Tag Archives: Kingdom Building

Government of the People by the People for the People

Kingdom Building

August 1, 2019

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:1-11

Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. -Colossians 3:5-10

I find it interesting that much of the discussion about behavior that we classify as sin in our world relates to the sins of others that most of us would never consider committing. Most of the discussion in the Bible regarding behavior is targeted at our cleaning up our own act as illustrated in the scripture above. The primary reason we are charged to live a righteous life is so that our work toward creating a world ruled by love will be more productive if we are not distracted by the enticements of the world or disparaging others. Consider how much time we commit to meaningless activities designed to what? give us a false sense of happiness or provide an opportunity to make us feel better about ourselves by denigrated others. It seems to me that our worth is established by God’s love for us. We need not look any further than that.

Such distraction and disparagement seem to overtake our civic lives in a country formed of the people by the people for the people. These words were spoken by Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg address. Their origins are much older. In 1384, John Wycliffe wrote in the prologue to his translation of the Bible, “The Bible is for the Government of the People, by the People, and for the People.” I wonder if Lincoln read from a Wycliffe translation. The Bible with its stories of governments that succeeded and those that failed certainly provides some guidance for governance, although its use for justifying everything from slavery to Hitler’s Nazi leadership might give us pause. Wycliffe specifies his use of the Bible in the roll of civic services. The Bible is useful for governments whose primary concern is the wellbeing of its people based on the desires of its people. Can we borrow Paul’s instructions from Colossians and apply it to governments in the same manner as we do for individuals? A government of the people by the people for the people must not be distracted by the enticements of the world or disparage its people.

Prayer: Lord, empower us and guide us to elect leaders who strive to provide government of the people by the people for the people—all the people. Amen.

*Familiar Quotations by John Bartlett, 1951 edition

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Bearing Fruit

Kingdom Building

July 11, 2019

Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:1-14

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit. –Colossian 1:3-8

Kingdom building is all about bearing fruit. Someone prepares the ground, someone plants, someone weeds and waters, and someone harvests. The cycle then repeats itself from one generation to another. One of my nieces recently bought a home and has recently discovered what she got as fruit trees in her backyard began to produce abundantly. She is now the nurturer and the harvester for the work of those who went before her. Although she grew up on a farm she did not have much experience with fruit trees and thus her first act was to contact the Home Demonstration services to learn how to care for those trees.

This same type cycle exists for growing the Kingdom of God. Our ancestors in faith plowed and planted and we now are called to grow and nurture. That requires us to seek all the knowledge we can to guide us on out way. It also requires us to maintain well our contact with the Source of the seeds which is Love.

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. — John 15:4-5, 7, 16

Prayer: Lord, help us together grow abundant quality fruits of your Spirit. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Setting an Example

Kingdom Building

July 6, 2019

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”

‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’ – Luke 10:1-11, 16

This story seems to extend the call of John the Baptist (Mark 1:3) for others to act as front people to prepare the way for the Lord or make straight the way based on Isaiah 40:3, first to the twelve disciples (Mark 6:7-13) and then to the 70. It makes sense, if you think about it, do we not pay more attention to someone whose credentials have been share with us before we meet them than we do when we have no pre-knowledge of who they are? A good reference opens a lot of doors. Jesus was very carefully to guide them in not being too assertive or pushy and in building positive connections for the future. Jesus also made it very clear that they were representing him thus their behavior matters for the furtherance of Jesus’ mission: the initiation of the Kingdom of God.

Years ago, a relative of mind was a telephone operator in the days when placing an international call was a big complicated deal. A businessman who was also a leader in her church called the operator, my relative, requesting that the call be made. It took several minutes including many attempts just to contact an overseas operator. As time went by the man got angry and took his anger out using very bad language on my relative. She was so shocked she said, “Mr. ___ I cannot believe you are saying such things. I go to church with you.” Immediately after she said it, she regretted it feeling certain she was going to lose her job. He was silent for some time when he said, “You are right, I am so sorry I talked like that.

When we identify as a person of faith, others judge our faith group by our behavior.

Prayer: Lord of Love, let my actions speak loudly of your love in all that I do and say. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Spiritual Gifts

Kingdom Building

June 25, 2019

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-2,6-14

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’ Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.’ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, ‘Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. –2 Kings 2:9-14

When Elisha asked for a double share of Elijah’s spirit, he is not asking for the same gifts that Elijah had but for a double measure of the driving force that guided and supported Elijah in using his special gifts. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:4, Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. We each were blessed with gifts from God that we need to nurture and use to God’s glory through the Spirit’s help. The beauty of the Kingdom of God is that all are needed for the Kingdom to be actualized. Our support of each other’s gifts is important to making that happen.

