Drip-Drops of the Kingdom

Last night, I was talking with some of our small group leaders. A couple of them had started new groups and we were seeing some reforming of another group. We talked about life cycles and how you can see that in small groups in our church. We had one group that got too big and the leader went to some folks and asked if they'd like to start a new one. Then, another couple wanted to start an outreach group. They did that and now have five other couples coming who either weren't coming to our church or who had just visited. The other group has invited their neighbors. I think that all of this is pretty amazing and it happened pretty spontaneously. Birth - Life - Reproduction - Life, and yes, death is a part of that at different times.

We kept talking and the idea of celebration and throwing parties came up. We talked about how many times we see festivals, parties, feasts, and celebrations in Scripture. From the Old Testament feasts to the Wedding at Cana to the Kingdom parables where Jesus talks about the Feast of the Father to Jesus dining with "sinners" to the Lord's Supper to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, we see feasting, celebration, acceptance, rejoicing, and a different view on the world.

Tim Keller talks about this in The Prodigal God. He says that the celebration feast at the end of the parable of the prodigal son points to this ultimate welcome-home feast that we get to have with God. Those who receive the Father's love through Jesus will enter in. Those who reject the invitation will be left out.

What if our small group gatherings and even our church gatherings reflected this "welcome-home feast" that we see in Scripture? What if the Kingdom is dripping into our lives whenever we gather together and we get a foretaste of what things are really going to be like in the eternal reality that is waiting for us? Formalism and a modern idea of church as ritual, entertainment, presentation, and program has stripped the Biblical perspective of homecoming, love-feast, and celebration. Of course, all of this is only possible because Jesus paid the full price for our sins to bring us to God. I am not talking about forsaking seriousness when it comes to our sin, but I am talking about embracing an on-going, hopeful recognition that there is nothing left for me to pay for or work off - Jesus has fully consumed the cup of God's wrath.

So, if our small groups reflected the Kingdom reality of celebration, what would that look like? Friends gathering, people being accepted, God being worshipped and obeyed, laughter, joy, sorrow when needed but with awareness that God is near - in essence, we would get to taste of Home.

Our larger church gatherings can be that way too, but that is another post for another time. Thoughts?

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Comments

[Bob Cleveland]

I think you're really onto something. Simply having home-based small groups and sanctuary-based worship is obviously not getting it.

[Cameron Crabtree]

Good thoughts, Alan. Jesus went to or talked about parties a lot. I know that theme has been predominate in Andrew Jones' efforts through the years. On the kingdom, a recall Stan Nelson affirming the church in all expressions being a foretaste of what's to come.

[downshoredrift]

Absolutely, Cameron. Both Andrew Jones and Dr. Stanley Nelson have shaped my thinking on this. I probably should have given them credit. I actually thought about Andrew when I was writing. Thanks for mentioning them.

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