The Imperial Nature of Christianity

 

"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service, with reverence and awe;

for our God is a consuming fire." (Heb.12:28-9)

 

(Matt. 17: 24f.) Once, when Jesus was in Capernaum, some temple tax collectors affronted Peter:  "Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?"  This was a required tax of every male Jew over 20 years old for maintenance of the temple. (Exo.30:12-16) In today's currency, a half shekel it might have been worth about $15.00 or so.

 

Comparing Peter's quick reply to their query with Jesus' answer is fascinating!  Peter said "Yes", but Jesus said, "What do you think, Simon? Fro whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?" Then upon Peter answering, "From strangers,"

Jesus said to him, "Consequently the sons are exempt."

 

Yippee, Jesus has given us permission to stop paying taxes. Now that would get Him elected as President of the World.  But wait, read on.

 

"But, (oops, rejoiced too soon!), lest we give them offense, go to the sea, and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that come up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. (A shekel) Take that and give it to them for you and Me."

 

In this short story, we see how Jesus really believed in an invisible kingdom of which He was King.  Even before His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, He understood the true nature of things.  The spiritual reality was really real to Jesus.  

 

But then, so was the physical.  Hence the, admittedly albeit usual and seemingly casual, but nevertheless, still, the payment of the tax. 

 

Spirit and world mixing is not an easy thing to contemplate or understand fully.  Look again at Ps.110:1-2:

    "The LORD will say to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."

"The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of Thine enemies." 

 

In I Cor.15:24-28, inspired Apostle Paul writes:   "..Then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father; when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be abolished is death.  For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. B when he says "All things are in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.  And when all things are subjected to Him. (Jesus), then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him that God may be all in all."

 

See, Christ has a kingdom already that He will be able to hand over or deliver up, to the Father at the end of time.  Also, He is not part of the created order, but different and set apart from it.  Thus He will voluntarily choose to happily submit Himself to the Father at the end, that God may be consolidated as the All in All.  (Jesus' necessary active role of ruling in the midst of His enemies and intercessory ministry as High Priest will cease, as unnecessary, as all enemies will cease, and all temptation and sin.)

 

Here is what we must realize:  The church is not a democracy, as properly has so oft been stated.  It is a kingdom with an absolute Monarch who has absolute power and authority over it. (Matt.28:18)  There is no elections or voting.  As Ps. 2:6 says: 

      "But as for Me, I have installed My king upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of teh decree of the Lord: He said to Me, 'Thou art My son, Today I have begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Thy possession.  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware."

 

David was a only a physical shadowy representative of the spiritual fulfillment of this in Jesus. All surrounding nations and all other tribes and Israelites had to acceed to this fact.

 

In another short story of Christ's earthly ministry, we see this confidence in His ability to fulfill all such aspects of His prophetically predicted reign even amongst His enemies, in Mark 2:23-28.  Here Jesus makes it clear that His apostles had the same perogative to eat the consecrated priestly bread that David - plus his companions - ate in the time of Abiathar the high priest from the tabernacle.  He summarizes His reason:  "Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."  (Because He created it in the first place, for man's benefit.  Interesting!)

 

Do you see Jesus' supreme confidence in His proper perogatives as King, even while in the flesh?  This should be a guide to us who also still dwell in fleshly bodies.  Although we haven't yet entered the eternal kingdom fully, we are part of it still.  (Acts 20:32; Heb.9:15)  We are yet under probation.

 

So what about us?  Do we exude the same grateful confidence in our present position in the greatest kingdom ever?  God has allowed men to create all kinds of political kingdoms.  I have been reading a book, Russka, by Leanord Thompson, about the history of Russia.  It is mainly about the rise and fall of the Tsars and Moscow's Empire.  What horrible things happened!  98% of Russians were turned into serfs - peasants who were little better than slaves, never able, by law, to leave their land!  Revolt after revolt by these unhappy subjects was ruthlessly crushed by the Tsar's mighty armies.  And who were their constant allies in this tyranny?  The Russian Orthodox church, which was insanely devoted to manmade traditions.  For instance, a huge controvery broke out over whether the priest officiating at a service should use two fingers or four when blessing?!?!?!  Meanwhile, the millions of serfs could even read, sealing off any knowledge of the Scriptures.  This continued into the 1800s and beyond.  (Africa, unfortunately was even worse, though, with the art of literacy completely lost except for Arab scholars in Saharan countries.)

 

Only the political freedoms that occured partly in Scotland and later fully in America did the yoke of tyranny get loosed.  Yet the idea of a Republic ruled by a Constitution, balances of power derived by and of the people, and no taxation without representation, are not enough.  Man's heart is the source of all slavery and tyranny.  Only a man freed by the Holy Spirit within is truly free.

 

Our kingdom is one of invisiblity, eternality and "internality" - it is within us - not externally.  Only non-things which cannot be shaken will remain in the end.  All else doesn't really matter.  It is only the soul's fixed character at death that will remain forever.  So only those things that impact and influence permanently our character has any real importance for the Christian, who is a citizen of the everlasting kingdom of Christ.

 

We need to de- emphasize all other things.  Our priority should be always to proclaim the eternal kingship of Christ.  Getting people ready to be permanent citizens of the eternal kingdom of Christ should preoccupy us above all else.  Opening blinded eyes to perceive the nature of this kingdom and the King should keep us focused on our purpose on earth.

