Listening to the King of Glory

This powerful exploration of Luke 9:37-62 invites us into six transformative truths about Christ's kingdom that challenge our assumptions about following Jesus. We begin with the dramatic healing of a demon-possessed boy, witnessing the telos, the ultimate end, of God's kingdom: complete restoration, peace, and shalom. The image of a terrorized son reunited with his father gives us a snapshot of what God is accomplishing through Christ. Yet the means to this glorious end comes through suffering. Jesus repeatedly warns His disciples that He must be delivered into the hands of men. The values of this kingdom turn our world upside down: true greatness is found in welcoming children, in being the least rather than the greatest. The scope of God's work extends far beyond our tribal boundaries and denominational walls, calling us to build bridges rather than merely fortifying our positions. The strategy is equally counterintuitive: not calling down fire on enemies, but laying down our lives in love. Finally, we confront the cost: sacrifice, solidarity with Christ, and staying the course with our hand to the plow. These aren't easy words, but they reveal a King who enlists no one under false pretenses, who offers us everything by first giving everything for us.