9. Kingdom Come

One can't have a discussion regarding The Big Picture of the Bible without talking about God's Kingdom. From Genesis to Revelation, God's Kingdom pops up (though subtle at times) everywhere. Then, when Jesus arrives on the scene it literally becomes his main preaching point through out his ministry: "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" ~ Mark 1:15 This gospel message from Jesus was a call for people to leave their old kingdoms and join God's Kingdom. Jesus pushes this idea even further when he says our prayers should include a request that God's Kingdom would advance on earth. We are to pray: "your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." ~ Matthew 6:10 The Kingdom of God was a big deal to Jesus. The question we must answer is this: Is the Kingdom of God a big deal for us? We all are a part of a kingdom, be it our personal kingdoms, the kingdom of politics, or any kingdom of power in the world today. The problem with these kingdoms is that while they seemingly appear to offers us something, in reality they take, divide, and ultimately use...only to cast us away. On the other hand, Jesus tells us that in God's Kingdom the last are first, that those who mourn will be comforted, that those who are meek will inherit the earth, and that those who are peacemakers will be called children of God. What a dramatically different description then what we see in the kingdoms of our world.  In this latest installment of the Big Picture we discover why it is worth pledging our allegiance God's Kingdom.