Seeking the Kingdom, part two

I’m afraid I may mess with some sacred cows on this post, but I’ve been wanting to write about this for quite some time.  When Jesus declared the gospel he didn’t say the sort of things we say today about the promises of going to heaven when we die, the need to say a sinner’s prayer, or even the imperative to “ask Jesus into your heart.”  As true as all of these things may be they miss the essence of the gospel, which of course is the Kingdom.  Notice Jesus’ declaration of the gospel:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

With only eight words, that’s a pretty concise message.  But what the heck does it mean?   First off, most of us evangelicals have grown up with a narrow, parochial understanding of repentance.  We’ve been steeped in the doctrine that this Greek word, matanoia is limited pretty much to the idea of turning from sin, often with tears and time spent at an alter.  Although there’s an element of truth in this, it’s not even close to the full meaning of the word.  And the resulting problem is that the whole affair becomes focused on sin and getting released from sin, rather than on receiving the Kingdom.

In the original Greek, (in which the Gospel of Matthew was written), metanoia meant changing one’s mind or heart about someone or something, and in the context of Jesus’ declaration it meant that we are commanded to look at the whole world with new eyes.  He, the King, has arrived on the scene.  He has redeemed the entire cosmos, (Col. 1:20), and nothing can ever be the same again.

My experience over these past few years is that seeking the kingdom involves a continuous, lifelong process of rethinking everything, asking continuous questions and receiving an ever-refined prescription for my fuzzy, clouded vision and silly ideas about God and his world.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Some of that rethinking has been in regard to my evangelical heritage.  I’ve realized that much of what I received when I came to Christ was not a kingdom, (I spent about twenty five years with no understanding of that), but ideas and notions I inherited from a feeble Americanized evangelical church.

It feels great to be on the journey, the quest for the Kingdom as it is.  But the moment I stop questioning, the journey comes to a screeching halt.  In order to receive the kingdom we have to first lay down our notions of what we’ve always believed. We must repent and rethink everything.

After two exciting weeks of teaching in Romania I’ve returned home to Maryland and am enjoying time with family and friends.  My schedule in the coming months will be pretty full of travel, but I expect to do it from this side of the ocean rather than from Europe.

DTS Students in Constanza, Romania

How to seek God’s kingdom

One young friend, a bright young university student, just asked me an honest and searching question: “What kind of things constitute seeking the Kingdom?” I’m no authority with these types of questions.  I still feel like a kingdom rookie searching the field for some seasoned player who can show me the ropes.  But I love the process, and so I asked the Holy Spirit for insight to respond.

I think it all begins with loving God and loving others (Luke 10:27).  But even before a journey can begin it needs a firm starting place, and the only place solid enough to begin the kingdom journey is a deep revelation of the profound and unwavering love God has for me.  Until my eyes are opened and my heart is bathed in the reality of God’s staggering love and affection towards me I’ll never be able to truly love others as I ought.   Sadly, many of us are clueless about God’s affection and we spend our lives trying to get into a room we’re already in rather than striking out on the adventure.  (If we really understood the love of God it would show up clearly in our attitudes towards liberals, gays, church visitors, homeless people and minorities!)

So we begin by drinking deeply of the love of God.  You’ll need to stop squirming.  Stop tracking your performance.  Stop trying to earn God’s love (there’s no need), or to prove how much you deserve God’s love, (you don’t), and just accept the fact that Father God is crazy with love for you beyond all reason or understanding.  There’s absolutely nothing you can do including “seeking the Kingdom,” that will make him love you any more or any less than he already does.  The truth is, God COULDN’T love you any more, and he REFUSES to love you any less than he does at this moment.   When a person’s soul is baptized in the love of the King his born-again eyes will be opened for the first time to the splendor of the kingdom.

And from there it will be quite natural to burn with love for God and others.  You’ll discover an inner motivation to pray for the kingdom, (Matt. 6:10); to preach the kingdom, (Luke 10:9; and to enlarge the kingdom through acts of mercy, helping the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and bringing justice and light into the darkness around us.  (Matt. 25:31-40).

But we must never lose sight of the fact that the LOVE of God is forever the engine of all activity.  God’s kingdom is never advanced by drudgery nor the compulsion of dry religious obligation.  The kingdom comes with delight.   When we realize the love of the King we will gladly give ourselves to the enlargement of his kingdom.

PS:  I’m in Constanza, Romania with a class of twelve students from Moldova, Azerbaijan, Canada, Romania and the US.  We’re having some amazing moments together.  Next week I’ll be in a youth camp in the middle of the country with no internet access.  (It’s in a tiny village with one dirt road,  horse-carts, and cows who come wandering home to their respective yards at dusk).  Thanks as always for your prayers and support.

The difference between Harvard and my hometown

Today I want to honor the people of my hometown.  I grew up in the same community as Henry Louis Gates, the “preeminent black scholar and Harvard professor” who has been so much in the news this week over an incident of alleged racial profiling in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Henry was a couple of years older than me, and I really don’t know what sort of things he might have experienced growing up.  I’m sure he’s had some hurtful experiences that could add kerosene to any racial fires burning in America.  But I’m hoping he’ll decide to use his stories and memories in a more holy way.

In the meantime, the interracial friendships of Henry’s hometown are light years ahead of the stuff we’re hearing about in the news.  And they didn’t arrive at that place by shouting and pointing fingers.  The “Tri-Towns” of Piedmont, West Virginia, Westernport and Luke Maryland is a community where Blacks and Whites live together, worship together, and grieve together out of respect and genuine affection for one another.  Most of my hometown friends of either race could teach both the Harvard professor and the Cambridge police department a good lesson in civility:  “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.” (Prov. 15:1)

It’s a kingdom thing, isn’t it?  Once we realize that we’re all brothers and sisters in an amazing family of diversity and wonder, we begin to honor and respect the person next door regardless of all the things that might come between us.

