Truth: The Son of God came into the world to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37). This is stupendous! God heard the prayer of Isaiah 64:1 (“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down”) and came down to earth. The divine light that enlightens every man came into the world (John 1:9; 3:19). The Son of God came to earth as the divine truth (John 14:6, 7, 9-11) to reveal God, sin, Savior, spiritual birth,[1] and more. What’s more? Jesus intentionally gave Himself to the mob and underwent His trials in order to underwrite our admission into His kingdom. He not only spoke the truth about this kingdom, He also opened its gates through His willing self-sacrifice. What men could not know or achieve on their own, Christ did for His people. “This is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us” (Isaiah 25:9).

Kingdom: The kingdom of Jesus is not of this world (John 18:36). Unlike those kingdoms and kings, His is supernatural and heavenly. He is the stone cut out without hands, without human agency, that will dominate over all other kingdoms (Dan 2:34-35). Unlike the earthly kingdoms depicted as beasts from the sea, He is the God who descends out of heaven as a Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 19:11-16). Even as He comes from heaven, so His kingdom also comes down out of heaven (Rev. 21:1-2). The citizens of this kingdom have one clear insignia: they heed the voice of their king (John 10:4-5). All whom the Father draws comes to the Christ who speaks (John 6:44, 65; 10:27). May all come to recognize Jesus’ voice, abide in His word faithfully (John 8:31; 15:7), and follow Him earnestly (Matt. 16:24; John 12:26), because they trust in Him.

[1] He revealed the Father (Matt. 11:27; John 14:9-11), explained law and sin (Matt. 7:24-27), came as the Savior (John 6:40; 8:12; 10:10, 28), and taught regeneration and conversion (Matt. 18:3; John 3:5-8; 12:40).