John who in chapter 3 announces that Jesus is the one to bring the kingdom now second-guesses Jesus. “Is this really the one to save and deliver us?”
It seems Jesus didn’t do things the way everyone expected him to.
There are people who are trying to force their way into the kingdom. The Jews have been oppressed by the Romans long enough (as the Monty Python clip in a very 'historically accurate' way shows!) Surely violence is the answer! But this Jesus is the one who tells them to love their enemies. It is no wonder that people have been second-guessing his credentials.
This Jesus is the one who overcomes violence through love. Jesus mocks the pretend kings of this world who try to achieve their goals through violence and coercion. The fruit of the kingdom that Jesus announces is seen in the blind seeing, the lame walking, the lepers being cleansed, the deaf hearing, the dead being raised to life and the poor hearing the good news. Not what many expected.
This is a challenge for us. Many of us expect that Jesus will fulfil our own ‘kingdom ideals’. We may hope he will help us achieve all of our own life goals and dreams but rather Jesus invites us to join in with what God is doing.
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