The Kingdom Is Not About That...

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

"Joy in the Holy Spirit"

Judging by the number of potlucks and pitch-ins I've been to in the United Methodist Church, I might think the church has ignored the call of the kingdom of God. We like fellowship. We like eating good home cooked meals together as the family of God. And what's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. It's a great thing to do. 

Eating together in the ancient world meant friendship. It was scandalous for Jesus and His disciples to eat and drink with known sinners and tax collectors. Nevertheless Jesus extended them His friendship, saying that He had not come to call the righteous, but the sinners. Those who are not sick do not need a doctor. Jesus came to heal the sin sick souls of the world.

To be fair, the verse above has nothing to do with potluck or pitch-in dinners. Paul is teaching about questions about what foods we can or cannot eat as Christians. The Jews have their dietary restrictions that set them apart from the gentiles. Gentiles love bacon. Jews are not to eat any pork. But even more critical were questions about eating food sacrificed to idols. The meat market in ancient Corinth came from sacrifices at pagan temples of which here were more than one. Since the gentile converts to Christianity were accustomed to getting their meat from the city market, they now had a question of conscience. Paul meant to ease their minds and encourage peace and mutual upbuilding in the church.

Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own master that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. (Romans 14:2-4)

There are many ways in which disciples disagree within the church. That's why there are so many different denominations and traditions in the church. We can find the smallest things to argue over. God save us from ourselves. That is exactly what God can do. God can make our fellowship stronger and reflect the love of God in all our relationships.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist tradition, learned a lot from the Moravian tradition out of Germany. Wesley met them on his journey to the colony of Georgia in the new world (North America). A terrible storm attacked their sailing ship. Wesley was terrified for his life, but he noticed the Moravians singing songs of praise and praising God. At that point Wesley wondered if he had any faith at all. Eventually his encounters with the Moravians led him to look closer at their beliefs. The Moravians helped him with his crisis of faith. John Wesley experienced his heart strangely warmed when, by the workings of grace, he acknowledged in his heart that Jesus had died for him and was truly his Savior and Lord.

At a much later date, however, Wesley, pulled away from his fellowship with Morvaians. He disagreed with their understanding of sanctification. Wesley met with the leader of the Moravians, Count Zinzendorf. While the German church leader did not speak English, both men knew Latin, so that is how they communicated. You can read the entire conversation with translation here. http://www.churchofthebeyond.com/index.php/history/grays-walk-in/

Count Zinzendorf held that humans are only holy through their union with Christ. If they are not united with Christ in heart and life, they are not holy. It is the holiness of Jesus, which makes the sinner clean and able to stand before God unblemished. They can never be more holy or less holy once their lives come under the lordship of Jesus.

Wesley felt this was not fully accurate. While he agreed that no one become holy unless they are united with Christ, he felt that Christians grew toward greater and greater levels of holiness. ON this point the two could not agree.

Here's a excerpt from their conversation.

Wesley: But I believe, that the Spirit of Christ works perfection in true Christians.

Zinzendorf: Not at all. All our perfection is in Christ. All Christian perfection is, faith in the blood of Christ. The whole of Christian perfection is imputed, not inherent. We are perfect in Christ;—in ourselves, never.

Wesley: We contend, I think, about words. Is not every true believer holy?

Zinzendorf: Certainly. But he is holy in Christ, not in himself.
Wesley: The dispute is altogether about words. You grant that the whole heart and the whole life of a believer, are holy: that he love God with all his heart, and serves him with all his strength. I ask nothing more. I mean nothing else by Christian perfection or holiness.

Zinzendorf: But toil is not his holiness. He is not more holy, if he loves more; nor less holy, if he loves less.

Whatever is the right answer, these men separated kindly. God was calling Wesley to a new mission, not the vision Zinzendorf held, but his own. We Methodists all benefit from John and Charles Wesley and all those who forged the tradition we now live within. For certain, the apostle Paul would have his own opinion, but he wouldn't let that lead to division if he could keep from it. He would not tolerate heresy, but he would practice patience as he corrected faulty doctrine. And I think even Paul had difficulty with keeping an even temper, if his letters are any indication. (See Galatians 5:12)  

Let's face it. We humans deal with human weakness. Only when we allow the divine love of God to rule our every inclination and thought and behavior, can we truly behave as Jesus would have us behave. The Lord knows our weakness, for He Himself was tempted in every way that we are tempted, but He did not fall to weakness. He did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15) And that is why His sacrifice and His priestly ministry is so vitally important. His blood sacrifice is a once for all deal. His sacrifice is eternally before God the Father. All those who participate in the sacrifice of Jesus, through the new covenant in His blood, are eternally forgiven.

And so the church is a mixture of sinners on the way to perfection in the holiness of God through their worship and service of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must learn to bear with one another for we are all on this journey. We are all saved and all being saved. We are all stained in sin and cleansed by the blood of Christ. We are both slaves to our weakness and new creations through the grace of God. 

So why not choose to enter into the kingdom where love rules? Why not choose to love one another with all our imperfections and frustrating failures and embrace our brothers and sisters in the household of God? Why do we continue to judge each other and cause division? Why not choose to be blessed peacemakers?

For the kingdom of God is not about food restrictions, or any other religious law. The kingdom of God is about love, and where love reigns, there is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Love for God begets a desire to do as God wills. Seeking to please God, by doing His good and perfect will, begets righteousness. Righteousness begets justice and peace. And peace begets joy, for our needs are satisfied in the goodness of the Lord and His church.

As we work together to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, let us be about love always and leave behind the quarrels. God is bigger than all the petty stuff and you are His and He is yours. The Lord is able to make you stand.

This is my last post for a while. Thanks for joining me on this journey. And make God bless you with His amazing love and perfect you according to His right ways and perfect will. And may He make you a faithful and powerful follower of Jesus Christ, our Lord, so that through your life and ministry more and more people will come to know His transforming love and holiness. 

Holiness

Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. (Hebrews 12:7-10)

His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. (2nd Peter 1:3-4)

The concept of holiness has been defined as utter separateness, or totally otherness. Whatever we are as creatures, we are nothing compared to the creator. God is holy. God is wholly other. 

The holiness of God is expressed in terrifying ways in the Bible. As God nears the mountains tremble. Great smoke and fire accompany the Lord's terrible appearance. (Exodus 19) Those who fail to treat the Lord and His ark as holy suddenly die. (2nd Samuel 6:1-11) The sons of Aaron did not follow the priestly ordinances and were consumed with holy fire from the altar. (Leviticus 10)

Look how the psalmist compares God to humans.

Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in their hearts;
there is no fear of God
before their eyes.
For they flatter themselves in their own eyes
that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit;
they have ceased to act wisely and do good.
They plot mischief while on their beds;
they are set on a way that is not good;
they do not reject evil.

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:1-7)

God ways are higher than our ways. We cannot attain them. And yet this very same holy God who live in unapproachable light has called us to be holy as He is holy. We are called to share in His divine nature. In fact we were created for this. We were made in the image of holy God.

