Loving Jesus Through Poetry

I spent last week with my 96-year-old mother. In the midst of fading memory, she remembers Jesus, she remembers the Gospel – and she remembers poems and hymns that speak of Him and His Gospel. I tried to encourage those memories through singing with her, through listening to hymns and spiritual songs with her – and, for the first time in years, reading poetry with her. My main resource for poetry was A Sacrifice of Praise, edited by James Trott (2nd Edition, Cumberland House Publishing, 2006).

Here are two public domain poems from that collection. The first is related to our present Wednesday morning online study, Love Jesus’ Return. I vaguely recall singing this hymn on occasion growing up. The second – by Joseph Hart, author of “Come Ye Sinners” – is a dialogue between a Gospel-speaking believer and his distressed “soul.” Note the structure: The speaker in the first seven verses rotates between the believer and his soul. In the eighth verse, the distressed soul speaks the first four lines, the believer the last four. In the ninth verse, the speakers alternate every two lines, while in the final verse, the speakers alternate every line.

Read these – and, like my mother, delight in Jesus and His Gospel!

The Second Advent by Thomas Kelly (1809)

Look, ye saints! the sight is glorious:
See the Man of Sorrows now;
From the fight returned victorious,
Every knee to Him shall bow;
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crowns become the Victor’s brow,
Crowns become the Victor’s brow.

Crown the Savior! angels, crown Him;
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
In the seat of power enthrone Him,
While the vault of heaven rings;
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown the Savior King of kings,
Crown the Savior King of kings.

Sinners in derision scorned Him,
Mocking thus the Savior’s claim;
Saints and angels crowd around Him,
Own His title, praise His name;
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
Spread abroad the Victor’s fame,
Spread abroad the Victor’s fame.

Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
Hark, those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
O what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him, crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him,
King of kings and Lord of lords!
King of kings and Lord of lords!

A Dialogue Between a Believer and His Soul by Joseph Hart (1759)  

1 Come, my soul, and let us try,
For a little season,
Every burden to lay by;
Come, and let us reason.
What is this that casts thee down?
Who are those that grieve thee?
Speak, and let the worst be known;
Speaking may relieve thee.

2 O I sink beneath the load
Of my nature’s evil!
Full of enmity to God;
Captived by the devil;
Restless as the troubled seas;
Feeble, faint, and fearful;
Plagued with every sore disease;
How can I be cheerful?

3 Think on what thy Saviour bore
In the gloomy garden,
Sweating blood at every pore,
To procure thy pardon!
See him stretched upon the wood,
Bleeding, grieving, crying,
Suffering all the wrath of God,
Groaning, gasping, dying!

4 This by faith I sometimes view,
And those views relieve me;
But my sins return anew;
These are they that grieve me.
Oh! I’m leprous, stinking, foul,
Quite throughout infected;
Have not I, if any soul,
Cause to be dejected?

5 Think how loud thy dying Lord
Cried out, “It is finished!”
Treasure up that sacred word,
Whole and undiminished;
Doubt not he will carry on,
To its full perfection,
That good work he has begun;
Why, then, this dejection?

6 Faith when void of works is dead;
This the Scriptures witness;
And what works have I to plead,
Who am all unfitness?
All my powers are depraved,
Blind, perverse, and filthy;
If from death I’m fully saved,
Why am I not healthy?

7 Pore not on thyself too long,
Lest it sink thee lower;
Look to Jesus, kind as strong –
Mercy joined with power;
Every work that thou must do,
Will thy gracious Saviour
For thee work, and in thee too,
Of his special favour.

8 Jesus’ precious blood, once spilt,
I depend on solely,
To release and clear my guilt;
But I would be holy.
He that bought thee on the cross
Can control thy nature;
Fully purge away thy dross;
Make thee a new creature.

9 That he can I nothing doubt,
Be it but his pleasure.
Though it be not done throughout,
May it not in measure?
When that measure, far from great,
Still shall seem decreasing?
Faint not then, but pray and wait,
Never, never ceasing.

10 What when prayer meets no regard?
Still repeat it often.
But I feel myself so hard.
Jesus will thee soften.
But my enemies make head.
Let them closer drive thee.
But I’m cold, I’m dark, I’m dead.
Jesus will revive thee.

Where is This World Headed?

