The year 2024 finds our world caught in the grip of seemingly insurmountable divisions. In the United States, the political landscape remains uncertain and deeply polarized, with the aftermath of an election where Donald Trump has once again emerged victorious. The global stage is no less fractured: stronger nations continue to bully weaker ones. In the Middle East, conflict and war rage on, as centuries-old tensions between warring nations continue to fuel violence and suffering. Meanwhile, in Europe, the war in Ukraine persists, leaving behind a trail of devastation and political and economic uncertainty in its wake.
These divisions—whether political, ethnic, or ideological—can often create a sense of hopelessness. The discord is loud, and the solutions seem elusive. The cracks in society seem too deep to mend. The old wounds of injustice, inequality, and human greed persist, making it hard to imagine a way forward. In such a world, it can be difficult to hold on to hope.
The Door of Hope: The Kingdom of God Now and in the Future
Amidst this bleak landscape, the Kingdom of God offers a door of hope. It offers us more than just political ideals or strategies for worldly success; it offers us a vision of a Kingdom that is already breaking into the world and will one day be fully realized when Jesus personally and physically assumes control of the governance of our world.
Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, the message of the Kingdom of God stands as a beacon of light—a promise that offers hope not just for the future, but for the present. This hope transcends the limitations of human politics, the chaos of global conflicts, and the pain of division. It is a hope that is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection reveal a Kingdom that is fundamentally different from the fractured world in which we live.
In His incarnation, Jesus came to announce the arrival of God’s Kingdom., but not in the way the people of His time expected. They longed for a political Messiah who would overthrow their oppressors and restore Israel’s political glory. But Jesus, in His life and teachings, redefined what it meant for God’s Kingdom to come. His Kingdom is not of this world. It is not based on the power of armies or the machinations of politics. Instead, it is a Kingdom where the poor are blessed, and where peace, love, and justice reign supreme.
This vision of the Kingdom offers hope in the face of current polarization. When the world is divided, the Kingdom of God calls us to live differently—not according to the patterns of division and strife, but according to the patterns of reconciliation and love. Matthew 5:9 tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” The Kingdom is present now in the lives of those who follow Jesus, in acts of mercy, compassion, and peacemaking, even amidst the chaos of the world.
However, the fullness of this Kingdom has not yet been realized. We live in the “now and not yet” of God’s reign. While we experience glimpses of God’s justice, mercy, faithfulness, and peace today, we wait for the day when Jesus will return and establish His reign fully, when He will make all things new, and when every tear will be wiped away. Revelation 21:4 assures us of this future hope: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.”
The Power of God’s Kingdom in the Present
Even as we wait for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s Kingdom, there is hope to be found in the present. The Kingdom of God is breaking through into our world now, enlisting men and women who are willing to live under the Lordship of Jesus, and calling them to live as citizens of His Kingdom. This means we do not have to be captive to the political divisions and polarization of the world around us. We are called to transcend earthly ideologies and serve as ambassadors of God’s peace and justice.
In our broken and divided world, the Kingdom offers a way of hope through unity in Christ, where distinctions of race, class, and political party are not the primary identifiers of who we are. Galatians 3:28 declares, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” In this Kingdom, we are called to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to seek the good of our neighbors—even those with whom we might disagree politically or ideologically.
While the political battles of today may feel overwhelming, the Kingdom of God offers the promise of true peace, reconciliation, and a future where all things will be made right. That Kingdom is available to all who would enter through faith in Jesus Christ. If you are not yet part of God’s Kingdom, I invite you to come and experience the hope, forgiveness, peace, and transformation that only Jesus can offer—one that changes us from ignoble Homo sapiens into a noble Homo novus (new human). Take that step today and discover the true hope that transcends the brokenness of this world.
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