Living as Citizens of God's Kingdom

So imagine these two kinds of power. First is the power of force. It's loud. It's obedient. It's visible. It compels obedience. But the second is the power of love and truth. It's wired. It's slower. It's often hidden. But over time, it transforms hearts. History is full of that second kind of power. Movements of non violent resistance that have changed nations. Communities of compassion that have reshaped cultures. Acts of sacrificial love that have inspired generations. This is the kind of power that Jesus embodied, not the power of domination, but the power of faithful witness. [01:05:11] (43 seconds)  #PowerOfLoveNotForce

And the question of every disciple in every every generation is simply this, which kingdom ultimately holds your allegiance? Now throughout the gospels, Jesus describes a kingdom that reverses expectations. The last becomes first. The poor are blessed. The meek inherit the earth. Power looks different here. This looks like washing feet. It looks like forgiving enemies, and it looks like telling the truth even when that leads to the cross. [01:04:11] (29 seconds)  #WhichKingdomChoose

We don't withdraw from society, but we demonstrate another way to live in it. It's a way that's shaped by peace, a way that's shaped by reconciliation, and a way that's shaped by loving our enemies. If Jesus' kingdom is not from this world, then his presence among us should look distinctive. It should look like communities where enemies are reconciled, where forgiveness is practiced, where the vulnerable are protected, where truth patterns more than power, and where love extends beyond national or tribal boundaries. [01:06:38] (36 seconds)  #LiveReconciliation

Then he pointed to the flag or to the national flag rather. He says our country asks for our loyalty. Every country does. Jesus asks for something deeper. He asks for our lives. So the elder explained that many members of the congregation has struggled with that tension. They loved their country. They were grateful for their freedoms and for their communities, but they come to realize that the teachings of Jesus sometimes called them in directions that their nation did not. Sometimes, he said quietly, following Jesus means standing in a different place than everyone else. [01:02:29] (37 seconds)  #LoyaltyBeyondCountry

In John 18, Jesus stands before Pilate as a prisoner. By every worldly measure, he appears absolutely powerless. Yet the irony of the story is that Jesus is the one who speaks with calm authority. Pilate seems almost uncertain, a little bit defensive. Jesus remains centered on the truth. The empire has soldiers and weapons, but Jesus has something else. He has the unshakable authority of God's kingdom. [01:04:40] (31 seconds)  #CalmAuthorityOfChrist

And Mennonites have wrestled with this question for centuries. Some have responded by withdrawing from global life entirely. Others have remained engaged but cautious about the use of power. But nearly all agree on one central point, and that is that our primary allegiance belongs to Christ. Not to any nation, not to any political party, not to any earthly system of power. So when the values of our nation conflict with the teachings of Christ, we must follow Jesus. [00:59:49] (35 seconds)  #AllegianceToChrist

And these are blessings. We we can't deny them. But they can also create these spiritual blind spots along the way. It's easy to mistake comfort for righteousness. It's easy to assume that our nation's power somehow aligns with God's purpose. But Jesus' conversation with Pilate reminds us that the kingdom of God is never identical with any earthly kingdom. God's kingdom transcends national borders. They include people from every tribe, every language, every nation, and its values often challenge the assumptions of political power. [01:00:53] (38 seconds)  #BewareComfortBlindspots

This is a little bit of a stunning statement. Jesus is standing before the representative of the most powerful empire on earth, and he calmly says that his followers aren't fighting for him. They're not raising an army. They're not organizing a revolt, and they're not trying to overthrow Rome. This is the upside down nature of the kingdom of God. Power in God's kingdom doesn't come through domination. It comes through sacrificial love, through truth, and through the cross. [00:56:55] (33 seconds)  #UpsideDownKingdom