Within the last week:

  • A former student breaks into a school and murders little children and adults.
  • A former president running to regain the office is indicted.
  • A foreign leader threatens the use of nuclear weapons.

Where is this world headed?

Revelation 13 describes a world in which evil powers rage. A beast rises out of the sea with ten horns, and a crown on each horn (thus indicative of the power of the state). “The whole earth marveled” at the beast (Revelation 13:3), thinking that its power is greater than any other. Indeed, it exercises authority “over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7); many respond by worshiping it. The beast blasphemes God and makes war on any who don’t worship it, on God’s people, conquering them.

A second beast then arises out of the earth, performing miracles such as calling down fire from heaven, deceiving people (thus indicative of the power of false religion). It instructs them to make an image of the first beast – and then gives breath to that image, causing it to speak and even to kill those who don’t worship it. Then people are given a mark identifying them as belonging to these beasts – and only people with this mark can buy or sell.

Consider that world of Revelation 13. There are parallels with at least the trajectory of our world – but that world is far worse!

Where is God in such a setting?

The author of Revelation, John, lets us know in four subtle ways that God is very much in control, even as these evil forces seem all-powerful:

  • In verses 5, 7, and 15, John uses “divine passives” to show God’s sovereign control over these evil forces. In Revelation 13:5, the first beast “was allowed to exercise authority 42 months.” Was allowed by whom? By God. Similarly, in Revelation 13:7, the first beast “was allowed to make war on the saints.” Was allowed by whom? By God. Yet again, in Revelation 13:15 the second beast “was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast.” Was allowed by whom? By God
  • The beasts’ time is limited, according to Revelation 13:5. As Jesus says to those coming to arrest Him, “This is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). But Jesus rose from the dead in just a few days, and that hour ended. Just so, God limits the time that these beasts have power.
  • The beasts come out of the sea and the earth. In Revelation 10:2, a mighty angel “set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land.” God is in control of the origin of both beasts.
  • God’s people are not led astray by the beasts. Yes, they suffer – they are attacked and conquered. But Revelation 13:8 tells us, “All who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain.” If their names are in the book of life of the Lamb, they are secure.

Thus Revelation 13:10 tells us, “Here is a call for the endurance and the faith of the saints.”

The world may appear to be under the control of evil forces – and those forces do indeed have much power. There will be persecution and murders; government authority and religious influence will be used against those following Jesus.

But God is in control. His people are secure. So we must endure, whatever the chaos, whatever the trials, whatever the tragedies – endure in faith, endure in joy, and endure in confidence that, however things may appear, there is One Who reigns. For the seventh angel will blow his trumpet, and then loud voices in heaven will declare, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

He is in control now, and He will return to right all wrongs and to bring in His eternal Kingdom.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

[For more on Revelation 13, see the sermon “Tribulation, Endurance, and Faith,” preached July 3, 2005: text, audio.]

Rejoice Exceedingly with Great Joy!

Charlotte airport arrivals, Tuesday, almost midnight. My 3-year-old grandson Simon hasn’t seen me for four months. Pushed in his stroller around a corner, he notices me. His face lights up. Breaking into a huge smile, he cries out, “Papa!” He laughs and snuggles up against me.

I am near tears (a not uncommon occurrence these days!). Seeing me, Simon rejoices exceedingly with great joy.

Matthew uses those words to describe the wise men’s reaction when the star leads them to the infant King (Matthew 2:10). They have traveled far to worship Him, and they rejoice to see Him at long last.  Similarly, the angel tells the shepherds “good news of great joy” – their Savior is born, and they can see Him nearby, in Bethlehem (Luke 2:10).

In our present age, we do not yet have the joy of seeing Jesus in person. Yet we do have joy – just as Simon eagerly anticipated seeing Beth and me when his parents told him weeks ago about the upcoming trip. But then, upon their arrival, Simon’s joy seeing us face to face both fulfilled and surpassed the joy of that eager expectation.

Peter describes this present joy: “Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

But this state of joyful expectation is temporary. Jesus will return. Our joy will be full. We will break into huge smiles and laugh. We will see Him face to face. We will see in that face the complete acceptance made possible by His sacrifice during His incarnation, the deep love that prompted that sacrifice, and His pure delight in welcoming us into His family forever.

