Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near. (Luke 10:8-11, NASB)
It is always exciting when the PGA Tour comes to town. If you purchase tickets, you can go to the course and follow whichever group you like; sometimes you can see the players out and about in town.
A friend once saw The Walrus (a/k/a Craig Stadler) in a 7-Eleven when the PGA tour was in town. My wife and I met Luke Donald at a local wine bar where he was promoting his wine, and we met Ernie Els a year or two later at the same wine bar.
These experiences are memorable because when you meet a PGA Tour player, whether it is at or away from the tournament site, you know you aren’t just meeting a person or a golfer.
You are meeting someone who is part of something larger than themselves—the PGA Tour, an association that represents the pinnacle of golf achievement.
Even if you never actually talk to a PGA Tour player when you go to the tournament or see them around town, you still encounter the PGA Tour.
As Christians, we take the kingdom of God with us everywhere we go. Jesus told the seventy to tell the people, “The kingdom of God has come near to you, ” regardless of whether they were accepted in the cities. It might have been the only time the kingdom of God would come near to them.
Whether you want to think of it as a going as an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20), an agent (Matthew 18:18-20), or a citizen (Philippians 3:20), the truth is that when we interact with non-Christians there is always something more at stake than a relationship or our reputation—we are bringing the kingdom of God near to those who may not otherwise ever experience it.
Jesus said the kingdom of God was like a mustard seed and that when it was fully grown, “the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32.
The birds referred to those who did not serve the God of Israel. See Ezekiel 17:23, 31:6; Daniel 4:12. As branches of the tree of the kingdom of God, we allow others to experience the shade, fruit, and blessings of the benevolent reign of King Jesus with the hope that, having experienced the kingdom of God temporarily, they will submit to its King permanently.
Prayer: Lord, help me always to remember that I am a representative and bearer of the kingdom of God on earth to others. Amen.