How can we attain holiness and share in the divine nature? Until we are set free from bondage to sin, we cannot hope to. We are helpless to be anything bu slaves to sinful passions and human weakness. We will have glimmers of the divine nature within and will at times act accordingly, but we will remain utterly separated from God until we share int he holy sacrifice of Jesus Christ through faith.

God is holy and He cannot look upon sin. (Habakkk 1:13) And yet God gave His people a way to atone for sin. They covered their sin through the blood of the sacrifice. Ultimately God offered His own begotten Son as the atoning sacrifice once for all.

Jesus is the only way to find freedom from sin and the resulting death sin breeds. The is no other mediator between the holy God of the universe and humanity. (1st Timothy 2:5) There is no other name under heaven given to mortals by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Jesus' very name means "The Lord Saves."

When Jesus worked among us building the kingdom of God, He taught about the reign of God and provided signs of God's authority. He healed the sick and liberated those oppressed by demons. The liberation of those captives set them free to be reconnected to the God who rescued them. 

Perhaps the most dramatic tale of Jesus cleansing the possessed of demons is in Mark 5. Jesus travels to the gentile side of the Sea of Galilee and met a demon-possessed man who lived among the tombs. This tortured soul could not be bound. He broke the chains. He ran naked and crazed screaming and cutting himself with sharp rocks. When he saw Jesus, the demons within him recognized Jesus as the the holy one, the son of the Most High God. (Mark 1:24; 5:7) Jesus demanded the demon identify itself. They answered, "We are legion for we are many." Jesus drove the many demons out of the man and sent them into a herd of pigs which promptly ran into the lake and drowned. 

Look what happened afterward. 

They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. (Mark 5:15-20)

The man was clothed, and in his right mind, begging to go with Jesus. He went and witnessed to everyone what Jesus had done for him. You see when people are freed from the bondage of sin and dark evil forces, they are set free to serve the God who sets that at liberty. Because their hearts and minds are no longer under the power of sin and darkness, they are more than happy to serve a new master, One who gives them life eternal.

Holiness is sharing, to the fullest extent, in the righteous and loving nature of God. Through Jesus Christ we are made holy through His sacrifice, and furthermore, through the workings of grace in our hearts through the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is God who works within us to become holy and He is holy. (Philippians 2:13) 

The mission of the church in making disciples includes introducing the oppressed souls of our time to the liberating power of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. It's God's job to transform lives. We cannot do that. We are only human. Our job is to arrange the meeting. We arrange for persons to meet Jesus so that they might be transformed by the power of the gospel and come to share in His holiness. 

Few of us are schools in rites of exorcism, but all of us know people enslaved to alcohol, drugs and other addictions. We all know people mentally oppressed by an illness of the brain. We all know people stuck in unhealthy modes of thinking that keep them depressed, cynical and hopeless. We all know people trapped in bitter hatred, prejudice and unforgiveness.  We all know people with their eyes full of lust and greed. We all know people trapped in unhappy situations and unfair working conditions. 

It is the liberating work of the church that helps addicts find freedom in their relationship with God. It is the liberating work of the church that helps people come to forgive and find release from their anger and grief. It is the work of the church which builds supportive community around those living with mental illness so that they too might have hope in Christ. 

All these little victories free us to love. As we love the tortured and trapped, we are setting them and ourselves free from fear and darkness. We are becoming like Jesus, the Holy One. We are sharing in the divine nature which is love.

Begin the liberating work of the kingdom by praying for those trapped and oppressed souls you know and look for means to bring them to the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. And remember that you too must journey deeper in communion with the Lord so that you may more fully share in His righteous and loving nature. Add to your faith that which frees you of every earthly entanglement so that you are able to fully commit to Christ and His mission to make disciples. 

Health

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Luke 8:42b-48)

The thing about healing in the bible is that it's a sign. Healing is a sign that this Kingdom of God is in our midst. Healing is a sign that the powers of creation are at work anew. A dictionary might say that healing is a process that leads to health and well-being. But healing is more than a biological process; it is the restoring work of God.

Webster says, health is "the condition of being well or free from disease." I'd like to offer a different spin on health. Health is reaching toward the fullest potential in living. Health is pursuing excellence in body, mind and spirit. Health is more than simply not having a disease or suffering injury. Health is reaching toward your best possible life.

Inspiring hope that we can become our best is the work of the church of Jesus Christ. America is suffering from overeating and poor nutrition. We eat a lot of the kind of foods that we should eat sparingly, and we don't eat enough of the fresh foods that aid us toward a healthy body. We don't exercise. We don't build muscle, nor do we build our mental and spiritual muscles.

One way the church practices the healing ministry of Jesus Christ is to pray.

A group of physicians used in double-blind "drug" studies of the efficacy of Christian prayer on healing. Patients from the San Francisco General Medical Center were randomly divided into placebo and test groups. Patients in the test group were prayed for by Christians; the placebo group received no prayer. There were no statistical differences between the placebo and the prayer groups before prayer was initiated. The results demonstrated that patients who were prayed for suffered "less congestive heart failure, required less diuretic and antibiotic therapy, had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests, and were less frequently intubated and ventilated." (Rich Deem, GodandScience.org)

According to Barna Research 4 out of 5 Americans pray. 75% of them who pray are Christian. 56% say they most often pray for family members, with 3.3% saying that they pray for strangers. How would the health of our community be if we begun praying in earnest for strangers? 41% say their prayers are answered often, whereas only 1.5% say their prayers are never answered. 

Prayer is essential to health. Why do you suppose that is?

When Jesus healed people he often connected their healing to their faith. The Gospel of Mark has the most healing stories of all the gospel accounts. Four men brought a paralyzed friend to see Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith he told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5b) This caused a stir among the teachers of the law of Moses. "Only God can forgive sins," they said, not understanding that God was standing before them in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them... (Mark 2:9-12a)

When Jesus visited His hometown of Nazareth, He could do very little for them.

And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. (Mark 6:5-6)

In the view of the New Testament, sickness and faith are related. And what is faith but our relationship with God, our vital connection with the source of all life. Sin separates us from God. So when Jesus pronounced forgiveness, health returned because sin was no longer a barrier between the forgiven and their God.

Health ministry has as its ultimate objective: the restoration of the relationship between the sick and injured and God. Not every illness or injury is the result of personal sin. Some diseases and deformities are the result of corporate sin. We've corrupted the gene pool through incest, pollution and a variety of other abuses to the environment. Our lifestyle choices, too, effect health. God would restore us to holy living. God would call His people to obey Him in diet, exercise and morality. Even how we spend our leisure time is under the Lordship of Christ. How might God lead you to your fullest potential if you began to really allow Him to rule over your dining choices, snacks, exercise plan, reading, and leisure time?

According to Paul our bodies are temples dedicated to God. Therefore we are to honor God with our bodies just as we honor His sanctuary at the church building.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (1st Corinthians 3:16-17)

The church in its mission to build the kingdom of God should set the example for the rest of society in healthy living. We should inspire hope in our neighbors that they too can live healthy full lives through a restored relationship with God and the support of a loving community.

