This past week on Palm Sunday, I suggested that I don’t think it was God’s intention, through the coming of Jesus, to restore Israel back into the kingdom it was before. But what I probably didn’t say very well is that it WAS God’s intention to build a new kingdom: The kingdom of God.
Jesus talks about this Kingdom of God throughout the gospels. It’s a kingdom that is NOT defined by borders (or perhaps you could say, by church walls). It is a kingdom that is NOT there to maintain itself (or you could say to keep up the membership numbers). It’s a kingdom in which all the values are upside down when compared to earthly kingdoms, of which Israel was one. It is a kingdom that exists anywhere and everywhere that there are kingdom members out doing the work of the kingdom. And the work of the kingdom happens out in the world, not within the boundaries of the kingdom. The Church, OUR church, is a local expression of the kingdom of God.
Slightly suprising (I think) was this question that I asked: "I wonder if it might NOT be God's intent to restore our church to the glory days of our past?"
Perhaps instead, God has a totally different future that is so much more, and quite alot different than our really quite wonderful past.
Well, if that question was difficult for you to hear, I want to suggest that you join us for a new Sunday School class that starts the week after Easter (March 30). The class will be a book study of "The Present Future" by Reggie McNeal. It will go in depth into some of the tough questions we have to ask ourselves as we try to sort out who God has called us, as a church, to be in and for the changing world in which we now live.
The class will meet at 9am each week in the Art Room at Barkstall.
Conveniently, Chuck Carlson will be offering the same class at our Downtown Campus each week during that same time period.
Hope you'll join us.
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