What type of Kingdom do I expect?

Our context here is the iconic Jerusalem and people have gathered thinking that the kingdom of God is going to appear. The sense of expectancy in Duccio’s painting is palpable. Jesus has just come from naming the tax collector Zaccheus as ’a son of Abraham too’ and giving his life investment parable (of the Minas or Talents) which drew out distorted perceptions on kingship. This, the following passage, concludes with Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem, at what would befall it because they did not recognise ‘the time of God’s coming to you.’

Of course the kingdom in one sense had at that time already come. It was there and then, under their noses, described, dispensed and enacted by Jesus. Its object (to seek and save the lost) and character (humble, empowering and gracious) were not recognised. The contrast with the merciless master depicted in the Minas/Talents parable is pointedly made and seems to bear frequent contemporary repetition. Here I call on an observation by a Michael Spencer:

“Jesus is not an unreasonable and merciless master so we do not have to take the ridiculously extravagant amount of grace and life he’s given and “play it safe”. We can take it and go out to take risks, do things that appear foolish in the eyes of the world, and attempt great things. We can risk failing and, yes, even fail. Because Jesus is THAT sort of master–generous, merciful, supplying more that we could possibly need. He’s not counting pennies at the end of the day and looking to find fault.”

Beginning again

Sometimes we will need to stick our head above the parapet, as Jesus does here. He enters Jerusalem allowing himself finally to be hailed as King but displaying visually his terms and type of kingship. It was not what was expected, in fact his point was largely missed or not recognised. What kind of kingdom and King am I expecting, still? Jesus was inviting and expecting his disciples to stand for, enjoy and enact this type of kingdom (not another or any other) - one marked by generosity of spirit, inclusion and mercy.

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice
- From The Journey, Mary Oliver

We are invited to enter the Kingdom of God, to be born again, to begin again. What’s on the other side of this threshold?