This Christmas remember the “wonders of His love.” See this Jesus as your Savior, your King, your Treasure. And long to see Him face to face.

The Advent of the Kingdom

How should you prepare for the coming of the King?

We are entering the season of Advent – the weeks leading up to Christmas when we celebrate the incarnation and birth of King Jesus. Prior to that first coming of David’s promised descendant, many devout Jews, like Simeon, were “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). They lived “righteous and devout” lives, feeding on God’s Word, serving His people, proclaiming His promises, eagerly anticipating the fulfillment of every promise by the “God of Amen,” the “God of Truth” (Isaiah 65:16).

Today we can profitably use this season prior to Christmas to prompt ourselves to live similarly as we wait for the final consolation, eagerly anticipating the fulfillment of all the remaining promises by the same God of Amen.

But note: God grants a partial fulfillment of those promises today! As we long for the final consummation, “all the promises of God find their Yes” in Christ Jesus. And that “Yes” means that today He establishes us, He anoints us, He seals us, He puts His Spirit in us (2 Corinthians 1:20-22) so that “as He is, so also are we in this world;” indeed, “love [is] perfected with us” (1 John 4:17).

This is how we rightly celebrate Advent today: Not as a preparation for gift-giving or carol-singing, but in living our lives today in light of God’s promises and their present and future fulfillment.

Consider Psalm 81 in this regard. Like us, the Israelites of the psalmist’s day had been redeemed by God (out of Egypt) and had received God’s promise that through their offspring all the nations of the world would be blessed. But, like us, they suffered over the years from both external enemies and their own internal tendency to stray. In words that echo the opening lines of the Ten Commandments, God says:

“Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!  There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.  I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
“But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.  Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Psalm 81:8-16)

There are at least five explicit or implied commands here – five imperatives that tell us how to live in anticipation of God’s fulfilling His every promise:

  • “Listen to me and to no other!” God says, “Hear! Consider what happens when you listen to my words of life! Don’t listen to other claims of authority, to other claims of what leads to joy!”
  • “Worship me and no other! Others will seem to display power, will seem to exhibit wisdom, will seem to offer salvation – don’t bow down to them!”
  • “Remember my redemption! You once were slaves, and groaned in your slavery. I redeemed you, and no other. So don’t put yourselves back under the yoke of a master who only desires to use you!”
  • “Do not harden your heart! You naturally have a stubborn heart; left to your own desires and preferences, you will not listen to me, you will not submit to me; your own counsels will lead you far from me. Since you naturally will fall away from me, you must fight to open yourself up to me.”
  • “So open your mouth wide, and I will fill it! I will fill it with the finest of wheat, with honey from the rock, with what is better than you could ever imagine! Yield to me – and I will give you the deepest joy man can experience.”

How do we open our mouths wide? What does that mean?

Surely it means in part obeying the first four commands: Feed on His Word, worship Him with joy, preach the Gospel to yourself daily, and guard your heart. The fight for joy in God consists in part in this internal fight to believe God’s promises and to trust Him with our thoughts, affections, and emotions.

But “open your mouth wide” also implies our stepping out in action. Step out to serve – and God promises to fill you and use you in ways beyond your imagining. Open your mouth wide to speak the Gospel – and God promises to give His power to that proclamation, to work miracles of salvation and encouragement. Show love to the hurting – and God promises to infuse that love with His own, so that the comfort received is the comfort of God Himself.

Do you see? When we rightly prepare for the (second) coming of the King, we not only prepare ourselves; we not only prepare those around us; we actually display the coming Kingdom now! God so works through His forward-looking people that His Kingdom is manifest today in acts of mercy and words of grace.

So how will you celebrate Advent? Who can you encourage? What mercy can you show? With whom can you share the Good News of God’s grace? How will God’s Kingdom come – today! – through you?

Suffering and Advent

How do you respond to affliction and pain?

In Psalm 69 – our sermon text this week – David calls out to God, “I am afflicted and in pain!” He then, as we would expect, calls out for God to deliver him: “Let your salvation, O God, set me on high!” (Psalm 69:29)

But the next verse is surprising: “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

In other words: “I am really hurting. And I will sing praises to God. I will show how great He is by thanking Him.”

Is that how you respond to affliction and pain?

