The Way of JesusSample

Announcement, Invitation, and Ethic

 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15 NIV

The Kingdom of God has come near. Jesus’ mission and ministry introduced a different kind of kingdom than anything the world had ever seen or expected. And the manifesto of this upside-down, backwards kingdom is often referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. In this message in Matthew chapters 5-7, Jesus describes who God is, who we’re meant to be, and the difference we’re called to make. 

But what even is the Kingdom of Heaven? Well, a kingdom is simply a people ruled by a king. And heaven is not a magical land up in the sky—it’s the realm where God rules. So the Kingdom of Heaven is the people of God living under the rule of God. Simple enough. But this kingdom is built differently. 

Kingdoms of this world are usually born out of military conquest and announced by a conquering king. The Kingdom of Heaven was announced by a humble, Jewish rabbi who was born under the shadow of the Roman Empire. 

The kingdoms of this world value the significant, the superior, and the self-actualized. But the Kingdom of Heaven prioritizes the last, the least, and the lost. 

The kingdoms of this world operate on a self-centered axis, while the Kingdom of Heaven is others-focused. This world seeks revenge and retaliation, but the Kingdom of Heaven is marked by loving everyone—even our enemies. 

This new kingdom is marked by a new command:

“... Love one another. As I [Jesus] have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NIV

What would it look like to live in this kingdom—to hear the announcement, accept the invitation, and live by its ethic? Well, the rest of the Gospel accounts are essentially a preview of exactly that. Throughout His life, Jesus continued to announce the present reality of heaven and invite people to participate in this very different kingdom. And we watch everyone around Him grapple with those ramifications. 

Jesus, being God, saw and foresaw the many variations of responses to this kingdom He was announcing. And He actually told a story about them. Three of the Gospel accounts—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—record Jesus’ presentation of this particular metaphor. And there’s a pretty significant reason why.

A large crowd gathers around Jesus and He sets up a scene in their minds by talking about a farmer who goes out to sow his seed. Some seeds fall on the path, some on rocky ground, some among the thorns, and some on good soil. Each of these different kinds of terrain produce a different result. The seed on the path is quickly eaten by birds. The seed among the rocks can’t grow any roots, so the young plants wither and die. Any seed that falls and grows up among the thorns is eventually choked out. And lastly, the seed that actually lands on good soil produces a significant harvest. 

All right, cool. Seeds and plants and crops. What does this have to do with the Kingdom of God? The disciples were wondering the same thing. Jesus explains it this way:

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Luke 8:11-15 NIV

The rule and reign of God was taking root in history. This is crazy good news, but what Jesus is showing us is that not everyone would embrace it. Some would hear the announcement of the kingdom and it would go in one ear and out the other. Some would hear the announcement and accept the invitation, but when the tension of its countercultural ethic became too much, they’d give up. Others would hear the announcement, but, before accepting the invitation, anxiety or influence would intoxicate their hearts and lead them a different way. But there would be some who would hear the announcement, accept the invitation, and embrace the ethic—even when it’s hard.    

Aside from brilliantly describing the human condition, Jesus’ parable begs two questions of every listener: Will we receive the truth He offers? And if so, how will we respond? Will we be a people who hear the announcement, accept the invitation, and embrace the ethic of God’s Kingdom? Will we grapple with all the ramifications of Jesus’ mission to bring heaven to earth? Or will the seeds of the Kingdom remain dormant inside of us?