"Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." (Mark 9:1)
Some commentators believe Jesus is referring here to Pentecost; I'm not so sure. I suggest another possibility. Could what followed 6 days later have something to do with Jesus' statement? What Peter, James, and John witnessed on what Peter many, many years later would refer to as, "the Holy Mountain," was a spectacular sight, "[Jesus] was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them." But equal to what they saw is what they heard and saw, "And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!'" This is not in any way an attempt to negate the power of Pentecost. But this too is power ("power evangelism"?), the Power of the Godhead holding forth, honoring, and pointing/bringing the Earth to Jesus Christ. The whole scenario is presenting Jesus as the Glory of Our Father and the Holy Spirit, and seeing, "the Kingdom of God present with power."
Perhaps this is one of the reasons Paul said that we should run our race, "Looking unto Jesus." People actually "saw" Jesus, saw how He conducted Himself with people. Before Jesus' Appearing, all man knew about God was primarily words and His acts of power. Yet no one had/has ever seen our Father or the Holy Spirit. But in Jesus, He was/is now here, "with us," and, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." This is why Jesus was and is the controversial One of our Faith. Jesus is, "Immanuel, God with us." For most of humanity through the ages, Jesus is, "God (too much) with us." Jesus is God manifest, a real "inconvenient truth" for many. Sadly, what too many people saw/see in Jesus is not the god of their imagination and preference. But for us, What An Absolutely, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace...,the kingdom of God present with power."
The reason Jesus said, "the Kingdom of God is within you," or, "in your midst," is that Jesus is within the Follower, the Church, and in the, "midst," of humanity, all humanity, everywhere, even where the Church is not. So, my friend, in you and me, in His Church, "the kingdom of God (is still) present with power"------- which includes our homes, our work places, and more. Everywhere Jesus is, "the kingdom of God [is] present with power."
Father, in Jesus' Name, shine in me. Holy Spirit, by your indwelling and your words, cleanse me of sin so that Your Light may shine. Amen.
*****************
Some people took issue with my statement about the Wimps in America running scared in the face of terrorists' threats. Go to: www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
to see someone who agrees.
Some commentators believe Jesus is referring here to Pentecost; I'm not so sure. I suggest another possibility. Could what followed 6 days later have something to do with Jesus' statement? What Peter, James, and John witnessed on what Peter many, many years later would refer to as, "the Holy Mountain," was a spectacular sight, "[Jesus] was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them." But equal to what they saw is what they heard and saw, "And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!'" This is not in any way an attempt to negate the power of Pentecost. But this too is power ("power evangelism"?), the Power of the Godhead holding forth, honoring, and pointing/bringing the Earth to Jesus Christ. The whole scenario is presenting Jesus as the Glory of Our Father and the Holy Spirit, and seeing, "the Kingdom of God present with power."
Perhaps this is one of the reasons Paul said that we should run our race, "Looking unto Jesus." People actually "saw" Jesus, saw how He conducted Himself with people. Before Jesus' Appearing, all man knew about God was primarily words and His acts of power. Yet no one had/has ever seen our Father or the Holy Spirit. But in Jesus, He was/is now here, "with us," and, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." This is why Jesus was and is the controversial One of our Faith. Jesus is, "Immanuel, God with us." For most of humanity through the ages, Jesus is, "God (too much) with us." Jesus is God manifest, a real "inconvenient truth" for many. Sadly, what too many people saw/see in Jesus is not the god of their imagination and preference. But for us, What An Absolutely, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace...,the kingdom of God present with power."
The reason Jesus said, "the Kingdom of God is within you," or, "in your midst," is that Jesus is within the Follower, the Church, and in the, "midst," of humanity, all humanity, everywhere, even where the Church is not. So, my friend, in you and me, in His Church, "the kingdom of God (is still) present with power"------- which includes our homes, our work places, and more. Everywhere Jesus is, "the kingdom of God [is] present with power."
Father, in Jesus' Name, shine in me. Holy Spirit, by your indwelling and your words, cleanse me of sin so that Your Light may shine. Amen.
*****************
Some people took issue with my statement about the Wimps in America running scared in the face of terrorists' threats. Go to: www.jerusalemberlinwashington.blogspot.com
to see someone who agrees.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
