He appeared to
them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God (Acts
1:3).
We don’t really have any record of Jesus’ post-resurrection
teachings, other than this statement from Acts, ascribed to Luke. However, we
should not be surprised that he chose as his topic one of his favorites from
the previous three years with his disciples.
In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, Jesus told several
stories which encapsulated the mysteries of the kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
(v. 31). The kingdom of
heaven is like yeast (v. 33). The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field (v.
44). The kingdom of heaven is like
a merchant looking for fine pearls (v. 45). The kingdom of heaven is like a net (v.
47).
In the first century, Rome was the dominant kingdom. The
empire wielded power like a centurion’s sword. Anyone who dared cross it was
cut to pieces. The Sadducees appeased their Roman masters, cooperating in order
to maintain the status quo. The Pharisees preached that legalistic obedience to
the law would persuade God to expel the dominant kingdom from Jerusalem.
Zealots brandished their own swords in guerilla style attacks aimed at
overthrowing their Roman oppressors. Essenes withdrew into cloistered
communities, where they could practice their religion away from the dominant
kingdom and prying Roman eyes [4].
Jesus taught another way, which he called the kingdom of
God.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
How can your life reflect
kingdom values?
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