Authentic Kingdom People
Dear COAH,
Authentic Kingdom People
Those elected as deacons and gwonsa (KM) in June are amid a weekly intensive meditation on the Sermon on the Mount. They are doing this for 12 weeks and submitting their reflections to me via Kakao Talk once a week. The Sermon on the Mount is a summary of Jesus' masterful teaching. It is found in Matthew 5 through 7. Every Christian has been mesmerized by it at one time or another. It contains the famous Beatitudes, which begin with "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," and the Lord's Prayer, which he taught his disciples.
Each week, the deacons and gwonsa-elect meditate on a passage or theme from the Sermon on the Mount that God impresses upon them. For five weeks so far, I have noticed two common themes: One is about forgiveness, and the other is about material things. First, I can see that many people struggle with phrases like "love your enemies" or "be reconciled to your brother." They say forgiveness and reconciliation are so hard, and it's painful that the Lord commands them to obey so strongly and clearly. Even though we all agree that forgiveness and reconciliation are the essence of the gospel, they are difficult to follow and practice. So, the conclusion the meditators draw is that forgiveness and reconciliation are not something we can do in our strength but are possible only when the Holy Spirit empowers and guides us.
Another is the view of material things. Jesus' words, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth," or "You cannot serve two masters," are challenging. We know that material things are temporary and impermanent, but we focus on what we see and try to store treasures on this earth. We think and act as though we will live forever on this earth!
The Sermon on the Mount describes the character of the people of God's Kingdom. Whether we like it or not, it's the kind of character we should emulate. The church is supposed to be a community of character comprised of people with this kind of Kingdom character. We should all be moving toward a true community of character, not just people who pay lip service to the laws God has given us, but people who realize the spirit of those laws and live in sincere obedience to them. Instead of worrying about what to eat, drink, or wear, we should seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. Instead of hearing the Word of God with our ears and letting it slip away, we should build our house on the rock of obedience and practice. Let us seek the Holy Spirit's guidance to build a community of Kingdom character together.
Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song