“Daughter, your faith has made you well"
Luke 8:48

Health ministry has a wide variety of expressions. The church established hospitals and clinics. The church provides health education and advocacy. The church provides opportunities to exercise through aerobics classes in fellowship halls and family life centers. The church provides health screenings and parish nurses. The church visits the sick and hospitalized and prays for them. The church established hospice care to grant dignity to the dying. In the Middle Ages religious orders established hospices for traveling pilgrims on the way to shrines in hopes of healing. Churches host support groups of all kinds and addiction recovery. Health is as much the church's business as it is the medical profession's. 

When Jesus healed the woman with the hemorrhage, He told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well." As she reached out for Him in hope and faith in His name, she was healed and she was restored to her Father in heaven.

Isn't that the picture of health?

Hope

We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul... (Hebrews 6:19a)

As our 40 Day Sabbath winds down, I want to spend more time thinking about "Hope, Health and Holiness." These are the blessings of the kingdom of God. These blessings come through spiritually empowered ministries of teaching, healing and liberation. The church that is abiding in a vital relationship with Jesus Christ is empowered to change the world. 

Allow me to define briefly each of these kingdom blessings.

Hope - The result of faith in the good news that God's good purposes are at work among us. 

Health - The well-being of spirit, mind and body through access to life-giving diet, shelter, community, and faith.

Holiness - A sharing, to the fullest extent, of God's righteous and loving nature.

Today, let's focus on hope.

Jesus' ministry was marked by proclaiming the gospel. He taught about the Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Heaven). His teaching gathered crowds and multitudes. Matthew said the people were astounded because, "he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes." (Matthew 7:29)

The first of Jesus' parables about the Kingdom of God is the Parable of the Sower. Jesus compared the condition of one's heart, one's spiritual center, to four types of soil. 

Some are like a hardened path. Perhaps life has bee tough for them and they've built up a wall of protection around their heart. Cynicism and a pessimistic outlook is an example of one way we protect ourselves. If we don't get our hopes up, we won't have to feel the pain of disappointment. Some tell themselves, "it won't work," or "life sucks and then you die," This attitude allows one to remain aloof and noncommittal. We won;t invest in making things better. We've already decided it's a waste of time. We won't join others in celebration because we've already seen enough of the life to know it's meaningless. Perhaps we've latched onto atheistic ideals which validate our feelings. "There is no God," such people say. "How can there be a God when there is so much suffering? If there is a God, then He's not a very good one." 

There are other forms of self-protection, but bitterness and cynicism seem to be prevalent enough to be our example for the hardened heart. Jesus said there's no way for the good news about the kingdom of God to penetrate. Seeds scattered on the hardened path lie upon the surface. Birds come to eat the seeds and a fruitful harvest never comes to such a soul. Can there be anyone more hopeless?

The good news is that hardened paths can be cultivated. Water will moisten the soil and a spade, hoe and rake and break through the hardened surface and reach the tender soil beneath. Fertilizer might need to be added, but a dead footpath where nothing grows can become a garden of delights. All it takes is willingness to dose the heart in the waters of baptism and ask the Lord of the Harvest, so break through with the power of His word. Jesus promised that those who believe in Him will have living water in their souls welling up to eternal life. (John 7:38) By this He meant the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the living God, the presence of our creator living within us. If you are like the hardened path, repent and turn to the Master Gardener who can restore you to hope. God is with us.

Jesus said some are like rocky soil. There faith is shallow. The rocks block the seeds' roots from getting water and nutrients from the soil. There's no way for a seed to put down deep roots, so the plant shrivels and dies due to inadequate resources. Jesus says of such hearts that they initially receive the gospel with joy, but "when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away." (Mark 4:17a)

In America we have the species known as the Chameleon Christian. This kind of Christian tries to blend in with the rest of the crowd. They are afraid to be seen as different from others,. They don't want others to dislike them or judge them for their faith in Christ. Rather than live in ways that please God, These people try to please the people they are with. The approval of people is more important to them. The shallowness of their faith makes the hope of the gospel of little significance. Their eyes are not turned toward Christ in worship. Perhaps on Sunday mornings for an hour they try and focus on Christ, if they aren't preoccupied with what other people are wearing, saying, or doing at the church.

When I was in my 30's I began to deal with my inner insecurities. I had some huge boulders in the field of my heart that was blocking God's redeeming love. I had cynicism and pessimism in my head and heart, but I also had deep pain from childhood trauma. I wasn't allowing God into my heart fully, even though I believed in and loved God. I didn't want to go there myself, so God wasn't getting me to look at my heart. He wanted to clear away these rocks, so that my heart might be more fully open to receive Him. 

Clearing a field of rocks and boulders is back breaking work. Clearing my heart of pain, immense grief, debilitating guilt and shame was the hardest thing I've ever done. God was with me all the way. God can do the same for you, if you'll be honest with yourself and trust the Lord. He can restore you to hope by healing your heart and giving you confidence as His beloved child. No man or woman or demon can take that away from you. No criticism or abuse can tarnish the heart that finds their ultimate security and worth in their relationship with Jesus.

Jesus said some hearts are like soil that is weed and thorn infested. They hear the good news, but "the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing." (Mark 4:19)

I'm more like this last soil than any of the others I think, although I have aspects of all three mentioned so far. I grew up middle class and enjoyed the yuppie era in the 1980's life was easy, money was good, and we had a good time! My attitude was to make enough money to have no worries, fund my leisure activities, and if there's a problem, pay somebody else to take care of it. The desire for wealth was great. We call the 80's the greed decade. I was in the midst of it enjoying the young up and coming generation of suits. 

I still would like that life, but I know it's empty. I still want the nice things, but I know they don't give any lasting happiness. And now with the economy as it is I worry about my children and their future. We had it easy. Now there's a scarcity of decent jobs where one might make a living and build a career. I worry about the world they are living in with its loose morals and hateful violence. I have worries. I have worldly desires. And I also have a plethora of distractions to keep me from reaching my fullest potential. Movies, streaming video, music and the like as my favorite pastimes. When I have downtime I'm usually watching something on TV. I neglect my spiritual life by running to the happy diversion. By choosing these "other things" as opposed to spending time with the Lord, I am allowing hope to get choked out. I am a willing participant in my own limited harvest.  

The good news is that I realize this and am learning to keep it in check. There are times when I reach for the remote that the Lord calls me to prayer. I obey that call and spend time with Him. There are times I know I should spend time in prayer and choose the easier substitute. I put in a DVD. God is not through with me. I don't think God is trying to turn me into an ascetic who completely denies himself of any worldly pleasure, but I do think God wants me to grow in His love and be more fruitful for the Kingdom of God. That requires allowing the Lord to pull some distracting weeds from my life. What are your weeds and thorns keeping you from bearing fruit for Christ? We have to be convinced that what God is offering is really all we need. He is offering us the Kingdom. 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:32-34)

Finally Jesus said some hearts are like good soil yielding 40, 60, or a hundredfold. (Mark 4:20) These hearts hear the gospel, accept it and bear fruit for Christ and His kingdom. They have hope in a worldview where God is at work freeing all creation from its crash course with death. Paul says the world is in bondage to decay, but we are the first fruits of a new creation that is birthing. The resurrection of Jesus is the beginning of this new creation. We who believe have eternal life and share in the powers of the age to come through the Holy Spirit within us. We do not belong to this dying world. We are citizens of heaven. But we are sent into this world to work with Jesus to save it. We are to continue His ministry of teaching so that others might hear the good news. We are to scatter seeds just like the farmer. And where it is welcomed, we might even help with the weeding, watering, raking, spading, and clearing the fields of stone. We are called to connect people to Christ, the Master Gardener of the soul. We are called to help others on the way to fruitfulness in Christ.

