The Gospel of the Kingdom
by
Os Hillman
This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in
heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as
it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9-10
Imagine that you have never driven a car. You are not aware
of all the features of a car. Up to this point, you have had to walk everywhere
you go. All you are told is that you are about to receive something that will
get you anywhere you need to go. The day arrives and you are given a brand new
car. You get in and drive the car. However, the emergency brake is on,
preventing you from going faster than 20 miles per hour. No one tells you that
you should unlock the brake. Regardless, you are excited because you no longer
have to walk to your destination. You are not told that the car has lights,
which would allow you to drive at night. Neither are you told about the many
other wonderful features of the car. You just know you have a new car that will
get you anywhere you want to go at 20 miles per hour. For the rest of your
life, you drive this incredible car during the daytime only at 20 miles per
hour.
Why would Jesus pray that things in earth would be like they
are in Heaven if it were not possible? When Jesus came to earth, He came in
order to penetrate the very kingdom of darkness with light. He came to bring
healing to sickness, replace sadness with joy, and fill meaninglessness with
purpose. He came to change things for the better for a world that had no hope
outside of God.
Using the illustration above, Jesus did not come to merely
give us a ticket to Heaven (a car that you drive only in the daytime at 20
miles per hour). He came to bring us much more-the Kingdom of God on earth.
Nowhere in the Bible will you find the term, gospel of salvation. The Church
does not exist for Heaven, but for earth. If it existed only for Heaven, then
each of us would immediately be taken to Heaven. There would be no reason for
us to remain on earth. So why has God allowed us to receive this new birth and
remain on earth? It is so that we might bring the Kingdom of God into our
world-our families, our workplace, and our communities.
God wants you to bring the Kingdom of God into the territory
He has given you so that His will can be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Your
domain is your workplace, family, and community. Ask God to show you how He
wants to penetrate the darkness of your domain with His light. Then you will
see and experience all the features of this gift that has been given to you.
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