Citizens of God's Kingdom - 3

The third passage is when people bring their children to Jesus. The disciples rebuke those families. And Jesus said to not stop the children from coming. Children are like those who enter God's kingdom.

What is the difference between adults and children, that makes children more acceptable in God's kingdom.

Children seem to be very open, and trusting. When told that a fat man, dressed in red, squeezes down the chimney, and leaves gifts in the house for everyone who lives there, they believe it. When told that a magic rabbit hides candy in the house on Easter morning, they believe it.

Children are not used to people cheating, lying, and deceiving others, so they accept what they hear. Especially if the people telling them have demonstrated love, and generosity, in other circumstances.

If we recognize God as loving, gracious, and merciful, wanting only to give us good things, then we should believe what he says. We should trust him.

It should be easy to trust him, because we understand his goodness, and it is not in his nature to lie, cheat, or deceive.

God is motivated primarily by two things: his holiness and his love. It is his holiness that motivates him to draw the line. And it is his love that motivates him to draw the line. He designed people, their hearts and their bodies. And part of that design is a code of conduct. If people follow God's way, they are better off, and more happy and fulfilled. And the world is better, and more happy. Let us trust like children, and experience God's best.

Citizen of God's Kingdom - 2

 The second passage is the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In this passage, both men are in the temple praying. The Pharisee is thanking God that he has received God's acceptance, and blessing. He knows he has earned God's blessing, because of all the good, and religious, things he has done.

The Tax Collector is an employee of the Roman government. He collects taxes for the oppressors. So, he is viewed as an enemy, and a traitor, by Israel. So, he stands in the temple lamenting his sin,.

Jesus says it is the Tax Collector who is justified. The Pharisee is not justified, because he exalts himself. The Tax Collector is justified, because he is honest, sees his sin, and seeks forgiveness for it.

A citizen of God's kingdom recognizes that he has no good in himself. He approaches God in humility. He recognizes his need, and the need of all people. He recognizes that only Christ can meet his need, and the need of all people. So, he cannot say he is better than anyone.

He might be able to say he is better off. Not because he is better. But because there is a King, who is a Savior, who sought for the good of everybody, and some of us have actually received our benefits package from the King's government.

In other words, we are better, not because of our good, and religious, works. We are better because we recognized our need, and we recognized where we could go for help, and have that need met. And we sought out the King to receive his provision, and give him our allegiance.

Citizen of God's Kingdom - 1

There is a series of passages, where Jesus describes several traits that belong to a citizen of God's kingdom.

The first passage is the persistent widow. She is a woman with a serious legal issue. Because she is a widow. she does not have a family that will work on her behalf. And she cannot afford to hire an attorney. And the situation is serious enough that she goes to the judge handling the case every day to remind him of her side of the story, and why it would be unfair for him to decide on behalf of the other party.

The judge does not really care one way or the other. But he finally decides to make the decision on her behalf, because she is driving him crazy.

Jesus is not trying to point out that people are like the widow, and God is like the judge. God has a genuine love, and concern, for people. His heart is to do good for people. His heart is to listen openly, with an open heart, and complete attention. His heart is to give generously -- unless giving will harm the person.

A citizen of God's kingdom recognizes, and understands, God's heart. He recognizes the willingness to listen, to understand, and to give. So, he has no shame in opening his heart.

Because God's heart is open to listen, we can be confident of bringing the same issue over, and over, and over again. Indeed, we should be confident with God's willingness to listen, and desire to hear us, that we should be eager to bring the same request, over and over, until God speaks to us, and reveals this issue cannot be answered as we would like it to be.

But, we see God's patience, love, grace, and sensitivity. We can be confident that his heart is for us, and our best. We can be confident that our relationship is important to him. 

The Road To Life

There is a section of Scripture where Jesus says if we want to follow him, we need to hate our families, and our lives. Given that Jesus urges us to love God, and love people, this seems a little out of place.

Now, no one thinks Jesus meant actual hatred. The context concerns counting costs. He gives the comparison to building something, but not realizing how much money it will require. Or if a country is considering going to war, it needs to know how big of an army is needed.

Giving one's allegiance to Father, Son, and Spirit, is the first priority. Choices will need to be made. God still wants us to love, and honor, our families. God still wants us to care for our personal needs.

Pretend for a minute that we come from a family that does not know Jesus. We are the only person in our family, who follows Jesus. If we love our family, we want them to know, and follow, Jesus. So, love demands that we attempt to communicate the gospel to our family. What if they get mad? What if they say, "Don't talk about this anymore! If you do, you're not in the family anymore!" This choice, (to share or not to share), if we needed to make it, would in no way be easy. But the choice is between following Jesus and following our family. We would need to choose Jesus.

May no one ever need to make this decision. May every follower of Jesus's family see Jesus in us, and be amazed, and want Jesus for themselves.

Then, Jesus continues with a short parable about salt. Salt is necessary for life, especially in the Middle East in Jesus' time. It not only gave flavor to food, it acted as a preservative, enabling food to be saved for a longer time.

