His Kingdom Advancing

Easter Sunrise Service (2)

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing … (Matt 11:12, NLT)

Yes, His Kingdom has been forcefully advancing, doesn’t matter how bad the circumstances surrounding it. Many a time these circumstances seem to blatantly demand its retreat, but it never compromises. Sometime His enemies may even reckon that they have won, but Jesus always has the last laugh. The increase of His Kingdom knows no end, so we are ever witnessing its progress. The story of Jesus’ journey to the cross and resurrection, albeit the focal point of history, is but on the same path of this progress. 

Palm Sunday beckons. You may be thinking about the palm branches and Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem; how cool Jesus was in dismissing the demand of the Pharisees for His followers to refrain from worship; and the fact that His followers themselves little understood their own gestures. But funny enough, I am more drawn to the little episode just before Jesus’ entering Jerusalem: the commission of the foal of a donkey for service. Everything about this incident hinged on the supernatural; you couldn’t miss this point.  Read it for yourself:

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”
So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”
And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. (Mark 1: 1-7, NKJV)

I wonder how the two disciples felt when they went for the colt. It didn’t look like they were acquainted with the owner, or else they would have asked for permission of use. So it is safe to assume that Jesus didn’t know the owner personally either. The duo must have felt like thieves when they were loosening the colt. Yet at the end they had the owner’s cooperation, without much hassle.

Jesus was sure what He wanted He would get. No one could stop Him from acquiring the service of the colt. But the manner with which He acquired it was amazing. His Kingdom advanced confidently and any resistance was promptly dispelled. Although there was no suggestion of the use of force, but we could discern the command of His authority.  This is a peculiar way of the Kingdom, when it advances it will draw resources and command cooperation for its purpose, even in the face of opposition.

Are you in need of special providence? Anything opposed to your all-round well being is not allowed in His Kingdom. You only need to be aware that you carry His Kingdom with you.  

The colt was a lucky beast. Tell you a secret: if ever there is any animal I would like to be, I want to be this colt. He had never been sat on before, and the first time he bore a burden he carried the Lord Jesus. He carried the King who was carrying His Kingdom, ready to meet His destiny. Look at the foal: humble, gentle and unassuming, yet he was bestowed with such a great honour chosen by the Lord. As Jesus rode on to meet His destiny, the foal met his own.

To think of it, are we not all like the foal?  

Photo Credit: Keattikorn on FreeDigitalPhotos.net