Amazing to read this tonight in light of... well... you know. It's long, but it's so. thought. provoking. Truly, our kingdom is not of this world. And when our physical kingdom stands in opposition to our spiritual one I'd bet my bottom dollar it's gonna be *good* for our spiritual growth. Wheat amongst weeds. It's so clear (at least for me, surrounded by wheat fields tee hee!) . We want and fight for our physical (political) kingdom to be a wheat field, pure and beautiful, waving in the sunlight, pulling up weeds before they have a chance to germinate and take over. But we've got it backwards. We are stalks of wheat planted in a world of weeds. Wow. Now that's something to chew on.
Selected Excerpts from "The Jesus I Never Knew" by Philip Yancey, Chapter 12"Kingdom, Wheat Among the Weeds".
"Sheep among wolves, a tiny seed in the garden, yeast in bread dough, salt in meat: Jesus' own metaphors of the kingdom describe a kind of "secret force" that works from within. he said nothing of a triumphant church sharing power with the authorities. The kingdom of God appears to work best as a minority movement, in opposition to the kingdom of this world. When it grows beyond that, the kingdom subtly changes in nature.
For this reason, I must say in an aside, I worry about the recent surge of power among U.S. Christians (keep in mind this book was written in 95... bear with me, it resonates even in hindsight), who seem to be focusing more and more on political means.... Evangelicals especially are identified with a certain political stance, so much so that the news media use the terms "evangelical" and "religious right" interchangeably.
When I ask a stranger, "What is an evangelical Christian to you?" I get an answer something like this: "Someone who supports family values and opposes homosexual rights and abortion." This trend troubles me because the gospel of Jesus was not primarily a political platform. The issues that confront Christians in a secular society must be faced and addressed and legislated, and a democracy gives Christians every right to express themselves. But we dare not invest so much in the kingdom of this world that we neglect our main task of introducing people to a different kind of kingdom, one based solely on God's grace and forgiveness. passing laws to enforce morality serves a necessary function, to dam up evil, but it never solves human problems. If a century from now all that historians can say about Christians of the 1990's is that they stood for family values, then we will have failed the mission Jesus gave us to accomplish: to communicate God's reconciling love to *sinners*.
Jesus did not say, "All men will know you are my disciples... if you just pass laws, suppress immorality, and restore decency to family and government," but rather "...if you love one another."
When Roman governor Pilate asked Jesus point blank whether he was king of the Jews, he replied, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." .... Jesus told his parables of the kingdom in part to correct such nationalistic notions. God is working primarily not through nations, but through a kingdom that transcends nations.
As I now reflect on Jesus' stories of the kingdom, I sense that much uneasiness among Christians today stems from a confusion of the two kingdoms, visible and invisible. Each time an election rolls around, Christians debate whether this man or that man is "God's man" for the White House. Projecting myself back into Jesus' time, I have difficulty imagining him pondering whether Tiberius, Octavius or Julius Caesar was "God's man" for the empire. (I have issues with this particular point, but am quoting it anyway for the context of the next sentence which I do think has merit;-) ) The politics of Rome were virtually irrelevant to the kingdom of God.
Nowadays, as the U.S. grows increasingly secularized, it appears that church and state are heading in different directions. The more I understand Jesus' message of the kingdom of God, the less alarm I feel over that trend. Our real challenge, the focus of our energy, should not be to Christianize the United States of America (or Canada), always a losing battle, but rather to strive to be God's kingdom in an increasingly hostile world. As Karl Barth said, "(The Church) exists... to set up in the world a new sign which is radically dissimilar to (the world's) own manner and which contradicts it in a way which is full of promise."
Ironically, if the United States is truly sliding down a slippery moral slope, that may better allow the church-as it did in Rome and also in China-to set up "a new sign... which is full of promise."... If the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church, the contemporary political scene hardly offers much threat.
...Indeed, the kingdom of God will grow on earth as the church creates an alternative society dmonstrating what the world is *not*, but one day will be: Barth's prescription of a "a new sign which is radically dissimilar to (the world's) own manner and which contradicts it in a way that is full of promise." A society that welcomes people of all races and social classes, that is characterized by love and not polarization, that cares most for its weakest members, that stands for justice and righteousness in a world enamored with selfishness and decadence, a society in which members compete for the privilege of serving one another- this is what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God.
11 comments:
Such a needed perspective at this time. I agree Christians have a duty to stand up against what is wrong and for what is good and holy. But we've driven our tent stakes on this side of Jordan too deep and we go about our lives as if this is our permanent dwelling place. Amen, Prairie Chick!
