The Kingdom After The Cross

Nov. 10

Read: Acts 1:1-11

The Kingdom After The Cross

“ (Jesus) presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (v.3)

Jesus remained focused on the Kingdom of God even after his resurrection. It is what he spent the forty days after his resurrection talking to his followers about and to those around him. He did this alongside performing “many proofs”. It is in the midst of the Kingdom of God that Jesus proves he is ALIVE.

We may have been tempted to think that Jesus’ “gospel” would change after he suffered on the cross, died, was buried, and rose again… but this is simply not the case. We don’t have Jesus walking around telling people they need to “believe he died on the cross for their sins” here in Acts 1. What we do have is Jesus seeking to prove he is alive and well, and setting our attention once again on the Kingdom of God and the power that is coming through the baptism of the Spirit. (v.8) We are to be “witnesses” to the truth that Jesus Christ is alive and well, and that “the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel”. (cf. Mark 1:14)

If the Kingdom of God is what Jesus spoke about and taught about during those precious 40 days on earth before the ascension, should it not be what WE speak about more often? When we sever the KOG from the gospel and recreate our own “good news” we lose sight of what Jesus was focused on. If there was ever a time for Jesus to singularly fixate on and point to his suffering and death on the cross, it would be immediately after it happened and he was resurrected. Yet, he does not. No doubt that the events that took place just 3 to 43 days prior were spoken about - BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SPOKEN OF IN THE CONTEXT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

For Jesus - once again - The Kingdom of God is The Gospel. The “good news” is that the time has come for the Kingdom of God to be at hand. Or to put it another way, the Kingdom of God has broken into OUR time and space… it is present and unfolding around us. The present and unfolding Kingdom of God is energized by the power and work of the Lord - which is a testament or “proof” as to Jesus’ truly be resurrected and ALIVE. This is what we have been brought into. This is what we have been redeemed towards the end of. God does indeed love us. He loves us enough to welcome us into his KINGDOM. Jesus did ont abandon the idea that God’s Kingdom was “good news” even when it meant that part of God’s plan was his own death on the cross! (cf. Heb. 12:1-) If Jesus did not abandon the Kingdom of God as good news… then neither should we! When we slice and dice… dissect… pick apart… and only embrace what pertains to us… we proclaim a “partial gospel”. As we continue to look at this idea, I want you to imagine what, if anything, needs to change if we begin to embrace Jesus’ good news? The link between the KOG it’s being The Gospel was unfazed by the crucifixion. It was all part of the larger plan of the KOG breaking in and disrupting the trajectory of the world as we know it. More to come. Love you guys. - JDP