Jesus Campaigned

What Did Jesus Do?

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.
Mark 1.15

Jesus didn’t run for office, He already held three offices as it was; it wasn’t a political campaign He conducted. For one of His offices was that of king, actually we know Him as the King of kings. And, in the ancient world much as they still do, kings campaigned, they conducted wars of conquest. Jesus came to reclaim, liberate, and to conquer. All other kings pretty much would desire, invade, and enslave.

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Return of the King, we might think of the Bible as the story of the loss and return of The Kingdom. Jesus, the Son of the great King over all creation, was the Captain-General who, in the name of His Father, won back the kingdom Satan had desired, invaded by deceit, and enslaved to sin and death.

Jesus came to reclaim souls, which would eventually translate to lands throughout the world, and to liberate those held captive and enslaved to sin and condemned to death, and to conquer the forces of Satan (demonic spirits) and ultimately Satan himself. The Allied crusade in World War II was similar to the campaign of Jesus in that the Allies’ objectives were to reclaim the overrun countries of Europe and Asia, to liberate the peoples held under Axis oppression, and ultimately conquer the usurping dictators, reestablishing the rightful kingdoms/nations. The Allies had an overall war aim or objective, followed a broad strategy, and employed effective tactics to win the war; Jesus did much the same. When Jesus said “the time is fulfilled” he was essentially announcing D-Day, the launching of the campaign, and from that point on He would seize the offensive. Campaigns are not undertaken lightly, they require extensive planning, and are developed to accomplish the objective, follow the strategy, and employ the tactics necessary to achieve victory.

The Son’s overall aim was to proclaim the kingdom of God, the kingdom of His Father. Strategically Jesus’ plan was to simply testify to the Truth in order to overcome a kingdom built on lies. The tactics Jesus used include his parables and teaching, the sending out of teams of apostles, performing miracles of healing, setting free those bound by demons, feeding hungry multitudes, reviving the dead, and, ultimately, the sacrificing of His own life on the cross. Satan had no answer; he was bested at every turn. Even the devil’s most terrifying weapon—death—Jesus withstood and overcame. It was a rout.

Yet, there is fighting still going on. The kingdom, though reestablished, has not yet been filled; there are souls to be saved, sinners to be set free. Jesus’ campaign continues through the efforts of His disciples. One way to test whether or not we are a disciple is to ask ourselves if we are committed to the aim of proclaiming and extending our Father’s kingdom, and do we stick to the strategy of relentlessly testifying to the Truth, and do we employ Matthew 25 tactics (Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick, go to those imprisoned). That’s what Jesus did!

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4