The Great Commission.4

"If you believe in me, you will do the same works that I do."

--Jesus

Immerse yourself, for a moment, in this proclamation by our Elder Brother, Friend, Savior, Lord and Master.

Now combine that thought with this MacDonaldism:

"Jesus has a right to our absolute obedience."

If you, lover of truth, can handle the truth.  
If you, lover of truth, allow truth to stand in judgment of you 
              and resist standing in judgment of truth.

Then let this truth fill your heart: God has a design on our lives that goes beyond occupation, degree, matrimony, parenthood, community standing or history.  It is our birthright.

Notice at the top of this blog page the words: "Will and Obedience the perfecting link between God and man."

Think on the relationship between Perfect Father and Perfect Son.  Perfect Will.  Perfect Obedience.  Obedience is as divine as Will, Service as divine as Rule.  They are one in nature; they are both doing of the truth.  The Fatherhood and the Sonship are one, save that the Fatherhood looks down lovingly, and the Sonship looks up lovingly.  Love is all.

Think about the requirement of the kingdom of God: childlikeness.

Why childlikeness?  Consider the dull disciples arguing about "greatness" in God's kingdom.  Consider our own insecurity in relation to others of skill, wealth, humor, passion, leadership, athleticism, intellect, persuasiveness, experience, position or purpose.

Jesus tells the dull of all ages that the nature of His kingdom lies in the virtue of childlikeness. The very idea of ruling is excluded where childlikeness is the One Essential quality. It is to be no more who rules but who serves; no more who should look down upon his fellows from the conquered heights of authority, but who should look up honoring humanity, ministering unto it, so that humanity itself might at length be persuaded of its own honor as a temple of the living God. Nothing is required of man that is not first in God. It is because God is perfect that we are required to be perfect.

Stop then, this very hour, being a salesman for the local church you attend, the party you rally for, the team you cheer, the race of your birth, the ideology you hold, the doctrines you claim.  Be, from the core of your existence, the thing God designed you for and is perfecting in you: the obedient child of his heart.  Let your "belief" not be demonstrated in the loudness of your words, but in the quiet confidence of the works that tell the world I am like my brother, Jesus. I do his works.  I help, heal and save just like my Father.  Bring Light to dark places.  Bring hope to the hopeless.  

Be the sign of truth that lies in your childlike heart that the eyes that see you and the ears that hear you should be channels to the heart and wake in them the love that peculiarly belongs to the kingdom of God.

(from MacDonalds Unspoken Sermon vol. I, The Child In the Midst)