Sometimes your perspective on such things I've not thought twice about "wow me"..like now..I'm gonna have to reread all that again...when do you have time to think of all this with your big beautiful family and farm..gessh!
Ok I'm off to chase butterflies cause it's within my grasp..tee hee. Have a blessed day in HIM!
another home run!!! this was so great friend...I am so glad that you shared it!
Very interesting perspective and I agree wholeheartedly. How sad that "evangelical" has come to mean someone who stands for a certain set of political and moral standards rather than someone who preaches the good news of the gospel. The evangelical movement (at least near me) seems to often be caught up in condemning others for their sins rather than bringing them to Christ who is able to cleanse from sin.
I've been reading Matthew this week and have noticed a similar trend with Christians to that which Jesus reproved the Pharisees for. Too often we look at outward appearances and neglect to deal with heart issues. The physical sins are merely symptoms of deeper problems. So often Romans 1 is quoted as God's condemnation of certain sins, but Romans 2 is rarely read alongside it. It is the goodness of God that leads man to repentance. I would bet that rarely is anyone won to Christ through condemnation for sins which are the outward manifestation of an inward need for God. As we come to know Christ and our relationship with our heavenly Father and His Son deepens, that is when we can finally cast aside that old man nature and put on the new man.
I think I may have strayed from the topic, but as usual you've set me thinking:o)
That perspective hit me hard when I read What's So Amazing About Grace by Yancey earlier this year. Excellent thoughts to chew on, Prairie Chick. Thanks for the post.
he he... I wonder if I will ever learn to exercise spell checker? I got a funny email from a girlfriend this morning informing me that I referred to God's "man" in the White House as God's "ma".
A very good post on which you get my minds wheels to turning, much to think on? I will say however that I do agree with you and, I like Della think that this perspective is very needed at this time.
Also I would like to apologize if my comments from the last 2 days caused you any undue stress or worry, I in no certain way meant for it to. I really do appreciate you and your posts which have made for some very lively discussions at night with my dh and caused me to evaluate myself at times also. Have a great weekend! Brandie
*Della* you summed that up so succinctly and perfectly, I *wish* I had that gift, LOL!
*P.S. Dawn* I had to re-read it myself a few times, and typing it out was actually a way for me to process it as well. I'm still processing it. I don't think this stuff up on my own, I get emotionally invested in what I am reading (not that I read alot, just one bible chapter, and then about 20 minutes during quiet time after lunch) and what I read is "in there" floating around and coming to the surface as I wash dishes, fold laundry, vacuum or what have you.
I guess that's one reason I am VERY selective about what I watch/read. When my brain gets to musing over something, I want it to be something worthwhile.
And maybe you haven't noticed yet, but I will go through phases where my brain is keener than others, just flying along absorbing and processing all manners of things at a great rate and then suddenly pfft. the lights go out. Not a deep thought to be found, just a simple, thankful, peaceful, floatin' along enjoyin' the view type phase. Prairie Guy loves those phases. LOL. But he loves my crazy thinking phases too, just a person can only take so much =)
*Kansas Jenni* I hear you, and it wasn't a rabbit trail at all. Totally relevant. This book touched on that alot in a previous chapter as well.
*Heidi* WSAAG is on my nightstand, next in line. I expect to be challenged.
*Brandie* no, no, no, nothing that anyone said made me feel uncomfortable or stressed, I totally don't feel anything inappropriate was said, or anything like that. Was just opening up about something I've been pondering and am trying to intentionally practice in my life, in the flesh and in this venue as well.
Your guys' sharing is fortifying to me. It's a ray of friendship and fellowship in my busy day that makes me a better person. You inspire conversation around our table too, not just vice versa, and that is the beautiful fruit of fellowship.
Really makes a mind think which is good in my book. I too agree with you as well as with Della's comment. We Christians do have a duty to stand up against what is wrong and to spread what is right! We to get way to comfortable in this world and yet at the same time while getting comfortable we start to become content. Being content brings on compromise and compromise brings on comfort which all three become very dangerous in our christian walk. When we give in to these is when we lose sight of the cross and if we lose sight of the cross who is then the salt of the earth? Thanks for this post and yesterdays!
Joy
That was a great book. I reread it a few months back. I think the political viewpoints of evangelicals are changing if Sojourners is anything to go by. Still, it is hard to remember that we do not operate best through power and control. Heck, most of us parent that way and think it's the only way to do it.
Brillant!!
Perfect.
Hit the spot.
Thank you PC.
Post a Comment