The kingdom of God
Brant referenced Sofia Cavaletti this morning in his morning show. My first thought was, "Wow, Brant knows who Sofia Cavaletti is and he is talking about her and her work on air, and about young children and how they know more about God than we give them credit for?" (Serious props Brant!!) I don't have the luxury of listening to Brant's show very regularly, so I am not sure if talks about young kids a ton but it made me think of the kingdom workshop we had this weekend and a question we where kicking around towards the end. Can we give a one or two sentence description of the kingdom of God is such a way that even a young child could understand it? I have been thinking about that very thing and I have had some thoughts about it.
Maybe we could give a one or two sentence explanation of the Kingdom of God to someone regardless of there age but in so doing, do we rob them of the benefit of pondering the mystery? The more you are allowed to think about something, and process it without someone giving you the answers, the more you own it as your own. I don't think the kingdom of God is describable in just one or two sentences. The very topic is mystical. Jesus himself when asked about it used parables to engage people into thinking about this kingdom. He would say things like the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed and then proceed to tell a little story that would just sit in the hearers mind and cause them to stop and think awhile. I completely understand that we need to be rethinking our language when we talk to people about Jesus and his way of life. Maybe it has to do with how we think about evagelisim as well. Maybe if we allow ourselves to open up to the idea that the Holy Spirit is doing the work of calling people we wouldn't necessarily need one or two sentences to describe the kingdom of God. We could just be part of that kingdom advancing on every front and all of the semantics would be worked out in time. I am in no way trying to trivialize the process, I am just starting to understand that it is so much bigger than my one or two sentences to any one person at any one time. Maybe if we can give one or two sentences, it isn't nearly as authentic as someone wrestling with it. Maybe it would sound like we know it all, and have it all sown up. Maybe if we where more confidant in the reality of the kingdom than the explanation of the kingdom, people would wonder together with us and then bit by bit we all would be being transformed in the process? I don't know..Just some thinking out loud. Thanks for listening.
Maybe we could give a one or two sentence explanation of the Kingdom of God to someone regardless of there age but in so doing, do we rob them of the benefit of pondering the mystery? The more you are allowed to think about something, and process it without someone giving you the answers, the more you own it as your own. I don't think the kingdom of God is describable in just one or two sentences. The very topic is mystical. Jesus himself when asked about it used parables to engage people into thinking about this kingdom. He would say things like the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed and then proceed to tell a little story that would just sit in the hearers mind and cause them to stop and think awhile. I completely understand that we need to be rethinking our language when we talk to people about Jesus and his way of life. Maybe it has to do with how we think about evagelisim as well. Maybe if we allow ourselves to open up to the idea that the Holy Spirit is doing the work of calling people we wouldn't necessarily need one or two sentences to describe the kingdom of God. We could just be part of that kingdom advancing on every front and all of the semantics would be worked out in time. I am in no way trying to trivialize the process, I am just starting to understand that it is so much bigger than my one or two sentences to any one person at any one time. Maybe if we can give one or two sentences, it isn't nearly as authentic as someone wrestling with it. Maybe it would sound like we know it all, and have it all sown up. Maybe if we where more confidant in the reality of the kingdom than the explanation of the kingdom, people would wonder together with us and then bit by bit we all would be being transformed in the process? I don't know..Just some thinking out loud. Thanks for listening.
posted by Amber at 8:33 AM
8 Comments:
Amen sister Amber; this is really good stuff. Laura and I will be back at part two of level 1 in CGS this fall, and meanwhile later in the summer I'll be taking an intensive for part 1 of level 2 (3-6 year olds). See what you've done to me? :)
Peace
A. Hanson
Tight entry. Thanks for the props.
I like how Jesus used brief explanations that even a child could get, like, say, talking about faith as equivalent to a "mustard seed".
It's true, it's understandable, and it doesn't preclude mystery, it widens it.
Gotta bounce...
Brant
Arlen, Don't blame me...God was calling you long before I told you my little catechesis story. In fact, I blab on and on about it down here and I don't see people singing up for the course in droves:-)
Brant, you are cheesy christian radio's subversive voice. That Sofia quote and one I heard you drop some time ago fron Karl Barth made me smile from ear to ear. Grace and Peace to you both.
That was supposed to read "an intensive for part 1 of level 2 (6-9 year olds)."
Well Amber, Ok then God WAS calling us; I'll agree with that. But he used you to plant the seed than then grew and is now bearing fruit. :)
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