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The Kingdom of God is Three-Dimensional

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Matthew 11:5

Here Jesus describes a three-dimensional kingdom where: a) The rejected find acceptance. Listen: "The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear..." These particular people had no status or value; they were society’s rejects. But what others see as trash, God sees as treasure. Paul says, "We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ" (Ephesians 2:10). You’re worthwhile not because of what you do, but because of Who you belong to. In a society that puts a premium on status and money, that’s good news! b) Death is powerless. Jesus could say, "the dead are raised" because He personally unlocked death’s prison, turning every funeral into an Easter celebration. In 1899 two men died: evangelist, D.L. Moody and political leader, Robert Ingersol, an agnostic. A biographer characterized their deaths like this: "Ingersol died suddenly. Public response to his passing was dismal. His death was tragic, without consolation or hope. But Moody awoke on his last winter dawn and said, 'Earth recedes, heaven opens before me! If this is death, it is sweet.'" c) Mercy replaces justice. Why did Jesus say, "Good News is being preached to the poor?"  Because membership in God’s kingdom can’t be purchased. You don’t get in by doing enough, but by admitting that you could never do enough. That’s why Paul writes: "by grace you have been saved, not by works" (Ephesians 2:8-9). When God’s law demanded justice, God’s mercy gave us another chance. Aren’t you glad?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of eternal life that you give me now – so I know where my eternity is. Help me to live today knowing and believing this. In Jesus’ Name, Amen