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Day 4 – Called to His Body & Kingdom (Part 2)

The concept of the Kingdom of God is one that many people find difficult to understand, but it is a concept that we need to grasp because it was an important part of Jesus’ teaching.

The Kingdom of God is wherever the rule and reign of the King is. The Kingdom of God is not a structure; it is the experience and influence of Christ’s authority and His rule. It is this experience and influence that is at work in and through the lives of the people of God who are the Church. Don’t be confused though, the Kingdom is in the people (the church) when they gather and everywhere they go throughout the week. It is not something that is only experienced at a Sunday gathering of the church.

Many people believe that the Kingdom is to be built by us, but that is not our role. God is the Kingdom builder. The Kingdom already exists, and we just get to be part of its advancement and extension.

In Mark, we are told that the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. This is because when Jesus was speaking about the Kingdom, He knew that it had started small -- with Him. But as the disciples took on the mandate that He placed on them, they began to take that authority that Jesus gave them out into the world. It was going to grow. Not only would it grow; it would get stronger and more and more formidable.

When we are operating in and as the body of Christ, we impact the environment around us. As people who carry the Kingdom wherever we go, we are extending the Kingdom by living on purpose in all we do. We are bringing the reality of God’s rule in the heavens to earth. This is outworked wherever we find ourselves as disciples of Jesus: our homes, workplaces, supermarkets, schools, at a party, or the gym.

The same mandate and authority that Jesus imparted to the disciples, we have been given. The authority that Jesus sent the disciples out with into the world, we have access to and the ability to operate in. As we do this, we are extending the Kingdom and the rule of God in the world.

As part of the call to Him, it requires a commitment to outwork the calling for Him; a response to the call by living a life worthy of the calling (Ephesians 4:1); building the body; and extending the Kingdom.

Today's Questions:

1. How are you operating in the Kingdom of God?

2. How could you challenge yourself to extend the Kingdom?