Jone's book The Unshakable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person

E. Stanley Jones' book was recommended to me several months ago. With our recent move and resettlement, I just now finished the book. It has brought a renewal in me, a renewed joy in living this life...this Kingdom life.

I had learned what I understood about the Kingdom of God from various sources. Little patches of information from scattered places through the years. I had tried to put it together in my mind, but with Jones' book, it has all been layed out in one place and understandable. It has come at a good time for me, too, because I have for some time been disillusioned with the Church. I didn't want to be because the Church is the Bride of Christ. I love the Church and honor her, but the institutionalization of the faith and the business model and the religiousity that seems to have taken over the church disturbs me. In fact, I have come to think that the Church has been given pre-eminence over the Kingdom of God and that ought not be.

Jones' articulates all that I have believed and more about the Kingdom. I can see that probably from early on the Church got side tracked from living the Kingdom way on earth in preparation for the coming of the Bride Groom . Instead the Church has become something she was never meant to be.

There are many implications to this which I am not prepared to put in this post tonight. But, it is freeing to me to have the insight from Jones about the Kingdom which is unshakable and present on earth. It is a joy to wake up every morning knowing that life in the Kingdom is good and the way of the Kingdom is God's way...and the Way, the Truth, and the Life is all wrapped up in the Unchanging Person, Jesus Christ. All this inspite of the circumstances that surround modern life in a primarily unbelieving world. All this inspite of whatever circumstances come into my personal life.

And, somehow, it makes me more patient with the Church. The Bride of Christ needs, I believe, to get back on track in preparation for the coming of her Bride Groom. Preachers, teachers, and all Christians need to key in on the Kingdom of God. It needs to be preached, taught, and lived by the Church. After all, it is what Jesus preached and embodied. The Kingdom is what Paul taught. The Church needs to humbly seek first the Kingdom of God...not other things. The Church needs to live the Kingdom of God for the world to see. Jesus tells us much about the way of life of the Kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount.

I am so grateful to God for his grace and the gift that it is to have my sins forgiven and to be a part of his kingdom. I am grateful to him, also, for all those who have experienced this grace as I have who are also part of the Kingdom of God. It is unshakable and the Person who emodies the Kingdom is unchanging and that all gives me great confidence and joy in the Lord.