When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:31–37 ESV
God put on flesh and blood, became one of us -- fully man, and still fully God -- his parents named him Jesus. He grew up, and then when he was around 30 years old publicly announced why he had come, “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” “The Kingdom of God is breaking in -- through me.” “God’s rule and his reign are breaking in to the kingdom of darkness and death.”
Old Testament prophets had shared visions of what this Kingdom would look like, no more death, no more disease, no more hopelessness, God dwelling with his people, partnering with them as Kingdom co-laborers, all things restored to the perfect harmony that was intended before the fall. “The Kingdom of God is at hand,” Jesus announced. One day it will come in full, but for now it will co-exist with the kingdom of darkness and death. He walked his remaining days on earth as a King in peasant clothes, fully embodying what it means for people to act with God in his Kingdom. And then he left us to return claim his rightful thrown. He left us, not abandoned, but empowered, agents, ambassadors, bringing his Kingdom ethics to the places of hunger, thirst, nakedness, sickness and imprisonment -- to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our King.
As he prepared to return to his throne, the King looked at his kingdom partners and and issued a Kingly proclamations: Know that I have been given complete authority to rule the Kingdom of God -- I am in control, even when the competing Kingdoms seem to be. Never forget this, keep this truth and let it fuel you. And as you go -- far and near -- invite people into my Kingdom, initiate them and welcome them into my Kingdom with baptism into a new identity in all that I am - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Apprentice my new citizens in the ways of my Kingdom, help them and journey with them as you and they live into their new citizenship. As you do this, remember that you are not alone, even though I leave, I am always with you, forever. Matthew 28:18–20 (My paraphrase)
We serve a very real King of a very real Kingdom, that breaks into the kingdoms of darkness and death, bringing light, life and hope. And it does so through us.
Peace, hope, love
Doug
Posts
so,in all honesty,this scripture defines my experience with"call". I want to do what God has created me to do. I don't want to do it
ReplyDeletealone,but in community. I'm repeatedly drawn to people who have little to do with church but are ministering to the sick,dying,marginalized in neighborhood. Their song to the homeless,sick,is a melody that resonates with my hearts desire.