"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."
The Kingdom of God can be a confusing concept for people. To understand the Kingdom of God, you have to begin with the end, with its ultimate expression. The ultimate expression of God's Kingdom is when His people will dwell with him forever in the New Heavens and New Earth. This will be a real, physical dwelling of God with men. Thankfully, it will not be the "on cloud 9 with harp" comic strip picture of heaven. We have a real, solid, concrete future with God. Read Revelation 21-22 for a visual. We experience this kingdom now as a foretaste by means of the Holy Spirit. Our experience is real, though it is partial. Paul says that in this life the Kingdom of God is (there is no separation in the Greek) "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
There is some debate as to whether these are individual blessings that the Spirit gives to the believer in Christ, or whether they are corporate/relational blessings blessings that believers are to pursue in the Holy Spirit. I like to have my cake and eat it too on this point. In Romans 5 Paul grounds the blessings of the Kingdom in Christ. They are gifts for the believer (see Rom 5:1-2). So, he may be recalling that teaching at this place. But, in Romans 6 Paul makes it clear that the blessings of the kingdom that are in Christ are to be expressed in our lives individually. If the righteousness, peace and joy of Romans 14:17 are blessings individuals have in Christ, Paul certainly intends for them to be worked out in the local fellowship. On the other hand, if they are corporate blessings he certainly intends for them to be rooted and flowing from every individual's relationship with Christ.
At this point in Romans Paul is exhorting the "strong" to remain focused on the essence of the kingdom of God rather than on the freedom that they have in Christ to eat and drink what foods they choose (the "weak" Christians in Rome did not think they were free to eat and drink certain foods prohibited under the ceremonial law prior to the coming of Christ). Paul's point to the strong is not that they have to give up their freedom all the time to accommodate the week. His point is that since the Kingdom of God is not at its core signified by such things and food and drink--but rather by the spiritual blessings of righteousness, peace and joy--they ought to be free to give up those freedoms occasionally to focus on Kingdom priorities. We ought to be pursuing the kingdom, growing in our experience of the foundational blessings we have in Christ. The bottom line is we ought to be pursuing Christ. He is our righteousness, our peace and our joy. The obvious question is, "Are you pursuing Christ in your life?"
One of the ways that I most enjoy pursuing Christ is reading his word. Time and again I am amazed at what he shows me, how he lifts my heart out of despair, how he gives my mind new food for thought and fresh perspective. Thankfully, at this point in my Christian life I read with expectation of these blessings. And, when my faith is challenged and I am feeling reluctant to read, I read with faith that Christ will give me faith and commune with me in his Word. And, He does. He does not do that in my life because I am a pastor. He does that in my life because I am His brother, and a son of His Father. He will do the same for you.
Read Mark's gospel. Try to read the whole thing one time through. Here are some tips: You will need some time to do this. Try a lunch break. If at home, and you have a family, tell your wife and children what you are trying to do. Tell them you have an assignment to read Mark. You have to read it and report on what Jesus teaches you to the men. Tell them that you will give them a report too. (Your family will be greatly encouraged.) When you share what you learned with your family or with the other men, don't focus on what others need to know. Focus instead on what you learned about Jesus. What did he reveal to you about himself, his mission, your need for him? What did you learn about what it means to be a follower of Jesus? If you find that you read with a view toward others and not toward yourself, pray for Christ to slow you down and reveal your own heart. Just some tips for getting started.
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