The Power of a Kingdom Response

Church family:
I find that as I get older and grow in sanctification there is less that makes me angry. Is it more age than sanctification? Or more sanctification than age? Hopefully the latter. There is, however, one action—whether by individuals, organizations, or movements— that really gets my anger raging. It is when others engage in an act of evil injustice to do someone else harm. There is a part of me that wants to fight back. Over the past month, there has been one event of evil injustice after another, taking the lives of innocent children, moms, dads, brothers, and sisters. From Syria to Nigeria to Minneapolis to Charlotte to Auburn to Utah. Acts of evil injustice have saturated the news over the last thirty days— and, indeed, really since sin entered the Garden of Eden. What do we do as Christians? Should we answer evil injustice with similar actions? Are we to remain silent and idle in a world that hates us as Christians? Did Christ do nothing?

The Sermon on the Mount, preached by Jesus north of the Sea of Galilee, makes it very clear how we are to respond to evil injustice. I personally find it difficult to live out these commands; yet this is what Jesus expects of us as citizens of His kingdom. According to the Sermon on the Mount, Christians are commanded to respond to evil injustice in ways that are the opposite of how my flesh wants to respond. I want vengeance. I want retaliation. I want those who have offended to feel the same pain that they have inflicted on others. Yet Christ calls me to something different. He calls us to a kingdom where the expectations are different. Jesus says that we must embody mercy, humility, and active peacemaking rather than retaliation or violence. He tells us to trust in His justice rather than our own retribution (Matthew 5:3–9). Rather than seeking vengeance or punishment, Jesus teaches us to respond to wrongs with love and prayer for the evildoers, reflecting on God’s mercy (Matthew 5:44). Our Lord tells us to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile, responding to evil injustice with good (Matthew 5:38–42). He expects us to be peacemakers actively seeking reconciliation and restoration in the face of conflict and injustice (Matthew 5:9). This is difficult!

Without Christ, we would be no different than those who practice evil injustice. We are called to respond as though Christ is reigning in our hearts, doing exactly what He wants us to do because He is our King (Mat. 5:3). This is not weakness; it is the power of living as children of God in His kingdom. We are not to respond to this world in like manner because Jesus calls His followers to live differently from the patterns of sin, anger, hatred and selfishness that the world often shows. Instead of reacting with vitriol, revenge, and pride, we are expected to respond in Christ’s power with love, resilience, peacemaking, humility, enduring persecution for righteousness sake reflecting the character of our King, Jesus Christ. This is the power of Christ in us as we live in His kingdom together, living in this word but not being of this world. Only by the power of Christ within us is this possible. Have an amazing day living as citizens of Christ’s kingdom on earth.

See you Sunday, together as the local Kingdom of Christ: Steve