Note that David has not yet been delivered when he offers praise. He praises God prior to any deliverance, because God made promises to him and to his people – and He always keeps His promises.

This is what the Advent season is all about: God has made promises. We eagerly await the fulfillment of those promises. We don’t know when they will be fulfilled. But we know He is faithful.

This is the position of God’s people again and again over the centuries. We hurt. We are in pain. And we praise God, looking forward to His fulfillment of His promises.

Consider these examples:

  • God tells Abraham that all the families of the earth will be blessed through his descendant (Genesis 12:1-3) – and he then remains childless for decades, awaiting the birth of a son.
  • God tells Abraham that his descendants will be afflicted in another land for 400 years, but then He will bring judgment on that nation, and they will come out (Genesis 15:13-14). And so the Israelites suffer much oppression in Egypt, crying out to God, before He sends Moses and brings about their exodus.
  • In 586BC God destroys His temple, His picture of His presence with His people, sending the Jews into exile. And yet decades earlier the prophet Isaiah, looking forward to this time of exile, had written, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned” (Isaiah 40:1-2).
  • The faithful Jews held on to God’s promise of a coming Redeemer, a coming Messiah, across the centuries of foreign dominance and oppression. So in Luke 2 we find faithful Simeon and Anna in the temple, having waited for decades, and now at last seeing their Messiah as a little baby.

We find ourselves in a similar position today. Our Lord promises us, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). We will experience pain and affliction. Jesus guarantees it. And we don’t have to look far to find it. In our own neighborhoods – indeed, in our own families – we find broken relationships, poverty of spirit, and oppression of the soul, as well as physical needs and maladies.

But Jesus also tells us in that same verse, “In me you may have peace. . . . Take heart! I have overcome the world.” And the Scriptures conclude with His promise, “Surely I am coming soon! (Revelation 22:20).

So in this interval between the First and Second Advents of our Lord, we will experience troubles similar to those endured by our brothers and sisters in the faith across the centuries. Like them, we will be afflicted and in pain. Like them, we will witness suffering and suffer ourselves.

But also like them, we can follow David’s example in Psalm 69, and, in the midst of trials and hardships, cry out, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” For the Lord is a faithful God. He always keeps His promises. And all who love His appearing, all who trust in Him, will see Him face to face – and will know the reality, then, that they have believed all along: That “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

What is Solid?

Luke 21:26b-27, 33
The powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. … Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

We look around us and it seems as if this world is solid, permanent, unshakable. But it will be shaken. It will pass away. Jesus will return. He has said it. His Word is more solid than the world. For the world was created by His Word.

What Do You Set Your Mind On?

What do you set your mind on?

We often set our minds on the past – how so-and-so talked down to me, how I failed or succeeded on that recent test, how nice it was to receive a compliment – or on the longer-term future: what job I want to be doing a few years from now, whom I will marry, how many children we should have, what retirement will look like. We also tend to set our minds on our immediate needs – such as what we will eat for dinner, what we will say to an angry child, how we will avoid a traffic jam, and how we will spend the weekend.

We can’t and shouldn’t avoid thinking about such issues. But the Apostle Paul tells us that our focus, our central mindset, should be different: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

Why are we to do this? He explains: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). That is: The You that was focused on the things of the earth has died. Yes, you are still in the body. Yes, you still need to eat and sleep. Yes, there are still the pressures, joys, and sorrows of earthly life. But via the sacrifice of Jesus you are reconciled to God – and He promises that He will never leave you or forsake you, that He will bring you safely to His heavenly Kingdom, that He is working all things on this earth together for your good and the glory of His Name. He has united you with Christ so that He sees Him when He looks at you. You have an inheritance that will never perish, that has no blemish, that will never fade, kept for you in His presence – and He will grant that inheritance to you at exactly the right time.

Furthermore: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). Jesus will come back at the end of the age to punish those who continue in rebellion against Him and to complete the work begun in all of His people. Our life is now hidden in Him, but on that Day the glory of our new life will appear. Note that “in glory” is not a location but a description of who we will be when Jesus appears. On the earth, in this fallen world, we may appear to be ruined, weak, and powerless; we may feel abandoned, hurt, and confused; we will be tempted to lose hope, to quit striving, to give up. But in the midst of all our trials, our true life remains protected with Christ in God – whatever happens around us or to us, it is safe with Him! And Jesus is certain to return. At that time we will appear with Him and be seen for what we truly are in Him: glorious, spotless, perfected, His delight and joy.

