Are You Hungry?Ihe Atụ

It wasn’t the miracles of Jesus, the quality of His stories, or even His willingness to sit and join anyone for a meal that convinced people who Jesus was. It was His authority. Jesus knew who the kingdom of God belonged to, and it wasn’t up for debate.

Most of us go through a stage of defining our identity. What words define us? What group do we want to belong to? How will people know us? If you’re still working through these things, it’s okay— they are some of the biggest questions we’ll face in life, and it’s worth it to get them right!

When Jesus taught about the kingdom of God, He taught that belonging meant complete allegiance to Him and not any other group. No dual passports; when you join the kingdom, you gain a new identity with citizenship benefits attached.

Zacchaeus was a man whose first allegiance wasn’t to God. He had found his identity through his work and wealth and lost his sense of belonging to the people of God. Jesus changed all of that with one meal, didn’t He? By inviting Himself over to Zacchaeus’s house, Jesus offered Zacchaeus a new identity. And Jesus offers the same to us.

The world tells us that people are valuable because of what they do or have. But Jesus tells us that in His kingdom, it’s who you belong to that matters — and He invites you to belong to Him. We show that we have received a new identity by displaying our allegiance. Kingdom people have a culture of their own. Jesus said people would know who they are by their self-sacrificing love and their obedience to His words—as if He really meant them.

When our identity and allegiance are with Jesus, we aren’t looking for approval from any other kingdom. There is a freedom and a protection in this. When our belonging and welcome are kept safe for us by God, it isn’t something we have to fight for. It also means we can welcome others without losing our seat at the table. Jesus, the master of the feast, has the authority to say so!

Reflect:

• What teaching of Jesus have you found difficult or stretching lately? How would following that teaching demonstrate to others the truth of what the Kingdom of God is like?
• Have you found belonging and honour in a relationship with God and with others who belong to Him? Pray for those who have been looking for identity and belonging, yourself included.