The 1992 Disney film "classic", Aladdin, had a song in which a down and out boy promised a bored princess "A Whole New World" was about to begin – one that has "a new fantastic point of view... Unbelievable sights -- Indescribable feeling. Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky.
This promise seems unrealistic but sometimes we'd like it to be true because this world is one that seems to need some major renewing.

The 1992 Disney film "classic", Aladdin, had a song in which a down and out boy promised a bored princess "A Whole New World" was about to begin – one that has "a new fantastic point of view... Unbelievable sights -- Indescribable feeling. Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky. This promise seems unrealistic but sometimes we'd like it to be true because this world is one that seems to need some major renewing.

And not only children's movies but also influential thinkers have tried to argue that a bright new world is ahead. In the early 18th century, the philosopher Gottfried Leibniz wrote a book entitled Theodicy in which he tried to prove that we don't need a new world, that we live in the best of all possible worlds. And, of course, Karl Marx cast the same idea into an economic argument. He applied Darwin's development theory to the politics and economics and argued that eventually the proletariat would defeat the bourgeoisie and a utopia will come to this world..

But, very few people in our world have ever been so optimistic. Most of us have a lot of things we think are wrong with this world. We complain about them every day. There are many things we would like to see changed. In fact, most of us know that there is nothing “this side of heaven” that is perfect. And, we sense that no human power can bring in a whole new world. In fact, in order to be optimistic about our world, we have to be optimistic, not about the world as it is now, but rather about the world that we hope this one is leading toward. And we sense intuitively that what we need for this world to be made right is for a new rule to break in, the kingdom of the God who created heaven and earth needs to come and re-create this world. Only then can we truly be optimistic.

The promise of the kingdom of God is that all things will be made right. Evil powers will be obliterated, sickness will cease, ignorance will be eradicated, sin will be defeated and death will be no more. Mark’s Gospel begins by giving us a very descriptive title in v. 1: The beginning of the good news about Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God.

I have several goals as I begin this series:

• To understand more fully who Jesus is and why he came. I am praying people will come to faith in Jesus and that those of us who are already following him will “see him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly.”
• To gain a better understanding of our world – especially why it is that there is so much that is wrong in our world even as God’s rule has been planted in our world and most surely will eventually come in its fullness. I pray we will learn to wait upon the Lord – and be faithful to serve and obey the King of God’s kingdom while we wait.
• To gain specific insight into many of the wrongs in this world – evil powers, disease, alienation, legalism, hunger, poverty, ignorance, abuse of authority, and death and dying. We will see that Jesus has authority over all of them and promises their defeat and elimination.
• To make commitments to becoming more thoroughly (radically) involved in furthering God’s rule in this world. When Jesus came to this world to announce the coming of God’s rule, he immediately called people into service. God furthers his kingdom in people and through people.

To His Glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor