A Jesus Kind of Kingdom

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

God surprises are the best. Quick story…

The past several weeks my church has been going through the Beatitudes, and it has been stirring something in me. I’ve found myself meditating often on Jesus’ words, and it has awakened the teacher in me. A couple of weeks ago I was awake in the middle of the night mentally writing my own little sermon of sorts. I asked God, “Who are you giving me this message for?” A few days later I received an email from my friend Andrea, who oversees the Disability Ministry at my former church. This ministry was very dear to me when I was on staff at Constance. Andrea asked if I might be available to serve as a speaker for an upcoming worship gathering, and immediately my heart leapt. I knew—this was it! God had given me words in advance for this exact occasion!

The story gets better. Last night Kyle and I joined friends old and new for a night of “Inclusive Worship.” After a couple of songs, a young woman named Elizabeth came to the stage for the Scripture reading. Can you guess what she read? Not pre-arranged. No text listed on the service plans. She opened her Bible to Matthew 5 and carefully began reading...

The Beatitudes. 

Can you believe it?! Only God!!

A few minutes later, still stunned, I picked up my mic and my notes and I laughed out loud as I shared my story. Here’s a bit of what God gave me to say…

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Imagine yourself in an outdoor setting, in a grassy place where there are rolling hills. You can see mountains and a lake in the distance. The air is warm, but not too hot, and a gentle breeze is blowing. You’re with your family, and a big crowd is gathering. Some of the people in the crowd are your friends. Others are strangers. But all of you are here for the same reason. You’re hoping to see this teacher you’ve been hearing about. His name is Jesus. And then, out of the corner of your eye, you notice someone who’s climbing a little higher up the hillside. He finds a good rock to sit on, and he looks down at the crowd. You realize—it’s him! It’s actually Jesus! Your heart starts to pound a little and you’re filled with a sense of excitement. You look at him closely and you can see the kindness in his expression, like a warm hug. And then, he looks right at you. Your eyes lock with his. And he starts talking. 

He says,

“You are blessed. You are chosen. Listen. I know how hard your life is. How sometimes you feel a little empty inside. Like you’ve had all the life sucked right out of you. Empty of spirit. I see you. I know you. And I call you blessed. Do you know why? Because you are exactly who my kingdom is for. Yes, you—small one who thinks no one sees you. I see you. And I say—welcome to my heaven-on-earth kingdom.”

You hear Jesus words, and you see the love in his eyes, and you wonder if he could really be talking to you. He looks out at the crowd, and he continues…

“Blessed are you who are overwhelmed by sadness. I see you and I know all about your broken heart. I know you’re grieving. I am grieving with you. And I am here to comfort you.

“And you—meek ones. You who choose gentleness, even when the whole world seems to be stronger and louder. I know you feel powerless, and invisible. But guess what. I have a secret. This earth my Father created isn’t going to belong to the rich and powerful. It’s going to belong to you. To you…

“Oh, I see you. You with the ache in the pit of your stomach. All you want is for this world to be good and right. It’s like you’re starving for the very good life God created in the beginning. For that tree of life and its very good fruit. Are you ready for my surprise blessing? I’m giving you the whole good tree. Eat and be filled! 

“Blessed are you who do the opposite of what comes naturally… who choose love when it’s hard. Who choose God’s kind of steadfast, loyal, stubborn love. I promise you this: that love is going to come right back to you. Because it’s a love that has no end. 

“Blessed are you whose hearts are pure like children. The world calls you “simple.” Guess what? I like simple. I like it a lot. And I really like that childlike, wonder-filled heart of yours. With a heart like that, you’ll be able to see my Father. 

“And blessed are you who have the courage to make peace when everyone else seems to be making war. You are my Father’s shalom children. Do you know about shalom? Shalom is the kind of peace that makes broken things whole again. 

“But here’s the thing. I need to tell you something. Choosing the way of my kingdom isn’t always going to be easy. Mean people are going to hate you, and try to make your life miserable. And let me tell you… I know exactly what you’re going through. I know exactly how it feels. They’re mean to me, too. But I’ll tell you what. We’ll hang in there together. How’s that sound? We’ll hold on tight to each other, and together we’ll bring my Father’s kingdom… the kingdom of heaven… right here to earth.”

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A few weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, a pastor was reading Jesus’ words from Matthew 5 at my church. And for the first time, maybe ever, I heard the words as though Jesus was right there talking to me. It made me cry a little. 

I know my story and yours are probably quite a bit different. And yet, Jesus’ words can be for both of us. On that particular Sunday morning I had been feeling especially vulnerable. To be honest, I was feeling a little sad. I had even told Kyle before we got out of the car at church that morning, "I know satan is lying to me." Does he ever lie to you? 

But then, a few minutes later our pastor was reading from Matthew 5, and it was JESUS talking to me. And Jesus is not a liar. He only tells the truth. And I heard him say, “I see you. I know you. You are small and gentle and hungry for good… and that is exactly how I want you to be. You are blessed.” 

Jesus came to earth to start a brand new kingdom. He called it the kingdom of heaven. And his kingdom wasn’t what anyone expected. Jesus did not choose the richest people, or the smartest people, or the most powerful people, or even the most religious people… the kinds of people who were used to being chosen, especially when it came to kingdoms. Instead, Jesus chose people who were hardly ever noticed. People who were used to being ignored. Jesus chose grownups whose hearts were like children. And he chose children with a kind of courage that looked a little silly. And mostly, he chose people with really big imaginations. People who could really and truly imagine a world where God is real, and heaven is all around us, and good things are possible every single day. 

I have some friends in this room who have taught me a LOT about Jesus’ kingdom. A kingdom where hugs are totally normal, and singing is loud, and helping each other is a no-brainer. A kingdom where all of us are holding on tight to Jesus, together. 

Look around you. You know what you’re looking at? It’s the kingdom of heaven. Right here!