Miles McKee Ministries
Box 353, Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville, Florida 32004-0353
PO Box 8, New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland
Jesus and Gospel Preaching (continued)—
Miles McKee
Nowhere perhaps is the Kingdom more graphically shown as at the cross. Surely therefore, the doing and dying of Christ is the ultimate display of the Kingdom. Kingdom life, therefore, must never be taught as something apart from and separate from the Gospel of the doing, dying and rising of Christ. To teach that Jesus came to get us into ‘rhythm with God’ so that we could have an agreeable and enjoyable life is to miss the central thrust and heart of the New Testament.
Of course we get back ‘into rhythm’ with God through the Gospel but God’s kingdom is not all about us and how good our life will be if we hang out with a ‘God who is cool’. Believers, are not the center of the Gospel. Christ is the center of God’s revelation and any attempt to remove Him from His position of pre-eminence must be viewed with contempt and disdain. But more seriously than that, for a preacher to elevate the believer to the center of the message and center stage in Church life is an act of treason. We must never give place to such an error no matter how attractively packaged.
There’s an old but stirring story about Leonardo Da Vinci. In his famous painting of The Last Supper, Christ’s hands are empty. Da Vinci dedicated three years to this painting and had determined that it would be his crowning work. Before the unveiling, he decided to show it to a friend for whose opinion he had the utmost respect. The friend’s praise was unbridled. “The cup in Jesus’ hand,” he said, “is especially beautiful.” Disappointed, Da Vinci immediately began to paint out the cup. Astonished, the distinguished friend asked for an explanation. “Nothing,” Da Vinci explained, “must distract from the person of Christ.”
Nothing must distract us from the person of Christ -----but not according to the preacher I listened to that day. According to him Christian life really is all about us. That’s totally whacked! So I’ll say it again, nothing should distract from Christ Jesus: not His church or its progress here on earth, not how we live or perform. Nothing great or small must distract from Christ’s person, work, offices and accomplishments on our behalf. To preach the Kingdom we must preach Christ, the one who is the Last Adam, man as man was meant to be. We must preach, furthermore, that He is the God/Man, God manifest in the flesh. For He is the one who, whether sitting on the back of an unbroken donkey, calming the raging sea, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, hanging on a cross or rising from the dead demonstrated that that the kingdom of God had come among men.
The Kingdom message is the message of the doing and dying of the Lord Jesus Christ but this truth was totally missed by the preacher I heard that day. He didn’t seem to know that Jesus was the center of His own message and, therefore, should be the center of ours. When Christ taught, He drew men to Himself---the true Kingdom. Christ Jesus preached Himself and we should also make Him the center of all. When He preached He said things like,
Miles McKee
Nowhere perhaps is the Kingdom more graphically shown as at the cross. Surely therefore, the doing and dying of Christ is the ultimate display of the Kingdom. Kingdom life, therefore, must never be taught as something apart from and separate from the Gospel of the doing, dying and rising of Christ. To teach that Jesus came to get us into ‘rhythm with God’ so that we could have an agreeable and enjoyable life is to miss the central thrust and heart of the New Testament.
Of course we get back ‘into rhythm’ with God through the Gospel but God’s kingdom is not all about us and how good our life will be if we hang out with a ‘God who is cool’. Believers, are not the center of the Gospel. Christ is the center of God’s revelation and any attempt to remove Him from His position of pre-
There’s an old but stirring story about Leonardo Da Vinci. In his famous painting of The Last Supper, Christ’s hands are empty. Da Vinci dedicated three years to this painting and had determined that it would be his crowning work. Before the unveiling, he decided to show it to a friend for whose opinion he had the utmost respect. The friend’s praise was unbridled. “The cup in Jesus’ hand,” he said, “is especially beautiful.” Disappointed, Da Vinci immediately began to paint out the cup. Astonished, the distinguished friend asked for an explanation. “Nothing,” Da Vinci explained, “must distract from the person of Christ.”
Nothing must distract us from the person of Christ -
The Kingdom message is the message of the doing and dying of the Lord Jesus Christ but this truth was totally missed by the preacher I heard that day. He didn’t seem to know that Jesus was the center of His own message and, therefore, should be the center of ours. When Christ taught, He drew men to Himself-
“Come unto Me and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28)
“I am the way, the truth the life” (Jn, 14:16)
“I am the Door” (Jn 10:9)
“ I am the Light of the world” (Jn 8:21)
“I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35)
“I am among you as he that serves,” (Lk 22:27)
“I am come in my Father's name”, (Jn 5:43)
“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (Jn 8:24)
“Then said Jesus unto them, when ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things”. (Jn 8:28)
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am”. (Jn 8: 58)
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. (Jn 10:10)
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep”. (Jn 10:11)
“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”: (Jn 11:25)
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
(Jn 13:13)
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour”. (Jn 12:26)
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (Jn 12:32)
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness”. (Jn 12:46)
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn.14:3)
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (Jn 14:11)
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing”. (Jn 15:15)
“I am the way, the truth the life” (Jn, 14:16)
“I am the Door” (Jn 10:9)
“ I am the Light of the world” (Jn 8:21)
“I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35)
“I am among you as he that serves,” (Lk 22:27)
“I am come in my Father's name”, (Jn 5:43)
“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (Jn 8:24)
“Then said Jesus unto them, when ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things”. (Jn 8:28)
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am”. (Jn 8: 58)
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. (Jn 10:10)
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep”. (Jn 10:11)
“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”: (Jn 11:25)
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
(Jn 13:13)
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour”. (Jn 12:26)
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (Jn 12:32)
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness”. (Jn 12:46)
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn.14:3)
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (Jn 14:11)
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing”. (Jn 15:15)
Christ was the center of His own message. This is true Kingdom preaching. He is our Good news and God’s good news about Himself.
And He shall reign for ever and ever
King of Kings, forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and ever
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
In the Gospel there is a visible demonstration of the good news that God is in charge. This is exceedingly good news in the midst of all the bad news we run into today! It is good news to hear it was with royal authority that Christ secured our salvation.
As we study the Gospel we are continually confronted by the truth that our God reigns and is in charge. This truth is seen clearly and indeed manifest in Christ Jesus for in the Gospel, salvation from every adversary, victory over every spiritual enemy and liberty from every bondage is accomplished! The good news is, Jesus Christ Himself, our champion and representative, rules and reigns with all power in Heaven and Earth! Our warfare is accomplished, our salvation is secure in Him who gave Himself and shed His blood for us.
And That’s the Gospel Truth!
And He shall reign for ever and ever
King of Kings, forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and ever
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
In the Gospel there is a visible demonstration of the good news that God is in charge. This is exceedingly good news in the midst of all the bad news we run into today! It is good news to hear it was with royal authority that Christ secured our salvation.
As we study the Gospel we are continually confronted by the truth that our God reigns and is in charge. This truth is seen clearly and indeed manifest in Christ Jesus for in the Gospel, salvation from every adversary, victory over every spiritual enemy and liberty from every bondage is accomplished! The good news is, Jesus Christ Himself, our champion and representative, rules and reigns with all power in Heaven and Earth! Our warfare is accomplished, our salvation is secure in Him who gave Himself and shed His blood for us.
And That’s the Gospel Truth!
