Peter’s statement in 2 Peter 1:14 that “the putting off of my body will be soon…” bears some wholesome and encouraging reflection by us as Christians. The context makes clear he is talking about his death, but his seemingly nonchalant attitude of “putting off his body” deserves some further thinking, and embodiment, by us. It appears that Peter is not at all frustrated, anxious, flummoxed, or worried about “putting off his body,” but almost speaks about it as one gets his old and worn out tires replaced for new ones. And that surely is his point, spoken as mildly as it is. Death is surely his entrance into glory, and putting off this sinned-inflated body is a right necessity: this body has to be put off, if we are to put on a new, sinless, immortal body, as Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 15.

Peter is a great double witness to Paul: your death is not something to be feared in Christ. In fact, it’s a necessary beginning to the rest of your life! It’s the putting off of this present body in order to receive another glorified and eternal body at the final resurrection. It’s our path as Christians to follow Jesus: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore…” (Rev. 11:17–18). As Paul exclaimed in Philippians 1, “to die is gain…My desire is to depart and be with Christ.”

So let Peter’s “matter of fact” approach to the putting off of his body guide you, as it does him, to the right use of this present life (1:12–15). Jesus’ divine power has granted to you all things that pertain to life and godliness (1:3), and part of that “all things” is living faithfully for Jesus until your name gets called for a glorious body “putting off”!

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!