A Kingdom Reaction

The other day, someone posted on social media, longing for a convenience store that is --so far-- only located in the area in which he grew up. Whether for the nostalgia or for the once delicious pretzels (sans the recent addition of a ridiculous number of preservatives, I would imagine), I didn't ask; but I began to wonder, What if he was given the opportunity to open a franchise in his area? It would be like bringing a slice of home to someplace home is not. Over the years, a couple of our children have set out on paths that have taken them far from home. From time to time, I sent items or words of encouragement to remind them that home was in their hearts. Home is an important thing to have near you. Or, think of Disney World, "The Happiest Place on Earth" (or the most insidious, IMHO). What if Disney was going to open up a new park right in your town? It would bring all the glitter and fantasy and excitement to the place where you are! I mean, if Disney was really as wholesome as it'd like people to think it is, that would be wonderful! World-renown happiness and adventure right in your neighborhood! Happiness and adventure are nice to have close by.

As believers, we are to work to bring the kingdom of God to earth. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10) What does that look like in the practical sense? Is it like a taste of home? a place for which we long, one that provides us with security in identity, a place that tethers us to foundational hope but allows us to soar into the farthest reaches of that hope? Or is the kingdom like the epitomic wonderland? a place so secure, one can run and play with abandon, knowing nothing there can harm? a place where fun and rapture and innocence converge into reality that surpasses imagination, a place where everything pure and joyous can be savored without limit, a place where only the best things are possible and granted admittance? Or is it more? 

Over a series of articles, I'd like us to ponder the Kingdom of God --what it is, and what is the responsibility of its members here on earth --beginning with Matthew 13.

Prior to elucidating the nature of the kingdom of God, Jesus begins with a parable about hearing. In fact, not only is the parable the preface to His description and is a parable about parables, it is the very nature of the kingdom. What is your response to the gospel message? Essentially, if we fall into any of the categories in which the seed does not take root and produce fruit, we have not understood the value of the message, have not grasped it, and are therefore, not a part of the kingdom of God. The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom are restricted to those who have been given them. Some are called into the kingdom and some are not; some long to be a vital part of the kingdom --they are those who will be granted greater benefit --and some, though they hear the word of the kingdom, in their complacence and vapidity, do not understand its worth and do not guard it --they are those who will have it snatched away. 

So, let's stop there for now. What images does the word home invoke? Are there smells that take you back to a place of comfort and peace? Even if the home you were given as a child was not what you had dreamed, what do you imagine home to be? What if a world of imagination, freedom, and joy was available to you today --what would be your response? Would you jealously guard that place of refuge and elation? Would you do all you could to maintain it, at the same time inviting those you love to join you? Or would you be skeptical? careless? Would you enjoy it for a moment but, not really wanting to tackle the upkeep or weather what could be some difficult seasons, exchange it for the superficial and familiar? What would be your response to the news of something wonderful available to you today?

There's No End in Sight, But There Is Today

We're almost to the end. Sycophantic corporations can go back to the logos (sans rainbows) they've used on products for the past eleven months. Cities can stop wasting taxpayer money on parades and debauched celebrations. Leadership can cease their virtue signaling, and Christians can crawl back into their holes. Wait! What?! Well, for those of you who have been white-knuckling it through the past 20-some days, squeezing your eyes together and repeating, Make it go away. Make it go away; and for those of you who, three hundred thirty-five days out of the year couldn't care less about standing up for what is morally right or what the Bible says but have been making the biggest stink over Pride and the lack of decency, the homosexual community is preparing to recede back into their quiet lives until next June. You may also.

