Lately I have been thinking again about the Kingdom of God, and the fact that we are citizens of that Kingdom. Jesus came to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God, and demonstrated that His words were true (Matt 4:17,23). The Kingdom of God was a core teaching of Jesus, and Paul continued that teaching in His letters to the Ephesians and Philippians.
This morning I was reading through the later chapters of Acts, and was reminded of Jesus' teaching on our citizenship, by the following story of Paul. He had gone back to Jerusalem and the city was in an uproar about him and the fact that he was converting Jews and gentiles to Christianity. The crowds had grabbed him and were beating him, and then the Roman's stepped in and saved him, carried him back to the barracks, and after another near riot caused by his speech determine that they should flog him and then question him. What follows is included below:
Acts 22:23-29 NIV
[23] "As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, [24] the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.
[25] As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?”
[26] When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
[27] The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
[28] Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
[29] Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains."
The point of these verses is quite simply, citizenship entitles us to rights under the nation or government of which we are a citizen, when in a place where their authority exists. Paul knew this and once he was under the control of the Roman commander, he exerted his rights. It was interesting to see how the others responded to him when he proclaimed himself a Roman citizen, those that were going to flog him and interrogate him left immediately, and the Commander himself was alarmed that he had even placed him in chains. I would assume that based on their responses that Roman citizenship provided very strong protection.
Likewise, as citizens of the Kingdom of God we the have rights of our citizenship. Jesus demonstrated those rights when he proclaimed the Kingdom and then demonstrated the authority He had under that Kingdom. He extended the same authority to the Apostles when He sent them out. Listen to what He said to them when sending them out - Matthew 10:1,7-8,32,40 NIV:
[1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
[7] "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
[32] “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven."
[40] “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."
When I read these verses, I hear Kingdom being proclaimed and demonstrated, and the Authority of the Kingdom and relationship with the King being extended. As citizens we walk under the authority of the King (The Lord) and are acknowledged by Him, and represent Him. We are walking emissaries of the King and under His protection, and able to represent His authority and rule.
Later Jesus said the following about the Kingdom - Luke 17:20-21 KJV:
[20] "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: [21] Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
So we bear in our bodies the very Kingdom of God. That is really quite remarkable. In Paul's case in Acts 22, as a citizen of Rome, he could claim Rome's protection over his body, and if he was in a Roman controlled location where Rome's authority was established, the army of Rome had to protect him. In the same way, if we carry the Kingdom of God in our bodies, we are always under God's Kingdom protection and authority, and can claim the rights of our citizenship. The rights of our citizenship were demonstrated by Jesus, and again by the Apostles after Jesus' death and resurrection.
When Jesus was asked by the disciples of John if He was the Messiah, the one sent from the Father, Jesus replied as follows - Matthew 11:4-6 NIV:
[4] "Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: [5] The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [6] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
Later in John, Jesus again refers to works that He did as proof that He came from the Father. Here are those verses - John 14:9-14 NIV:
[9] "Jesus answered: “Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
Again, when I read these verses with a Kingdom and citizenship mindset, I see Jesus describing exactly what Paul exercised in Acts 22. Jesus is proclaiming that He is the Fathers representative, the Father whose Kingdom Jesus was proclaiming, and the proof that He represented the Father is shown in the works themselves.
Taking our citizenship one step further, we are not just citizens, but we are members of God's own household, adopted sons and daughters. Paul wrote the following -
Ephesians 2:19 NIV: "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household,..."
- and -
Romans 8:14-17 NIV:
[14] "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
In summary, we are in relationship with God, we represent Him and carry within us His Kingdom, even the Holy Spirit. As bearers of His Kingdom, we are always under His protection, and have available to us the rights of our citizenship and the rights as sons and daughters. The rights of our relationship with the Father are meant to be seen and demonstrated, so that others may come to know Him and glorify Him. We are never out from under His protection for His Kingdom exists within us, and we carry in us the seal of our relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit present in us (Eph 1:13-14).
Oh Lord, help me to walk in fuller understanding of my relationship with You! Help me to experience the effective demonstration of my citizenship and sonship. Help me to bring glory to You as I proclaim and extend Your kingdom.
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