Jesus came into Galilee preaching…
“The kingdom of God is at hand…”
(Mark 1:14-15)
During Epiphany we celebrate the inauguration of Christ’s kingly rule in our hearts and lives. Yesterday, Linda and I watched another inauguration—the Inauguration of our 46th President. Lady Gaga and Garth Brooks were the best part of the ceremony.
As Jesus tells us, his “kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36). When we try to force Christ’s eternal kingdom into one of our earthly kingdoms, we mess things up. The kingdom of God does not disqualify the kingdoms of this world. However, Christ’s kingdom does boundary our earthly kingdoms as earthly, provisional, holding the world open and free for the coming of its one true King.
Yesterday’s Inauguration Ceremony centered on the President’s Oath of Office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” To which, at the first Inauguration, George Washington added his own “so help me God” which has stuck to this day.
The eternal kingdom shapes and boundaries our earthly kingdom. Our constitution, aware of human vanity, establishes three equal branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial; to protect us from ourselves—from any one person or branch of government garnishing all the power. Take away the boundaries of the Kingdom of God and tyranny has its way.
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