Which Kingdom Reigns?
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Introduction
Introduction
Recently I have been reading a book series called the Saxon Chronicles. The first book of the series is called “The Last Kingdom.” It is about the Danes invading the Island of England, which at this time is divided into five kingdoms, North Umbria, Mercia, Kent, East Anglia, and Wessex. This doesn’t include the different kingdoms in Scotland or Ireland. The series main character is the anti-hero Uhtred who is a pagan trying to find his way in the ongoing war for the Island fought between the Christian Saxons of Wessex and Mercia and the pagan Danes who control North Umbria.
Throughout the series the dream of the kings of Wessex is to unite all of England into one kingdom, the kingdom of Englaland. I have just begun book 9 of 13 and so far Alfred the king of Wessex’s dream has not been realized. He died several books ago and now his son is king and has not had any success in uniting the kingdoms.
The interesting thing about this book series is that both Wessex and Mercia are Christians nations, but even the religious leaders of these countries are more worried about the power base in the countries than they are about the coming kingdom of God.
This is book series is fictional, but based on true stories. And there really was a war fought over the unification of England. But more than that this focus on our present kingdom is not something that we really have evolved from in the 1200 years or so since the book was set. So why is it that we focus so much on our present kingdom and forget that we are part of the much greater eternal Kingdom of God?
Why is our Focus on Earthly Kingdoms?
Why is our Focus on Earthly Kingdoms?
We tend to only care about tangible needs
Needs like food, clothes, and shelter are most apparent in our lives
Because they are most immediate
They are what we feel the easiest
We tend to only focus on whats in front of us
Horse with blinders on in the city
We are trained to only look to what is in front of us
Our world tries to focus on only tangible
The devil isn’t in what frightens us, he is in what we need and desire
We tend to be extremely short sighted
We as humans don’t really look past our immediate future.
This used to be retirement, for some it still is
More and more people don’t look past their present needs and wants
We are focused on storing up our treasures on earth
When we focus on Earthy kingdoms we are not really focusing on the future
We tend to be more interested in storing up our treasures on earth than in heaven
We often focus so much on our earthly treasures that we neglect to really pour into God’s Kingdom
Earthly kingdoms will rise and fall. Daniel’s dream says that four great beasts will rise. Daniel 7:16
‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth.
This is an allusion for kingdoms of humanity that is often used in prophecy. Beasts are often used to symbolize the kingdoms of Earth. These kingdoms will not last forever, no earthly kingdom ever does.
We Should focus on God’s Kingdom
We Should focus on God’s Kingdom
But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’
Our first priority should always be God’s Kingdom in the present
God’s Kingdom is not some future hope.
God’s Kingdom is our present reality
The church is God’s kingdom
We are not citizens of this world but merely resident aliens
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
as resident aliens our focus should be on God and heavenly things and not the things of this earth which are only temporary
Because focusing on God’s kingdom in the present leads to eternal rewards
The problem is when we focus on earthly things, those things that are right in front of us we lose sight of our heavenly kingdom
When we lose site we become more like the world, no longer are we separated from the world.
America the melting pot vs. China town, little Italy ect.
As we blend into the world we assimilate to it, but then we lose our identity in Christ, until there is nothing left to distinguish us from the world around us.
Then we lose our heavenly reward
Because unlike earthly kingdoms the Kingdom of God will last forever
Earthly kingdoms will rise and fall
The Kingdom of heaven is eternal
God is the beginning and the end
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
It is often much harder to focus on the future, especially when the future is not of the tangible world. But we must focus on the Kingdom of God. God’s kingdom encourages us with present relationship, God kingdom incites us to a present sanctification, to be set apart from the world, and God’s Kingdom invites us to a future reward. A place where we will all be one, a place where we will have eternal life. To a place where we will be one with the Father and the Son through the work of the Holy Spirt. We are are only travelers in this present kingdom of earth so set your sites on the eternal kingdom of God. Let us pray.