May God convince us of our role in the world. May we know the hope He gives which will lead us from joy to joy and strengthen us through every trial. May our lives be a testament, a sign post to others that the good news is really good and something worth giving their hearts in hope.

Unshakable

Our God is a Consuming Fire

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)

Third Day, an Atlanta based Christian rock band, released Consuming Fire on their first CD back in 1996. The lyrics reveal an interpretation of Hebrews chapter 12:18-29. 

Set this place on fire
Send you spirit, Savior
Rescue from the mire
Show Your servant favor
Yesterday was the day that I was alone
Now I'm in the presence of Almighty God

[Chorus:]

and yes our God, He is a consuming fire
And the flames burn down deep in my soul
Yes our God He is a consuming fire
He reaches inside and He melts down this
cold heart of stone.

When we think of God, we have lots of ideas. The church has played up love and compassion, mercy and tolerance as the character of God of recent decades. And these are true attributes. I would agree that love is God's pure and universal attribute. 

Here's a problem, though. We don't realize how powerful love is. We think in terms of softness, gentleness, politeness, and peacefulness. God can be tender-hearted toward His wayward people and patient. His is celebrated as long-suffering, meaning that He suffers His painful disappointment at our sins of omission (that which we know we should do, but don't do it) and commission (That which we do, but should not). God waits with patience for us to repent, but God suffers pain in His patient waiting.

The book of Hebrews reveals how God has forgiven us, once for all, in the blood of His Son. The writer also warns the church to live godly lives, not to continue living sinfully. Once you've been set free from your captors, don't live like you still are under you're captors' control. Instead live, since you are free, as a grateful servant of the Lord who rescued you.

For if we willfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31)

The New Testament is unanimous on the subject. We are going to be held accountable to God. We will answer for how we have chosen to live. 

For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. (2nd Corinthians 5:10)

The writer of Hebrews is writing to... well... Hebrews.  These Jewish Christians needed encouragement to remain faithful to Christ and not fall away by the pressure of Jews who rejected Jesus as the Christ. They would recognize the scripture he continually quotes throughout, because Jews are taught at a young age to revere the word of God. IN Hebrews 12, the author refers to the theophany at Mt Sinai from Exodus 19. He describes the appearance of God to Israel in frightening terms, just as it is describes in Exodus. The Lord's presence shakes the earth and shakes the people, too. His awesome presence caused them great fear. 

Think of it this way. Imagine space walking high above the earth's atmosphere. The vastness of space and the sense of vulnerability is overwhelming. Watch the film Gravity and you'll understand what I mean. People are in awe of the Grand Canyon or the Swiss Alps, but imagine standing in the presence of Almighty God who created the entire universe! God made His presence visible to the Israelites in cloud and smoke, earthquake and peals of lightning and thunder. The people heard God's voice and swore that they would die if they ever experienced that again. 

The idea of dying in from the sheer radiance of God's holiness comes up from time to time in the Old Testament. Jacob, when he realized he encountered God, during the wrestling match with the stranger, he was amazed he survived. 

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. (Genesis 32:30-31)

Encountering God should make a visible change. Jacob limped. The Christian lives free to serve the Lord. The encounter with the holy presence of God shakes us to the core as the creator begins His new creation in our hearts. 

The author of Hebrews states that just as God shook the earth at His appearance as Sinai, God will shake the heavens and the earth "Yet once more."

This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. (Hebrews 12:27)

God's holiness will shake out that which can be shaken to dust. All that is not eternal will fall away. The spirit survives. The spiritual life is where everlasting life is found. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. If we would enter the kingdom and enjoy the King's grace and glorious riches, we need to leave behind the shakable, the created things. Our hearts need to turn away from the world and turn toward God.

As we worship, let us remember the holiness of God is awesome beyond awesome. Our sanctuaries and temples do not hold God, nor do their beauty even come close to capturing His radiance. They only point in the direction of the reality. They point to the everlasting beauty and glory of God.

Our God is a consuming fire. Don't resist His Holy Spirit in your life. He will shake you loose from everything that holds you captive to this fading world. Come before Him with reverence and awe! You are in the presence of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the creator of heaven and earth. Act accordingly, because you belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Promising Future

Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:28-30)

For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

The two passages above speak of the future. In the gospel reading, Jesus is encouraging His disciples who have sacrificed much to follow Him into ministry. The future holds promise for these courageous souls. Whatever they have given up in order to serve the Lord, they will get back a hundred times over, plus eternal life. They will be entrusted with governing the nation of Israel in the kingdom of God.

It would be a mistake to look at modern day Israel and think disciples will be governing there with Jesus. Instead, Jesus was forming a new nation, a new Israel, through the church. Israel means "strives with God." It comes from the story of Jacob wrestling with a stranger and discovering it is God. God renames Jacob, "Israel," because he struggled with God and men and had prevailed. Another translation has God say to Israel, "for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (Genesis 32:28, KJV)

The nature of Israel's calling is to be a sign to the rest of the world. Through faithfulness to the Lord's covenant with them through Moses, Israel was to live a blessed and peaceful existence. When Israel failed to keep the covenant, they suffered from the hands of their enemies. They eventually lost everything and taken into exile as captives of the Babylonians. But God did not forget His promises to Israel. He remained faithful to the covenant. He sent them prophets with hopeful pictures of the future.

The second reading above is from the prophet Isaiah. This passage is often read during Advent in the weeks preceding Christmas. Christians read of the Christ here. We read of Jesus. Christians understand that Jesus is the child born unto us and on Him rests the authority to rule. He is the anointed one of God. The title "messiah" or "Christ" means anointed one.  

Those who keep covenant with Christ will govern the Kingdom of God, which is a kingdom of conscience. The kingdom is within us. Through the kingdom within we live out our lives. In a sense we must govern our own hearts by turning over our hearts to the King. As his authority continually grows in your life, His rule will impact the world through you. You get together with other disciples who also practice self-government by turning over their lives to the Lord, you will have a powerful association by which to transform the world.

When it comes to understanding Jesus' promise, many think of heavenly rewards in the hereafter. One hymn celebrates "I got a mansion just over the hill top in that bright land where we'll never grow old." It may well be that this is the appropriate interpretation. I wonder, though, if Jesus had a more immediate reward in mind when he promised houses and family to replace that which the disciples had left behind to help Jesus build the kingdom of God.

