The plan for “thy kingdom come” was not a declaration of war on the many incumbent faiths or a heavenly colonial army to overtake the existing religious, military and political institutions. Rather

a)      Jesus came as a babe in a manger with humble beginnings, not as a King mounted on a white horse to demand worship, honour, and control over all the earthly kingdoms.   Unlike the Christian Right who demand special right to restrict basic rights of gay people simply because their interpretation of the bible says so, Jesus didn’t come with a big lightning bolt of thunder waiting to smite everyone.  

b)      The wise men came and worship and honour Him as King, out of their free will and because He is God. Some say that Jesus asked us to follow Him but not to worship Him which is not insightful because unlike most other religious faith, Jesus did not demand the worship and it was out of our free will because of what God has done in our lives.  

Unlike other faiths whereby there are a series of prescribed religious laws, many anti-gay, Jesus accepted all who worship Him because of what He has done in their lives. When Thomas finally realised that it was Jesus, the risen Saviour and Messiah, He bowed down. Religion was not through a series of fixed laws but obedience and allegiance to the living Word of God, which today, would be the Holy Spirit of God representing Jesus Christ.  

c)       Jesus took over the ministry of John the Baptist, to baptise people unto repentance from their sins, so that by faith in Jesus being their Messiah and Saviour, they became the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. We are born not only of blood into this world, but our heavenly birth comes through the baptism of water. Hence, His kingdom was not an earthly institution but a heavenly kingdom within our hearts looking forward to an eternal redemption in heaven.  

Jesus did not highlight homosexuality as a sin. At best, He referred to the Ten Commandments which also do not list it as a sin. Worshipping no other God except Jesus was the First and Second commandments. It was not that Jesus promoted lawlessness, for He must have recognized that many of the laws were based on the prohibition of the practices of other faiths which included having anal sex with the priests so that one can be possessed by the demonic spirit. In sex, one is joined together with the other.    

d)      Jesus died, not with fanfare and worship as the king of an earthy kingdom, but He died at the Cross of Calvary, taking the most despised and cursed way. He didn’t come to lord over us with power and might to destroy all opposition like an invading force or colonial power would do, but He came to die for us.   Jesus did not raise up the banner of warfare against the small minority gay tribe to fight a delusional “gay agenda”.

He did not raise the sword even against the religious authorities persecuting Him. He was not there actively trying to stop a “moral decline” by preventing gays from being recognised and having gay marriage.   In earthly kingdom, the King would demand the death of citizens who dare offend Him, and in some Christian Countries like Uganda, they are putting gays to death simply for being gay. Yet, Jesus chose the opposite. He died for us, whilst sinless.  

When Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world….”, He meant that His kingdom resides in our hearts and in a heavenly kingdom. It is not only a kin-dom of love and mutual kin-ship nor is it a kingdom where Christians rule over others. It is not the majority or the strong ruling over the weak and the minority, but the weak becoming strong because they belong to Christ and one day even though suffering on earth will be blessed in heaven because they belong to Jesus Christ.

Are you in the Kingdom of God today? Does Jesus have your heart, passion, worship and allegiance? You wouldn’t know until you reach the end of the road when you still remain faithful to Jesus and stay true to yourself as a gay person despite the inner storms and conflicts that come your way.