SATS ConferenceSATS ConferenceJo’burg May 2011Jo’burg May 2011

Children as Signs of the Children as Signs of the Kingdom of God: Kingdom of God:

A Challenge to Us AllA Challenge to Us All

Matthew 18: 1-14Matthew 18: 1-14

““Seek first the Kingdom Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven…”of Heaven…”

It would be hard to overstate the importance of It would be hard to overstate the importance of the Kingdom of God (heaven) in the Bible, Old the Kingdom of God (heaven) in the Bible, Old and New Testaments, and in the teaching of and New Testaments, and in the teaching of Jesus.Jesus.

It is therefore the primary goal of all who seek to It is therefore the primary goal of all who seek to follow Jesus Christ faithfully as we pray:follow Jesus Christ faithfully as we pray:

““Your Kingdom come!” Your Kingdom come!”

(i) The Kingdom of God: (i) The Kingdom of God: have we got it right?have we got it right?

Human Language brings its own history Human Language brings its own history and distorts…and distorts…

Yahweh, the King of Israel, but often weak Yahweh, the King of Israel, but often weak in the world, a king looking for his in the world, a king looking for his kingdom; in disguise in the enemy’s kingdom; in disguise in the enemy’s camp.camp.

Are we faithful to the full range of Jewish Are we faithful to the full range of Jewish Scriptures in our worship, songs and Scriptures in our worship, songs and theology? theology?

Jesus taught about and modelled God’s Jesus taught about and modelled God’s way of doing things (the Kingdom of God).way of doing things (the Kingdom of God).

He gathers a small group of friends whom He gathers a small group of friends whom he calls to be fellow travellers: they have he calls to be fellow travellers: they have no possessions.no possessions.

There is no attempt to build or expand by There is no attempt to build or expand by human endeavour.human endeavour.

Yet he still used the term to indicate God’s Yet he still used the term to indicate God’s engagement with His creation, law and engagement with His creation, law and redemption, rather than a sacred/secular redemption, rather than a sacred/secular divide.divide.

There are two ways in which some Christians try There are two ways in which some Christians try to cope in a world of appalling suffering:to cope in a world of appalling suffering:

(i) to focus on another world where God reigns (i) to focus on another world where God reigns supreme;supreme;

(ii) to become wrapped up in our own endeavours (ii) to become wrapped up in our own endeavours to transform the world…to transform the world…

Either way avoids the tension that demands Either way avoids the tension that demands serious theological study and debate.serious theological study and debate.

(ii) The Kingdom and (ii) The Kingdom and RepentanceRepentance

It can be a shock to discover that the only It can be a shock to discover that the only way we can prepare for the Kingdom of way we can prepare for the Kingdom of God is by repentance (whoever we are, God is by repentance (whoever we are, and however great our devotion).and however great our devotion).

It is clear that the disciples of Jesus were It is clear that the disciples of Jesus were shocked, if not stunned by this.shocked, if not stunned by this.

They were convinced that their They were convinced that their commitment and sacrifice counted in commitment and sacrifice counted in their favour.their favour.

The history of Christianity is full of The history of Christianity is full of examples of this sort of thinking…examples of this sort of thinking…

And what about us?And what about us?

What about me?What about me?

““Living sacrifices”: one of the summits in Living sacrifices”: one of the summits in the Himalayan range of Paul’s theology the Himalayan range of Paul’s theology in Romans.in Romans.

What is our motivation and inspiration?What is our motivation and inspiration?

God’s love, grace and mercyGod’s love, grace and mercy

(iii) The Kingdom as (iii) The Kingdom as SignsSigns

There is no other way: the Kingdom can only be There is no other way: the Kingdom can only be in signs now. It does not exist anywhere on in signs now. It does not exist anywhere on earth in a perfect form.earth in a perfect form.

As travellers on the Way we are to read the signs As travellers on the Way we are to read the signs we are given.we are given.

And what opens our eyes to see God’s revelation And what opens our eyes to see God’s revelation through signs?through signs?