Consider what the church was like in the early days. Disciples sold property and gave it to the community of believers for relief to those in need. The apostles reportedly all died in service to the Lord. It would seem if they gained a reward, like Jesus promised, it would be after death in paradise. But what if we considered that these men stayed as guests in all kinds of homes during their travels. Disciples opened their homes to the traveling apostles and supplied their needs. While they had no deed to these homes, they had warm shelter and the loving hospitality of those who deeply appreciated their ministry. I'll assume these disciples, who opened their homes to the traveling evangelist or apostle, became like family to their guests.

The church is often called the family of God. The New Testament says we are brothers and sisters in Christ. The apostles sometimes referred to their churches affectionately, calling them their children. Look at Paul's words in his first letter.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. (1st Thessalonians 2:7b-8)

The promise of the kingdom is not only for our life hereafter. It is now, here among those who believe. When we stop thinking in worldly terms, and longing for worldly possessions, we are free to receive the kingdom. The kingdom is rich with treasures that cannot rust, break, or be stolen. The kingdom is rich with the kind of treasures that the heart holds.

My net worth is not much at all, but I am a rich man because I am loved. I am loved by God. I am loved by my family, and I am loved by the church of Jesus Christ. I am welcome in hundreds of homes and hearts. They make me rich with eternal treasures of the heart.

To quote another hymn, 

"I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,

I've been washed in the fountain, 

cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God."

So how is your future looking?

Evil Hemmed In

When I was a child my older brothers were subscribers to the satirical comic MAD magazine. One of the many imagines in MAD that I saw as a child was this one to the right. It's the four horsemen of the metropolis. This image borrows from the biblical image in the book of Revelation. The horsemen are named by their corruption of society.  They are drugs, graft, pollution and slums.

How does this compare to the biblical version? Look at Revelation 6:1-8.

Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay, and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, “Come!” I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Conquest, War, Famine, Death

These four horsemen are popularly named: Conquest, War, Famine and Death. The interpretation of these four are varied, especially the first, the rider on the white horse. Some interpret the white horseman as evil, spreading pestilence. Billy Graham taught that the white horseman was the Antichrist, a king whose influence is felt across the globe as the masses do his bidding through actions of greed, lust, apathy, gluttony, rage, envy and vanity. (Yes, that's the seven deadly sins by Thomas Aquinas)

But there is a positive interpretation. Since the second century, some Christians have interpreted the white horseman as Jesus Christ. Christ came to the world first. Then tribulation came through war, famine and death. Jesus as the conqueror is the victor who won the battle against the kingdom of darkness in his death and resurrection. The crown He wears is the victor's crown. The diadem was given to the winner of the Greek games. 

These four horsemen come as a way of showing what is to come upon the earth. There are part of seven seals. The first seal, if the latter interpretation is correct, is Christ bringing His kingdom on earth. The next three seals reveal suffering upon the earth through war, famine and disease, pestilence and death. The next three seals continue with the persecuted church, cosmic upheaval, and then the marking of the church with protection.

Rev. Glenn Howell, currently serving Zionsville UMC, once preached that there's no mistake that the first seal is Christ and the last seal is His church. Evil is hemmed in by the redemptive work of Christ and His church. While the world is in the throes of childbirth, we suffer pain. Soon the child is born and great joy follows. The suffering gives way to joy!

The kingdom of God ultimately rests in God's hands. It is He who reigns. It is God who must act to bring an end to war, greed and the resulting famine of resources for the rest of us, sickness and death. The church remains faithful to her task even as we wait in the midst of tribulation. 

Some folks these days are wondering if the end is near. They see war on the rise. They watch the Middle East and the growing threat to Israel and the western world. They wonder if the last great battle is soon to come in our lifetime. They are alarmed by reports of horrible diseases like the recent Ebola virus outbreak. They hear of food shortages around the world in underdeveloped countries. The see the signs they think pointing to the end. And they are afraid.

If the book of Revelation has anything relevant to say it is this: "Be faithful and persevere. Salvation is coming." This bizarre book was written for Christians suffering persecution in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey. The Roman government had targeted Christians and the church was suffering. The fifth seal reveals this. (Revelation 6:9-11)

The images of wrath, while frightening and horrific, are meant to be relief for the suffering of the innocent and god-fearing. The kingdom of God is here in Jesus Christ and His church. While the world wages war, the church works for peace. While corporations pursue greed, rape and pollute the environment, and use workers up, the church practices generosity and charity, advocates for environmentally friendly choices and stands with workers who suffer unfair wages and unsafe working environments. While hospitals turn away patients for lack of insurance, the church opens free clinics, offers health education, and prayer for the sick. Evil is not going unchecked. Evil is hemmed in between the Christ and His church.

As I continue to think about the kingdom of God, I see how the church has and will continue to be yeast in the dough, light in the darkness and salt to a perishing world. In what ways can your congregation join the work of transforming the world through hope, and health, and the holy nature of God?

Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me. Amen

New and Improving

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2nd Corinthians 5:17)

"...remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it." Ephesians 2:12-16)

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5a)

How many times have your heard marketers telling you about their new and improved products? We heard it so much I can't believe they haven't found a new line to reel in the consumer. Since the arrival of home computing we get upgrades in our software every year. With digital mobile devices software manufacturers update their applications with regularity.

In the 1980's the teachings of William Edward Deming were suddenly heralded by American corporations. They had seen what Deming had done to make Japanese manufacturers globally competitive with superior products, especially in the electrons and automotive industries. What was Deming's secret? "Continuous improvement" was his mantra.

The buzz word in American corporations was Total Quality Management (TQM). Today employees are trained in Six Sigma, another continuous improvement process. These are all expressions of improving business performance, manufacturing productivity, product quality and customer satisfaction.

We treated TQM just like the church treats the call to make disciples. We went through the motions because we had to. Most of us thought, "Oh great! Another management fad!" We considered all the extra meetings and training to be unnecessary and a waste of time and money. With those attitudes, it probably was a waste, but not because the principles of total quality management were just a fad or a slogan. These were proven methods. Japan has been kicking in our teeth in the marketplace for decades. The failure of TQM, in most companies, was because their people could not make the paradigmatic shift. Their attitudes and habits derailed the effort. Many companies that were thriving in the 1970's are out of business. They couldn't stay competitive.

I think its true that churches compete against each other at some level. We are all trying to reach the same crowd of religious consumers. Which church has the best wow factor? Which has the best music. Which has the most exciting technology? Who has the most charismatic preacher? Which church best meets the needs of my children? Do they have bounce houses? Who's got the coolest youth minister? Who's got the sanctuary everyone wants to get married in? If I join that church do I get a discount?

Call me cynical, but I think Jesus would vomit over this. The church is one. Though we are many branches from the same tree, there is only one church throughout the world. Jesus prayed that we be one so that the world would believe. (John 17:20-21) Our competition is needless. God has a purpose for each of His congregations. Part of that plan is to build loving communities that impact lives with the gospel.

The gospel proclaims that God is making all things new. His work of renewal has begun in the appearance of Jesus Christ. In the three selections above, we learn that God made a new humanity, joining Jew and gentile together as one in Christ. Through Christ we all have access to God through the Holy Spirit. As disciples under the influence of Christ, we are a new creation. We are no longer part of the the old creation dying and corrupt. We are made new in the image of Christ. 

