After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said, “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

(Mk 1.14&15)

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you… Do to others as you would have them do to you.. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful…. give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

(Lk 6.27,28,31,35&36)

 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work… and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. for he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

(Col 1.6-13)

We have heard good news, the kingdom of God is here, and we may enter and dwell in it now because in Jesus the power of death, sin and evil (which held us in bondage) is broken. What difference does this life in God’s kingdom make then? As those set free from the tyranny of sin, what should characterise our lives? If this good news only leads us into closed communities, where we hug our treasure and enjoy it together but it makes no difference to our wider community, then we are not obeying and honouring our merciful God.

Our salvation is not merely a personal thing, but should lead us in turn to be kingdom-callers, living signposts to freedom; to be blazing lights, clearly seen and identified by our likeness to Jesus in ministering to the poor, the needy, the weak in our world – in whatever way is possible for us. We are not called to hide from the darkness, to cower in fear and conceal our freedom, because we are no longer under its authority. Our Lord has defeated it, and we have nothing to fear, and all the best news to share! We share it by modelling, reflecting and living out the goodness, grace and power of God in our world. We are saved in order to serve – and not just our fellow believers, but our aching and broken neighbours.
Lives transformed by the gospel are lives that look like Jesus – abounding in generous forgiving love; seeing the poor, the needy and helpless and acting in compassion. We give and serve as Jesus did – expecting nothing in return. We don’t serve and care as some clever move to get conversions, we care because God cares for the godly and the ungodly – and we are to be like him.

We are called to fight against the dark-kingdom in our own place and time, with what resources and calling we have. The great prison reform, labour reform and slave abolition movements in the UK were driven by christian faith, by righteous anger against the effects of sin which produced appalling need, degradation and suffering. The reformers weren’t wanting to make converts, but to be God’s agents against the darkness, to call out evil and set people free from its effects.

It is God who brings faith to life, not us. We are called to bring the good news of our freedom into the open and live as those who are without fear – and it may be that by our work and witness, God moves, but that is not our primary goal. We may have the liveliest fellowship, the most engaging worship, the most stimulating study groups… but if there is nothing outward looking, then something is badly wrong. All these good things should be the source of our motivation to reach out, to live out the good news, to show people what God’s love looks like.

Almighty God, fill your people with a hunger to make a difference for you in our societies and communities – to minister love to the loveless, hope to the hopeless, comfort to the abandoned, and to confront injustice, discrimination and the many causes of human suffering.
As we consider Christ, our Lord and Saviour, may we be transformed into his likeness – showing mercy, compassion and abounding love to all. Let the gospel drive us out from our holy huddles, full of faith and trusting that You can use us for your glory, and in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.