Conclusion to Jesus’s Kingdom Culture
David W Palmer
In this series of studies, we have looked at Jesus’s training in, and impartation of, the culture and values of his kingdom. By far, the most significant truth and astounding revelation that we can take away from it was found in our first study; God’s kingdom is focused on intimacy with the King. He is looking for, and unlocking his mysteries exclusively to, those who will draw near, love him, worship him, and imbibe his heart. Our King is seeking worshippers who will listen with humble open hearts, fully trusting what he says—believing in him to the point of full obedience to him:
(James 4:8 NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Jesus’s kingdom culture is set by King Jesus himself; he is the example—from his forceful advance, his loving actions, his heart of compassion, his serving, to his humble willingness to lay his life down for others.
Some of King Jesus’s teachings and expectations seem quite challenging:
Our King’s cultural expectations are seemingly quite onerous and daunting. But, as we have seen, his only motivation comes from his pure heart of love and wisdom; he wants us to enjoy his peace, and he wants us to make the most of God’s unchangeable law: what we sow is what we will reap. So again, despite the seeming extreme challenges of his wisdom, we see that his heart of love and compassion guides all he says to us. Moreover, he not only shows us the way into peaceful joy and prosperity; he also offers us his own grace and ability to walk in his level of wisdom and holiness.
Our wonderful King Jesus also gave us the “heads up”—for our own eternal good—when he spoke of: the sagacious use of our words, the wisdom of removing all the rocks from our hearts, and seeking him, not signs. He unraveled some mysteries for us in explaining the identity and character of his true sisters and brothers. He graciously warned us to watch for the enemy within, and he imparted a passion for understanding.
Finally, we began to look at his most fundamental teaching about his kingdom—on what I call, “The Day God Explained Himself.” In what looks like a children’s story, through his parable of the sower, our Lord Jesus opened his heart to reveal the key that unlocks all the safeguarded secrets of God’s heart; he reveals his mysteries exclusively to people who love him, and who come humbly to sit and listen at his feet: “those around him with the twelve” (Mark 4:10 NKJV).
His conclusion left us in no doubt that the measure of how much God’s kingdom works for us is up to us: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Mark 4:24 DKJV). We found this to be the measure of how well we prepare the soil of our hearts, and how much we “take heed” to what we hear from him. In other words, the amount of kingdom blessing and help we receive from God’s power depends on how much we love his word, value it, meditate on it, obey it, and seek revelation of it. (We will go into the other truths from Jesus’s key parable in the next series of studies, Series 5: Kingdom Instruction, beginning tomorrow.)
I trust you have enjoyed your time with Jesus—your apprenticeship Master—on this leg of your journey as his trainee kingdom subject, minister, and leader. I pray you have seen, and greatly desire, his values to be your values, and that you have immersed yourself in his kingdom’s culture. And I trust you have seen the truth behind his statement: “The kingdom of heaven forcefully advances, and the forceful try to seize it back by force” (Mat. 11:12 DKJV).
We are clearly in a war, and although the culture of Jesus’s kingdom is love and replication of God’s heart of compassion and grace; his culture is also that of spiritual force against the thieving, killing, destroying enemy. Let’s never believe otherwise; and let’s stay spiritually aggressive against our enemy’s injustice and malicious evil, while being ever vigilant and defiant against his counter offensives.
(Psalm 91:1 NKJV) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
(Hebrews 4:16 NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Today, I encourage you to kneel before King Jesus as his faithful warrior, awaiting your orders and assignment. But I also encourage you to prayerfully enjoy the intimacy of his secret place, the awe of his throne room, the culture of his king’s heart, and his kingdom values. Make time to meditate on his character, and his lessons in this series of studies. Obtain his mercy where you need it, and find his grace to help you succeed in your passionate quest to be just like him:
Jesus I Want to Be Just Like You
Jesus, I want to be just like you;
To feel what you feel,
To do what you do.
Jesus, I want to be just like you;
To see what you see,
And love like you do.
You are my Lord,
You are my Father,
Almighty God,
You are my King.
You give me life,
You give me power,
You are my strength,
You’re everything,
Almighty God.
