Kingdoms

[Jesus said,] “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36.

Ever since September 11, 2001, we have been a fearful nation. In the wake of the first attack on American soil in living memory we Americans realize, perhaps for the first time, how vulnerable we are and how fragile this life is. That has frightened us. And we Christians have not been immune to that fear. If 9/11 accomplished anything, perhaps it convinced us that we cannot put our trust in men, in governments, in the force of arms. No matter how well-intentioned, how pure of purpose, how Godly our government might be it cannot, in the final analysis, protect us from injury or death.

The United States of America were founded on, if not Christian, certainly Scriptural principles of justice, fairness, compassion, humility. This is well. For those reasons, and because it’s my home, I love my country. I am proud to be an American. But I am bound to recognize that the United States is not God’s chosen people, that God’s fortune is not bestowed upon us simply because we are the United States and enjoy some sort of privileged access.

I am convinced that all attempts to institute a theocracy, a God-centered government, are doomed to failure. Why? Because none of the kingdoms of this earth are Christ’s Kingdom. Instead of lobbying on Capitol Hill, trying to inculcate our government with Godly principles, I believe we Christians ought to be doing the work we are commanded to do, namely preaching the Gospel. Godliness cannot be legislated, it can only be born.


And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Joshua 5:13-14.

In the affairs of humans God works His will and purpose without reference to the identity or politics of the nations involved. His only concern, His only goal on earth, is to draw people back to Himself through the redeeming work of Christ. Let us, as Christians, not waste our time and energy urging more and stronger laws to prohibit sinful behavior; let us rather pray that God gives us the opportunity and the courage to lead others to Him through Jesus. The only true way to change behavior is to change the heart, and only God by the Holy Spirit can do that. When a person is reborn in Christ by the Spirit of God, God will work within the heart to change not only behaviors, but attitudes and feelings as well, to come into obedience with His will.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44.

To return briefly, in closing, to the topic we started with, the 9/11 terrorist attacks: how many of us have prayed that Osama Bin Laden would be saved? Or Saddam Hussein? Or any of the people who hate the U.S. and plot to do it harm? I have personally never heard anybody make that prayer request. Instead we send our sons and daughters into battle, hoping to extirpate all such people from the face of the earth. But this is not God’s way; God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to everlasting life. It has often been remarked what an unlikely candidate for apostlehood was Saul, also called St. Paul. He persecuted the early church and pursued Christians, “breathing out threats and slaughter”. God chose him anyway, for reasons of His own.

So let us be obedient to God – let us pray, preach, love everybody, and look forward confidently and hopefully to the day when Christ establishes His Kingdom, and “God will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4)."

God bless,

- Chad

Footwashing

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. John 13:3-5.

We have heard this story a number of times and been taught it as an example of humility that Jesus left us. We ought to be willing to debase ourselves, as the Master did, even unto washing another’s feet. We hear the point made that washing another’s feet in that day was not like it would be today; those people wore sandals and walked everywhere so their feet were very dirty at the end of the day. Consequently anyone washing another’s feet would be doing a dirty, nasty job, almost literally groveling in the dirt. Christians throughout the ages have engaged in foot-washing ceremonies, wanting to emulate Jesus’ willingness to humble Himself before another person as a form of ritual self-mortification.

In reading this passage recently, however, it struck me that to view this incident from Jesus’ life in that way might be missing the point. Why, does the Scripture say, did Jesus wash His disciples’ feet? Because He knew “that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God”. Jesus knew what He had; He knew where He had come from; and He knew where He was going. I submit that because this is so, Jesus’ humility or lack thereof was a non-issue. For Jesus, washing another’s feet neither exalted Him nor debased Him, because He was secure in the knowledge of where He stood in relationship to God the Father, and in His place in the universe. Performing some task that needed to done meant nothing to either His glory or humility. It was merely a task that needed to be done.

So, I believe, it should be for us who know and endeavor to follow the Lord. Do we truly know what the Father has put in our hands? Do we truly know that we come from God, and some day we will go to God? If so then the performance of any task in love and service to another, no matter how simple, or dirty, or “humble”, should be able to affect our “self-esteem”, our “sense of self-worth”, one way or the other. “…[A]s He is, so shall we be in this world”(1 John 4:17). This is God’s promise and command to us.

God bless,

- Chad