God's Kingdom Stand And Falls On His Reputation

But there’s more to this story than just death. The key to this destruction is laid out in the answer that God gave to Hezekiah’s prayer. He told Hezekiah, Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (2 Ki 19:30-31) God tore down the kingdom of Sennacherib in order to build up the kingdom of Christ. The only way Christ would be born was if a remnant of Jews survived. If Sennacherib had destroyed God’s people, that promise could not have come true. God had to keep his reputation and his promise as a God who would SAVE His people through a Savior. He destroyed in order to save.

That, my friends, is the message of Christianity - it shows the reputation of the LORD. Worse than the angel of death, the wrath of God came crashing down on His Son on the cross. God absolutely destroyed His Son as He put Him through not only a terrible whipping and crucifixion, but through hell on the cross. God is just. He couldn’t look at sin. He had to destroy it - by putting it on His Son and crucifying it. But there’s more to the message of the cross and Christianity than death. With that destruction there is life. For Christ left the sins of the world in the grave. In his destruction of sin, God was building a new kingdom - a kingdom of love, forgiveness, and faith. Through faith, God gives you a new freedom to know that God does love you and He wants nothing but the best for you. He wants you to be free from sin. He wanted them to enjoy life - which includes not being a slave to alcohol, homosexuality, adultery, and the many other sins that just help to destroy man. God’s reputation and his kingdom stands and falls on this message of the cross and the empty grave.

So how are you going to approach God? Several years ago Katie Couric was interviewing a gal and had had a real nice conversation with her. After the interview was about over she honestly and surprisingly said something like, “I didn’t want to like you when I started this interview,” but then grew to like her the more she got to know her. Her reputation must have been one that made Katie hesitant to really open up to. But in response the girl said, “well I wanted to like you.” Unfortunately, everybody in this world approaches the LORD in the same way. Thanks to the devil, they assume he’s just a God of laws - or an unfair God - or an unloving God who wants to take their fun away. Like Sennacherib, they shake their fists at God and try to destroy him and ruin his reputation for getting in their way for what they want. If they don’t stop, they’ll be destroyed.

If - like Sennacherib - you’ve been pounding on God’s wall - questioning his authority, not wanting to like him, thinking that He’s getting in your way to greatness - pound no longer. See the true LORD for the way He is. He’s a just God, but He’s also a loving and forgiving God.. His kingdom is not one standing in your way to a fulfilling life, His kingdom is your key to everlasting life. Instead of going back to your Nisroch, kneel at the temple outside of Jerusalem - at Mt. Golgotha. Put your sins at the wooden throne of the cross. Say to God, “crucify me with Christ. Kill me. Damn me to hell with your Son. Bury me in your grave.” Then listen to the Holy Spirit say to you, “I have done that for you. I have destroyed your kingdom of pride. I have crucified your arrogant old man. I did this in order to give you a new kingdom. I have given you a new spirit. I have put a new kingdom in your heart - a kingdom of forgiveness, love, and faithfulness. I have given you the reputation of being a holy saint - in Christ.” When you find God in Christ you’ll see a God who is just and forgiving. Loving and compassionate. Slow to anger and abounding in love. That’s who the LORD is. That’s the way He works and builds kingdoms - not with guns, swords, and armies, but with nails and wood at the cross, by crucifying you and raising you up through faith. Amen.