Basic Preparation for Transformation
Week 4, Email 2, Wednesday
Week 4, Email 2, Wednesday
Handbook for Christian Relationships in the Kingdom of God
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
from The Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6
What does it mean that God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven? What does it mean that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven?
The prayer Jesus recommended does not say “on earth as it will be in heaven”. There is a kingdom and a way done in heaven right now which we pray will come into our lives right here on earth.
We know that God’s kingdom is more valuable than anything other than God himself because of the many parables Jesus told. But, what is this kingdom?
There are many aspects to a kingdom. We could use as our example the United Kingdom of England and other countries, but instead let’s use the mythical kingdom of King Arthur. Arthur’s kingdom was his castle and the lands he protected. God’s kingdom certainly has a geographical aspect of Christians around the world. We bring expansion to that kingdom by helping God bring people to faith in Jesus Christ.
However, a kingdom is also a society where citizens live the way the King edicts. If people wanted to live in King Arthur’s castle, they had to treat others in the castle by his rules.
It is quite revealing that when Jesus was asked where the kingdom was (Luke 17:21), Jesus answered, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within (among or of) you.”
This reveals that the kingdom is relationships. The kingdom of God is:
Christians relating with one another
and relating together with the King
in the way the King has decreed.
and relating together with the King
in the way the King has decreed.
The Togethers of Scripture are the ways that God has ordered for citizens of his kingdom. They are the ways of the kingdom of God in the sense of relationships.
Furthermore, citizens in a kingdom have rights of citizenship. The King decides and establishes those rights. The Togethers of Scripture also spell out those rights of citizenship. Each of us, for example, has the right that others make sure we are not mistreated. (Together #63: Forbid Mistreatment of One Another. Allow no injustices within the church. Face unfairness and defeat it. **Lev 19:1-18**; Prov 31:8; 1 Cor 12:21-26; Gal 5:26; Eph 4:29-32; James 2:1-4; James 4:11-12)
How can we think that the Kingdom of God is “God and Me”? How absurd is that?! A kingdom is the king and his people, not a king and his person. The kingdom is not an individual love affair with God. It is a love affair of the people of God with the King.
If we pray the Lord’s Prayer sincerely, then we should make learning and applying the Togethers in ever expanding ways the agenda for every day for the rest of our lives. The Togethers of Scripture become our Handbook for Christian Relationships in the Kingdom of God.
Furthermore, citizens in a kingdom have rights of citizenship. The King decides and establishes those rights. The Togethers of Scripture also spell out those rights of citizenship. Each of us, for example, has the right that others make sure we are not mistreated. (Together #63: Forbid Mistreatment of One Another. Allow no injustices within the church. Face unfairness and defeat it. **Lev 19:1-18**; Prov 31:8; 1 Cor 12:21-26; Gal 5:26; Eph 4:29-32; James 2:1-4; James 4:11-12)
How can we think that the Kingdom of God is “God and Me”? How absurd is that?! A kingdom is the king and his people, not a king and his person. The kingdom is not an individual love affair with God. It is a love affair of the people of God with the King.
If we pray the Lord’s Prayer sincerely, then we should make learning and applying the Togethers in ever expanding ways the agenda for every day for the rest of our lives. The Togethers of Scripture become our Handbook for Christian Relationships in the Kingdom of God.