Of course I'm being facetious. The homosexual community is not going anywhere any time soon. But let me be clear, when it comes to the part about Christians, I'm speaking to myself here --and not that I can extinguish my light or rest assured the world will suddenly be godly the remainder of the year. If I'm going to call myself a Christian, I have to always act like Christ. Jesus was always Jesus. His love for the Father never changed and, therefore, His message to sinners never changed. Hebrews 13:8 assures us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never put on airs or falsely ramped things up because He was in the presence of someone particularly heinous or perverse; He never backed it down because...well, He didn't want to offend anyone. He gave it to everyone straight; He is truth itself! If we are keeping quiet or increasing the intensity with which we speak up for any other reason than the Holy Spirit has commanded us, we are not only not imitating Christ, but we are being as disingenuous as the above-mentioned people pleasers. Scripture commands we love God and love others without exception. Our love for a just and holy God should compel us to desire and do His will on earth as it is in heaven. We should be doing all we can, twelve months out of the year to bring His kingdom to earth by delivering to everyone the message we received, the message of reconciliation to God through Christ Jesus. It should never be, Oh, the gays are back; we have to do something. It should always be that people need to hear the truth about Jesus that lives might be changed. We should never think to ourselves, I can't say anything these days; people are so touchy. We should always think of the eternal consequences of our silence and speak the truth in love.

So, yeah, this message is for those who call themselves by the name of Jesus the Christ --myself included (maybe, especially). There are twelve months in a year, twelve months in which the world needs to hear the truth of Jesus, twelve months in which we are called to be the ones to share it. Let's not get all hung up on what the advertisers or the legislators or the card companies or even the calendar decrees. Jesus says, 

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you... (Matthew 28:19, 20),

for now is the accepted time; ...now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2, emphasis mine).

No Rival

Let's play a game! It's an "opposites" game. Should be easy, right? We learned opposites almost before we could learn to read. I say, High? You say, "Low." Got it? Okay, let's begin.

Stop? That's right, "Go."

On? Yep, "Off."

Light? Right again! "Dark."

Right? "Wrong." Wrong! I mean, "Wrong" is correct, of course!

Next one. Satan? Did I hear you say, "God"? 

Welp, sorry, that's not it. Nope, not "Jesus" either. In fact, when it comes to Satan, a created being, a fallen angel, there might just be more than one opposite. It might be you, for instance: he's running around trying to steal God's glory, but you're living a life that bring God glory. An angel might rival Satan: angels are known to go around spreading good tidings of great joy, while Satan thrives on chaos, fear, worry, and spreading bad news. Really, whatever the opposite is, it is certainly not God. God has no rival, no equal, no opposite; there is no one and no thing on par with God and, therefore. no one and no thing that can be contrasted with God. 

So, why the game? Why the speech? For a long time, I would have answered "God" if someone had asked me the opposite of Satan. Good-Bad. Right-Wrong. God-Satan. It was sort of the way I was conditioned, but there are so many dissimilarities between God and Satan, it doesn't even make sense to me anymore. Satan is a created being; God is not. Satan answers to God; God answers to no one. Satan is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient; God is all those things. Satan possesses only the power and authority granted to him; God is sovereign. And though it doesn't make sense (as I sit here in the quiet of my climate-controlled environment) I still find myself thinking in such a way as to give the devil far more credit than he is due. I still get that sick feeling in my stomach when I read another school has fired a teacher for mentioning God in the classroom. I still feel anxiety rising when I hear laws are being passed to accommodate abortions. When will it stop? something within me moans. Oh, things are just getting so much worse. But isn't this the world we are warned will come? Isn't this part of the plan for God's glory? Hasn't the Lord already promised He has overcome all this? Why give Satan so much credit? God is on His throne. Satan is not being permitted to do anything God has not allowed as part of His ultimate victory. If you belong to Jesus Christ, whatever you are going through --financial difficulty, eviction, homelessness, joblessness, false accusations, a terminally sick child, abandonment, whatever --you have two options:

• Know God will deliver you from it before you leave this earth, OR
• He will deliver you from it when you leave this earth.

Either way, God is allowing it for your good and for His glory. Satan is not running amuck. Satan has not been able to sneak in the backdoor with this. Satan hasn't gotten one over on God. God hasn't suddenly checked out, gone on vacation, turned a blind eye, thrown up His hands and said, Oh, this is just too much for Me! He is still God. With absolutely no equal. With no one to whom He is accountable. Perfect in character and power, "merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth; showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations." (Exodus 34:6, 7 CJB) 

Disciples have got to think rightly about who God says He is, and who Satan is not. We have got to fix our eyes on the One who holds all things in His hands. We have got to trust in the character and authority of the One who has victory over death and calls us to be servants and heirs in His kingdom; the One who promises all things are for our good and for His glory; the One who has none to compare, none to contrast, the One who has no rival!