CHRIST THE KING, C
INVERTED KINGDOM
The rulers didn’t get it: "if he
is the Christ, why can’t he save himself?"
… is not the Christ strong,
brave, and mighty to defeat our enemies?
The soldiers too, didn’t get it:
"if you are King of the Jews save yourself!"
…for did they not hear about his
miracles and prophecies circulating around town?
One of the criminals didn’t get
it as well: "save yourself, save us too!"
…he was thinking of a God that
gives escape, comfort, freedom from pain.
This is the way we still think of
God today:
...a powerful God should prevent
viruses, storms, earthquakes and wars;
...a wonder-working God should
transform our pain into pleasure, our tears into laughter;
...a God of abundance should provide
us money, houses, jobs, businesses and a lot of success.
If this is not the God we get, maybe
he is no God at all!
Jesus spoke of a Kingdom and he
sowed its seeds in the streets and marketplaces
Among the poor, the sick and the
outcast.
He said the Kingdom of God is
...about service, not power or control;
...about service, not power or control;
...it unfolds and grows slowly
instead of magically or instantly;
...it promises peace and joy that
material things cannot provide;
...it brings salvation, but only
through
patience and faith in God,
and many times even through sacrifice and suffering.
patience and faith in God,
and many times even through sacrifice and suffering.
Finally, only the other criminal
discovered the Kingdom.
As he looked at Jesus, he saw in
him goodness, love, and mercy – “he has done nothing wrong.”
He found in Jesus the mark of the
true King: “remember me when you come to your kingdom.”
Jesus brought him there that very hour!
What kingdom are you pursuing today?
...Some people quarrel about money
and possessions and forget to respect each other.
...Some parents pay more attention
to their business than to the child’s problems.
...Some people work their way up to
higher positions by stepping on other people’s heads.
They will never find the Kingdom Jesus
preached.
For the Kingdom is
at the bottom,
in the heart,
in the simple things,
in the places we normally don’t look;
for Jesus inverted the values of the world and overturned our earthly expectations.
at the bottom,
in the heart,
in the simple things,
in the places we normally don’t look;
for Jesus inverted the values of the world and overturned our earthly expectations.
Are you looking for the Kingdom
in the same direction Jesus did?
(pls share with a friend... God bless!)
(pls share with a friend... God bless!)
