“Nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” – Luke 17:21

The Kingdom of God isn’t some far off future thing. Jesus is emphatic that the Kingdom of God is here already. When Jesus first began His earthly ministry, He established the Kingdom of God here on Earth. Today, the Kingdom is everywhere that Jesus is worshiped and praised. The Kingdom is everywhere that souls are saved, lives are transformed, and sinful people are forgiven, cleansed, and reconciled to their holy Creator. The Kingdom is where the people of God labor in the power of God to care for the sick, the poor, the oppressed, and the vulnerable in the name of Jesus.

Before the Kingdom of God broke in, everything in this world was the domain of darkness. It was the domain of the devil. When Jesus came, God’s Kingdom of light, holiness, and beauty began breaking in and pushing back the borders of darkness. The spiritually dead were raised to life. People experienced and expressed true love through Jesus Christ. God could be known and worshiped as He is.

If you’ve been saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, then you’re already a citizen of God’s Kingdom. It isn’t merely something you’ll experience when Jesus returns (that’s when He’ll complete the Kingdom). You’re already living in the Kingdom! Recognize God’s Kingdom in your life, your church, and your community. Live in obedience to the teachings and example of Jesus. Have the values and character of the King. Work for the Kingdom. Delight in the Kingdom. Invite people into the Kingdom. Don’t miss the blessing of everyday Kingdom living because you think it’s something down the road. The Kingdom of God is in your midst! #FollowJesus

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” – Luke 15:31-32

The final word in the famous parable of the Prodigal Son isn’t to or about those far from God. It’s a word to those seemingly near to Him. It’s a word to the compliant son, the Pharisee, or the faithful church-goer. If you’ve been a Christian for awhile, it’s a word to you. It’s a warning to have the heart of God toward those who took a long, painful, circuitous, sinful journey on their way to finally coming to the Lord. Arguably, this is the most important point of the parable…

God has tremendous love for those who’ve rebelled against Him, rejecting Him for the fleeting pleasures of the world. Though they’ve covered themselves in the filth of sin and degradation, God looks forward to the day when they repent of their sins and turn to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. He celebrates that moment and rushes to them with open arms. He welcomes them into His family because He is gracious.

Unfortunately, His people don’t always feel the same way. Those who haven’t fallen into obvious depravity, those who’ve faithfully been attending church for years, can be cold, hard, and judgmental toward those newly restored to God’s family. We can condemn them as they try to join our Bible studies or enter our churches. Why? Because they don’t yet look, dress, talk, or act like “they should”. They still have the raw, rough edges of the world about them. They don’t speak the unique language of Christians. They are precious and beloved by God but may be received coldly by His people.

The point of the parable? Don’t be like that! When you encounter someone who has embraced Jesus, love and embrace them. Your Father in Heaven already has. Your Savior already has. If you’re more eager to question them, doubt them, or judge them than hug them, then you’re the older son Jesus is talking about. Align your heart to God. Love the broken people who come to love Him. Make them welcome in your church or small group. Teach them to follow Jesus without turning up your nose at their shortcomings. #FollowJesus

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:20-21

Are you rich toward God? Think about that honestly for a minute or two. This isn’t a question that depends on how much money you have. You may have a little or you may have a lot. This is about your attitude toward that money. What is it for?

Is the purpose of your money to honor God by providing for your basic needs, blessing others, and advancing God’s Kingdom? Or is its purpose to build you up, give you comfort and confidence in yourself, and advance your kingdom? Whether you have a little or a lot, God blesses us with everything we have. God is always rich toward us. He has given us His Son, Jesus. He has given us forgiveness of sins and eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus. He has given us every blessing we’ve ever experienced and everything we “own”.

God is rich toward you. Are you rich toward Him? Are you generous with your time, talent, and earthly treasure? Do you try to find ways to put all three to use for His glory? Or do you make excuses? Do you make joyful sacrifices to help others in the name of Jesus? To tell others about Jesus? To make disciples? To support the bride of Christ, which is the local church? Though we’re saved by grace and secure in that salvation, every Christian will give account to God for how he or she managed the time, talent, and treasure He entrusted to them. Don’t manage your money in such a way that God will call you a fool! #FollowJesus

“And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’” – Luke 10:39-40

Two sisters were devoted to Jesus. When He came to their home, one immediately went to work doing everything necessary to host a crowd. The other sat at his feet and listened to Him. When Martha became resentful and asked Jesus to intervene, He praised Mary for choosing to listen and learn. He didn’t deny that there were important things to do. He understood that somebody needed to do them. But what was most important in that moment? Jesus praised Mary for choosing to take some time to be still, listen, and learn from Him.

In Christian life, our devotion to Jesus can drive us to become very, very busy. There’s always more that we can do for Jesus. God has prepared good works for each of us to do. These works are good, important, significant, and satisfying. Our desire to do them can sometimes cause us to become like Martha. We can become so focused on our Kingdom “to do” lists that we don’t make time to simply be still, sit at the feet of Jesus, enjoy His presence, and learn from Him.

Do you consistently make time with Jesus each day? Do you slow down to read the Bible, pray, and simply enjoy Jesus? Do you take time to quietly talk to Him, listen for His voice, and learn from His Word, the Bible? Do you think about Him and what you’ve read, rejoicing that He loves you and died for you? If you don’t prioritize time with the Lord, it simply won’t happen amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life. Set aside time to be like Mary. Guard that time and enjoy it deeply. There’s plenty of other time throughout the day to work hard like Martha. #FollowJesus

“Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” – John 10:21

People struggled to make sense of the available evidence and understand Who Jesus is. The problem is that they didn’t want to understand because that would change their life. That remains true today. Many saw the unprecedented miracles performed by Jesus and attributed them to demons. These were miracles proving that Jesus was Messiah, the Son of God, God come in the flesh. That didn’t fit their theology or understanding of the world. So they rejected Jesus.

They heard the extraordinary words of Jesus. Words unlike any they’d heard before. These were words faithful to the Scripture but mind-blowing in application. These words made clear that Jesus was the authoritative prophet, priest, and king come to rule forever. That didn’t fit their theology or understanding of the world. So they rejected Jesus.

When your assumptions about how the world works leaves no room for the movement of God in Jesus, that’s a problem. Many missed their opportunity for salvation and eternal life because they were convinced Messiah wouldn’t be like Jesus. Many still do. Don’t be one of them! Devote yourself to Jesus. Read and study His words, actions, character, and sacrifice. Let Him surprise you and challenge you. Let Him rattle your philosophy, politics, and practice of life. Reshape your theology and understanding of the world to fit Jesus. Don’t try to reshape Jesus to fit your way of thinking.

Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Every system of thought, philosophy, and theology must adapt to His reality or it will utterly miss salvation, transformation, and truth. Every assumption and understanding of the world you hold must yield to the reality of Jesus because where there is a discrepancy between your thinking and Jesus, you’re just holding tightly to mist. Hold tightly to Jesus! #FollowJesus