Because we are still on this earth, Paul says, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Walking by faith gives us good courage because of what is to come. Nevertheless, we often whine because we want to see things with our own eyes. The Israelites wanted to see the leeks and onions again; theys wanted to see Yahweh in the “golden calf,” King Saul wanted to see Samuel in the flesh; idolaters want to see their gods, not just hear the “voice” of Yahweh (Deuteronomy 6).

Yet there is a passage that will help you “see” what God is doing, and so encourage you in the faith and give you good cheer. It’s a passage that will open your eyes to all the things that Jesus is doing in YOUR day and age. Today!

What is that passage? It’s Revelation 20, where Jesus binds Satan so he can no longer deceive the nations (20:1–3) during the millennial period as he did before, as in the days of the recently vanquished harlot of chapter 17, the old covenant unbelieving Yahweh haters who rejected his Son Jesus for the power and protection of Rome (chapter 13). Satan deceived nations to worship false gods and receive marks on their bodies and follow him to the abyss, but no longer. He’s bound as to the gospel; he can’t keep the minds of men in darkness. And so in obedience to the Great Commission, the church goes out and baptizes and teaches and makes disciples of all the nations. Even in North Korea and Saudi Arabia and China and Iran there are believers in Jesus, worshipping and praying and fulfilling the Great Commission. Think about it: all across the globe there are churches, ministry centers, gardens and villages where Christ is worshipped openly, all filled with believers who don’t murder and maim and offer child sacrifice nor molest their neighbor’s daughter or steal his livestock or burn down their houses over petty disputes. Live by faith, and open your eyes and see the difference Jesus is making!

(continued from last week) “Jesus is Lord” is the bumper sticker for the kingdom of God that came with Jesus’ coming. He is the Lord heralded in Genesis 3:15 that would crush the serpent’s head, and he is the fulfillment of all those “head crushing saints” sprinkled throughout the bible (Jael, woman with millstone who crushed Abimelech’s head, woman who had Sheba’s head thrown down, the oak tree that crushed Absalom’s head, David who crushed Goliath’s head [as well as chopping it off!], Jehu who had the 70 heads of the descendants of Ahab sliced off, [see your concordance for the rest!])

“Jesus is Lord” is the gospel: Jesus is the one who takes over the king’s domain given to him by the Father in Psalm 2. He is the one who rules with a rod of iron that all kings must kiss and serve lest they end up crushed. Jesus is the “head” who drinks by the brook while shattering the “heads” over the nations (Psalm 110:6-7).

So each Sunday when you sing “Thy kingdom come,” you aren’t just rehearsing a little nursery rhyme. No, you are singing your endorsement of the Father’s plan to give the world’s rule to his Son who smashes heads and says that He is the embodiment of the kingdom; that he is the Ruler who rules well and wise and willingly in the ways of the Father. You are singing that you are a follower of Jesus the Lord, the second Person of the Trinity, the “Yahweh” of the older testament now in flesh, the one who gives salvation to sinners with love and piety.

So remember, “thy kingdom come” is really you singing and meaning “thank you Father that ‘Jesus is Lord’ and you kept your promise to bring him in time and give him the kingdom of his Father David for all of us, sending him as Savior as well that we might be faithful, holy, followers in his kingdom.”

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas around here! And it’s only July!

In Vespers this week Pastor Joe meditated briefly on the meaning of “Thy kingdom come” from the Lord’s Prayer, noting that it is our prayer that we pray, and that it is a prayer that we are asking the king to take hold of his domain—king/dom—in a way that he hasn’t yet done. He also mentioned that the request “thy kingdom come” was not the gospel per se (it does involve the forgiveness of sins, etc), and also mentioned that the place of the kingdom is probably here on earth in the future and not in some kind of heaven (see Revelation 21-22).

But if “thy kingdom come” is NOT the gospel, per se, then what is? Most Christians think the gospel is that Jesus came to save sinners and say that prayer on the back of the tract and you’re sprung out of hell forever! A subset of those actually believe you have to believe in Jesus and love him and live for him.

But is salvation from sins the gospel of the bible? Is that the Good News that Jesus preaches when he shows up on lake Galilee? Is salvation by faith even new at that point (what did Paul teach about Abraham in Romans?) The actual proclamation of Jesus was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus says, “give up your old ways, for the kingdom of heaven is here. And how is it here? In my coming, in my appearance.” In other words, the Gospel of the New Testament, what is really new, is “Jesus is Lord.” In his appearance, the kingdom is present and he is the Lord of it because he is calling you, demanding of you, to turn from your old unbelieving ways and join him in his kingdom. The message he proclaims to everyone is “follow me” because “I am the I am,” because “I am the door,” because “I am the life of the world,” because “I am the bread of life,” because “I am the light of the world,” because “I am the Son of God, because “I am the Son of David,”etc. (to be continued)