Here at First Mennonite Church we dare to believe that we are part of something exciting, messy, riveting, confusingsomething called the kingdom of God. We have no corner on the kingdom, but in our own time and place, and with the measure of wisdom, courage, and insight given to us, we strive to be people of God's kingdom.
The kingdom of God is to be a social reality. It is something that we enter into together. We want to be much more than just a group of individuals who happen to frequent the same piece of landscape, each with our own private sense of what God might want for us. Rather, we are an inter-connected group of people who have commonly pledged loyalty to Jesus our King. Here we try to actualize kingdom of God ways in our life together here and in the ways we interact with our world on our streets, at our places of work, and as we relate to the world beyond.
We might say many things to characterize the kingdom but I'd like to emphasize the fact that in the kingdom there are surprises. Things aren't always as they might, at first, seem. An old widow with a few coins in the synagogue is a model of generosity. A wily tax collector deserves a house call. The lowest of all deserves the best spot at the banquet. The narrow, sparsely used path is actually the way to go.
God's kingdom is the place where assumptions about the way it has always been can be challenged. It is a place where we can dare to do step out on faith. We do this with confidence because we know that God is great, and that the love of God knows no limits.
We are in the middle of some dramatic kingdom work right here at our own church. The way things look and feel around here on Sundays is different than before. We've kind of jumped into the river and are dog paddling about, turning in circles, just trying to stay afloat. But we are discovering some really good things.
It feels mighty good to see the children running around before and after Sunday School. It is a good thing to hold some fair trade coffee in a cup and meet someone for the first time. It is even a good thing to recognize that not everyone sees things the same way, or understands the Bible in the same way, as I do. But this neighbor is here, with me.
I think what we are doing at First Mennonite Church is amazing. Our legs may feel unsteady as we walk into this new era at our church but we do so with the confidence that Jesus our king leads the way.
