The Kingdom of God Is Not the Way the World Works

Preparing for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Two Days before Sunday (Year A)

Scripture (semicontinuous)

Psalter: Psalm 133

Old Testament: Genesis 41:37-57

Epistle: Acts 14:19-28

Scripture (complementary)

Psalter: Psalm 67

Old Testament: Isaiah 63:15-19

Epistle: Acts 14:19-28

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Prayer

Remember, O Lord, what you have wrought in us and not what we deserve; and, as you have called us to your service, make us worthy of our calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer).

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Reflection

But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch. There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them and how he had opened a door of faith for the gentiles. And they stayed there with the disciples for some time (Acts 14:19-28).

In Acts 14:22, we read that through many tribulations the disciples must enter the kingdom of God. The early church found themselves on the receiving end of persecution. What we discover is that they do not bemoan that they are being persecuted, though no doubt they would have hoped to avoid it; but they seemed to have an expectation that such tribulation would accompany the proclamation of the gospel.

The kingdom of God is not the way the world works. Jesus makes that very clear to his disciples when he says to them that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over those who are in their charge, but it will not be that way with them. Whoever is least will be the greatest. Whoever is at the top will be a servant. The kingdom of God is not the way the world works.

There is something subversive in that. There is something disquieting to those in power when they are told that their means of being in control are ultimately not the means that will succeed. Might may make right in the kingdoms of the world, but it is not the way of justice in the kingdom of God.

I think the church in the West has lost something of this conviction. I am all for religious freedom and support the free exercise of anyone’s religion; but I wonder sometimes if the Christian loss of the expectation of suffering and persecution for the sake of the gospel is a loss of understanding of how the kingdom of God works.

In Acts, the disciples rejoice that they are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. Again, this does not mean that they welcomed the persecution, nor does it suggest they were unwilling to avoid it when necessary; but they understood that there was something about the gospel message that set those in power on edge and that led the powers to persecute those who had no power.

If we found ourselves on the receiving end of such behavior by the powers that be, would we be able to take heart like those first disciples that we’ve been privileged to suffer for the name of Christ? Does our understanding of the kingdom of God today allow for that possibility?

PRAYER: Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)

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