Out of Hell, or Into the Kingdom?

What will you ReBegin? Or what do you want to ReBegin?

I want to ReBegin my surrender to Christ and ReBegin what it means to be the church, the people of God.

The crucifixion and resurrection launched a ReBegin. But God’s ReBegin was not because he messed up! It was because we did.

Our ancestors chose to leave God’s Kingdom and join the rebellion of Satan. Ever since then, all of us have been born into the Kingdom of Darkness. The main issue in the Kingdom of Darkness is selfish pride. We believe our ways are better than God’s. We want to be our own God.

God does not need a new start; you do. I do. Humanity does. But this new start is not about me!

The goal of salvation is not merely to get me out of hell; it is to get me into the Kingdom of God.

We personalize salvation to the point that everything is about us. That is no different than when we were living in the Kingdom of Darkness. But your salvation is really about the King and His Kingdom.

Your salvation is a restoration to a Kingdom. Jesus’ message was a message about God’s Kingdom, God’s power to restore sinful people to his Kingdom and bring it to earth, through his Spirit working through them.

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.

Acts 1:3, NIV

Jesus spent the time between his resurrection and ascension into heaven convincing people he was alive and speaking about the Kingdom of God! The apostles asked about restoring the Kingdom to Israel, but Jesus was restoring His Kingdom. The apostles focused on a worldly kingdom, but Jesus was establishing a heavenly Kingdom.

Right now, Jesus wants to overthrow the wickedness in our hearts. The world is changed not through God’s wrath, but his love and transformative power in the hearts of his people.

God’s Kingdom is upside down from the world’s kingdoms; the weak are strong. The humble are exalted. The sad are comforted. Peacemakers win. The least is the greatest. The guilty are forgiven. The goal is sacrificial love, not dominating control.

The good news of the Kingdom is that you can be forgiven of your ways and be restored to God’s ways, His Kingdom. Repent and believe. It is the all-in surrender of the lordship of your life to him!

I think the King said:

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23, NIV

Surrender to the Kingdom’s King. Rely on the King’s power. Represent the King’s interest.

What are the implications to your life, if Jesus is the King and you are in his Kingdom? Your money, time, and energy?

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