4 Epiphany February 1, 2009

John’s Gospel describes Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance to his gathered disciples in these words: (Read John 20:19-23)

I believe the key words for us as members of His Body, the Church, are these: "As the Father sent me, so I send you. ... ... Receive the Holy Spirit." (Jn 20:21-22) Jesus gathers us to himself in order to send us out into the world to BE the Good News of God’s love, not just to talk about it. It’s not what we do FOR the Church, it’s what we do AS the Church that allows us and those around us to experience God’s Kingdom present here and now. We don’t bring the Kingdom to the world. It’s already here! It always has been and always will be.

The first words spoken by Jesus in Mark’s Gospel are "The right time has come, and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!" (Mk 1:15) Jesus wastes no time in Demonstrating the power and the presence of the Kingdom he proclaims. Mark tells us this morning, "...and on the next Sabbath Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach. The people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he wasn’t like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority." (Mk 1:21-22)

The teachers of the Law were men who were products of the rabinnical schools of the time. Their teachings were always couched in the traditions of Hebrew scholarship. "According to Gamaliel," they would say, this is how you should act in this situation in order to live according to this particular law of Moses." Contrast that to the formula Jesus uses time and again in Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount: "You have heard that it was said ... ... But now I tell you ... " Jesus uses this formula no less than six times in rapid fire succession (Mt 5:21-44) as he offers his take on the interpretation of the Mosaic Law - the very bedrock of Jewish religious practice.

Continuing from Mark’s Gospel this morning, Jesus then proceeds to demonstrate that the Kingdom is more than just talking a good game. (Read Mark 1:23-29)

We tend to pooh-pooh the idea of evil spirits in our age of modern medicine and psychiatry, but I’m not so sure we should. Evil is a very real presence in this world of ours, and it’s very much a human problem, not something which is endemic to the natural world itself. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and blizzards can be catastrophic in their consequences, but they are a necessary part of what it takes to make this earth a living planet. Without them, life as we know it could not exist.

Evil is rooted in man’s inhumanity to man. The Letter of James speaks of it in these words: "For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But a person is tempted when he is drawn away and trapped by his own evil desire. Then his evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." (Jas 1:13-15)

Not a pretty picture, is it? And yet, my own experience of life tells me that what James says is true. Fortunately, James doesn’t leave us there. He goes on to describe for us the basis of the Kingdom Jesus proclaimed - God’s infinite goodnes and grace towards us: "Do not be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures." (Jas 1: 16-18)

Being Christian - being the Church - is sharing with ALL who come to us the goodness and generosity God has poured out on us. Every act of kindness, of compassion, of caring we perform in Jesus’ name to "one of the least of these my brothers and sisters" is a sign of God’s Kingdom among us.

What will you do this week to make God’s Kingdom present "... on earth as it is in heaven"?