This is a mystical truth. It's like Jesus saying the kingdom of God is here. Oh really? The world looks in pitiful shape. Where is this God who's supposed to be in control? Through faith our eyes are opened to see how God is working to redeem this broken world. But it's still broken. In some ways we seem to be falling backward from what we had once gained as a people. In other ways we are better. I never want to go back to the days when we didn't have laptops, Internet, cellular devices, and iPods! Oh and don't forget streaming video?!! We are in a time between times.

While it is true that God has made us new creations, we are still dealing with the old worn out one. We are still dealing with sinful attitudes and behavior. People still get sick and die. But as a spiritual truth that guides us the newness of our souls breeds new life and new possibilities in us. We have to grow into our newness. That's why we have to learn new ways of thinking and new habits.

Listen to Paul.

Surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:21-24)

In another place Paul tells the disciples to take of the old clothes of the former life polluted by sin and put on Christ. Clothe yourself in Christ. Put on the new! (Colossians 3:9-10)

The point here is that even though we hear the proclamation that we are new creations and that the world is being made new, we have to live according to the new reality. We have to make that paradigm shift. Just as American companies have had difficulty living according to new ways of doing business, churches also struggle, trapped in mindsets and comfortable habits. 

Anytime my software is updated, I am not happy. That means I have to learn how to use the application all over again. My old habits don't work anymore. I was happy with the software the way it was. Why did they have to change it! I can sympathize with church members who resist change. They are comfortable and don't see the need. But when we look at the statistics of church membership falling and congregations closing, we realize the world has changed to the point that our way of doing church is no longer effective at reaching the emerging generations. If that doesn't cause one to want to do better, then there's an even deeper problem with that soul. They do not yet love their neighbors enough to care about their souls.

We are new creations heading into a new era, a new world. Adopt the ways of the new era and leave the old behind. Be new and improving with help from the grace of our Lord.

The Kingdom Within

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:19-26)

The kingdom of God begins within the heart of the disciple of Jesus Christ. Some would argue that God's kingdom exists independent of human agency. I would agree. God is sovereign ruler of heaven and earth. God reigns over all creation. We did not create the world,  or anyone in it. We may participate in creating along with God, but as much as we may want to rule the world, (and some men really do want that) we are not in charge.

I think of Job's complaint before the Lord. He had lost everything, but his own life and his wife. Even she told him to curse God and die! Job maintained there was no grounds for God to treat him this way. He wanted God to answer his question, "Why?" God's answer was basically this: "I am creator. You are not. Who are you to advise God on the governing of the world?" (See Job 38-42)

Still, having acknowledged that God is sovereign, and no plan of God's can be thwarted, I maintain that, insofar as human experience is concerned, the kingdom of God begins in the heart. 

The way God tried to shape the world was through Israel. Israel brought us knowledge of the one true God. Israel made us aware of sin through the law of Moses. As the apostle Paul writes, "through the law comes the knowledge of sin." Therefore the reign of God must be acknowledged within if humans are to enter the kingdom of God. The path to entering the kingdom is faith in Jesus Christ. 

Belief is not as simple as we sometimes make it out. Belief merely brings us into relationship with God through Jesus. Think of it this way. As a pastor I know hundreds of people. I cannot remember all their names, but with a little help our history will come to mind. My relationship with many people is casual, moving little beyond friendly handshakes and greetings. Brief exchanges on a Sunday morning does little to build relationships. We have a relationship, but not very deep. In the same way a disciple can acknowledge their belief that Jesus is their savior, but don't move much past the acknowledgement. 

When I am fortunate, I get opportunity to go deeper with people. I become, not simply an appointed pastor, but I become their pastor in a real sense. They've given me permission to join them at some juncture in their life. It's a great honor and a profound gift these have given me. In the same way, we can move deeper in our belief by acknowledging Jesus as Lord of our lives. This is very different from acknowledging Jesus as Savior. Everybody wants to be told that Jesus paid the price for their sins. We all want forgiveness. We all want to be loved. The gospel tells us this. God loves us and sent His son to die that our sins might be washed away and the mercy of God flood into our hearts. But when it comes to Jesus becoming Lord over our lives, that's something we don't always want. 

Many disciples follow Jesus only in part. The Lord can have dominion over their Sunday morning, but not the rest of the week. Or the Lord can have control over my public behavior, but not my private thoughts. You get the idea. The Lord Jesus will have dominion over our entire life. That is why He says you must die to yourself if you would be His disciple. (Mark 8:34-38)

Some people I become close friends with. We hit it off. We work at our relationship. We laugh together and play together. We weep together and pray together. We care for and support each other. That's a fuller expression of belief than mere acknowledgement. Our believing in Jesus moves us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with our Savior, until His love transforms us to the point that we know His love is all we need. In Him we have everything we need. Our belief within becomes the arena where we hand over our very lives. We offer Jesus the controls. We stop trying to be masters of our own existence. 

Paul speaks of a righteousness that come by faith, a righteousness that the law could never produce. What the law did produce was a knowledge of the power of sin. Paul describes sin powerfully in Romans 7.

I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. (Romans 7:7b-8a)

So since all of us sin and fall short of God's glory, God has made a way for us to become truly righteous by freeing us from sin through the greater power of grace. Grace is given to us through our relationship with Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives. Jesus has the authority and power to deliverer us from every temptation, and mercy to cover every mistake. 

The beginning of our relationship with Jesus is as a passive recipient.  God's gift of Jesus is something we cannot earn. He willingly gives us mercy, forgiveness and grace for living through our receiving Christ. But the deepening relationship with Jesus moves us toward His grace filled support and wisdom and our happy obedience to serve His mission.

So we start out as being seen or judged as righteous in God's eyes, not because of our own righteous behavior, but because of Jesus' righteous behavior and God's loving mercy. We stand right before God through the holy sacrifice of Jesus. But now, once for all restored to God through Jesus' sacrifice, we are being made righteous through Jesus enabling us to be as He is.

For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2nd Corinthians 5:21)

The phrase "in him" or "in Christ" means we live under His authority and power. We are joined to Christ and Christ to us. We abide in Him and He in us. Our bodies are His temples. He resides upon His throne in our hearts and we look within for our Sovereign Lord to lead us, provide for us, and command us. We are His servants. Jesus is our King. We are His happy subjects who serve in all His kingdom. He is our generous, loving, wise and powerful King, who rules not with oppression and an iron fist, but with compassion, mercy, and truth.  

"the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God"
Romans 8:7

Until we come to to the place of serving Christ as Lord of our lives, we will continue to live serving our own base needs, our wants and desires. We will follow fad and fashion. We will get mixed up in the movement of the crowd, and ignore the calling of Christ on our lives. God's grace is calling you to enter the kingdom of God. That means a trip inside before the throne, not once in a life time, but daily and continually. This state as a Christian in name only is what Paul called living by the flesh. When Jesus truly becomes Lord of your life, your life is led by the Spirit of Christ, not by the urges of your flesh. 

