Kingdom Consummated Part 1

At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Consummated,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.

This week, we are starting a new series called ‘Kingdom Consummated’. We will be spending time in the last two chapters of Revelation.

Revelation 22:1–5 (NIV)
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

This passage gives us one of the most beautiful pictures in all of Scripture. John sees the river of the water of life, crystal clear, flowing right from the throne of God and the Lamb. On either side of the river is the Tree of Life, producing fruit every month, and even its leaves bring healing to the nations. The curse of sin is gone forever. There is no more night, no more darkness. God Himself is there, His light shining everywhere, and His people see His face and reign with Him forever. What a picture of hope. It is the promise of a brand new start, the kind of fresh beginning we all long for.

But that raises the question. What do we actually need for a fresh start? The Bible gives us some great stories that answer that.

Mark 1:16-20 (NIV)
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

In Mark 1:16–20, Jesus comes to some ordinary fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Fishing was not glamorous, and in Jewish culture, it also meant these men had not made the cut to be rabbis or teachers. At some point, they were told they were not good enough and had gone back to the family business. And then Jesus shows up. A young rabbi with authority looks at them and says, “Come, follow me.” Think about that. They had been overlooked before, but Jesus chose them. He wanted them on His team. Their fresh start began the moment they dropped their nets and followed.

Now jump ahead to Mark 10:17–22, the story of the rich young ruler.

Mark 10:17-22 (NIV)
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

This man had everything: money, success, and respect. He even seemed to be a good and moral person. But deep down, he knew something was missing. So he asks Jesus what he has to do to find eternal life. Jesus tells him what he already knows about the commandments, and the man says, “I have done all that.” Then Jesus gets to the heart of it. “One thing you lack. Sell what you have, give to the poor, and follow me.” Sadly, the man could not let go of his possessions, and he walked away. He wanted a fresh start but was not willing to surrender.

Two very different stories. One about men who felt rejected, and another about a man who seemed to have it all. But the answer was the same for both. The one thing needed for an actual fresh start is this. Follow Jesus. Whether you feel like you are not good enough, or you have everything but still feel empty, the invitation is the same. Jesus is calling. The fresh start you need begins when you say yes to Him.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.