I am no good at asking for money. I stand in awe of those who are good fundraisers who seem not to have any compunctions about asking for money particularly when you consider that they are most often rejected. Almost daily I receive five or six emails asking me to donate to something. I delete most without opening them, but they keep coming. People who are called to be fundraisers for worthy causes are blessed with a special gift. Quality fundraising is needed to establish schools for children; just as good teachers are necessary to do the training.

What are your gifts? How are you using and nurturing them? Whose gifts are you encouraging?

Prayer: Lord, help me find my niche in your service and bless me with your Spirit’s enabling powers to use my gifts. Help me to be an enabler of the gifts of others to your glory. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Persistence

Kingdom Building

June 24, 2019

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-2,6-14

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.

Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. –2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-8

When I first began working on justice issues that required not only faith-based action but also civic action, I was told by a mentor that it takes ten years of work to introduce a new concept into law or change practices well ingrained in the culture. Medicaid and Medicare were implemented July 30, 1965. I had just graduated from high school. By the late 1970’s attempts were being made to improve the services of these programs and fifty years later we still strive for adequate, affordable, accessible health care for all*.

Elisha’s story is the story of persistence. While it is always good to have the best and brightest input on how to do things well, most justice issues are accomplished through persistence and hard work. Jesus highlighted this fact in the telling of the parable of the persistent widow found in Luke 18:1-8.

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” ’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

This scripture ends with a good question, when the Son of Man comes will he find faith on earth or will he find that we did not persist in our quest for justice and let the principalities of the world take control?

Prayer: Lord, grant us the persistence of Elisha and the widow who longed for justice. Amen.

*The last measured percent without health insurance for Oklahoma was 21.70% in 2014. Oklahoma experienced an average growth rate of -2.31% from our first statistic recorded in 2008. If past trends continue, we forecast the percent without health insurance to be 18.78% by 2019. See more information at https://www.opendatanetwork.com/entity/0400000US40/Oklahoma/health.health_insurance.pctui?year=2014&age=18%20to%2064&race=All%20races&sex=Both%20sexes&income=All%20income%20levels

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Gifts Differing

Jesus’ Ministry
January 18, 2019

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. –1 Corinthians 12:4-11

God created us with a diversity of talents so that all that is needed in a Kingdom ruled by love would be provided.  People with differing gifts usually perceive the world through the lenses of those gifts. While that is a good thing, communication problem can arise when our individual views do not mesh, or our priorities are not shared. A good example of that is the story of Mary and Martha*. Mary chose to sit at Jesus feet and soak up everything he said; Martha was hustling about fixing a meal and complaining that Mary was not doing her fair share of the work. Jesus essentially said to let Mary be Mary and Martha be Martha that Mary had chosen the better way. That stings those of us who are blessed with Martha’s traits. I also have a good dose of Mary though. My mother soon learned when I was a child that taking me to work in the garden was more work than it was worth, while my sister was a born gardener. I was soon left in the house to cook and clean which I did quickly, so I could read.

We grow spiritually when we learn for the experiences of others who are not like us. It is worth the effort to try to see the world through other eyes. It certainly would help us understand them better.  Who knows we might be surprised to find a talent that we did not know we had.

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for the beautiful variety of people you provided in this world. Help us learn to love and respect each of them as we share in the responsibility of developing your kingdom on the earth. Amen.

*See Luke 10:38-42

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Dead Works or Worship?

Living in the Spirit
November 2, 2018

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:11-14

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

My congregation was recently invited to participate in an ecumenical resettlement of refugee families and agreed to participate. We anticipated the assignment of our first family in a few weeks and were startled to get the call that the family would be here in a week. I think we must have felt like a couple whose first child arrived a few weeks early. While rushing about to prepare a home for the new arrivals, I suddenly realized I felt really good about being a part of a team doing something really good in our work toward building the inclusive community of God.

As one who devotes much of my time to justice work that often feels like beating one’s head against a brick wall, small victories can be exhilarating. The task of staying in the trenches, dedicating ourselves to fostering the Kingdom of God truly requires us to continually purify our conscience(s) from dead works to worship the living God. A lot of the work needed to make this world a better place to live might be classified as mundane, routine but never dead. People who stuff backpacks of food to send home from school with children every Friday because it has been determined that the school lunch program is their primary or perhaps the only source of food may seem like busywork. Tutoring adults to prepare them to take the GED test can be tedious for both the student and the tutor. Working for ten years to change state rules regarding improved quality child care seemed hopeless, like beating one’s head against a brick wall. until it passed.

