Just last month my family and I had the opportunity to visit with my daughter on Kinmen Island in Taiwan. She is there with a team of 4 other young ladies and 2 young men who are working as Teachers Assistants for the purpose of teaching English in government schools there.
While there I had the opportunity to lead 2 Bible studies with the team on Sunday evenings. We went through Psalm 110, the Old Testament passage that is quoted in the New Testament more often than any other passage. It begins with God the Father’s statement to the Son. “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” We know from the many New Testament references to this passage that the reign of the Son of God began at His resurrection and subsequent ascension to the Father’s right hand. So Christ is reigning now. He does not have to be physically present on the earth to reign and conquer His enemies. This reign is speaking therefore of the time between the 1st and 2nd Coming of Christ.
Moreover we see as Psalm 110 continues that the means by which Christ is subduing His enemies is the gospel. “The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion (Jerusalem), saying, ‘Rule in the midst of Your enemies.’” A king’s scepter is a symbol of his power and authority. The truth of the gospel was accomplished in history in the death, burial, resurrrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ – all of which took place in Jerusalem. Romans 1:16 tells us the “the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”
Then we see further in verse 3 that Christ will subdue His enemies through His people – His church. “Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power.” Through the gospel, God exposes our sin and makes it clear that our only hope is the salvation work of Jesus Christ. He enables us to repent and believe and we thereby become His willing servants. And this verse tells us that it is normal for Christians to volunteer freely in their service of God.
The young people that I met in Kinmen, Taiwan were examples of some of the most exceptional volunteers for the Lord that I have every met. They each have a clear love and commitment to Christ. They each have a clear commitment to the local church there in Kimen. And they each have an exemplary love for the children and young people that they are serving in the community.
I was greatly challenged and encouraged by their lives. I trust that the Lord will continue to bring great fruit through them, as thoroughly as the “dew” (verse 3) that covers the whole earth.