This morning I was thinking more about the Kingdom of God, and the fact that one of the primary reasons Jesus came to earth was to reveal the Father. In essence, He was revealing the character of the King, for Kingdom's take on the character of the King. Jesus was the perfect representation of the Father, so what we see in Him, in His life, is what the Father is truly like. Bill Johnson says it this way, "Jesus is perfect theology".
The author of the letter to the Hebrews said this - [1] "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. [3] The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV).
Jesus said it this way in John's Gospel - [6] “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7).
Thus, as we understand Jesus, we understand the Father and we understand the character of the King, and His Kingdom as well. It is in knowing, in relationship, that we best understand and can grasp these truths. Religion would say that we can learn the character of the King and reflect His nature by following rules, but Jesus came to reveal the Father and reestablish our relationship with Him, and anything less than that is dealing in partial truths.
One of the only things that Jesus was really upset about while on the earth, at least as it is recorded in the Gospels, is the way the religious leaders of the day portrayed the character of the Father, through their lives and actions. In fact, I can't think of a single time where He was angry with those that were sinners or lost. Instead His harsh words were directed at the Pharisees who espoused 'religion' above all else. As a note, this religion is not related to worship of God, but rather is rules of men (Is 29:13). Jesus had several discourses against these 'teachers' and warned His followers against following them, for they kept people from entering the Kingdom. In Matthew 23:13, Jesus said: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to."
Instead, Jesus showed us the Father, and His character, and invited us into relationship with Him. Everything Jesus did and said originated with the Father. Jesus said the following - [19]... “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. [20] For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed." (John 5:19-20). He desired us to be in relationship with Him and the Father - "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:21). Later, John would write of the purpose of sharing the Gospel as such - "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3).
So, let us endeavor to enter into this fellowship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, that we might know them, their character, and thus understand their Kingdom. Let us dive into relationship rather than rules for living righteously, for those are only a shadow of the truth. It is only out of relationship that we have righteousness at all, that which Jesus extends to us.
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