You are drawn to success.

We all want comfort, success, glory, prestige. And temporal kingdoms offer that. Throughout history there have been “great cities,” climbing to the sky, offering a tower to commune with greatness:

Babel, Nineveh, Babylon, Rome. And, of course, here in the UK—London.

Andy Burnham once said:

“[politics] has been too London-centric for too long … Greater Manchester is going to take control. We are going to change politics and make it work better for people.”

Well, that sounds really attractive doesn’t it? The idea of making Manchester one of those great cities. The idea that the place where I live could become a path to success and glory.

That same guy is now looking for a job in London.

This post isn’t a criticism of Andy Burnham. He’s a human being like you and me. He’s drawn to success.

We all are.

And part of me would love to give you a gospel of success, a religious hope that our place, our city, will truly become great. A promise that if you just follow this formula, or get these things right, then Manchester will join the top ranks, and perhaps—one day—people in London would be clamouring to get a top job here instead. But such a gospel would be a false gospel.

Because, while earthly kingdoms operate through power, prestige, wealth, influence and success. Christ’s kingdom operates in a totally different way.

But plenty of people confuse these two things.

As an earthly citizen of your country, God gives you the vocation of serving others in order to improve it. Even while living in Babylon—the capital of an enemy and conquering nation—God commanded his people to work for its good:

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:7)

But they did this knowing that their true citizenship, true welfare and future, lay elsewhere. In something unseen and other-worldly, just as Christians do today:

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20)

And this is why the church is not a political party. This is why the church cannot and does not offer the secret to make the UK great again. This is why Manchester Lutheran Church does not promise any religious system to guarantee a glorified and successful Manchester.

Andy Burnham is a lord of this world. He understandably seeks success. As exiles and sojourners here in Manchester, our church prays for him. If he becomes Prime Minister, we’ll continue to do so, as we pray for Kier Starmer and all our leaders.

But our true Lord, our permanent eternal Lord, did not come in success “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him” as the prophet Isaiah (53:2) says. He probably wouldn’t have won any popularity contests, or any by-elections.

He didn’t come in power, but in weakness. And so that is how we live now.

But behind that weakness now hides true power and permanence: the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the glory of the age to come.

Christ, the Lord of the universe, did not come to win your vote and tell you what to do. He came to die for you and earn your forgiveness. That’s what he did. And now it is secure.

Right now, God is in a good mood with you. Not because you are deserving of anything from him, but because Jesus has deserved it for you. He wants you to know and be assured of this.

And Jesus is coming back. And when he does the city you live in, the job you do, the income you survive on, won’t matter anymore. Or ever again. We’ll reign as kings and queens of creation with him. He wants you to have this hope.

God gives you that forgiveness, assurance and hope through the Word of his promises. And he’s put that Word in a public place so you know where to find it: the church.

Come and receive them as we gather together around this Word each week:

• In person in Manchester every Sunday.
• Online from anywhere every Wednesday.

Image: BBC