"You are those who stood by me in my trials. And I confer on (grant) you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:28-29) Despite knowing that his disciples would desert him, Jesus still did not distrust his disciples. Infact the very next verse in the passage is Jesus' prediction of Peter's betrayal.
(Vs 31-34) But still, Jesus took them into confidence by disclosing to them the secrets of the kingdom and assuring them their destiny. However, they couldn't fully comprehend the words of Jesus until they received the Spirit later on! As predicted, the disciples got scattered after he was arrested and sentenced to death but were gathered again after his resurrection. Once they saw for themselves the one who triumphed over death and heard him speak, his words came alive! Their 'minds were opened' (Luke 24:45) and their 'hearts began to burn'! (Luke 24:32) No longer they feared death or persecution but were emboldened to become witnesses of Christ, even to die as Jesus did, for the sake of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of Rome no longer could stop them. Even in the face of death at the hands of the Romans, they didn't flinch because knew they were citizens of a heavenly kingdom that was indestructible. The day is coming when all who have stood with Christ in establishing his kingdom on earth; all who have suffered martyrdom for the sake of Christ and his kingdom are going to be rewarded because of the promise in Scripture which says: 'If we endure with him, we will also reign with him' (2 Timothy 2:12) 'for it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.' (Philippians 1:29) Jesus too is looking forward to the day when he will eat and drink with his disciples once again, for he said, "I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." ( Luke 22: 18) If the kingdom matters to Jesus, it should matter to us. Just as it was the mission of the Israelites to establish the kingdom of Israel in Cannan, it is our mission to establish the kingdom of God on earth. We as the servants of the kingdom, ought to labour for the kingdom and not for denominations and organisations. It was to put things in perspective that Jesus conferred on his disciples a kingdom so that they might be kingdom minded in everything they do, just as he was mindful of the kingdom the Father conferred on him. Amen.
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