Have We Confused God's Kingdom with the Magic Kingdom?

"Enter by the narrow gate." (Matt. 7:13)

Consider these words of Jesus in our postmodern age where people say that there are many ways to gain eternal life. Consider the reality that 57% of the people sitting in evangelical churches think that there are many ways to get to enter the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said, "For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction." Not only do we live in a time when many who claim to be Christians believe Jesus is not the only way, it is a time when American Christians seek the way of comfort and ease. People say, "God's will is the safest place to be." While it is the best place to be, it is not always safe, and it really is never easy.

Too many modern day members of churches have it in their head that it is all about them. It is a matter of choosing the church where they will cater most to my needs. We have created churches that resemble one stop shopping malls and that cater to our consumer mentality. Unfortunately, Jesus said that consumerism and being His follower don't mix. "You cannot serve God and mammon," He said.

It is unfortunate that we have chosen "Six Flags Over Jesus" instead of the narrow way. Which path are you on?

Let the Nations Be Glad

"Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth." (Ps. 67:4)

The modern church has wrongly assumed we understood the word "nations" in this and other scriptures where it is used. We naturally assumed a nation was a geo-political state like England, France, the United States, or China. Students of the Bible, however, understand now that those kind of 'nations' did not exist to the degree we understand them.

In the OT, starting in Genesis and running through Malachi, and in the NT, from Matthew all the way through Revelation, we discover that nations, (NT is 'ethne', Greek for people groups) tribes, villages, languages, all peoples are on the heart of God. Our responsibility according to the Scriptures is to be sure that the Gospel is carried to every people group so that everyone can hear the Gospel in their heart language.

We need to begin to see from God's perspective. In Acts, Philip was preaching a evangelistic meeting in Samaria, and people were being saved all over the place. But God told him to leave that and travel down a desert road to see one man in a chariot headed home to Ethiopia. God wanted the Gospel to go to Ethiopia. God's heart is that on the day we gather in heaven around the throne, there will be praise to Him being declared by people from every tribe, every language, and every single people group. We must proclaim the Good News to the people groups who have never heard, so that the Nations might be glad.