"And as you go, announce these words: The kingdom of the skies is coming!" Matthew 10:7.
That's Jesus to his disciples. Well before he died. So there they are making that announcement. What do people expect? Mighty soldiers in battle array? Army legions surging up mountainsides? Glorious battles routing hated oppressors? In a word, Yes. That's the likely expectation. But. But how does Jesus describe this cohort? Poor in spirit. Doesn't sound like much of a kingdom, does it? Not for real men, anyway. And yet. And yet; something in this kingdom pulls powerfully. This high kingdom draws from deep within a man. Makes a man real. For the first time.
On earth, Jesus' church is now that kingdom. We approach a brother or sister today, we recognize together our Master's humility against his oppressors. And, humbly, we give thanks. For his death, for his burial, and for his glorious resurrection.
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