 

But most importantly, pervading all our kingdom consciousness, should be a great joy that infuses us with tremendous motivational power.  The joy of the Lord is our strength!  We are so honored to be chosen and called as children of God!  All activities, actions and attitudes should reflect this joyful gratititude constantly.  Read a poem about Anastasia, and another called Invisible, plus one on seeing the Hand of God.

 

                            Excited!!

 

   (This is dedicated to my extremely expressive and energetic three year old granddaughter living in Cochin in Kerala, India, with her missionary parents.)

 

I'M SO EXCITED!!!  AREN'T YOU, GRANDPA?

ABOUT WHAT?  ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!

LIFE IS A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM HEAVEN ABOVE - DON'T YOUR AGREE, GRANDPA??

SO MUCH TO SEE, SO MUCH TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME, FOR ME AND FOR YOU.

I LOVE YOU GRANDPA!!

I LOVE YO SO-O-O MUCH, GRANDMA!!!

YOU LOVE ME TOO??? YES??!?!! YEAH!!!!!

HOW MUCH?, 'CAUSE I LOVE YOU EVEN MORE.

 

WOW! I'M EXICTED!

CAN YOU COME TO MY HOUSE TO PLAY?

CAN YOU COME TO MY HOUSE TO STAY?

YOU CAN COME STAY WITH ME.  WHERE?

IN MY ROOM, GRANDMA AND GRANDPA, OF COURSE.

THERE'S LOTS AND AND LOTS OF STUFF WE CAN DO, ME AND YOU.

 

I MISS YOU GRANDPA!

I MISS YOU SO MUCH, GRANDMA!  COME SOON & HUG ME, KISS ME AND LOVE ME.

DO YOU MISS ME??

YOU DO?!?

YOU'RE WILL COME TO SEE ME SOON?

HOW SOON? TOMORROW?  NO - (SIGH).......

BUT VERY SOON???  YEAH!!!

I'M SO-00 EXCITED!!!!

 

(Lord, let us be excited too, like Anastasia, and thank you so-o-o very, very much, for coming to stay with me forever through the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. Thinking about that, then yes, I too, am excited!!!!)

 

We must cease and desist, in utter shame and remorse, from all things that are not fitting for Kingdom Kids.Read Esez. 36:22-32:

"Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations." (vrs.31)  We should renounce all sin today!  Turn over a completely new leaf.  We are incredibly "lucky" or blessed to be born into such a wonderful kingdom of God.  And not just as slaves or even servants, though we are such, but much, much more, as sons and daughters, full citizens who share in Christ's very glory!!!

 

                  Invincible!

 

Somewhere, sometime, somebody today will be invincible;

Because of their true faith today, in Christ, the Living Way.

He or she will, on the Solid Rock, stand tall.

For by faith in God's incredible grace, they'll not fall.

They'll not stumble nor waver,

For they will follow the Savior.

And resist, resist, resist, making Satan flee, flee, fled,

And thus, he or she, somewhere, sometime today,

Will live free, and invincible truly be.

 

We are living in the kingdom now.  So where is our confidence?  In what is seen or unseen?  Do we think like Jesus, and recognize our true position in Christ? Or are we  confused about our true identity still?  Are we so blind?  May the Lord open our eyes to know that is unknowable, see what is unseeable, experience what is not "feelable" by faith.

 

                    The Unseen Hand

 

Miracles happen every day ...

These words surely mean more, than just a tired ol' cliche,

To be glibly uttered by happy parents and friends when a newborn begins, his life.

 

Real miracles are instantaneous, perfect and complete, and defy nature's norms.

 

So what are these rigid rules,

By which sciences forces us to conform?

 

Water always flows ....um, except when it's crystal ice.

Rocks don't ever move ....(except in , uh,  landslides.)

All cows always moo, and cats always meow,

(Except when they bellow and screetch!)

The sky is always blue....(except before tornadoes, when it's sickly green, gray or dark).

The moon is o, so bright... (except when its not.)

Well, the sun is always hot --- (except in the Artics winter grip.)

 

But enough of that, you might, in annoyance say,

Stop your foolish prattlying,

Be careful to what you say nay.

Black is always black ....not white,

You know that I'm right.

And miracles never happen no more,

God has left that,

For more subtle means, to work His will with men.

No more flash in the pan stuff,

More subtle, less publicity, less, less I reckon.

 

Hmm, so do we see in this non-publicized "subtle stuff,"

These quiet acts of God, the moving of His Unseen Hand?

Or attribute them only to chance and circumstance,

The results of statistical possibilities,

Of endless probabilities adding up to,

Whatever consequentiality we see?

 

Where is the mighty movement of divine providences Unseen Hand,

In that band of statistical anomalies,

Paraded as imperitive causualities?!?!

 

Water freezing - it'd happened fast enough,

Then its, a miracle! we'd exclaim,

But because of the time it takes,

And repeated episodes of such phenomenon,

We simply sigh, "Ho Hum"

And act like nothing extraordinary at all,

Has just occured under the sun.

 

Because so very many times, a flower buds and blooms,

A baby takes his very first breath,

Or issues her very first sweet baby smile,

We loose our very minds and think nothing much,

of what is actually a fabulous work,

Of a super-fabulous God.

Now ain't that such a shame?

 

Lord, open our blinded eyes to see the glory of your King and His eternal kingdom.  Let us give thanks, and live in the light of that truth evermore.

Amen.