kingdom
Welcome to the conversation.
As Jesus gets to the end of his message on the hill (Matthew 5-7), Matthew reports that ‘the crowd burst into applause,’ (The Message). The question Jesus poses is: Would they put his words into practice and therefore make them “foundational words, words to build a life on,” which is what Jesus intended the people to do: ‘It was apparent [Jesus] was living everything he was saying.’
In a conversation a few days ago I was asked: “Are you for real?”
The conversation was about how the ways we walk with God, our strengths and gifts, and our passions explain to someone how they are uniquely by God. Apparently she wasn’t sure if I really believed what I had been saying about the remarkable lives we have been given to live in relation to God and to one-another.
I do really believe this, but the question made me think more critically of the responses I’ve had over the years from people I have told shared these things with, specifically: how they walk with God (their spiritual pathways); how they work out and live out their strengths and gifts; and, the identifying and pursuance of the passion that God has placed inside of them.
I think I realise more now than before how this makes little sense beyond it being perceived as another course or programme for people to attend - I refuse to use such words or produce materials for what I am increasingly calling the Way of Jesus - and therefore it does not have the life-transforming impact it ought to have on a person’s life. The question in the conversation a few days ago for me shone the light on the fact that we need to figure out that we must live our lives for something bigger than ourselves; when we have identified what our life mission is then we want to find out everywhichway to be able to live the Way of Jesus.
It may be that we cannot yet identify just what this specific mission is yet, but we can begin here: Is not the bigger thing, the kingdom of God? Didn’t Jesus say, “Seek the kingdom of God first of all”? Wasn’t the first message - some say the only sermon of Jesus we have recorded - is “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is here”? Though we cannot yet identify the specific bigger thing we ought to be living our lives for, we can seriously “seek” the kingdom.
Alan Hirsch has written: We can’t seem to make disciples on a consumerist approach to the faith. We plainly cannot consume our way into discipleship, (The Forgotten Ways).
It is not about: What we can get out of this faith thing? but: What can this faith get out of me for the sake of another?
Brian McLaren wants to ask, Why hasn’t the Christian religion made a difference commensurate with its message, size, and resources?, (Everything Must Change). Behind this question are two others: What are the biggest world problems? and, What does Jesus have to say about these?
Jesus told those crowds on the hillside: “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, home owner improvements to your standard of living,” and the intention is to “work them into your life.”
The day after the conversation I was thinking about the kingdom and reading Brian McLaren questions. He too seemed to be asking questions about the kingdom, and then I read how, with a group of young African leaders asking similar questions to himself:, We described God’s kingdom in terms of God’s dreams coming true for this earth, of God’s justice and peace replacing earth’s injustice and disharmony.
Alan Hirsch suggests that a covenanted community around Jesus will be marked by worship, discipleship, and mission. It strikes me that these must be lived as a whole, that one or two cannot stand on their own. Worship without mission and discipleship is ultimately self-centred rather than Christ-centred; mission without worship and discipleship is powerless (non-transformational); and, discipleship without mission and worship becomes faith by groups, programmes, and courses.
It strikes me that McLaren is right to say that the kingdom is not so much the message about Jesus, but is the message of Jesus, that is, the message that Jesus lived out and which we are invited to hear and put into practice.
What do you think?
April 6th, 2008 at 11:50 am
It strikes me that this all engages with the two great commeandments - to love God, and your neighbour as yourself.
Greater understanding of self and God will lead to an interaction with others and the working with the kingdom - of which there are many signs outside the inherited models of church. This is our call to discipleship - to know more about God and self - the monastic approach to spiritual direction has helped me to discover who I am, in God, and I believe that the mission you talk about is simply to become more fully the person God has created you to be. Everything else then follows - kingdom, worship and mission.
My struggle is in finding a church that enables this sort of search and a group of people who want to journey with me and teh ime to do it!
Anyway, every blessing
Susan
April 12th, 2008 at 11:58 am
It has to be a living faith not just a believing faith (courtesy of Grahame) and to turn things around the Jesus Way and shake the institutions. To be Spirit lead. The Jesus way is bigger than ourselves. Life mission, for me, is to love God with all my heart, mind and strenght, ok I fall short of that but may be looking at our strengths and gifts will help. Then the specific work/ mission may come from time to time in season, at God’s timing.
I think I have shared my views on the kingdom before, being two fold; being in a right relationship with God and others; and Micah6v8, then every thing flows out of this.
Looking at our strengths and gifts - sharing would be heplful. When ever you are learning something or gain a new insight it is always good if you have others to share it with, you gain confidence and voicing opinions and options gives clarity. ( I miss this on my distance learning course). Being able to share our spiritual journeys to not only gives encouragement it deepens our awareness of God. But it is important we recognise how we can best use our strengths and gifts in the context where we are, it may not mean we have to move to something new.
The call from God and the passion come first and we are able to share your enthusiasm and vision for the Way because God has placed this in our heart. Others who don’t have this revelation won’t grasp what you are trying to do and can only see this analysis
as just another course. I don’t think we should be discouraged , surely God expects us to use all the things he has placed at our disposal in seeking kingdom values for our world.
I to would appreciate meeting with a group on such a journey.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Thanks for what you share, Angela. Again, apologies for a slow reply.
It’s going to be a hard thing to see this turnaround so that living faith leads (or at least holds hands with) believing faith. I get the impression that in many people’s minds, contemplating fresh expressions of faith, there’s a church with music band and services and council, but what if that isn’t it?
You are right when you mention that people will see ‘theWAY’ as a course - it seems to be part of the ways we conceive and perceive church and faith. And you are right when you say that the call and passion come first. This notion has been shaping my thinking for the last few weeks. And then the passion leads. And then the need to explore our spiritual pathways, live through our strengths, dancing in our gifts make a whole load of necessary sense.
I am beginning to see a small group form locally, and my hope would be that such a group can also develop virtually. Let’s keep the conversation moving.