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. (Romans 8:5-9a)

Paul then implores the church of Jesus to live according to the Spirit living for Christ, not for the desires of the flesh. It's easy to make this sexual when we talk about flesh, but it's way more than that. The flesh is how we think, what we feel, what our bodies crave, and our hearts desire. The Spirit of Jesus sanctifies us making us want what God wills and then giving us the power to do what God wills. (Philippians 2:13)

The kingdom of God is within you. Once you become a loyal subject through the redemptive work of God's grace, you will begin to impact the world outside much more effectively. God can use you at any level of holiness. You can even be a nonbeliever and God can use you. He used Cyrus the Great to liberate the Jews from Babylon. Cyrus did not know the God of Israel, nor did he serve Him. God used Cyrus anyway, because God is sovereign ruler of the earth. But when you are working in harmony with God's will and His humble servant, you are most fruitful.

Enter the Kingdom and build that relationship within between you and the Lord. Then you, and all who love and serve Him, will together change the world to a place that looks more like a place that pleases God. 

The Prophet's Dream

The Prophet Isaiah Dreams of the Kingdom of God

15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
with no one passing through,
I will make you majestic forever,
a joy from age to age.
16 You shall suck the milk of nations,
you shall suck the breasts of kings;
and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17 Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
instead of iron I will bring silver;
instead of wood, bronze,
instead of stones, iron.
I will appoint Peace as your overseer
and Righteousness as your taskmaster.
18 Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
devastation or destruction within your borders;
you shall call your walls Salvation,
and your gates Praise.
God the Glory of Zion
19 The sun shall no longer be
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give light to you by night;
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun shall no more go down,
or your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of mourning shall be ended.
21 Your people shall all be righteous;
they shall possess the land forever. (Isaiah 60:15-21)

Isaiah 60 and 61 are filled with poetic and symbolic images of the restoration of Israel. It is from prophets like Isaiah that gave Jews hope in the kingdom of God. The writings of the prophets gave them hope in a Messiah to come, whom God would anoint with His Spirit, to lead Israel into a prosperous and peaceful future. The kingdom of God is marked by God's blessing. The people of God will know peace. They will experience justice, which I like to define as right relationships in every aspect of human community. They will enjoy plenty and watch their children prosper. The kingdom of God is marked by righteous behavior. Indeed the people of God will hunger and thirst for God's right ways. (Matthew 5:6) The Lord will bless His people with life and health and wholeness. It's what the Hebrews came to call shalom.

Shalom is an over all sense of well being in every aspect. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary defines shalom as "the term for peace, wholeness, well-being. It describes the ideal human state, both individual and communal, the ultimate gift from God."

One of my favorite quotes from the film Air Force One was uttered by the actor Harrison Ford, who portrayed the president of the United States. The fictional character said, "Peace is not simply the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice."

Peace is the presence of justice. If justice is right relationships, then peace is a product of right relationships. God acted in Jesus Christ to reconcile Himself to the world. We are invited to do our part to reconcile with God. Through Jesus Christ, disciples are made right with God. Through grace we are empowered to live righteous lives. (See Philippians 2:13) 

Through a right relationship with God we are being restored to God's holy image, which we know in Jesus Christ. As the righteousness of Jesus Christ fills our hearts, we begin to share in His righteousness. We begin to treat others according to God's right ways. We develop right relationships with others. Our right ways and redeemed relationships have far reaching effects throughout our communities. Just society blesses the world, because hearts are governed by love for God and people. Justice flows like a might river, because our hearts have hungered for righteousness and God has given it.

I will appoint Peace as your overseer
and Righteousness as your taskmaster.
Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
devastation or destruction within your borders; (Isaiah 60:17b-18a)

Justice, peace, and righteousness yield an absence of violence. Community is released to pursue more profitable endeavors than war and scuffles. Prosperity returns to those who live according to God's righteousness and seek right relationships. The business owner cares for the least in His company. He makes sure there are fair wages and equity.

Did you hear about the president of Kentucky State University? He gave $90,000 of his salary to the lowest paid employees of the university. (See http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/university-president-takes-90-000-pay-cut-gives-money-staff-n225406)

Health returns to the people who enjoy peace within and peace in society. Renewal and the stuff of life fills the nation which seeks to love God and love others.

The church is an expression of the kingdom of God. Disciples work toward perfection in loving God and loving all people. The grace of the Lord does the perfecting work in us and our relationships with God and each other is made right according the love and righteousness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. 

When Jesus began His ministry He quoted the prophet Isaiah's dream of the kingdom of God.

He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17b-21)

Jesus' kingdom building ministry included three things: teaching, healing and liberation. Jesus taught people hope through the good news that God's reign had come with His arrival. The proclamation that the kingdom of God is near was accompanied with acts of divine power. The sick were healed. The hungry were fed, which leads to good health. And those who were held captive to oppressive forces, spiritual or political, were set free. The hopeful Jews who followed Jesus found themselves free of the burdensome religious requirements of the Pharisees. The demon-possessed were liberated. The greedy tax collector was released to serve a new master. No longer did he serve a greed for wealth, but a passion for the Lord and His people.

Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God had come. He preached the gospel and people were given hope. The lame walked, the deaf heard, and the blind began to see. The captives to oppressive spirits, thoughts, individuals and systems were set free. 

The transformation of the world comes through the spiritually anointed body of Christ. The same Jesus who proclaimed the kingdom in Judea in the first century, reigns over His earthly body, the church. When the church obeys the leading of their Sovereign Lord, the world will be impacted by justice work, healing mercies, and the hope inspiring words of the gospel. The church transform the world with hope, heath and holiness. By holiness I mean sharing in the nature of God who is love. In the end the kingdom of God is the kingdom of love. When love rules the heart, your world will become better and brighter.

May the Prophet's dream continue to be fulfilled until every soul is free, and every body is whole, and all humanity is enjoying shalom. Amen

Kingdom Talk

The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
Mathew 13:24-30, 36-43

Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! (Matthew 13:40-43)

When we think of the kingdom of God (of the kingdom of heaven), we often think in terms of the afterlife. We think of some austere city in the clouds galaxies away far beyond our tiny planet. We have heard descriptions of heaven in terms of golden streets and pearly gates. They say everybody gets a mansion.

When Jesus was talking about the kingdom of God He wasn't so much thinking about a far away place. Just the opposite; He proclaimed the kingdom of God was near, close at hand. 

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

Another way to read the last statement is, "the kingdom of God is within you." Both ideas are adequate for describing the kingdom of God. The reign of God is both spiritually within and socio-politically among us. 

The concept of the good government of God goes back to the early books in the Old Testament. God established a covenant relationship with Israel through Moses. The covenant defined the laws by which Israel would live as the chosen nation of God. God functions as the ruler over Israel who serves God by living according to the laws set by their sovereign. In exchange for Israel's obedience, God promised blessing. The kingdom of God would mean God would dwell among His people. God's holy presence meant blessing. The people of God would enjoy righteousness, justice, and peace, plenty and health.

When Israel asked the prophet Samuel to set a king over them, God told Samuel they were rejecting God as king.

