"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me." (Jonah 1:2, from today's Minor Prophets reading.)
One thing which set Dietrich Bonhoeffer apart from most of his contemporaries was his Kingdom mindset. He was mindful of, "The Kingdom of Heaven", while most around him were only mindful of "church." Now to some this may sound disrespectful of the Church. But I can tell you that if you and I are only "churchmen," we are missing the whole aspect of, "make disciples of all the nations." Our text tells us that the Living Triune God commanded Jonah, "Arise, go to Nineveh," and, in essence, "make disciples." And, just as Jonah, Dietrich also "went" to a "great city," and cried "out against it."
Through the centuries, people such as Bonhoeffer were not "political revolutionaries." They were people who actually believed that, "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Our Lord Jesus Christ would not have commanded us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven", if it was not His "Will." This is not what so many react negatively to as "kingdom now theology." Of course there is the reality of the "coming Kingdom" in the Scriptures. But such a reality does not contradict, nor replace, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." There is a very real sense in which this was Jonah's message to Nineveh.
The video which I sent to you yesterday of Hillary Clinton expounding quite proudly her view of the unborn reveals just how evil the majority of Americans have become. "Arise, go," because never before in the history of America has there been such blatant advocacy of murder as in the Obama and Clinton administration. Does the American Church really want to reject the Biblical aspect of, "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," in the face of such evil?!? Remember: "The gates of Hell will not overcome it," or, "get the upper hand," or, "prevail against it," viz., the Church. Remember what Derek Prince once said, "'gates,' don't attack. We attack!"
As Followers of Jesus, you and I cannot sequester ourselves in our Church meetings, "outreaches," in-house gatherings. As Followers of Jesus, you and I are called to, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes." And I cannot think of one aspect of First Century Culture which Jesus declared "off limits." Mark 16 tells us that the Early Church, "went everywhere." And where is, "everywhere?" That's correct--"everywhere." This is the reason I go to Washington, DC. This is the reason we go to Berlin. This is the reason you go to your place of business. The Church has "boundaries." The Kingdom does not. "Arise, go...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to more and more, "Arise, Go...." Amen.
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* "Arise, go" to California, September 9-18
* "Arise, go" to Berlin, October 6-27
One thing which set Dietrich Bonhoeffer apart from most of his contemporaries was his Kingdom mindset. He was mindful of, "The Kingdom of Heaven", while most around him were only mindful of "church." Now to some this may sound disrespectful of the Church. But I can tell you that if you and I are only "churchmen," we are missing the whole aspect of, "make disciples of all the nations." Our text tells us that the Living Triune God commanded Jonah, "Arise, go to Nineveh," and, in essence, "make disciples." And, just as Jonah, Dietrich also "went" to a "great city," and cried "out against it."
Through the centuries, people such as Bonhoeffer were not "political revolutionaries." They were people who actually believed that, "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Our Lord Jesus Christ would not have commanded us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven", if it was not His "Will." This is not what so many react negatively to as "kingdom now theology." Of course there is the reality of the "coming Kingdom" in the Scriptures. But such a reality does not contradict, nor replace, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." There is a very real sense in which this was Jonah's message to Nineveh.
The video which I sent to you yesterday of Hillary Clinton expounding quite proudly her view of the unborn reveals just how evil the majority of Americans have become. "Arise, go," because never before in the history of America has there been such blatant advocacy of murder as in the Obama and Clinton administration. Does the American Church really want to reject the Biblical aspect of, "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," in the face of such evil?!? Remember: "The gates of Hell will not overcome it," or, "get the upper hand," or, "prevail against it," viz., the Church. Remember what Derek Prince once said, "'gates,' don't attack. We attack!"
As Followers of Jesus, you and I cannot sequester ourselves in our Church meetings, "outreaches," in-house gatherings. As Followers of Jesus, you and I are called to, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes." And I cannot think of one aspect of First Century Culture which Jesus declared "off limits." Mark 16 tells us that the Early Church, "went everywhere." And where is, "everywhere?" That's correct--"everywhere." This is the reason I go to Washington, DC. This is the reason we go to Berlin. This is the reason you go to your place of business. The Church has "boundaries." The Kingdom does not. "Arise, go...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to more and more, "Arise, Go...." Amen.
****************************
* "Arise, go" to California, September 9-18
* "Arise, go" to Berlin, October 6-27
* "Arise, go" to Washington, DC every month
* Latest on Germany: jhs58.blogspot.com
* Latest on Germany: jhs58.blogspot.com
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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
