“Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves…..The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Matthew 14:19, 21 (NIV)
This is an example of kingdom math, by the multiplication of the five loaves and two fishes, which fed 5,000 people, as recorded in the gospels. Kingdom math tells us that 5+2=5,000, instead of seven. It’s a math that defies all human calculations and takes our faith to a new level. It inspires us to look beyond the usual sources for the needs of daily living, and to trust God even when the numbers don’t add up.
Kingdom math is driven by the principle that God multiplies whatever we give to Him. It teaches us to give first, and it will be given back to us. If we give in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, God promises to use the same measure and give it back to us, in abundance. (Luke 6:38)
Another principle of kingdom math is that where sin increases, grace much more abounds.(Romans 5:20) God’s grace increases depending on how much sin needs to be forgiven.
As long as we keep coming to Jesus, His grace will always be greater than our sin. It makes no human sense, but it’s a Kingdom concept.
Kingdom logic declares that the first will be last and the last will be first. It also says that those who save their lives will lose it, and those who lose their lives will save it eternally. Tertullian, the third century historian, once said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed that multiplied the church throughout the world. It may not sound logical, but that too is Kingdom logic, which is not from this world.
The scripture says, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” It means that Jesus knew us and died for us before we ever knew of Him or believed in Him. He loved us first, so it wasn’t based on our merit, but on His merit and His lovingkindness. Nothing can or ever will separate us from that kind of love.
Finally, there is the concept of Kingdom fatherhood. Jesus taught us the story of the prodigal son, who went straight from the pigpen into his father’s arms. The father of the prodigal received his son with open arms, although his boy was wearing filthy clothes, and smelled like a pig. He never told his son to go wash himself and change his clothes first. Instead, he embraced him, called for the finest robe to be placed on him, and then threw him a party.
Jesus told us this parable to teach that whoever comes to His Father, is accepted, celebrated, clothed in a robe of righteousness, and greatly loved, all because of the atoning blood of Christ. There is not a more powerful example of God’s grace than the parable of the prodigal son.
Paul wrote, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” It’s the nature of God to love, bear and keep hoping for us, through all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
Kingdom math, Kingdom logic and Kingdom fatherhood are not from this world. They are all motivated by God’s love and grace, and not dependent on our worthiness. We could never earn this kind of love and grace, because it’s God’s most cherished gift to us.
Lord, thank you for loving us and revealing your Kingdom ways, as you taught us in the gospels. We trust your ways in every part of our lives, and our aim is to always follow you more intimately. Amen
