Monday, January 29, 2007
Kingdom Living
Over the past few weeks during my time out in different villages, my teaching has been focusing on the idea of Kingdom living. I have been recently working through a wonderful book by Dallas Willard entitled “The Divine Conspiracy” and it has turned me inside out with every turn of the page. In this book, Willard focuses primarily on the idea of living in the presence of God. This presence of God is found within his Kingdom and that Kingdom envelopes everything we see and experience. In his book, Willard spends a great deal of time sharing some new ways of looking at the Sermon on the Mount that have really challenged my walk with God. He states that the purpose of this sermon is to give us everything we need to exist rightly in the Kingdom of God. The sermon is not a list of rules, as Jesus makes painfully clear, but it is a holistic, heart-changing dialogue offered by Christ the master to each of us. Even in the Beatitudes, we do not find a how to list so that we can qualify ourselves for the Kingdom. They are Christ’s way of saying to His audience that everyone is welcome to partake of his Kingdom. Looking at the sermon in this light should change our perspective of our relationship with God. He is not far off watching from above waiting to see if we get it all right and then perhaps he will let us into the club. If we have placed our belief and faith in Him alone and have died spiritually in the grave of baptism then we are living in his Kingdom right now! He is striving with us to make the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount a reality in our lives. Through his power we become blessed Kingdom people. I have begun delivering this message in the Kabiye churches and it has been received with such eagerness because it is so different from what they have often heard. So many of the messages they hear preach the idea that perhaps one day we will be able to be in God’s Kingdom (i.e. heaven) but first we must prove ourselves and live by these rules and regulations. Rules and regulations breed hypocrisy. Living in the presence of God and unfolding our lives before him opens us up to his power and plants his laws and desires deep in our hearts. Lives are truly changed and the Kingdom of God is seen for what it truly is. Not a religious organization but God himself living and moving among us. Oh what joy to be in such proximity with our Lord and friend! Please write me your comments and let me hear you thoughts.
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4 comments:
Hi Dave,
I start preaching on the Sermon on the Mount in about a week and a half -- I'll get the book -- looks like an excellent resource! This Sunday is our "Super Missions Sunday" -- Jeff Holland will be speaking.
It's amazing how many people still have the idea that Christianity is about "getting it right" instead of celebrating God's grace and living out the upside-down values of the Kingdom.
We are well. Hope you are; I enjoy your and Becky's blogs.
Thanks Anthony. We will praying for you mission Sunday. It's great that Jeff can come and be a part of that weekend. I think you would really enjoy Willard's book. I have been digesting it now for about three months. Glad that you guys are doing good. We are fine as well and thankful for your continuing friendship.
Ok. The above comment was written by me. My name is not Becky, although I do think very highly of her. That's what happens when you forget to sign your wife out and sign yourself in. Oh well, I am still learning this whole blog thing.
David,
Great post! I read a fictional book last year by Ted Dekker, and some of his writing exposed me to this idea of living in the Kingdom like you described. It is Amazing that God desires so much for us to be a part of His Kingdom, to enjoy His presence, to partake of His blessings. I will have to go read the Sermon on the Mount again with this viewpoint in mind and see what God reveals to me through this. Thanks!
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