Well, election 2020 is over. After much anxiety, mean spirited debate, uncertainty, and fear mongering, in the midst of a global pandemic, we appear to have elected a new president of the United States. However, there remains much rancor and animosity over the results, which would have been the case no matter who won and will only grow worse as the worldview divide in our nation widens. And – the COVID crisis continues with no end in sight.
The good news is that Jesus Christ is still on the throne of Heaven where He sovereignly rules over the nations of the earth and in the affairs of man according to the wise counsel of His will, for the glory of His name and for the eternal joy and gladness of all who, through repentance and faith, receive Him as King (Daniel 4:34-36).
Human government has no answers to the grievous problems and afflictions of this world. War, crime, “climate change”, poverty, prejudice, sickness and disease, and ultimately death are intractable problems; and they are so because they are a result of sin, mankind’s rejection of God’s purpose for and rule over our lives.
But the God of all grace and truth, the God of infinite wisdom, power and love, offers us an alternative to man’s government, to man’s kingdom, and to the Trumps and Bidens and Obamas of this world who pridefully lust after power to rule in this kingdom; and that alternative is the Kingdom of His own dear son, Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13).
This Kingdom was established over 2000 years ago on a hill outside the gates of Jerusalem called Calvary. It was established not on the prideful ambitions of a creature, but on the humble aspirations of the Creator, who at great cost to Himself came into this world in the form of a man to overcome sin’s controlling power over man (Romans 6:14), to defeat mankind’s great enemy, Satan (1 John 3:8), and to rescue from Hell and qualify for Heaven all who would turn from their sin, trust Jesus as Savior and submit to Him as their Lord – the one who commands, through HIs word, their life in this world for His glory and for their present and eternal good.
Jesus came to a world much like the world we live in today; a world of conflict filled with sorrow and suffering, misery and death; a world groaning under the wrath and judgment of God (Romans 1:18). In his first sermon, which is short and to the point, He calls men and women to enter His Kingdom when He proclaims; “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, Repent (turn from your sin and rebellion) and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).
For those who will obey this call, Jesus subsequently calls them into intimate relationship with Himself wherein He gently and compassionately commands in Matthew 11:28-30 “ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” In this invaluable offer of intimate relationship, Jesus is saying to those who will respond:
Come unto Me all who are burdened with the cares of this world, who are laboring for status, security, success and comfort in a world that offers you everything you think you want, but ultimately nothing you will ever need to satisfy the deepest needs and desires of your heart, which only I can do – and will (Psalm 145:18-19).
Come unto Me all of you who are fearful and anxious, caught up in the travails of life in this present evil world (Galatians 1:4) and I will cause you to cease from your troubling and give you my peace, peace that passes all understanding, peace that brings rest to your soul, ease to your conscience and rejoicing in your heart (John 16:33)
Come unto Me all you who are laden down with the shame, guilt and condemnation of your sins and I will grant you forgiveness (Romans 8:1-4). I will accredit to you my righteousness, even commanding you to cease in your efforts to make yourself right with me/to earn my favor and love – knowing that it is abundantly yours if you will just entrust your life to me.
Come unto Me and submit to my will (yoke). Allow yourself to be governed by my love, through my laws, for my glory, so that I can grant you the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23), the glorious life with me for which you were created, living in my presence, where you will find fulness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).
Come unto Me and learn of Me and from Me, that I, being one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, am the eternal God, the most glorious, most desirable, most powerful and awesome being in the universe. Know that I love you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and demonstrated that love by leaving the eternal joys of Heaven to come into this sin condemned world as a man (Philippians 2:6-8). I did so that through my life of perfect obedience to My Father, through my sacrificial death on the cross on your behalf, and through my miraculous resurrection, I could provide a just means – the only means – by which you could be rescued from Hell and qualified for Heaven; reconciled and restored to the glorious life with Me for which I created you, in which we will enjoy one another forever.
Thus, I have come to you, not in judgment and wrath, but in meekness and love, requiring only that you trust in my love and submit to my will, which is not a burden; for my will is to be good to you and not to harm you, to give you comfort and hope in this world and a glorious future in the world to come, which will be yours when you seek me, and love me with all of your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
Grace and Peace ×