Kingdom Windows
I hope you will enjoy July 4th celebrations today, and that few of your pets or children (or selves) are scared of loud sounds. On this day we celebrate ostentatiously because 249 years ago this nation declared something: that we humans are made for “inalienable” freedoms this world had never known.
Frustration with our two political parties notwithstanding, I am thankful to be here. I hear from missionary friends around the world, pray for the persecuted church, and read about war-torn nations, and I am glad my kids can experience a relative lack of danger in our day-to-day. As an American citizen, I can pray this Collect* for July 4th from our Book of Common Prayer 2019:
Lord God, by your providence our founders won their liberties of old: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to exercise these liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord, may it be so in ways I don’t know well enough to ask. A few pages later, our same prayer book hints that there’s more to our story of citizenship, inviting us to pray this on behalf of our nation:
O God, the Creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you in Jesus Christ; in whose Name we pray. Amen.
- Collect for Our Enemies, BCP 2019
Pray for our enemies (fill in that blank however you’d like). Admit that we have “prejudice" that blinds us from “truth,” and a drive for “hatred, cruelty, and revenge.” This prayer will resonate deeply in us if we would allow it, because it depicts a different kind of kingdom that we are somehow restless for until we discover it. We Americans don’t really do royalty, but we must if we follow Jesus — He is King, and our primary allegiance is as citizens of his Kingdom.
But what IS the Kingdom of Heaven?
(Really! Take a moment to notice what you assume it is.)
Over the next two months, we will explore this question on Sunday mornings. Our lectionary** readings give us a series of Kingdom Windows from Luke’s Gospel. We will look through stories such as Mary & Martha, and illustrations such as building cost calculations, so that we can better know the nature of our Shepherd King and his Kingdom, and therefore what our place in it is. How do we live this dual citizenship — this world and God’s Kingdom? How did Jesus speak of God’s Kingdom before the Cross, and what was his invitation?
This weekend, celebrate in your own way the “liberties of old” having been won. But do so considering afresh the citizenship freely given to all, which will “enable us all to stand reconciled before [God] in Jesus Christ.”
Your fellow citizen, brother, and friend,
Michael+
*These strange things called “collects” (pronounced KAH-lect) are pre-written prayers, some ancient, some more modern. They combine the thematic intentions of God’s people — and sometimes the focus of our worship that day — into a succinct prayer.
** Three-year Sunday Worship Bible reading plan that includes four readings each Sunday, and leads us thematically through the church calendar.