The Shape of the Kingdom

Read Mark 2:18-28.

When I was a member of the Rotary Club, we had a rule, a guideline, a statement that shaped us as Rotarians. It is called the "four way test" and it was supposed to be the way we ordered our lives. In our particular club, we were each given a coin that had the four way test written on it, and at the end of every meeting we recited the test as a way to give shape to our life outside the club meeting. The test says this:
The four-way test of the things we think, say or do:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
The first time I heard the four way test, I was struck by how Christian it is. Then I learned that Herbert J. Taylor, who originated the test with his company, developed the test in a time of prayer. He said he couldn't come up with guiding principles out of books, so he turned to the one who is higher than all of us.

Every organization needs principles that give shape to its existence. It's just a matter of choosing the right principles...or person...to follow.

The Pharisees thought they had the shape of God's kingdom all figured out. You follow these rules, you do these certain things, engage in particular practices, and BOOM! You're in the kingdom. Just do the deal, follow the rulebook, and you're good. Then along comes Jesus preaching about the kingdom, and he's not doing any of the things they think he ought to do. Instead of fasting, he's spending lots of time at dinner parties (the precursor to the Methodist potluck) and instead of honoring the Sabbath (by following all the man-made rules about the day of rest), he's allowing his disciples to pick heads of grain (which was considered to be harvesting and thus, work). What is going on here? Why isn't he following the rules?

It's because the shape of the kingdom Jesus came to bring is less about rules and more about grace. It's less about a test of behavior and more about being shaped into his image. Jesus is more concerned that we connect with him than that we follow all the rules. Now, that's not to say that the rules aren't important—but whose rules? So many of the rules we assume are actually things we've made up. Rules about the rules. So much of the time we spend worrying about who is doing what and with whom—when Jesus' call to us is, "Follow me." "Repent and believe the good news!" Maybe the reason I meet so many joyless Christians is because we've traded a life with Jesus for a life with the rules. And "rules" are a harsh taskmaster.

We have a choice. We can be Pharisees, watching everyone else break the rules then running to report them. Or we can be disciples, joyfully following the savior who leads us into life. Discipleship is the shape of the kingdom.

P.S. Lest you think I'm letting us all off easy—go re-read Matthew 5-7 and see what Jesus expects of his disciples. Following him is not easier than following the human-made rules. If anything, it's harder! But more on that in the days to come.

Comments

  1. Great post. It's sad when people add rules to God's. God's are accessible and beneficial, with help from the Holy Spirit. The added on ones are not.

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