So set your mind today on such things – not that you ignore all these other concerns, but that you interpret all other concerns in light of who you are in Christ. Because of who you are in Christ, you can thank God for the gifts and kindnesses and joys around you; you can persevere through the trials and temptations; you can slough off insults, mockings, and demeaning words; you can love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; you can love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Christian, Jesus is your life. He will return. In Him you are glorious, spotless, perfected. Set your mind on that– every minute of every day.

 

God Is Faithful To His Promises

“Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45).

Think of the promises God had made to the house of Israel – including those made before Israel existed!

  • God promised that Abraham’s descendants would inherit the land of Canaan (Genesis 13:14-17).
  • God promised Abraham that He would bring his descendants out of slavery with great possessions (Genesis 15:13-14).
  • Hundreds of years later, God promised that He would use Moses to rescue the people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 3:7-10).
  • God promised that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let Israel go, even after Moses conducted miracles (Exodus 4:21).
  • Yet God promised eventually Pharaoh would drive the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 6:1).
  • God promised that He would not just bring the people out of Egypt, but that He would bring them to Himself (Exodus 6:6-8).
  • God promised plague after plague after plague on the Egyptians – and they all came about (Exodus 7 to 10).
  • God promised that the firstborn in every house in Egypt would die, but not in the houses of the Israelites (Exodus 11:4-7).
  • God promised that the Israelites would walk across the Red Sea on dry land, but the Egyptians would drown (Exodus 14:13-18).
  • God promised that He would provide meat and bread to the people in the desert (Exodus 16:11-12).

We could go on and on. God promised direction in their travels, defeat of enemies, parting of yet more waters – and all came about.

The people had doubted and murmured; the enemies had been strong and powerful. But God fulfilled every promise – despite the enemy, despite the people’s lack of faith.

So, what about you? Do you trust God to fulfill His promises? And do you recognize the greatness of those promises? Here are a few on which to meditate:

  • Jesus will return with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).
  • He will reign over an eternal Kingdom of righteousness and peace (Isaiah 9:6-7).
  • Jesus will destroy Satan and his minions (Revelation 20:10).
  • God will complete the good work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).
  • Indeed, we will be like Him (1 John 3:2).
  • God will bring to Himself through faith in Jesus those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Revelation 7:9-10).
  • Throughout this life, He will watch over you and guide you, and then bring you to Himself forever (Psalm 23:6).
  • He will work all things together for your good and His glory (Romans 8:28).
  • God will so work that at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to God’s glory (Philippians 2:10-11).
  • God will wipe every tear from your eyes, having ended death and mourning and crying and pain (Revelation 21:6).
  • God will rejoice over us, His people, with loud singing (Zephaniah 3:17).
  • By the blood of Jesus, you are declared fully righteous; He will remember your sins no more (Romans 3:21-25, Hebrews 10:11-18).

He has sworn by Himself that this is so – and it is impossible for God to lie! So hold fast to the confession of your hope without wavering (Hebrews 6:13-19); stand firm on His level ground, not sliding down into unbelief (Psalm 26); eagerly anticipate the fulfillment of every promise. For He is the faithful God, who keeps His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands (Deuteronomy 7:9).

 

Two Kingdoms: The Kingdom of Darkness Defeated

Consider the Gospel presentation, “Two Kingdoms:”

Here is a truth I have come to know.  God created the world as His Kingdom, and all was very good. But Satan rebelled, desiring worship that only God deserved. He set up his own kingdom, at war with God’s kingdom of light. The first man and woman, deceived by Satan, chose to rebel also. Since then, all of us have joined that rebellion against our rightful king.

Satan’s kingdom is the kingdom of darkness. He deceives people, saying, “You don’t have to serve me, just serve yourself!” Yet as we serve ourselves, we end up destroying all that is good, even all true pleasure. That is Satan’s goal.

God’s kingdom of light has overcome the kingdom of darkness. For God sent Jesus to earth to live as man should live. Jesus then died on a cross, suffering to pay the penalty we deserve for our rebellion. But God raised Him from the dead, showing that Jesus has authority even over death and the kingdom of darkness. Jesus will reign forever and ever.

