1st June 2025: Easter 5, Thy Kingdom Come

We’re in the period between Ascension and Pentecost. Jesus has ascended into heaven, but the promised Holy Spirit is yet to come. Across the denominations Christians are challenged o pray for people to come to know the love of God as revealed in Jesus, as we pray ‘Thy Kingdom come’. It’s a very simple challenge – to pray for five specific people every day between now and Pentecost, praying that we might have opportunities to speak to them about God. There are some who continue this praying for five throughout the year, and as soon as one of the five starts to attend church, a new name is added to the list. And there are some wonderful testimonies. One of my favourites is from a lady who was praying for her neighbour who she rarely saw. One day she was putting her bin out, ready to be emptied, when she saw her neighbour struggling with their bin. She simply offered to help with the bin, and a conversation naturally ensued. They arranged to meet for coffee in order to continue the conversation. From this came an opportunity to make an invitation to a church service. So often we think of evangelism, telling people the Good News, as something that only specialists do. We’re worried about what to say, about ‘fluffing our lines’. At its simplest, evangelism is having conversations, being interested in our neighbours, the people we meet day-by-day. A simple ‘Good morning’; parting by saying ‘God bless’.
We read in Revelation: The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:17, 20 (ANIV). There is an urgency because Jesus is coming again, soon. And as Aslan says in the Chronicles of Narnia, ‘I call all times soon.’ So let’s start praying for five people, praying that they would come to know the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Rev Phil