There is a day Jesus, when all unity will be established. All nations and all tongues you say; Father I have faith in your restoration plans; the day of salvation.
Let us begin at the table of the Lord. As Jesus speaks about the blood and body of himself shed and broken for his people, he gifted us with elements that, as Paul says, would make us one body because we eat from one bread. It is not only Jesus Christ who reconciles us to God, but the same man who we've received that reconciles us to one another. This reconciliation is unique beyond what our fathers have ever imagined. This is a reconciliation that does not renew our relationships from bitter to mere acquaintances, but it is one that moves us from separation to interconnected oneness. And we do not have to wait! At least not in a way that binds us into a delusion that sanctification cannot begin now. We live in the sanctity and omnipresence of God! Jesus preaches of the plentiful harvest only short of laborers in Matthew 9:37-38. Brothers, the kingdom is in our midst. At times, I realize that I envision impossibilities like an iron wall built before us. But yet, what does it mean to have visions? Jesus envisioned of things he knew, but passed these visions on to us only as anticipations that is infinitesimal to his creation who while on earth is finite. He prayed for bold and confident prayers as if nothing can appear a barrier to it. He prayed visions. Jesus has defined visions for us since the ages of old; it was ever since he prayed, 'hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven' and since he prayed 'that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.' A vision does not point us towards any other destination than glorification, so a vision should not ask us to reach any earthly destination, but it is one that inspires us towards the sanctity of Christ in full perseverance and reverent dependence so that the Holy Spirit of the Living God would fill this impossible leap of faith in order to help us see the heavenly city. The heavenly city cannot be seen through journeying, only through the keeping of the statues and commandments of the Lord, that we can envision it written on our hearts and minds. We are leaping across a canyon that only the Spirit can bridge, fighting a flood that only God can confront, tearing down an iron wall that only God can destroy; we are taking paths that only God can make right.
This is an ultimatum that God wants us to pursue; on earth as it is in heaven. How are we to come to achieve such a vision? Well, I am no one to instruct on God's plans, but in truth and in spirit, I pray that we would be able to preach on an idea of steps we can take in order to allow the fulfillment of the Lord to be more of a reality to us. And like many of the commandments Christ entrusted us with, it is no small task to bear.
First and foremost, there is a need for preaching and not simply pedagogy. Pedagogy might be needed for efficiency, but pedagogy without preaching the gospel only leads to a puffed up mind just as efficiency without a valuable purpose leads to the act of 'hurry' and impatience. Preaching is incarnate teaching; a humble and sympathetic presentation of the convicting truths of the word of God. It is a call to responsibility, a call for action in response to God's graciousness(in general). We need to be aware of our fallen state, not just know it. This can almost be seen as the initiation of the conformation to God's will.
I believe that what truly needs to be allocated to its rightful position next is the need for discomfort as we face the exposure of this worldliness which stains us. If we are content within this world enough to discontinue the pursuit for heaven on earth, we have lost sight of the vision of Christ. The moment we remain content in not only the worldliness in the secular world, but the worldliness in the Christian environment, we have lost sight of the destination. The scriptures say that all of creation has been groaning in the pains of childbirth; it is a fleshly endeavor for perfection. In the same way, it brings us closer in intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the great high priest who 'in every way has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.' For many of us, if we are not in some type of strife, we do not even bother to approach the throne of grace in prayer; and even when approached, we are only in petition. I don't want to sound harsh, but I praise God that he does not look down from the heavens and perceive us as pathetic creatures as our actions show us to be. We are in need of discomfort and a poverty of spirit in order that we may enter the yoke of Christ which he offers all of his people.
One of the very last thing that may tie all things together is intentionality. As we are a people in dependence, but also a people of arrogance, we desire in our flesh to hide our shamefulness and appear in glory. Intentionality can possibly break this complete barrier of falsity so that those who we intentionally draw near to may receive our invitation into this wonderful comfort zone. Now this comfort zone is different; it is the entrance into the yoke of Christ; one that is filled with all peace and freedom. Only when we live in an incarnate humility with complete care - one that meets others where they are at - will we be able to transfer this contagious style of living to God's chosen people. This is a lifestyle in spirit and in truth.
This is a vision of life on earth as it is in heaven, that others may partake in that I might be able to share with them in its blessings; not my own invented vision, but Jesus' vision from before the world began. It is big, it is impossible; I would invite you to venture with me, in a journey where we are not given the pressure to choose the right paths, but in a journey where we take the paths in which Christ makes right.
Father, would you never make us fear possibilities that we would shrink our visions, but that we would revere you in order that our visions may be yours alone.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Amen
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