Warning Label: This is where I preach!
Some say the grass in the town commons is overgrazed. They say that each shepherd knows that and has rushed to fatten their flocks while there is still grass in the commons. They say that this is the cause of the grass being reduced to dust, and that access to the town commons must be restricted.
The town commons is the sum of all the Earth’s resources, so it follows that being restricted from the town commons means there is no grass for one’s flocks - anywhere.
Some say the Earth is a lifeboat, and they say that humanity has outgrown it. They say there isn’t enough room in the lifeboat for all. They say that empathy and compassion are no longer conducive to human survival. They say we should shoot the refugees in the water lest they climb aboard - that we must take the axe and chop the fingers of those clinging to the side.
“There is only room in the lifeboat for beautiful people like you and me,” they say.
As resources diminish, as the grass is eaten down to the root, the only solution will become obvious to all. Then it will be either the survival of the fittest, or the survival of none.
[Footnote: Cory Doctorow lets us in on where this thinking came from, and how it’s beginning to creep in: “The Tragedy of the Commons”: how ecofascism was smuggled into mainstream thought]
That is what they say, but not us.
Our allegiance is not to the system that they hope to save, but to the Kingdom of God
Though Kingdom of God is yet to come, it is already here among us, in our midst.
The Kingdom of God is our lifeboat. There is room for all in our lifeboat. Boarding the lifeboat is not restricted to any particular population, nationality or race. Just as five loaves and three fish could feed 5000, so every ethnic group, every national origin, every man, woman and child, will fit if they climb in.
As Jesus Christ, our shepherd, leads His flock into the town commons, the grass is forever green and plentiful and sufficient for all who will follow.
The Kingdom of God is not enforced from the top down like earthly kingdoms, but shared from person to person as those with the life of the Breath of God reach to those around.
The Kingdom of God in our midst, is not based on any nationality, any particular race, colour of skin, or any particular ethnic group, nor political party. The Kingdom of God doesn’t represent any political ideology.
No political philosophy defines us, whether it be conservative, liberal, labour, democrat, republican, nationalist, loyalist, communist, socialist, fascist, libertarian or anarchist. Our lives belong to Christ.
We do render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but the rest belongs to God. We honour the king, but not as the defender of our faith, for King Messiah is our defender. Our purpose is not to make any earthly nation “great again”, but the Kingdom of God, which includes every nation, tribe and tongue. Our allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. Wherever there is a conflict of interest, we must obey God rather than man. We therefore do not hold back from helping those in need, feeding the hungry, giving shelter, advocating for justice, and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, even if human government forbids it.
The Kingdom of God isn’t defined by any movement or denomination of Christianity, whether Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Reformed, Anabaptist, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Quakers, Moravians, Pentecostal, Messianic, nor Rabbinical Judaism - none of them. Though many movements were inspired by a vision of the Kingdom of God, none have ever seen enough of the whole picture to be able to say their movement defines it. Nor have we seen the whole picture. Inasmuch as those who have gone before were inspired by a vision of the Kingdom of God, we can learn from each.
All who accept the Lordship of Jesus, the Messiah, and who are conformed to His death and resurrection, are a part of this Kingdom, even as they fellowship and labour alongside their fellow congregants of the various movements. And, sadly, many who are members of the movements and denominations, have never submitted to Messiah, the King, and therefore, are not a part of the Kingdom of God.
Our call is, The Kingdom of God is here. Repent and believe this proclamation
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