God commands all men to turn from their rebellion against Him. He invites all of us to leave the kingdom of darkness and to become citizens of the Kingdom of light. We must turn from our selfish ways and acknowledge that Jesus is our rightful King. We must let Him tell us what to do. By God’s mercy on account of the cross, we can receive His forgiveness and escape from the kingdom of darkness, gaining love, joy, and peace in the Kingdom of light forever.

We live in this little bubble called life for 70 to 80 years. When it pops, we join whichever king we served for all eternity. Which king are you serving?

In a series of blog posts, we’re looking at different key points in this presentation. Today: God’s kingdom of light has overcome the kingdom of darkness.

When we look around the world today, it seems as if the kingdom of darkness is thriving: The earthquake in Nepal kills thousands and leaves tens of thousands more homeless. Hunger, oppression, and disease are the order of the day in many countries. Billions remain in rebellion against God.

Indeed, Jesus Himself assures us, “In this world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Elsewhere He says that until He comes there will be wars, famines, earthquakes, persecutions, deceptions, and betrayals (Matthew 24:4-12).

But Scripture is explicit: Not only will Christ reign over His Kingdom forever and ever (Revelation 11:15); already our Lord has overcome Satan’s kingdom.

Consider John 16:33. We quoted part of it above: Jesus promises us tribulation. But He goes on to say: “But take heart; I have overcome (or ‘conquered’) the world.” He has done it. The decisive battle is won. So Jesus, on the cross, can say, “It is finished,” bow His head and give up His spirit (John 19:30). The work is done. Redemption is accomplished. Satan is defeated. So Paul writes that God has “disarmed the [spiritual] rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them” (Colossians 2:15).

So we live in a world in which evil and rebellion are abundant; yet Scripture tells us Satan is defeated. How do both of these statements hold?

Biblical theologian George Eldon Ladd provides us with helpful language on this point: The Kingdom is already here, but it has not yet come in its fullness. The decisive battle is already won, but final victory is not yet completed. The Kingdom already has invaded this “present evil age” (Galatians 1:4), but every knee has not yet bowed to Lord Jesus (Philippians 2:10). Like yeast in bread dough, the Kingdom today may seem insignificant; indeed it may seem invisible. But it will multiply and spread until it permeates the entire batch (Matthew 13:33).

Much of the book of Revelation reflects these already/not yet truths. In the seven letters to the churches in chapters 2 and 3, the Lord Jesus finds serious error in five of them, and the others are suffering persecution. But in chapters 4 and 5, God reigns in His throne room, and “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them” worship the One Who sits on the throne and the Lamb (Revelation 5:13). Then in chapter six, those who have been killed because of their proclamation of God’s Word ask when God will execute justice and avenge their blood – that judgment is not yet. They are told that the judgment is indeed coming – it is certain, it is already confirmed – but they are to wait a little while.

So today we live in this in between time. Jesus has won the victory; He is King of the Kingdom of Light; He deserves all honor and praise; He has all authority. He has already accomplished all of that. But rebellion against Him continues. Death and destruction wreak their horrors. Pain and suffering are not yet over.

But the yeast spreads. This Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached as a testimony to all nations (Matthew 24:14). Then Jesus will return – and the “not yet” will become the “already:” Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:11) . God’s glory will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). God Himself will wipe every tear from the eyes of His children. There will be no more death, no more suffering, no more crying, no more pain, for the old order will have passed away (Revelation 21:4).

God’s kingdom of light has overcome the kingdom of darkness. Already. And soon, the Kingdom will come in all its fullness. Amen. Your Kingdom come, O Lord.

Two Kingdoms: Our Rebellion Destroys True Pleasure

Consider once again the “Two Kingdoms” Gospel presentation:

Here is a truth I have come to know.  God created the world as His Kingdom, and all was very good. But Satan rebelled, desiring worship that only God deserved. He set up his own kingdom, at war with God’s kingdom of light. The first man and woman, deceived by Satan, chose to rebel also. Since then, all of us have joined that rebellion against our rightful king.

Satan’s kingdom is the kingdom of darkness. He deceives people, saying, “You don’t have to serve me, just serve yourself!” Yet as we serve ourselves, we end up destroying all that is good, even all true pleasure. That is Satan’s goal.

