Sowing Life or Sowing Death? We Have Power to Live in Jesus

The Kingdom of God is remarkably simple.  Children can thrive in it!  Unless we become as children we do not even see it.  Anytime it gets complicated, moves away from Jesus as the primary focus and loses the focus on LOVE?   We are most likely off track.

El Greco - Healing the Blind Man

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Hebrew 1:1-3

"...that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Col 2:2-3

Jesus is what God is saying.  Some people are afraid to say his name in given places in our world.  But he is what God the Father is saying to the World.  There is such a hope for compelling power to "sweep in and show the world that God is who he says he is".   The Father is not like that.  His heart was displayed in Christ and everything about the way he related to the world.   

• When the Jews demanded a sign what did Jesus say?   Jonah is your sign.  I will be three days in the ground and then rise to new life before your eyes.   If you don't believe in Jonah you will have trouble with the resurrection. 
• When the Jews demanded to know "how he healed your eyes".  The "condemned blind person" who was "lost in his sin" told them in childlike witness about Jesus.    I love what he said.  Essentially, I don't know.  Aren't you Israel's teachers and you don't know how he did this?

 In contrast, when a Roman Centurion (oppressor of Israel and representative of that power) approached Jesus for healing his servant, Jesus healed him and said there has not been one like this in Israel who understood things so clearly.    There is a new Kingdom rising that overcomes all of the world's perceived structures and castles.   In 300 hundred years the "children" overcame the most advanced and powerfully oppressive government on the face of the earth.  By force?  NO.  By love, service, surrender and sacrifice.  

But people don't seem to believe or want to respond to the message of Christ around me???

He told the rich man that there was plenty of witnesses for the truth surrounding his brothers.  (Luke 16:19-31)  He assured them that if they did not believe all the witnesses present they would not believe and angel or some major sign.  

Our hope for some dramatic demonstration of the Father's power is not consistent with the way the Father presented himself in Jesus.   His power was tempered by compassion.  He loves first.  He is heartbroken for the brokenness of the world.  Yet, he has actively provided a means of escape in Christ and more than that exploded his Kingdom and government onto the world with love, service and sacrifice leading the way.   

I loved what Kevin Prosch sang years ago.    He said something to the effect that we are an army of weeping and mourning and brokenness. 

A martyr story.  All this seems to wrap up for me in a story I read.  Through the witness of this story it is believed that all the gladiatorial slaughters of the Roman Colosseum were ended.  Wow.   It happened on a believers "vacation".     

So, a believer was traveling and went to Rome.  He ended up in the Colosseum and was watching "the games".   The crowd, the atmosphere and the murder taking place before his eyes were overwhelming to him.  Why he was there....not sure.  But the overwhelming compassion and desire to see God's grace and power overcome the situation mixed with the compelling witness of thousands upon thousands of believers who had died on that very ground caused a divine moment to occur that shifted the hearts of an entire people.   Our brother, compelled by what he was witnessing, got out of his seat and made his way into the area during a battle.   The crowd saw him and began to watch in horror as a perfectly free man made his way into the raging battle for life and death.  Thousands of people's eyes were fixed on him as he went over the rail and into the battle zone.   The warring gladiators noticed him but paid no attention.  A slip of their attention meant sure death.   The believer walked into the melay and approached the men who were fighting.   The entire Colosseum witnessed the following event.   The believer walked up to one of the warring groups and began pleading for them to cease their fight.   He was ignored at first.   Then still pleading he stepped into the battle zone.  A gladiator struck him down.  Before the entire crowd of witnesses a free and perfectly able bodied man was struck down by a gladiator.  He died.  Before their eyes.   On vacation.  

The amazing thing is "his witness" cut to the heart of everyone present.   Including the rulers and authorities.   From that day on there were no more gladiatorial battles in the Colosseum.   From that day on the slaughter stopped.   

Are we this kind of people?   Are we seeing the Kingdom coming more than the world that is present? 

Are we more attached and in love with the world than with our Father's Kingdom and the witness of Christ?   

Times are shifting and changing.  There is a Kingdom of love rooted in childlike simplicity and vision that can stop the gladiatorial slaughter.   

Who is willing to walk into the battle zone?   

With First Love on my heart and Jesus crucified in my eyes.  

Love from Brother Jeff. 

Comments?  Ideas?  Feedback?  

Send em my way.  I love talking with you.  

grace and peace in Jesus.