CULTIVATE OBEDIENCE AS THE END DRAWS NEAR

Jesus' First Kingdom 

When Jesus ascended to heaven, he did not immediately take up the scepter of rulership over the peoples of the world. (Psalm 110:1) However, he did receive a "kingdom" with subjects that obeyed him.  The apostle Paul identified that kingdom when he wrote:"[God}  delivered us [spirit-anointed Christians] from the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." (Colossians 1:13) This deliverance began at Pentecost 33 C.E. when holy spirit was poured out on Jesus' faithful followers. -Acts 2:1-4; 1 Peter 2:9.

As "ambassadors substituting for Christ," the spirit-anointed disciples obediently  started to gather others who would become "
fellow citizens" in that spiritual kingdom. (2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 2:19; Acts 1:8) Additionally, these had to remain  "fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought"  in order to enjoy the approval of their King Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 1:10) As a group, they constituted a "faithful and discreet slave," or a faithful steward class. -Matthew 24:45; Luke 12:42. 

Next time: CULTIVATE OBEDIENCE AS THE END DRAWS NEAR - Blessed for Obeying God's "Steward"

From the Watchtower magazine, 2002