God’s kingdom of light has overcome the kingdom of darkness. For God sent Jesus to earth to live as man should live. Jesus then died on a cross, suffering to pay the penalty we deserve for our rebellion. But God raised Him from the dead, showing that Jesus has authority even over death and the kingdom of darkness. Jesus will reign forever and ever.

God commands all men to turn from their rebellion against Him. He invites all of us to leave the kingdom of darkness and to become citizens of the Kingdom of light. We must turn from our selfish ways and acknowledge that Jesus is our rightful King. We must let Him tell us what to do. By God’s mercy on account of the cross, we can receive His forgiveness and escape from the kingdom of darkness, gaining love, joy, and peace in the Kingdom of light forever.

We live in this little bubble called life for 70 to 80 years. When it pops, we join whichever king we served for all eternity. Which king are you serving?

In a series of blog posts, we are looking at different key points in this presentation. Today: The destruction of true pleasure as we rebel against God and serve ourselves.

We have seen that sin is not like breaking a speed limit. On a clear day with few cars on the road, we may be able to achieve the purposes of the traffic regulation – safe driving – while speeding. So, if we can avoid getting caught, there is no downside to safely driving above the limit. But breaking God’s Law is not like that. Whenever we sin, we are rebelling against the wise God, our rightful King. We are saying that we know better than He what is in our own best interest. We are acting as if He is not good, not all-knowing – we are acting as if He is limiting our pleasure and fulfillment.

Today, let’s look further at our motivation for sinning: While we think that rebelling against God will bring us pleasure – and Satan encourages us to think this way – in fact, our attempts to serve ourselves end up destroying all true pleasure. Thus, thinking ourselves wise – thinking that we’re smart enough to know better than God how to pursue our greatest joy – we become fools; we destroy all that is good, all that leads to joy.

Why is this the case? Two reasons.

First, because God’s commands are given for our good (Deuteronomy 6:24, 10:13). In following the wisdom of God we find life. As Proverbs 12:28 says, “In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.”

Similarly, in Proverbs 8, Wisdom says

Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. (Proverbs 8:10-11)

She concludes:

Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.  For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:34-36)

Jesus echoes this claim:

All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:8-10)

To choose riches rather than Scriptural wisdom and obedience to God is to lose out. Whatever we desire apart from wisdom leads to less joy, not more. Indeed, true life is found only in following God. Rebellion leads to our hurting ourselves. And so we in effect love death – as we rebel, thinking we are pursuing pleasure, we are rushing headlong into the destruction of pleasure.

Jesus is even more explicit. All others claiming to know the way to God or the path to joy steal and kill and destroy pleasure. They are deceivers – thieves and robbers. But Jesus offers us true life, abundant life, real pleasure. Indeed, later He will say that eternal life is knowing God the Father and Him (John 17:2).

This brings us to the second reason our rebellion leads to the destruction of pleasure. We are eternal beings, and our rebellion has eternal consequences. In choosing to rebel, we often calculate the expected pleasure from sinning against the possible costs. We’ve seen above that even in this life, we actually lose pleasure – the costs far outweigh the supposed benefits. But when we incorporate the eternal consequences of rebellion, the costs pile up higher and higher.

Again, Jesus Himself makes this clear:

An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

We all will have a resurrection. The question is: A resurrection to what? To life, or to horrible judgment? A life lived in rebellion against God will inevitably lead to that horrible judgment – the end of any possible pleasure.

Furthermore, the Apostle Paul says that Jesus, when He comes again,

will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV).

Shut out from the only source of goodness, from the only source of joy. That’s where rebels end up. But those who are His, those who are saved by His grace, those who joyfully obey Him, can say with confidence,

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

So, consider:

  • How often do you give in to temptation, thinking this will bring you joy?
  • How often do you think of God as a spoilsport, hindering what will bring you fulfillment and pleasure?
  • How often do you think of God as a taskmaster, giving you a long list of tedious, frustrating rules to follow?

To act or think in these ways is to believe Satan’s lies, to rebel against God, to despise His wisdom and goodness – and ultimately to destroy your own pleasure.

So look to the source of all true life! Bow down before your King – and in that bowing, in that submission, in that worship, you will find fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.