Humility: without it we cannot see or enter the Humility: without it we cannot see or enter the KingdomKingdom

Creation and signs…Creation and signs…

The parables of Jesus…The parables of Jesus…

Yet we can easily talk of our projects or Yet we can easily talk of our projects or organisations as if they were the “real organisations as if they were the “real thing”!thing”!

Even though we are weak in the world, and Even though we are weak in the world, and at best can offer models and signs of at best can offer models and signs of hope…hope…

……until He comes again.until He comes again.

(iv) The Child Placed by (iv) The Child Placed by Jesus as SignJesus as Sign

Now we are ready to return to Matthew 18, Now we are ready to return to Matthew 18, the place where we started and perhaps the place where we started and perhaps to know the place for the first time.to know the place for the first time.

Ten years of studying this passage in the Ten years of studying this passage in the context of biblical theology and Christian context of biblical theology and Christian history and mission has led to four crucial history and mission has led to four crucial discoveries:discoveries:

(i) we know nothing about the child Jesus (i) we know nothing about the child Jesus placed in the midst;placed in the midst;

(ii) it is Jesus who speaks and gives (ii) it is Jesus who speaks and gives substance to the sign of the child;substance to the sign of the child;

(iii) Jesus never refers to his own childhood (iii) Jesus never refers to his own childhood at any stage in his ministry;at any stage in his ministry;

(iv) the child is a sign or representative of (iv) the child is a sign or representative of Jesus, his nature, his way, his calling and Jesus, his nature, his way, his calling and the cross (yes, however much we may the cross (yes, however much we may recoil from the very idea and recoil from the very idea and association!).association!).

What does the action and teaching of What does the action and teaching of Jesus sign for the disciples and us?Jesus sign for the disciples and us?

First, we are on the wrong track (and this is First, we are on the wrong track (and this is scandalous, and a stumbling block of scandalous, and a stumbling block of considerable proportions);considerable proportions);

Second, the child is a special sign, of hope, Second, the child is a special sign, of hope, promise, potential, life, encouragement, promise, potential, life, encouragement, and the reminder that the whole of the and the reminder that the whole of the journey following Jesus is about learning journey following Jesus is about learning and experimenting, starting again right at and experimenting, starting again right at the very beginning.the very beginning.

A Challenge to Us AllA Challenge to Us AllCan it possibly be that we (and our organisations) Can it possibly be that we (and our organisations)

are outside the Kingdom?are outside the Kingdom?

Humility is the single clue given us by Jesus…Humility is the single clue given us by Jesus…

And the constant call to repent of two possible And the constant call to repent of two possible temptations:temptations:

* attracting some praise for ourselves* attracting some praise for ourselves

* focussing on children as objects of care and * focussing on children as objects of care and concern, at the expense of seeing them as concern, at the expense of seeing them as signs of God’s Kingdomsigns of God’s Kingdom

Pandita Ramabai; and Pandita Ramabai; and The God of Small Things The God of Small Things

A Concluding WordA Concluding WordMichel Quoist:Michel Quoist:

“ “If we knew how to look at life through God’s If we knew how to look at life through God’s eye, we should see it as innumerable tokens of eye, we should see it as innumerable tokens of the love of the Creator seeking the love of his the love of the Creator seeking the love of his creatures. The Father has put us into the world, creatures. The Father has put us into the world, not to walk through it with lowered eyes, but to not to walk through it with lowered eyes, but to search for him through things events, people. search for him through things events, people. Everything must reveal God to us. All Life Everything must reveal God to us. All Life would become a sign.” would become a sign.”

Strange that followers of Jesus who accept Strange that followers of Jesus who accept that the sign given to the shepherds that that the sign given to the shepherds that the Messiah had come was “a baby the Messiah had come was “a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”, should still overlook little a manger”, should still overlook little children, little people and little things: children, little people and little things: some of the chosen signs of their Lord some of the chosen signs of their Lord and Master!and Master!