It has been my observation that Jesus made many astonishing statements to his disciples as well as to the multitudes when He walked on the earth. The words were incomprehensible to those around him.
Jesus referred a great deal to something called the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God, a place that was not a place. He compared it to such strange things as a mustard seed, a pearl of great price, keys, and violence. I am sure there were some sideways glances between the disciples. Jesus went on to speak of people who are “not far from the Kingdom,” and of people who will be thrown out “where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Out of nowhere Jesus then said, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the Kingdom.” What is this mysterious Kingdom? Where is it? What are its laws? And do I want it?
The Word of God tells countless stories of this astonishing Kingdom. Each one gives us a glimpse into a world altogether contrary to ours, and yet somehow familiar.
There is a splendid story in the book of Acts telling us of a man who hated this Kingdom and its ruler, Jesus Christ, with every fiber of his being. He was a Jew, revered among other Jews having every title and pedigree. His loathing was so great he dragged Christians from their homes to have them imprisoned or executed.
One day while traveling the road to Damascus, a light from Heaven flashed all around him, knocking him to the ground and striking him blind. Jesus, in His grace, wanted to use Paul in the Kingdom in extraordinary ways. On that road in the dust, Paul literally saw the light. Paul went on to encounter the Kingdom and went to the ends of the earth to share its power with others.
There was a man who came to the Mission to get clean and sober. He was ex-military as was his father before him. He was used to living his life under verbal abuse and control. The man was filled with a rage toward everyone and everything.
One day at the beginning of Staff and Student Chapel, I saw him clutch his heart and run out the door. Alarmed, I ran after him with a security guard close on my heels.
“Tom! What’s wrong?” I yelled as we caught up to him.
“I think I am having a heart attack!” he cried, pain clearly written on his face.
I led him to my office to check his blood pressure, which was sky high.
“Justin, take him to the ER and stay with him.” I waited anxiously for a report but heard nothing. Finally, after 24 hours, Tom called me with test results.
“The doc says I have an 89% blockage in my right calf. Part of the clot broke off and traveled to my heart, which is the pain I was experiencing in Chapel. It miraculously passed through the heart and is now lodged in the carotid artery in my neck. If it dislodges, it will go to the brain and I will die instantly. I am a walking time bomb. The doc is giving me medication to dissolve the clot, but it is a slow process and I must be checked every week.”
After a few days, Tom was out of the hospital and back in the program. His anger seemed to have dissipated some, replaced now by fear and concern.
The following week it was my turn to preach. I felt like God wanted to focus on bi-polar disorder. We had seen many mental illnesses healed at the Mission. We know firsthand how cruel it can be and the impact it has on people’s lives. But we have also seen many cases of God’s healing mercies toward the mentally ill.
“I feel like God wants to heal bi-polar disorder today. If that’s you, would you stand up?”
Nine people rose to their feet, including Tom. I prayed asking God to heal His little ones with this disorder, but in this case, no one felt anything.
No one, that is, except Tom.
Although he was too frightened to say anything at the time, he later told me that he suddenly felt red hot heat on his right calf and neck when I prayed. It began to burn unbearably. He wondered at the time if God were healing his blood clots.
A week later, he went back to the doctor for another scan. After a long wait, the doctor came into the examination room and just stared at Tom. Finally, he asked, “Tom, what have you been doing?”
“I am living at Faith City Mission getting clean and sober,” he replied.
“No, really, what have you done?”
“Nothing! I am trying to get sober and turn my life around,” he insisted.
“Tom, I have seen your scans. I have seen the clots. Today they are both gone. And it appears that you never had them. That is not medically possible!”
“Doc, let me ask you a question,” said Tom. “Do you believe in God?”
“I believe in Allah,” the doctor replied.
“Well,” said Tom, “it was Jesus Christ who healed me.”
What an extraordinary story. God, in His grace and mercy, reached down and touched an angry drunk who did not care one dot about Jesus. Nevertheless, God’s healing power had coursed through his veins and dissolved the clots.
Tom was never the same after that. He was on fire for Jesus, who healed him. All the anger drained away and he was a new man, a new husband, and a new father with a new body.
The Kingdom of God is freely given if we turn our hearts to it. To participate, we need only be available and alert to what He wants to accomplish on the earth. In essence we become much like the mailman who delivers the mail to an unsuspecting world.
Luke 9:1,2
Matthew 6:10
Acts 9:1-31
Kingdom Principle: The mysteries of the Kingdom are made available to all, believer and unbeliever alike. It knocks some to the ground and raises others out of their rage. It knows what is needed.
Prayer: “Lord, I want to know this Kingdom You have invited me into. Teach me its ways and its laws. Most of all, teach me my part to play in it. Amen.”
Activation: Find three scriptures in the Word that talk about the Kingdom of God. Write down all of the characteristics of the Kingdom that you find.