Jesus the King – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

If we want to enter the Kingdom

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at him.

And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it.

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.” (Luke 16:14-17)

I’ve always found this passage a little hard to put together.

But it strikes me that Jesus was basically saying this: God does urgently invite everyone to enter the Kingdom. That’s his heart toward us.

But at the same time, there’s one requirement: embrace our King and his values.

That’s what the Pharisees failed to do. They instead scoffed at their King and his values. Values coming from the Law and Prophets that they claimed to follow.

They scoffed at how Jesus saw money.

They certainly didn’t value marriage as Jesus did, often getting divorced so they could marry someone else. (Luke 16:18)

Nor did they value mercy, justice, and the love of God as Jesus did. (Matthew 12:7; Luke 11:42)

Instead they valued what was revolting in God’s sight.

And in the end, they crucified their King.

As a result, they found themselves outside the Kingdom they claimed they wanted to enter.

How about you?

Do you embrace your King?

And do you embrace his values?

When Christ reigns

Psalm 72 is a song written by Solomon that looks forward to the time when Christ, the great King, reigns.

So often we look at the people ruling or governing our nations, and all we are left with is disappointment.

People that should be looking out for our interests and the interests of the nation only look out for themselves. The only time they look out for others is if they feel that it’s toward their benefit.

But here we see Christ reigning in true righteousness. A king who judges justly and looks out for those who are afflicted and needy. A king who does so because he truly cares about them (Psalm 72:1–4, 12–14).

We also see a king whom under the righteous prosper and will find blessing. I like verse 6 where it says,

May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.

But most of all, I like verse 17 where it says,

Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.

One can’t help but think that Solomon had in mind God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 where he said,

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing…
all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2–3)

In Christ, we will see the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. And so Solomon closes with this benediction:

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen. (18–19)

Amen. Come soon Lord Jesus.