Hearing the Music

Your Kingdom Come

One of the great gifts that we have as God's people is the Lord's prayer. This was the prayer that Jesus taught to the disciples in response to their request that he teach them how to pray (cf. Lk 11:1-4). Central to this prayer, as it was central to Jesus' ministry is the petition, "your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven". In fact, Michael Goheen, in his book A Light to the Nations reformulates the whole prayer around the notion that the petition, your kingdom come, is the central petition of the prayer. He writes, "May your kingdom come so that your name may be hallowed throughout the earth as the prophets have promised. May your kingdom come so that your will is accomplished on earth.  May your kingdom come so that the earth may again abound in prosperity, the hungry may be fed, and the needs of people met. May your kingdom come so that the world may be liberated from sin, and that forgiveness might wash over the earth. May your kingdom come; and when it encounters powerful spiritual resistance, keep us from succumbing to the temptation and trial, to the power of the evil one. May your kingdom come fully one day –  and may there be signs and evidences of its power even now."

As we wrap up our missions emphasis week this Sunday, it is appropriate that we land back in Mark, particularly chapter 4 verses 21-34. Throughout Mark, Jesus has been focused on the mission of his kingdom. In Jesus' formulation, the kingdom is both a gift and a command, both a petition and a prescription. Or to put it another way, the kingdom is both to be enjoyed and marveled at as it takes root and bears fruit in our lives and communities, as well as being a way of life that requires radical and unqualified devotion as God's people orient themselves to God's ways in God's world. In the parables that we will look at Sunday we see both the incredible promise of the kingdom, as well as hear the clear call to be faithful in spreading the seed of the word throughout the world. 

Your kingdom come; may this petition captivate our hearts afresh!

Photo by Tom Barrett on Unsplash

No Place Like Home

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."    

Mark 2:27-28

In your travels do you find your thoughts turn toward home? Just a few weeks ago we left Grand Rapids to spend a sweet time with our kids and grandkids at Christmas. Even then, at the end of that week hearts were turning towards home. Invariably, as we near the end of our journeys, near or far, there's a readiness to return to the rest and familiar comforts of the friends, family and routines we call home.

When traveling at a distance nowadays it's an easy thing to grab your phone and find an English speaking  international church. In worshipping and communing with our global brothers and sisters God gives us a glimpse of his greater work and the breadth of his love. For a few hours were home.

Our Mom, now 94 and with vision and hearing mostly gone, is approaching the end of her journey here and is waiting and longing to see the face of her Savior and the dawn of her forever Sabbath. Psalms, hymns and the gospel stories cause her to draw closer and her eyes to brighten. She's ready.

All this said to remind us that our gracious God gives us these longings. He reminds us that we're not home yet -- that he's got something better in store -- BETTER BY FAR. Until then he gives us Sabbath, a weekly break in our journeys to hear of his pursuing love for you and me; to be told and reminded of the sure hope we're given as we trust in Jesus and his finished work; and to bring us together as brothers and sisters to praise him and to experience a taste of the rest only he can give.

So thankful to be a part of this family here at Christ Church where we are encouraged to run our race with eyes fixed on Jesus. 

Photo by Kevin Mueller on Unsplash

Beautiful

Art begins with noticing. Perhaps the colors of the leaves catch your eye, as they vary their glow from tree to tree, their intensity changing with the weather, and with the light. Maybe you catch the scent of the outdoor air when your children come indoors, or notice the frosty crisp smell of hunting season. The wrinkles in a face you hold dear, the sound of a beloved voice, the roughness of firewood, the bracing cold of a fall breeze, all of these things and many more create a vision of the beautiful, the sense of loveliness, a recognition of the things created that God called good. A true student studies this vision, pursues it, and eliminates anything that would detract from its beauty.

I admit that at first I did not see any connection between Art and the passage being preached this coming Sunday. But truly, both art and II Timothy 2:22-26 are about seeing a vision of the Good, a vision of the Good news that can re-shape our perspective of how the Christian sees himself, and of how he views those who do not know the Gospel.

Paul not only gives Timothy a vision for his own life, through righteousness, faith, love and peace, but also a vision for life in community with the saints. When these beautiful traits characterize the palette of a healthy believer, the power of God works through them to lead others to the truth. Could there be a more beautiful expression of the Good News?