The Kingdom Constitution

Read: Matthew 7:24-27

[Jesus said,] “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24

IN WORD

We live in the most idea-prolific generation in human history. A multitude of thought streams, all with innumerable variations, surround us daily. The ease and reach of communication today would have been almost unthinkable just a generation ago, and there are more voices on the planet today than ever before. Communicators build “tribes” of listeners and readers who follow their words. And all of it is constantly shifting.

Well, almost all of it. The core message of Jesus stands forever. It’s the constitution of our Kingdom. Even that message may confuse us, as it has exploded into countless iterations and interpretations. Christianity has divided into more than thirty thousand denominations, and Christian communicators are extraordinarily diverse in expressing the essence of our faith. A dizzying array of opinions—all claiming to be Christian truth—keeps us ever tweaking what we really believe. But at the foundation are the teachings of Jesus and His first followers. In our desperate attempt to grab hold of a message that isn’t moving, that’s the one that matters most.

Discussing ideas is healthy, of course. We could spend eons probing the depths of the gospel. But we need to make sure the core truth of the gospel remains the core truth for us. We need to build our lives on what really matters in the only Kingdom that will last.

IN DEED

It’s natural, even necessary, for Christians to keep seeking good interpretations of what Jesus said. And it’s also natural and necessary for His words to be applied in different ways across different cultures and eras. But there’s a difference between diverse application of the message and diverse reinventions of it. And we have to know the difference. When in doubt, read Jesus’ own words in conversation with Him. Ask Him to speak clearly through His Spirit, without whom you can’t understand the truth. As much as possible, seek His true meaning without bringing long-held assumptions (yours or anyone else’s) into the conversation. Anchor yourself on the rock that lasts forever.

ADDITIONAL READING: Isaiah 40:8

There is no discovery of the truth of Christ’s teaching . . . without committing oneself to His way of life.

J. B. PHILLIPS