Kingdom, King, and Kanye

Conversion or public relations ploy? Kanye’s profession of faith and subsequent album release have taken the culture by storm. The point of this blog isn’t to make judgement on Kanye’s conversion, that’s between Kanye and God. However, I do like the boldness of his faith and the fruit that is coming forth. I’ve personally seen few people with the boldness of faith that Kanye has demonstrated recently.

But I digress!

My hope in joining the conversation is to do my small part in redirecting the conversation to take advantage of this incredible opportunity that God through Kanye has created. As Christians, of which I’m numbered, we have an unbelievable ability to miss great opportunities by missing the forest through the trees! The reality that so much energy has been wasted judging the validity of Kanye’s conversion saddens me with such a prime opportunity to talk about Jesus, His Kingdom, and what that means both now and to come.

I’ve listened intently to the album Jesus is King, and the conclusions Kanye draws are not only theologically accurate, they discuss qualities of Jesus and His Kingdom that we easily gloss over in our westernized flavor of Christianity. We can’t help but approach Scripture through our cultural lens, but the danger comes when we lack awareness. When we read our worldviews back into Scripture. I can’t say everyone does it, but I do.

Because we live in a culture that elevates the individual unlike any culture that’s ever existed, the trap we can easily fall victim to is the idea that Jesus is my personal savior, He died to pay my sin debt, He’s waiting for me to get to heaven, and when I struggle in this life, He’s ready and willing to swoop in and make things easier. All of that is true to some degree, but just take a close listen to Christian radio the next time we’re in the carpool line. Most contemporary Christian music puts humanity front and center and celebrates God’s rescue efforts over the struggles of this life. I’m a fan of Christian radio; I should have stated that earlier just in case your blessing me in the name of Jesus for knocking K-Love. I like K-Love too.

 But here’s what’s so refreshing about Kanye’s new album: Jesus is in fact King. If Jesus is King, that means He has a Kingdom and we who profess Jesus to be King are a part of His Kingdom. Jesus is emphatically our personal Savior, but there’s so much more! If Jesus is King and He’s establishing His Kingdom, it should shift our focus from a faith centered around moral propositions and God as the ultimate self-helper to aligning our lives around participation in the Kingdom. Don’t just take my word for it, read through the gospels paying special attention to the word kingdom. Here’s just a few:

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” Matt. 4:17

Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matt. 6:9-10

Above His head they put up the charge against Him in writing: This is Jesus the King of the Jews. Matt. 27:38

It wasn’t a political kingdom, which is why the Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah, it superseded politics, race, and geography. Jesus came to usher in a Kingdom of righteousness to reclaim what was rightfully His: all of creation, particularly mankind. Understanding is beyond my comprehension, but something happened Easter Sunday that goes beyond personal eternal life (although that’s there) to Jesus defeating the powers of Satan and turning the tide of creation back in the direction it was always intended to be. Satan overreached and took the bait on Calvary costing Satan his authority over creation. Just look back to the previous deals Satan tried to cut with Jesus in the desert (Matt. 4). Jesus passed the test then and never wavered. Satan forfeited the keys to his kingdom when he unjustly killed the King.

What does this mean?

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him for the administration of the days of fulfillment to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him. Ephesians 1: 9-10

He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens far above every ruler and authority power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way. Ephesians 1:20-23

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea existed no longer. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Rev. 21:1-2      

I believe we’re zoomed in so close on the personal salvation side of the resurrection that we don’t see the broader context which to me brings an amazing sense of optimism and purpose. Jesus is King and His Kingdom is moving forward to its final fulfillment at His return. We’ve been invited into His Kingdom, to see and understand ourselves in the context of His story, not Jesus in light of our story.

But this is the hope that we have! Jesus is King! And through the power of the Holy Spirit, we get the privilege of representing His Kingdom and expanding His Kingdom, i.e. living out His will on earth as it is in heaven.

I can't keep it to myself, I can't sit here and be still
Everybody, I will tell 'til the whole world is healed
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, all the things He has in store
From the rich to the poor, all are welcome through the door
You won't ever be the same when you call on Jesus' name  - God Is- Kanye West