Bible Passage: Mark 1:15 (ESV)
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

What difference does it make as to who rules our world, our nation or our life?

Globally, what difference does it make whether the US or China is the unipolar hegemone? Or if the world devolves into multi polarity?

Nationally, does it matter who rules Ukraine? Gaza? Greenland?

On the personal front, the case of 16-year-old girl who harmed herself and slashed two staff at a local secondary school has stunned the nation.

What triggered her to take things into her own hands?

Her phone was confiscated as she was late for school.

She then slashed the operations manager, who had refused to return the device to her, and the discipline master.

The evidence is manifest. The verdict is unanimous.

We will fight tooth and nail over who rules us. We hate being ruled by others. We love self rule.

Sin is our autonomy on steroids.

1. God’s Royal Plan

Little wonder that Jesus inaugurates his ministry by announcing the breaking in of his kingship with “behold” as recorded in Mark 1.

“Behold” tells us to literally “drop everything we are doing” our way which messes us up.

“Behold” commands us to start doing everything God’s way which cleans us up.

“Behold” beckons us to live in awe of God, instead of the applause of man.

The kingdom of God announces the start of Jesus’ rightful rule and the end of Satan’s wrongful over the world, the nations and us.

We have to “behold” the rightful kingship of Jesus which smashes the illegitimate rule of Satan and sin over us.

How can we experience that life change?

2. Our Royal Bow

Jesus commands us to “repent”.

This means a 180 degree U-Turn from disastrous self redemption.

We gotta stop trying to save ourselves. And start trusting Jesus to save us from the greatest dangers to our lives.

Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ supreme authority.

He has unmatched authority to cast out demons (1:21ff), heal diseases (1:29ff) and, above all, forgive sins (2:1-15).

That is why Jesus alone has the unmatched authority to call us to “follow him”.

Jesus lovingly calls all of us who live messed up lives in a messed up world to drop everything to follow him.

Will you?

3. The Royal Pause

I love walking our dog. I like to think he loves walking me too!

More seriously, my regular doggie walks in nature grants me my treasured “royal pause”.

My non-negotiable “royal pause” gives me time to “behold” the love and awe of Jesus.

It gives me time to:
talk to Him heart to heart,
hear his voice calm my soul,
confess my deepest sins,
surrender my stubborn autonomy,
trust in Jesus’ Lordship,
depend on the Spirit’s power,
to exchange fears with faith,
to be clear minded not conflicted,
to be unafraid to Love,
to be undaunted to Live,
for God’s service & glory.

It gives me time:
To sort out that Jesus is truly King and I am delusionally not.
The next time, you are tempted to think “I am Lord of this moment of meltdown of
anger, ambition, envy,
lust, porn, greed,
disappointment,
disgruntlement,
discontentment,
self pleasing,
self pity,
self harm,
self beating,
self sufficiency,
self redemption”,
Pause!

Why not try the Royal Pause for the Royal Bow to king Jesus as God’s royal plan to save you?

Prayer:

“Heavenly Father, I thank you with all my heart for Jesus. Humble and assure me to behold your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the loving ruler over all my moments and life.”