...they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. (1st Samuel 8:7b-8)

Israel followed with a long history of bad kings and good kings. Some kings led them into idolatry. War, injustice, disease and famine followed their apostasy. The great hope of the prophets was that Israel and its kings would return to righteous obedience to the Lord. By returning to covenant faithfulness, God would restore the people.

During the exile in Babylon prophets like Isaiah wrote to encourage the punished people of God with words of hope. God wouldn't forget them. He would bring back to Jerusalem a remnant and renew Israel. The images often include the wealth of the nations being brought to Jerusalem as tribute for the God of Israel. The restoration of the nation includes the healing of the people and the liberation of captives. Orphans and widows are cared for. Wars come to an end forever. The kingdom would be free of evil, too. (See Isaiah 60-61)

In the passage above Jesus speaks of the end of the age by way of a parable. At harvest the farmer separated the wheat from the weeds. In the same way God will separate the evil from the righteous. The evil will burn like the weeds. It's common to get fixated on the hellish extermination or punishment of the wicked, but look what Jesus says after the Judgement!

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:43)

Accountability to God is a consistent theme when it comes to talking about the end.  The purpose for this separation of righteous and wicked people is so that the kingdom of God will be pure and completely sanctified. Jesus says the righteous will shine! It's a way of saying the righteous will be glorious like God is glorious. The separation of the righteous from the wicked is not unlike God separating light from darkness, or the primordial waters from the earth, so that life could flourish.

Note, however, that Jesus told the parable of the wheat and weeds, not simply to give hope in the sanctified (completely pure and holy) kingdom, but to explain how the church dwells in the midst of a dying age where good and bad people live. The good are referred to as children of the kingdom. Other places the good are called the children of God. The bad people are called children of the evil one. Other places, they are called children of the devil. 

The church is like yeast within dough. A small pinch causes the whole batch to rise. The church is like light to darkness. Even a small birthday candle causes darkness to flee and lights the way. What is darkness, but the absence of light?

Our task as disciples of Jesus is to be light for the dark, in hope that those trapped in darkness (those held by the evil one) might come to the light (to the God of our gospel). Jesus' parables about the kingdom teach us that the growth of the church is gradual. God's reign grows gradually in our hearts. We grow in faith and deepen in love. The number of people to bow at the name of Jesus grows gradually. 

Within the church there are some who are still trapped by the evil one, not fully freed by their growing faith in Christ. The parable of the wheat and weeds in Matthew 13 tells us that we are to coexist with those trapped in sin. We are not to weed them out of our congregations. Instead we are to journey with them, pray for and encourage them as we wait for the completion of God's redemptive work in us and the whole of creation.

It is through hope, faith and love that the children of the kingdom (that is the church), continue to pursue perfection in loving God and people. As God sanctifies the church, the church becomes a cleansing and life-giving presence in the world. The world is transformed by the church, because the church brings the light of salvation. 

Transform the World

Tolstoy

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:9-18)

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, also know as Leo Tolstoy, the Russian author, philosopher and political thinker, was a Christian and wrote much on the subject of Christianity. He is popularly quoted to have said, "The only problem with Christianity is that no one has ever tried it."

Whether that quote is accurate or not, Tolstoy did have his critiques of Christianity. He felt that the church all too often sided with those in power, and as a result, became part of the oppression of others. Clergy preaching in support of military action is just one example. Tolstoy was convinced that no man has the right to control by force the actions of another. He believed Jesus Christ was the perfect example of this peaceful existence. 

It's not that Jesus didn't have conflict. He did. And it's not that Jesus laid down like a door mat in the face of oppression. He did not. Jesus stood His ground and spoke the truth. He did use force when he drove animals used for sacrifice from the temple courts. The courts were meant for prayer, but it had turned into a marketplace to sell sacrificial animals to pilgrims. This included exchanging currency to the temple shekel. The money changers took their cut. It was a system that could easily be abused by greed. Jesus may or may not have driven the greedy men from the temple with a whip. The New Testament accounts are not specific as to whether it was the animals Jesus drove out, or the money changers, or both.

    

Karl Marx

Karl Marx believed that religion was merely the product of economic systems. Religion serves its purpose to keep the poor happy with their lot. Marx said religion is like an opiate for the masses. He found no value in the beliefs of religion itself, nor did Marx think that religion can change culture. Since religion is a product of culture and its socio-economic values, it only serves to perpetuate the status quo. In his mind, Marx felt true happiness is found by leaving religion behind and pursuing the dignity of humanity. 

What Marx does not understand, nor do today's liberal neo-marxists in American government, is that humans, while capable of great dignity, are sinful. They will always drift into self-seeking, self-protecting decisions and behaviors. Take a look at China and Russia and other Communist countries. Their leaders live in luxury while their people struggle at times for even access to basic human needs.

How do we transform the world? The church is the living expression of the kingdom of God. Take a look at the description, in the Romans 12 passage cited above, of a loving community dedicated to God, who is love, and to one another.

The early Christians practiced a very intimate fellowship based on the radical love of Jesus Christ. They laid down their lives for each other. They sold their property and possessions and gave the proceeds to a common purse. The funds were distributed as people in the community had need. They practiced what one economist called communalism. They practiced such radical love because they believed that Jesus is the Lord of heaven and earth. They came to love and trust in Jesus and followed His teachings. They hoped for the end of this corrupt age and the fulfillment of the kingdom of God. They began living according to the proclaimed new reality: "The kingdom of God is near."

What is the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven? It is God's reign, God's government on earth. The prophets proclaimed the restoration of God's people Israel. Their restoration was marked by a divinely anointed king, a son of David, who would lead the nation to peace and prosperity under the righteousness of God. This Messiah would bring justice to the land and liberate the captives and lift the poor from their burdens. God rules His people through the leadership of the Messiah, who loves God and keeps His commands according to the law of Moses.

In God's economy, prosperity comes to Israel when they obey God's covenant through Moses. But when they disobey, curse befalls the nation. God's law is just and shows compassion for the poor, the foreigner, and the stranger. When the people follow the righteous law of God, blessing comes. The fields produce an abundance of crops. The flocks and herds bear fruitfully their young. There is plenty for all. Famine strikes the nation when they disobey and chase after other gods, seeking to please them.

When Jesus of Nazareth appeared, He became known as the Son of David, and the Son of Man. He was called the Christ, the Messiah. Christians all believe Jesus is the Christ. But we do not think of His reign solely in earthly terms. His reign is foundationaly spiritual. Jesus is love incarnate. As His love rules the hearts of humanity, then human relationships are redeemed. Then true justice comes to society because each human wants the betterment of their neighbor. Love wants what is best for all.

Tolstoy wrote about the kingdom of God. 

"The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity by contributing to the establishment of the kingdom of God, which can only be done by the recognition and profession of the truth by every man."

Yesterday during a time of dialogue, one of our church members said she wished every troubled soul would know the loving Spirit of Jesus. Christians are on a mission from God. It is a mission to change the world through the love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

But if churches are to be effective at this mission to transform the world through love, we have to be transformed ourselves as holy and loving communities. We must persevere and learn to love as Christ loves us. That means we have to hold each other accountable to the standards of love. 

More on that tomorrow. LET LOVE BE GENUINE.