If you asked Jesus to summarize his message in one sentence he would say “the Kingdom of God is so close!”
We know this for a fact because the Gospels tell us this exactly. Just look at Mark 1.14-5 or Matthew 4.17. In fact, take a skim of any of those four ancient biographies of Jesus and look for just how ubiquitous the language of the Kingdom is. Matthew likes to call it the Kingdom of Heaven. Mark and Luke like to call it the Kingdom of God. John likes to call it eternal life. Call it what you like, but it’s on just about every page!
The Kingdom was truly Jesus’ favorite thing to talk about. It was the core of his teachings, the theme of his parables (“The Kingdom of God is like..”), and the sign above his cross. The Kingdom of God was Jesus of Nazareth’s core preoccupation, primary concern, and driving mission.
And I think it should be ours too.
What exactly did Jesus mean by the Kingdom of God? Well that’s a question that takes the whole Bible to answer and a lifetime to figure out. Hopefully Cup of Joseph will help you go a little bit deeper over the coming weeks. I can tell you, though, that by the phrase “Kingdom of God” Jesus certainly did not mean less than this: human life healed by the power of God.
I see it at Christ School every day: human life healed by the power of God.
It doesn’t always happen because of something in Chapel or at Fellowship. But maybe that’s just the point. God is at work in so many ways. “Christ plays in 10,000 places” as Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote. Hopefully you’ll get a glimpse into what the Healing God is doing at 500 Christ School road through the Cup of Joseph. You might even, every so often, let us know what the Healing God is doing in your lives too.
I’ll leave you with a prayer from our Book of Common Prayer. If you need some words to pray today, you might begin with these.
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
-Proper 29, pg.236 Book of Common Prayer
Looking Ahead:
- Know you are always welcome in Chapel – Come join us for a service any time!
- Tuesday, September 23 – Football Captains’ Chapel
- Saturday, September 27 - Alumni Chapel Service before The Game, 9 a.m.
- Wednesday, November 5 – All Saints’ Chapel Service. Please send the Chapel names of loved ones who have passed in the last year whom you wish to be remembered at this service.