July 19
Weekend Bulletin
Children’s Bulletin
Deacon’s Digest
The Kingdom
Here’s a couple of questions for you:
When you hear the word “kingdom” what do you envision? I think of a king who has all sorts of power and the people who spend their lives serving and obeying him. In the best scenario I think of a benevolent and kind king who cares for his people, makes laws that support the community and enrich the family, and make sure that everyone is living a life of human dignity.
The other question is , what kind of a king (or queen) do you think you would be? I envision myself very much as the benevolent one described above but who knows? I’m sure many have ascended to the throne or the presidency or the congress with noble intentions that somehow did not work out. I remember being in Guatemala twenty years ago and seeing the terrible plight of the people and wondering about their president. The nuns we were staying with told us that he was their first “regular guy” leader in decades. He had come to power by promising to take care of the people by ending the corruption that was so rampant in Guatemala –but it didn’t work out that way. He wasn’t in office long before he owned a mansion in Florida, Colorado and Panama and was suspected of stealing hundreds of millions from the treasury.
So when we hear the three Gospel stories this weekend about the Kingdom of Heaven what do you think about? Is this kingdom one of control and manipulation and exploitation? Is it one of selfishness, violence, and injustice? Or is this different? The Kingdom of God (or heaven) is one that promotes virtue, a turning away from sinfulness, a deep respect for others, and a love that draws us out of ourselves and into live-giving communities of service.
A Kingdom has a King, right? What sort of King reigns in God’s country? It is the One who loves you best! It is the One who went all the way to the depths of God-forsakenness for the sinfulness of mankind. This Jesus whom we worship is a King who heals, who brings peace, who brings joy and life and kindness and gentleness and courage to all willing to live in His kingdom.
And the best news?! We don’t have to wait until “the afterlife” to experience it. Jesus says in Scripture (especially Luke’s Gospel) that the Kingdom of God is at hand! It not something far away or unreachable - no, it is all around us and in us and in everything. The challenge for us it that we need to CHOOSE it! We need to decide that our trust in God, in Jesus and in the Holy Spirit is much more powerful than our trust in earthly things like wealth and power. If we are willing to give up (indeed to surrender) to God and His will for our lives we will be friends of the King! We will live lives that inspire others to follow God, too. We will fulfill our mission to be disciples that share all that God has given for the love of God and for the good of our world.