Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
|
posted
The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Lo, it is within you.
Why is that? I mean, it is where? Really?
You say, “I thought it was up there, in heaven.” Well, Jesus says that it is closer than that; so much closer till it is scary. But it is conditional. It isn’t just there. You have to be fit to receive it, and what does that take? How does that come about? Well, you work your fingers to the bloody bone, pray every day seven times, and you shake somebody’s hand. Then, if you are blessed, maybe it will be! If it still doesn’t come, throw in some Hail Mary’s. Well, Wrong! In that case you might as well be Muslim. They have about as much guarantee, as I understand it, that after they have done all that they can, they still don’t know if they will really make it. Ok!
Well, why can’t anyone see that? They want to do all of these other things. The only difference is that other things seem to make more sense, and seem more correct, but they are the same in intent, and purpose, just different in appearance. Why are ye so easily fooled?
If you go to church, and you perform some ceremony, like for example, breaking of bread, and drinking of wine, it is cute to do, special. It makes you to feel a sense of belonging. There is nothing wrong with that. Different strokes, you know… It is still just ceremony though. It accomplishes nothing more than a sense of belonging, or sharing with others. We don’t need to condemn that. It is pretty good. Though, does it make one to be in the Kingdom, or the Kingdom to be in them? It is only a shadow. It is tradition being acted out. Tradition doesn’t save. It does not invite the Kingdom to within.
How then? We have just seen that it isn’t in what you ‘do’. All things are on equal par when it comes to doing. Face it! There is Baptist Tradition; Catholic Tradition; Jewish Tradition, and it is all the same, to the heartbreak of our Lord. Is one tradition better than another? Of course, if it is, you better find which one it is before it is too late! I’ll save you the trouble.
Just before Jesus’ death, these words indicated what was up:
Mat 10:7 “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
That is because it was. Nevertheless, in Luke, Jesus, seeing that which would be accomplished by His death, was near to becoming, He told the Pharisees, and in turn was telling us:
Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Don't pass out. This is the most profound statement, to take your breath in Holy awe, and drop you prostrate in worship before our Lord, the King, the Holy One!
To be continued…….
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged | 
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
