Jesus says in Matthew 16:19-16:19
"You have complete and free access to God's kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven." What does this have to do with what we have been talking about? Last week we focused on what a disciple to Christ is. This week our focus on discipleship is all about the why question. Why do we become a disciple to Christ? Simply put because there is no greater option. No other person or thing can offer the wondrous world Christ teaches and offers to us. We are blessed to be his disciples.
Today, many of us Christians just exist. Mediocrity, fear, anxiety, insecurity are still permeating the lives of those, who so-called responded to the life of Christ one day back in a church, camp, or in front of television screen. Why? Because the profession of faith has not been taken seriously. Today, the profession of faith has little to do with the whole of our lives, has little to do with discipleship, more specifically it fails to encourage the learning of Christ's rhythms. We fail to take upon us his yoke, his teaching, which is light and brings peace.
In our current situation majority of Christians fall in one of two groups: The Conservative group, being on the right side of the spectrum, and the liberal group being on the left side of the spectrum. On the right, being a Christian is a matter of having your sins forgiven. To the left, you are a Christian if you have a significant commitment to the elimination of social evils. Popular notions of Christianity in today’s society hold that, a Christian is either one who is ready to die and face the judgment of God or one who has an identifiable commitment to love and justice in society (according to Dallas Willard). That’s it!
Although these groups differ on many levels…they have something in common. They both are lacking in participating in the alternative reality known as the Kingdom of God. Neither group is acknowledging the abundance and miraculous hope in Christ in this present life! Being a disciple is about seeing and participating in this present life.
As disciples we can’t talk about discipleship without addressing the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God, the alternative reality, is what Christ preached. And we being his disciples must have this teaching ingrained into our hearts and minds.
The Kingdom of God is the good news that is set a part from all other ‘truths’, gimmicks and expectations of the world. No other person can break barriers between the heavenly and earthly realms except the God of the universe; The Christ incarnate, Jesus.
In the passage Matthew 11:1-6 we see Jesus declaring what the Kingdom of God is all about. It is relational, personally intertwined with normal, ordinary life and most importantly it is extremely unexpected- Jesus moving and acting unexpectedly and unconventionally in the normal world. This story, this narrative, is not only an example of Jesus’ ministry of healing, but it is also a proclamation of the Kingdom of God.
Some of you are asking what is the Kingdom of God. There are many kingdoms in this world. Just to name a few...there is the kingdom of competition, the kingdom of prejudice, the kingdom of sexism, materialism...the list can go on and on. But ONLY one has the true power and that One is Ruled by Christ. Some call this the upside down kingdom, which means, what takes place is extraordinary and incomprehensible. When we decide to participate in this kingdom, we are abandoning the realm of death and stepping into the realm of LIFE. All is possible HERE. We are finally free and great things happen. People’s lives are changed and we become the people God desires us to be.
Speaking of the unexpected nature of the Kingdom of God... In this passage, these healings and exorcisms (those that we read about throughout the rest of this gospel) do not set Jesus apart merely as a miracle worker of extraordinary power, but are primary indications of the kind of messiah that He is. The question in verse 3 by John the Baptist, “"Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?" Jesus’ answer consists of pointing to his IDENTITY- The KIND of Leader, Ruler, Savior, Shepherd he is. His He says, "Go back and tell John what's going on: 5 The blind see, The lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, The deaf hear, The dead are raised, The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side. This is HIS ANSWER.
This shouldn’t have been a surprise to John, but for some reason it is. Perhaps tradition, in all practical purposes, was greater in the eyes of the people, rather than truth. I’ll explain. The manifestation of the KOG did not conform to the national/ political aspirations, or to the traditions of religion, but it did conform to the words of Old. The word God Spoke through Isaiah 42, 49, 50 and 53, Reveal and set the stage for this leader, the true Leader of all, Christ. The messiah, the one who welcomes and brings forth the Kingdom of God who bears the infirmities and weaknesses of the people speaks through his healings as signs that the Kingdom of God has arrived in person.
No one had seen anything like it. Those even committed to the Jewish faith, like John Baptist were expecting something different.
Today we are a people struggling with the same issue. Many times we fail to recognize and realize what the Kingdom of God is all about. Perhaps we are too indoctrinated with tradition, rather than the teachings of Christ. For this reason we become disciples.
I don’t think there is any reason not to follow. Show me gimmick that can transform all reality for you or me, like Jesus can. Show me something miraculous that breaks barriers between heaven and earth. You can’t. We are called to be Christ’s disciples to learn the ways of his Kingdom and experience the unforeseen and joyfulness in and outside of this world: Where God is relational, intimate, personal, living, compassionate and his WORLD IS MIRACULOUS!
PICTURE THE KINGDOM
Isaiah 49:7-12
7 God, Redeemer of Israel, The Holy of Israel, says to the despised one, kicked around by the nations, slave labor to the ruling class: "Kings will see, get to their feet - the princes, too - and then fall on their faces in homage Because of God, who has faithfully kept his word, The Holy of Israel, who has chosen you." 8 God also says: "When the time's ripe, I answer you. When victory's due, I help you. I form you and use you to reconnect the people with me, To put the land in order, to resettle families on the ruined properties. 9 I tell prisoners, 'Come on out. You're free!' and those huddled in fear, 'It's all right. It's safe now.' There'll be foodstands along all the roads, picnics on all the hills - 10 Nobody hungry, nobody thirsty, shade from the sun, shelter from the wind, For the Compassionate One guides them, takes them to the best springs. 11 I'll make all my mountains into roads, turn them into a superhighway.
