Press Into The Kingdom

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Luke 16:16

It is clear from the old testament that Christ would come in the family of David and establish a glorious kingdom that would rule over the whole world. In our vanity, we are blind to how glorious that kingdom is.  Men value things externally from an earthly perspective and are unmoved by Jesus and his kingdom. He doesn't impress our human fancies.  Jesus explained that if his kingdom was of this world, then his servants would fight that Jesus not be delivered to the Jews who condemned him, John 18:36.  He kept men who savor not the things of God in blindness to his divine kingdom; as they carried on with their wicked works, he was meekly establishing something much greater than any earthling can imagine.  Undaunted by the spite of the rich and famous, Jesus continued in obedience to the Father according to all of scripture and became the head of the corner, building a spiritual house refused and disdained by man from the beginning. 

I declare that the kingdom established by Jesus Christ is reigning supreme now.  He doesn't reign, nor ever did, by external letter or decree; he never reigns with grand human armies; and he never reigns with buildings made with gold or other stones.  He doesn't reign after the similtude of human kings. He reigns from within the hearts of his people formed for his praise.

 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  Luke 17:20,21

The Holy Spirit, abiding in our spirit, is our access and teacher of the True Kingdom.  Since Jesus preached hope, he has been ruling and reigning so majestically above the most glorious and powerful humans earth can produce, because only he can move within people everywhere without limit.  History has powerfully witnessed the preeminence of this kingdom in the face of the wise and powerful of the world through the ages,  who have discredited and sometimes violently attacked this kingdom, only to find that they have exhausted only themselves.  The child of God has a fire within himself that cannot be touched by the world.

It is still easy for Christians who have tasted truth to be discouraged.  Don't be surprised, when we take a worldly perspective, that the church will look weak and helpless and on the road to extinction.  Even Christians have tried to build empires and institutions that agree to our natural senses, and have succeeded to a great degree to gain the respect of the world.  But don't place any confidence in external measures of success, because Christ warned against it and it goes out of style like everything else.  Put on the spiritual armor of God--that is the ONLY defense that sustains the church in truth.  And from a spiritual frame of reference, I rejoice in the victorious reign of Christ in the church and his church in the world.

Poor and afflicted, Lord are thine;
Among the great unfit to shine;
But though the world may think it strange,
They would not with the world exchange.

Poor and afflicted, yet they trust
In God, the gracious, wise, and just;
For them he deigns this lot to choose,
Nor would they dare his will refuse.

Poor and afflicted, oft they are
Sorely oppressed with want and care;
Yet he who saves them by his blood,
Makes every sorrow yeild them good.

Poor and afflicted--yet they sing,
For Christ, their glorious, conq'ring King,
Through suff'rings perfect, reigns on high,
And does their every need supply.

Poor and afflicted--yet ere long,
They'll join the bright celestial throng,
And all their suff'rings then shall close,
And heav'n afford them sweet repose.

Poor and afflicted, filled with grief--
O Lord, afford us kind relief,
To cheer the heart that heaves a sigh,
And wipe the tears from every eye.

Thomas Kelly 

Press into the kingdom.  Don't believe the world's lies, nor be impressed with it.  Beauty, wealth, fame, and amusement profit nothing without the seasoning of truth; time has proven.  There are so many mysteries of the kingdom I don't understand.  In time, with the guidance of the Spirit that guides to all truth, I will learn more and more.  Why did Jesus speak in parables?  I'm not really sure, but what we have to work at obtaining, will be held much more dearly.  Jesus clearly didn't reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to anyone all at once, and to some didn't reveal it at all.  How much more now, without the physical presence of the Great Teacher, should we expect to search and beg for a better view of that sublime truth.

In conclusion, I am convinced that pressing into that kingdom, though difficult and contrary to the approval of mankind, will be rewarded spiritually, and therefore, much more profitable than man's idea of value.