When We Miss It: Thoughts on God’s Kingdom

We have carefully studied Acts 1 this month and I have enjoyed this chapter of the Bible so much. It seems every phrase we have studied is packed with deep truth. One of the phrases we will be highlighting this weekend is found in Acts 1:5.

There is a phrase in verse 5 that completely surprises me, especially when you realize the significance of what Luke writes in verse 3. He says that Jesus spent His last 40 days talking to His disciples about one topic…the Kingdom of God.

Missing It
When we come to Luke 1:5, His disciples ask Jesus this question, “Lord, will you at this time restore the Kingdom of Israel?” I would really love to have seen Jesus’ expression! He had just emphasized for 4o days the importance of the Kingdom of God. How were these guys not getting it? Well, there may be several answers…

First, notice that they have not yet been baptized by the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells them in verse 4 that John had baptized with water, but there is another baptism coming that is from the Holy Spirit. They had no idea what they were about to experience!

What would the baptism of the Holy Spirit do for them? John 14:27 records Christ as saying, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” I find this fascinating because Jesus had talked about the Kingdom of God over 100 times in the Gospels and now He had just spent 40 days emphasizing the Kingdom. How where they missing this point? Well, when the Holy Spirit filled them, He would then teach them! He would recall to their remembrance all that Jesus said and taught them.

Think how important that phrase is. They lived in a day where you couldn’t record anything unless you a had a scribe or a heavily educated person who could write with pen and parchment! It was the Holy Spirit that would teach, lead and guide them into all truth.

When We Don’t Get It
You know this encourages me because sometimes God is trying to show me things that I just don’t get. Perhaps it is my pride. Maybe it is because I need life to knock me down so I pray more often or become more submissive? But you know what I mean, those times God is trying to speak to us but there are too many things in the way.

The Holy Spirit helps us as well. 1 John 2:27 promises us, “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” Is this not encouraging that the Holy Spirit goes with us through life to help us, enable us and teach us how we should live?

Wrong Priorities
I think the second reason the disciples could not connect the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Israel is because the Kingdom of God had not yet became a priority to them. Jesus commanded it in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Do you know what I find most fascinating about this verse? It is the last time the phrase, “The Kingdom of Israel” is mentioned. However, from this point on, the Kingdom of God is mentioned 24 more times in the New Testament. The entire focus shifts. As a matter of fact, the Book of Acts ends with this statement, “Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”

Are your priorities wrong? Do you seek everything but the Kingdom of God? In order to know, you would have to be able to define what the Kingdom of God really is. Thankfully, the Bible does not leave us to ourselves to figure it out. Paul tells us in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

So a good way to determine if we are seeking first the Kingdom of God in our lives is to ask are we pursuing righteousness? Note the link between Romans 14:17 and Jesus’ command in Matthew 6:33. Does righteousness mark your life or is marred by sin? If sin dominates your life you should listen carefully to 1 Corinthians 6:9, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.” Those are strong words! According to this verse, without righteousness you will not enter the Kingdom of God.

Pursing God’s Kingdom
So I want to encourage you to pursue God’s Kingdom (Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit). These are the things in life that matter. At the end of the day it is not your income, your retirement, your popularity, your vacations or security that matters. In the end is what you have done for Christ. Do you live for your own little kingdom or is your life about the great and glorious Kingdom of God?