All posts tagged Kingdom of God

Lesson 11: Hope 2

by Scott Noon on October 29, 2011 in Faith, Hope, and Love with No comments

Bob’s comment makes a wonderful summary:

“The nexus between faith, love, and hope is exemplified by the phrase “what we will be has not yet been revealed.” It is not fully spelled out, but our faith assures us that we will be what God wants us to be, and since he is a loving God, this will a wonderful experience that we probably cannot even envision now. It is an idea or concept that cannot be fit into simple rational or logical explanations.”

Paul certainly agrees when he says we see hope in a mirror darkly. He does promise this includes love and glory (I Corinthians 13: 12, 13 and II Corinthians 3: 18). John says much the same when he speaks of an eternal life he characterizes by unconditional love. He uses Jesus sharing meals with and sacrificing himself for his friends as examples.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke teach us to pray, “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done”. They claim we can already enter this kingdom, if we repent and believe the good news of the Gospel (Mark 1: 14, 15). However, when Jesus is asked to explain what this entails, he tells stories that maintain the mystery rather than definitions that limit our imagination.

Those parables acknowledge the present Kingdom (Luke 17: 20, 21) might be small and even hidden, but promise it will grow until it includes all creation (Mark 4: 30-33). Jesus speaks of separating the good from the bad, but this has more to do with making all right than restricting salvation. He promises God will save large numbers. Even people we do not associate with Christ will come from far away to eat in the Kingdom (Luke 13: 29).

This will take place, because God wants to restore the goodness of his creation (Luke 12: 32). Jesus’ healings and exorcisms are signs he has begun.
To share this hope demands a change in our thinking, a repentance or rebirth. The Kingdom does not operate on conventional values. The first shall be last, and the last first. It is always marked by a justice that includes special care for the needy and the poor. All shall be made right; all shall have enough (Matthew 20: 1-16).

Our hope is not for purity, but love. Last night one of our small groups read a short story that pictured the Buddhist Pure Land where people enjoyed music without playing instruments, food without eating, and love without sex. In contrast, Christian hope includes playing, tasting, and sharing. The goal is not to separate from other people, but rather to live in the right relationship with them–and God. Jesus likes to picture it as a great wedding feast when he and his people will be united like husband and wife (Luke 14: 15-24). In fact, we even proclaim God as Trinity who by nature enjoys loving relationships.

Of course, the way we prepare for what we hope is to live in love as much as possible today. Next week we’ll examine what that means.

Lesson 6: Care For All

by Scott Noon on October 28, 2011 in Salvation with No comments

As Bob observed, “Lupe’s comments throw open the gates in defining salvation, using the concept as a key to address some of the core social and theological issues”. I think that is exactly how the Bible uses the idea.

For instance, I think she is echoing the scriptures when her reflections of an “unquiet soul” slam home the question “How can any Christian be satisfied if the rest of the world is suffering?” or put another way, “How can this be salvation if any of us are suffering?” Many times when I am blithely defining faith as thanking God for the blessings he has poured out on us, a perceptive participant challenges me with “And where does that leave people starving in Africa?”

Almost all the Bible’s pictures of salvation feature a loving and just community that cares for every last person. Even a casual reading of the Law finds it teaches not only to be fair but also to care for the disadvantaged. The Prophets focus on the duty of the strong to care for the weak. And the Gospel promises good news to the poor. We heard it in Luke’s version of the Beatitudes on All Saints. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6: 20-22)

Of course, that is not the salvation everyone wants. Some welcome the abundant life as a sign God favors them above others. Many candidates in our recent US election insisted God blesses our nation and especially its wealthy citizens for doing his will. They used this as a justification for opposing social programs, insinuating the poor do not deserve our care.

That makes it critical that the Church witnesses in her actions to God’s salvation. Sue Hill in Sunday’s “Frontline Devotion” showed infant baptism is a great example. What better sign than bringing a helpless infant into the community and promising to care for his or her needs. She wrote, “So, our little girl has started her journey as a child of God. We say “Amen!” and begin the work to keep the way clear so she can grow in strength in the Lord. It’s a blessing to share in her life! We are in this together! Thanks be to God!”

Every once in a while I muse one way to capture the spirit of salvation is to picture Jesus standing in our churches and proclaiming” None of you are saved unless all of you are saved!” It is not a very theological thought, but it certainly would deepen our determination and strengthen our courage, if we all thought it was.

After reading Lupe, Mike said he found Karen Armstrong’s The Spiral Staircase: My Climb out of Darkness helpful in confronting the contemporary issues she describes.

← Older Entries