Sermon Cloud

The kingdom is a theme in the trial of Jesus including his interrogation by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate is intrigued by and anxious about the notion that Jesus is the King of the Jews. After caving in to the Jewish rulers about crucifying Jesus, he refused to accommodate their request to modify the sign affixed to his cross, which simply said in three languages, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

Jesus accepted the title of "king" from Pilate, but he took care to inform him, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). On the eve of his death, Jesus confessed that he was a king with a kingdom, but that it was otherworldly in nature-"from another place."

I want to be in that place where Jesus is king and his kingdom prevails. I want to know how to live as a citizen of that kingdom while also living in this world. And I want to know how my loyalty to Jesus as king shapes my actions, words, and expectations while I am still in this world.

Jesus was living out this mystery every day. He was conveying how to successfully live as a citizen in both worlds. And he was illustrating and describing the rewards and the costs of doing so.