A Foot In Both Worlds?

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Scripture:

Rev. 11:15     Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
    “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
        and of his Messiah,
    and he will reign forever and ever.”

Zech. 14:9 ¶ And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

Observation:

The seventh and final trumpet sounded and this brought all things to completion or perfection.  What was that perfection?  Satan has ruled this earth long enough and now the kingdom of the world is overthrown by the kingdom of our Lord.  God in heaven, seated on the throne sent his Messiah -- his only Son to be the ruler over the kingdom of the world.  Zechariah had prophesied about the coming of that day, when the LORD would reign over the earth.  All divisions would come to an end and there would be complete and total unity.  The Lord has sent his Messiah and the overthrow of the kingdom of the world has begun.  The victory is eternal and the Messiah, Jesus,will reign forever and ever.

Application:

We often talk of living in the "already - not yet" of the kingdom of God.  Jesus' kingdom has already been established here on this earth and yet -- we are awaiting his return when that will be brought to completion.  That is why we live in this "already - not yet" period of time in the kingdom.  As followers of Jesus Christ we have come under the rule and the authority of his kingdom.  We are citizens of the heavenly kingdom, so we are a part of the already, but we have to live in the not yet. We must ask ourselves what we must be doing as active citizens and ambassadors of the already while the not yet still exists. 

I'm afraid that too many of those who would call themselves followers of Christ are trying to live with a foot in both worlds.  Maybe trying to be kingdom citizens on Sunday but then living as world citizens the rest of the week.  This is the easy way out, trying to satisfy both worlds and yet, this simply is not possible within the Christian life.  Once you have stepped into the Kingdom of our Lord -- you are his and you are his citizen.  That means we participate in his kingdom every single day.  We can be "in the world but not of it" -- because we do have to participate in this world, but as ambassadors, we must think about how that looks. 

An embassy is actual territory of the country it is representing in a foreign land.  As ambassadors, we are living within our embassy -- kingdom territory within a foreign land.  The world is the foreign land but our responsibility is to be kingdom people within the foreign land.  Therefore we have to ask ourselves on a daily basis how best we can represent our king.  What does it look like to be an ambassador for the heavenly kingdom in a public school?  Or in a law office?  Or as a barrista at Starbucks?  Or behind the counter at McDonald's?  Or at home taking care of screaming children?  Or as a minister behind the pulpit and in the home? 

For us to genuinely live in the already of the kingdom of God we must be faithful to him through and through.  Sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?  It brings us to 1 Thess. 5:23, "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Isn't that what God's talking about?  Not people with feet in both kingdoms, but people who have been sanctified through and through -- kingdom people -- who are then kept blameless (serving as faithful ambassadors) until the final trumpet does sound and the kingdom of the world is forever replaced with the kingdom of our Christ.

As Christ's ambassadors we must stake our ground, open our embassy and live as his representatives in this world.  Having a foot in both worlds is not an option.  You must be his, through and through.

Prayer:

Lord, please help me to serve you faithfully in your kingdom today.  Amen.

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