The sustaining presence of the Spirit of God undergirding the Kingdom building work we do is paramount in purifying our conscience and keeping us focused on the ultimate goal of realizing Christ’s vision of Shalom throughout the world.

Prayer: Lord, continuously purify our consciences keeping us on the path of love you modeled for us as we traverse difficult pathways. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Non-violent Wholeness

Living in the Spirit
October 17, 2018

Scripture Reading: Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c

Bless the Lord, O my soul.
   O Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
wrapped in light as with a garment.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
you set the beams of your chambers on the waters,
you make the clouds your chariot,
   you ride on the wings of the wind,
you make the winds your messengers,
   fire and flame your ministers.

 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
   and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord! –Psalm 104:1-4, 35

The scriptures included in this week’s lectionary selections seem to be on a theme related to the awesomeness, omniscience, powerfulness of God. I think that is an important idea that we sometimes lose sight of as we get muddled down in the daily grind of life and see fee immediate signs of improvement. The lectionary creators left out the first two segments of verse 35, I assume because they seem to diverge from the full scripture and away from that theme.  Those two segments are what caught my attention as I read them.

The segments were most likely left out because they suggest a violent response to sin and wickedness, but I do not think that is necessarily what the phrases are addressing. When I pray, create in me a clean heart* am I not inviting God to consume the waste that I allowed to build up in my being thus limiting the space I have available for God’s goodness? And could the phrase let the wicked be no more be asking that all wickedness be cleansed from us and all who practice wickedness be restored to wholeness in God’s love? Do we expect God’s kingdom to come, if we are not willing to let go of the things in ourselves that are hindering its arrival?

Sometimes, I fear, our attempts not to judge others get in the way of our self-examination and the self-examination of our communities of faith. Our relationship with God is a daily, lifelong journey traveling toward what Paul refers to as perfection, what in today’s language I think might better be received as wholeness. Our movement toward wholeness as individuals, as communities of faith, moves our cities, states, nations, and world toward a greater wholeness which eventually with God’s helps fulfills the vision of Christ for a world ruled by love.

Prayer: Lord, create in us clean hearts and right spirits and let our individual quests toward these outcomes spread together toward the wholeness that was modeled in Jesus. Amen.

*from Psalm 51:10

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Untapped Potential

Living in the Spirit
August 20, 2018

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, ‘O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.” Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David. –1 Kings 22-26

God is working his purpose out* is a 19th-century hymn that we do not sing much anymore if at all. I do not know if it is even in our current hymnal. It has a slow, plodding accompaniment that many today would find boring. Even the plodding music has a message. I have my own rendition of the title. I think it should read: God is working God’s purpose out whether we are a part of the process or not. Solomon’s prayer above stipulates God’s promise to God’s followers: “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.” (Emphasis Added)

God is working his purpose out,
as year succeeds to year,
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea. (Verse 1)

We live in a world where we take far too much for granted because we perceive ourselves as privileged. God’s promise is made to all God’s children and we are called by God to assure that all God’s children experience God’s grace whether it relates to the necessities of life, security, or shalom.

What can we do to work God’s work,
to prosper and increase
the love of God in all mankind,
the reign of the Prince of peace?
What can we do to hasten the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea? (Verse 3)

Prayer: God, help us see past our privilege and see and enable the release of the untapped potential of all your children. Amen.

*First and Third verses of God is Working his Purpose out by  Arthur Campbell Ainger, see at https://hymnary.org/text/god_is_working_his_purpose_out

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Reflecting Justice and Mercy

Living in the Spirit
October 10, 2017

Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:1-14

But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. –Exodus 32:11-14

God was none too thrilled with the Israelites creating a god made of precious metals. Moses implored the Lord to give the Israelites a second chance, and God did. The God of second chances is the same God in whose image God made us. We are called to be a people of second chances also. Our world, particularly recently, follows baseball’s procedures, three strikes and your out, closer than God’s.  We send people to prison for non-violent crimes without the benefit of much if any restorative services, like mental health or substance abuse treatment, remedial education or work training.  When we release them from prison, we stamp them with “felon” on job applications whether their crime has any relationship to the work they pursue.

Moses reminds God of God’s promise to Abraham of a land of milk and honey, and we inherited that promise through Jesus Christ. Christ calls us to a partnership in building a world where all have enough as a part of an abundant life, which requires all to participate as fully as possible in its actualization. Empowering others to that full participation is a part of that calling too.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, help us reflect your justice and mercy too. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.