Sunday, February 18, 2007

what the kingdom is and is not

Wow!!! Matt Massey did some old fashioned preaching today. I'm not talking the fire and brimstone stuff - I don't find that Biblical. I'm not talking about the how much God loves all of us just the way we are stuff - I don't find that Biblical. I'm talking about boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

Mk 1.14-15 ... The time has come! The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News.

The Kingdom is not:

  • the message of a forceful dictator
  • about a place, human power, or palace
  • about your domain
  • a message of oppression
  • about minimal requirements, fie insurance, or sin management
  • a test to be posed in order to just "get in"
  • exclusive
  • a bunch of "somebodies" or "celebrities"
  • a message of relief from this present world
  • a prayer of get me out of here
  • to be hoarded
The Kingdom is:

  • knowable
  • to be experienced
  • full of life, love and power
  • inclusive
  • a place where the subjects are receivers and givers
  • what is going on in heaven going on here on earth
  • advancing
It is not about us going up to Heaven but about Heaven coming down to us!

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5 comments:

Matthew Self said...

Your comments are great and encouraging. I would just add George Eldon Ladd always stressed the "right now" and the "not yet" of the Kingdom. What we are experiencing of the Kingdom today is not the full taste, which is the "not yet."

It might seem trivial, but there is another theology in the word of faith community that takes Ladd's work and turns it into "all right now" Kingdom Theology -- often referred to as Kingdom Now.

Just a warning in case you get into it with others who wish to paint you into that latter corner.

ricki said...

Thanks - good watch out.

Anonymous said...

Rick,
I would also add that it is a Kingdom where Jesus is King. Your description sounds like it includes anybody who wants to enjoy the Kingdom without necessarily honoring the King.

ricki said...

no blog - good add re: "where Jesus is King".

Relative to including anybody - I say yes and no. Is everyone in the Kingdom and do they recognize it when they see it, absolutely no. From that perspective, you offer good clarification.

On the other hand, whether in or out of the Kingdom, or aware of it or not, all are impacted by it.

Anonymous said...

Yep, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. (Is that in the Bible?)

reftagger