; all their beauty is derivative coming from to the one who “created all things.” If these created things are beautiful, how much more the source of all beauty.

Heaven will never exhaust this contemplation of the beauty of the Lord. As Sam Storms wrote; “Our experience of God will never be stale. It will deepen and develop, intensify and amplify, unfold and increase, broaden and balloon.”

We can be sure about one thing about Him. Christmas celebrates the birth of one who came into the world to fulfill a specific, predetermined mission. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus was born to be the mediator between God and mankind. As the one mediator, He is a prophet, priest and king.

• Jesus is a prophetic mediator

Jesus was born to be the ultimate prophet, the one who would explain the need for his intervention to save us from God’s righteous wrath. Throughout history prophets such as Abraham, Noah, Isaac, and Moses served as spokesmen for God. In Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Moses predicted the coming of a prophet like him whose words would have final authority.

Jesus is that final prophet. He revealed to us the way God, in love, would provide for his wrath to be appeased and our sins forgiven without extinguishing his justice and righteousness. Read of his life and teaching in the gospels. Join the people who “were all filled with awe and praised God. ‘A great prophet has appeared among us’, they said. ‘God has come to help his people’” (Luke 7:16). Marvel with the people who were stirred at his entrance into Jerusalem, saying, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee” (Matt. 21:11). Be astounded at his parables. Join Peter and the martyr Stephen who declared him to be the prophet predicted by Moses. (Acts 3:22; 7:37) But he was not only a speaking prophet but also a priest and king. 

• Jesus is the Mediator-Priest

Scripture reveals that He is the eternal one, creator of time who came among us to live in time for 33 years. He is the infinite God who took up a finite body. He is the unapproachable thrice holy Son of God who came near to walk among unholy men and women. He is the incorporeal Son of God who took on human flesh. He was born of Mary on a mission to be the mediator between God, angry at our sins, and fallen, rebellious mankind. He came to show us what love is. He came as the one and only mediator; prophet, priest, and king. As that final prophet he came to teach us how to live and to seal a new covenant between God and man; a covenant—not of works but of grace.

Our eternal destiny depends upon his role as mediator priest of a new covenant between God and man. From mankind’s fall in the Garden of Eden, blood sacrifice has been essential to approach God. Jesus has come as the final and the only perfect priest fulfilling the fallible role of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Aaron. The book of Hebrews explains; “There have been many of those priests, [who died] … but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens…He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself” (Hebrews 7:23-27).

His death upon the cross is our only hope. In heaven he intercedes for us, pleading for our salvation based upon the blood he shed for us so that God might be just and yet the justifier of all those who believe in Him. Do we believe? Have we asked Jesus Christ to be your Saviour? Do we expect God to be inconsistent, denying his own standards and forgive us without accepting the atonement of Christ? Without embracing God’s elaborate plan of salvation centred in the blood of Christ shed for us, we will face the wrath of God. Look to Jesus now and live!

• Jesus sits on heaven’s throne as king

As a new year begins to unravel before us, apparent chaos reigns. Ukraine, what was the peaceful breadbasket of Europe, continues to endure darkness and cold as it fends off Russian aggression. China continues to harass its citizens and seeks to extend its influence into all of Asia and Africa, while even meddling in Canadian elections. Haiti is in chaos as is Myanmar, Iran and innumerable other countries. Why so much chaos? Because the prince of darkness goes about sowing chaos, seeking to harm God’s creation and destroy his image-bearers. “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12, ESV).

Into this darkness, 2000 years ago, light shone in the form of Jesus who came to be prophet, priest, and king. As the final prophet he introduced and taught us how to live in the new covenant. As priest he interceded for us by offering his own blood to atone for our sins.

As King, he sits on his father’s right hand conquer evil and to spread light and truth and love. Paul prayed that we may be enlightened to see God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm…and God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church” (Eph. 1:18-22).  

He is the king and because of his power he ensures that “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Nothing can hinder the outworking of his purposes as he slowly moves us toward the day when he will descend with power and glory to raise the death and wreak judgment on the earth.

In the meantime, we have a task to fulfill. Jesus said, “All authority is heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18).

Because he is king, we have certainty of success. History is moving toward its culmination. Justice will prevail. There will be a new heaven and a new earth in which dwells righteousness. In the midst of chaos and all the things that seem so bad, we have peace. He is on his throne. We can rest upon his promises and sleep gently with his kingly arms around us.