The Teachings of Jesus in Luke: Kin-dom

A certain ruler asked (Jesus), “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.’” He replied, “I have kept all these since my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ~ Luke 18:18-25 
(Jesus’) mission is summarized in a single metaphor – the kingdom of God…I suggest that we drop the “g” and change it to kin-dom of God, reflecting the biological and spiritual truth of evolution that everything derives from common stock. The metaphor suggests an ethic that reverses cultural norms: the last are first and the first last; the poor are lifted up and the rich sent away empty; the persecuted are blessed; rulers are servants; the well-being of the soul, not the size of one’s bank account, defines the person; true wealth consists not of accumulating money but in allocating it; spiritual wisdom, not political power is the hidden treasure; the humble, not the high and mighty, have access to wisdom; non-violence, not redemptive violence, is God’s way. God’s kin-dom makes for a topsy-turvy life. ~ Bruce Sanguin, The Emerging Church

This text has a lot to do with perspective.

 Is Jesus here saying that God keeps rich people out of the Kingdom of God? Or is he saying that rich people keep themselves out of the Kingdom of God?

 Remembering what the Kingdom of God is not - some far away heaven in the future - but instead the abundant life that is offered to us for all time - including now, how does that affect your reading of the text?

 How hard is it for us to live Kingdom life when our money is foremost in our lives?

 How hard is it for us to live a Kingdom life when the things our money buys are foremost in our lives - our stuff, our houses, our cars, our vacations?

 This isn't to say that we can't have money or the things that money can by.

 But the more we have, the less room there is for others in our lives. For God in our lives. Other things and other people tend to get squeezed out.

 Since we don't live any longer in a world where Kingdoms tend to exist as much, another way to phrase Kingdom of God, as described by Pastor Sanguin above - one which I think perhaps captures the meaning even more - is the KIN-dom of God. Knowing God is a God of relationship, then God's Kin-dom is one in which we as God's family put God and each other as the most important parts of our lives instead of all the wealth, all the stuff, that might keep us from those relationships. 

 It might not be monetary riches that keep you from experiencing God's kingdom to the fullest. It might be something else. 

 Knowing that God's kingdom is now and meant to be shared, what are the ways in which you can release some of what is keeping you from experiencing it in all its abundance?
Prayer: Your kin-dom come, in me and through me. Help me not to miss it! Amen

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