Following Jesus becomes salt to our families, friends, cities, nations, and culture. Those hard decisions bring life to our circles of existence. We are actually loving people by making those hard decisions to follow Jesus. Our lives are better for following Jesus. Their lives would be better for following Jesus.

Discipleship

Christians used the word "discipleship" to indicate the process of learning how, and being, a follower of Jesus. Much of the gospels are lessons Jesus gives on discipleship.

Many have a picture of what this means. But is it the same picture that Jesus has? There is a section in Luke, where Jesus gives four brief snapshots of different aspects of discipleship.

One time, Jesus' disciples were engaged in a discussion, trying to demonstrate who was the greatest. Jesus brings a child into their midst, and tells the disciples that receiving a child is the same as receiving him.

Discipleship does not focus on the high, and mighty. Discipleship focuses on the least. Discipleship serves the least.

Another time, the disciples tried to stop someone from healing, because they were not with Jesus. Jesus said if they were not against you, they were for you.

The nation of Israel had many tribes, and clans. But they were all God's people. The followers of Jesus are the same. There are many groups. Each group trying to obey, and proclaim, Jesus in their own way. Each groups has its reasons for following its way. And, yes, Jesus would look at some, and proclaim their ways are more profitable than others. And some ways may be just wrong. But he would say that all the groups are trying to glorify him. So, disciples of Jesus need to watch how they treat, and respond, to other disciples of Jesus. Jesus himself did not expect total uniformity. Otherwise, he would expect one group. Unity is not uniformity.

And, as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, through Samaria, a Samaritan village refused to be hospitable. The disciples wanted to drop a bolt of lightning on the village. Jesus rebuked this attitude, and went on.

Jesus' mission was to die for sinners. To bring them to a new life. Which included people from this village. Jesus' heart was for all people to experience God's mercy, and grace. His disciples need to have the same heart. In our day, there are many people who do hateful, and wicked, things. And it is easy to get angry, and wish for God's judgment to consume them. But that is not Jesus' heart. And it should not be the heart of his disciples. The prayers, and actions, of Jesus' disciples should be for all people to be captivated by the love of Jesus, and desire to live in agreement, and submission, to Jesus' will.

And last, there are a number of people who are concerned about the normal everyday. One person said he would go anywhere. Jesus said he had no home. Another said he had family obligations. And another said that family relationships were important.

It is not that Jesus is not concerned about physical needs, personal responsibilities, and personal relationships. But, often people can use legitimate concerns as excuses. Discipleship should be worked out in the midst of legitimate concerns. Disciples need to take of these legitimate concerns, but maintain an equal grasp on God's mission. It is like love. Love should be glad when people experience good. And if someone is involved in something bad, love is not glad, even if the person believes it is good. And patience, and kindness, need to be practiced. All of this at the same time.

Discipleship involves humility, unity, love, and the pursuit of God's mission. And everyday life, relationships, and personal responsibilities should not be neglected. Discipleship involves all of life.

God's Family As Ambassador and Intermediary

God has set up his people to represent him to the world, and to represent the world to him.

All of God's people are priests before him. All God's children:

• Have ministries of intercession.
• Are to demonstrate God's love and grace.
• Are to provide a path toward peace with God.

When there is failure, wrong, or disaster in the world, God's people should seek God's mercy for those in the middle of what is going wrong. God demonstrated his mercy in Jesus on the Cross. His heart is to build his family. When there is a demonstration of God's mercy, it is a call, an invitation, to return to him. It is also God revealing his heart.

God's people are a picture of what God's heart is like. If we act in judgment, hard heartedness, keeping grudges, or envy, we a proclaiming to the world that God is hard, keeps grudges, and is intent on judgment, and condemnation. The Cross demonstrates otherwise. It demonstrates that God is intent on love, forgiveness, mercy, and reconciliation. By our actions, we can call God a liar. It is best if we soften our hearts, or beseech God to soften our hearts, and respond to people in love. Which just might involve service in messy situations. Jesus was not above getting involved in the mess of life.

The gospel provides a path to peace with God. And it is the mission of God's family to bring an opportunity for each person in the world to obtain that peace. We need to start where we are, and bring God's peace to whatever city we are in. And then, take it ti the horizon, until there is no place in creation that has not been touched by God's love.

Give Honor

We are living in turbulent times. People are upset with the government, with people running the country. There are people exacting their own justice by turning schools, churches, and other places into shooting galleries.

And I have seen people, who say they are followers of Jesus, speak in condescending, and insulting, ways about other people -- about those in government positions, and those against the government. I think Scripture speaks pretty plainly about such behavior.

To quote the Apostle Peter: "Honor everyone!"

We can define "honor" as treating respectfully.

We can define "everyone" as everyone.

Like every single person on the plant.

One cannot look down on, insult, or degrade, another person, and respect them at the same time. Each person is created in God's image. God designed each person with infinite love, wisdom, and care. By trashing another person, we are trashing the God who made him\her.

I am not saying we need to agree with every person. But we need to disagree without treating other people like dirt.