Kingdom 101: King and Kingdom
As I write these articles concerning the Kingdom, I am being challenged, but I give no response to my critics. I am focused on my purpose. When King Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate mere hours before His crucifixion, the Roman governor was surprised at His silence in the face of the accusations that had been brought against Him. That was because He was focused on His purpose. At one point Pilate asked: Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
King Jesus, throughout the trial, was in control but not Pilate, nor the religious leaders. King Jesus was cool, calm and collected. Why? Because He was in His purpose (His Father's Will). Pilate vacillated (to sway to and fro; waver; totter), the Jewish leaders reacted out of hatred and anger, but King Jesus remained composed. I will add, Kingdom citizens who know their assignment are always composed and calm. Jesus knew the truth. He knew the Lord God's plan and He knew the reason for His trial. We were all created for a purpose in this fallen world. Despite the ongoing pressure and persecution, King Jesus remained unmoved. It was really Pilate and the religious leaders who was on trial, not the King (Jesus). Remember this, when you are questioned or ridiculed because of your faith in the Lord God's written Word, while you may be on trial before your accusers, they are on trial before the Lord God.
Now, as the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate represented the full power and authority on the Emperor himself. The force of the mightiest empire in history backed Pilate's words, yet Jesus stated that all the power had come from above, meaning from His Father. Envision how Pilate responded to that statement! This was Kingdom authority speaking and Jesus was stating that His Kingdom was greater than Rome's because it was from His Kingdom that He received power. Please note that Pilate questioned King Jesus about His Kingdom: Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. He was calm and focused.
The more we learn to think like Kingdom citizens, the more we will act like Kingdom citizens. The more we conduct ourselves like Kingdom citizens, the more we will proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom to a lost world. That is our primary dominion mandate. It is very important that we learn to live distinct Kingdom lives so that others can tell the difference between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God.
John 19:10-11 John 18:33-38
~~W.R. Luchie
Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
King Jesus, throughout the trial, was in control but not Pilate, nor the religious leaders. King Jesus was cool, calm and collected. Why? Because He was in His purpose (His Father's Will). Pilate vacillated (to sway to and fro; waver; totter), the Jewish leaders reacted out of hatred and anger, but King Jesus remained composed. I will add, Kingdom citizens who know their assignment are always composed and calm. Jesus knew the truth. He knew the Lord God's plan and He knew the reason for His trial. We were all created for a purpose in this fallen world. Despite the ongoing pressure and persecution, King Jesus remained unmoved. It was really Pilate and the religious leaders who was on trial, not the King (Jesus). Remember this, when you are questioned or ridiculed because of your faith in the Lord God's written Word, while you may be on trial before your accusers, they are on trial before the Lord God.
Now, as the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate represented the full power and authority on the Emperor himself. The force of the mightiest empire in history backed Pilate's words, yet Jesus stated that all the power had come from above, meaning from His Father. Envision how Pilate responded to that statement! This was Kingdom authority speaking and Jesus was stating that His Kingdom was greater than Rome's because it was from His Kingdom that He received power. Please note that Pilate questioned King Jesus about His Kingdom: Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. He was calm and focused.
The more we learn to think like Kingdom citizens, the more we will act like Kingdom citizens. The more we conduct ourselves like Kingdom citizens, the more we will proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom to a lost world. That is our primary dominion mandate. It is very important that we learn to live distinct Kingdom lives so that others can tell the difference between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God.
John 19:10-11 John 18:33-38
~~W.R. Luchie