I can’t imagine racial conciliation ever becoming a reality in the absence of the Kingdom; There’s just too much pride, anger, and self-importance at work in the fallen sons of Adam.  Still… as the world marches in circles trusting its broken tools of castigation, litigation, and legislation, the amazing sons and daughters of the Kingdom will quietly enjoy loving each other under the tender gaze of their Father.  So to all of my hometown friends of whichever color you happen to be, I’m proud of you, and glad to be a part of the family!

The importance of traveling companions

Thanks to all my friends who took the time to leave their thoughts regarding teachers and heroes.   Your insights nourished to my spirit and underscored again my need for good companions along the trails of the Kingdom.

In many ways this month in Sarajevo has been a real slugfest for me, having substantial encounters with hopelessness, depression, loneliness, and a host of other beasts.   It’s never been easy to live in this city, and without the structure of a team and the focus of specific projects I obviously walked into a vulnerable situation.  So you can imagine the sweetness of having this bit of interaction while Father teaches me to find deeper grace for such circumstances.

On a more positive note I’ve also had some wonderfully creative times with the Holy Spirit developing new materials on Grace and The Kingdom of God Through History. Abba seems to have used the struggles to deepen my understanding of both.  On Saturday I’ll leave for two weeks in Romania where I’ll have the opportunity to put it all to use.

Must our teachers and heroes be Christians?

A little informal poll:  I’m interested in what my friends think about the idea that the teachers and heroes of a Christian ought to be Christians.  Don’t be shy.  You can go to the comments and read my thoughts, but I’m really interested in yours.

Success in shiny eyes

Ben Zander, who conducts the Boston Philharmonic, authors books, and inspires countless people, says he measures success by how many shiny eyes he has around him.  If he could have seen my eyes yesterday afternoon after watching one of his lectures he would have felt very successful indeed.  I like Ben’s measure of success because it cuts to the quick of what’s important and reveals God’s fingerprint on human nature.

Shiny eyes happen when the beauty of the invisible God and his Kingdom breaks through into the natural world.   Whether it’s the harmony and passion of a Beethoven Symphony, the tender touch of a friend, or the wonder of a good story, those things are all – at the heart – mere visible reflections of the passion, tenderness and wonder of the invisible God.

Abba wired us for shiny eyes and for all the things that cause them to shine.  It’s one of His ways of courting us and inviting us into his Kingdom.   When a man discovers a treasure in a field or a pearl of great price, his eyes will shine like diamonds in the sun – so much so that the Son told us, “YOU are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hid.” (Matt. 5:14)

I’m living this month in a city, (Sarajevo), where masses of people live in a dim, colorless world.  Lets pray that the eyes of many will fall again upon the Pearl of Great Price, and will begin to shine with the wonder of the Kingdom.

“Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body.  If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light.” – Matt. 5:14

They’re giving me hope

I’ve just returned from the most amazing four days in the fog-shrouded mountains of Bosnia with ten home-schooled missionary kids.  I wasn’t sure how fourteen to seventeen year-olds would connect with worldview and the kingdom, but these guys blew me out of the water with their hunger and insight. What to say about high-school kids who ask for “more, if you’ve got it” rather than taking time for a break?

It’s as if the younger generation is perfectly attuned to their “kingdom DNA” and just waiting for something to connect the dots.  God “… has set eternity in their hearts” and they’re ready to live it in ways my generation never dared to imagine.

With headlines like today’s, I’m needing a good dose of hope.

Let’s pray for Iran

Let’s pray for Iran.  The events unfolding among the brave people of that nation have the potential to be as history-shaping as the dismantling of the Berlin Wall in 1989.  My Persian friends have been telling me for years how the common people of Iran detest the death-hold of the Mullahs.  This could be the time of their liberation, and we don’t want to miss the opportunity to stand with them in our prayers.

The kingdom of God means setting at liberty those who are oppressed, (Luke 4:18), and each time we pray “thy kingdom come” we would do well to remember our friends who are suffering under the yoke of religious bondage.

I’m no preacher…

Today I’m told the Romanian church celebrates Pentecost, and after a week in a classroom of young students ranging from orphans and illiterates to journalists and university students here in Targu Mures, (almost sounds like the original disciples!), I’ve been handed the opportunity to “preach” in a nearby Pentecostal church.   Preaching isn’t something I’m especially good at, but I’m excited to see what Abba has in store.  Some of the young people in this church have been students in the past, so this could be a good chance to encourage them and underscore the role of the Holy Spirit in building His Kingdom .

Tomorrow we’ll start with fresh group of students in Medias, a small town in the center of the country.  My friend Zak James, from my home church in Florence, South Carolina, is with me for three weeks, and he’s been a handy helper and encouragement along the way.  Thanks for whatever prayers you can spare.

Hymn to the Godhead

Song to the Godhead

Father of mercy,
Author of life;
Lord of creation,
Refuge in strife;
Broken your heart
From Adam’s dark sin;
Determined in passion
To bring us back in.

Jesus our brother
Sent from the throne
Revealing the Father,
Calling us home.
Offering your utmost
To break the dark curse;
To raise us to heaven
And show us our worth.

Sweet Holy Spirit
Come open our eyes;
Bind us together,
Break off the lies.
You are our Comfort,
The Spirit of Truth
Lift us, adopt us
And make us anew.

Don Stephens
6/3/09