Our King's Coming: Apocalyptic to Prophetic

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Have you ever asked the question, "What is the gospel according to Jesus?" It's a bizarre question with him being the gospel. But I was intrigued when I first saw Mark 1:15, "'The Time has come', [Jesus] said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.'" This 'good news' is the same word and meaning as gospel. Jesus' gospel is that the kingdom is near.

When thinking about the end times, my mind automatically drifts to movies like, I am Legend or Day After Tomorrow, or even 2012. My mind drifts towards apocalypse. The problem with that obsession is the focus it gives for life today. Christianity becomes about getting to heaven, instead of the richness of a life giving God who has come and is coming to save the world. There is an in-breaking reality of the kingdom that gives us hope. This is the prophetic view of the end.

We tend to have hope in a heaven that we will enter when we die, but if that is our only hope then why even live today. Our hope of heaven is not something far removed, but a very present in-breaking reality. His kingdom is here and coming. We see it whenever we see someone healed, someone saved, someone freed, someone restored from guilt, pain, or oppression.

Revelation 21 gives a great depiction of a new heaven and a new earth. When I read it, I begin to think this: I see glimpses of this today. I see glimpses of God dwelling with man. I see glimpses of him taking away tears and mourning. These are all proof that God's kingdom is near. This brings me hope to live in today. This gives me hope to be an ambassador for that Kingdom.

This was the topic of this weeks message. Take a listen if you so desire.