Last Sunday we celebrated the coming of Jesus to earth.  At gathering we focused on the Magnificat, or Mary’s song.  Mary proclaims her praise to God.  You see, God has not forgotten his people, he has not ignored the cries of the oppressed, he sent Jesus to reverse the fortunes of the world.  The change things from the way they are to the way they ought to be.

As I was leaving the warehouse my friend, Lauren, asked me a simple but troubling question: Did Jesus fail then?  I know Lauren well enough to know she was probing to make sure I was thinking deeply enough.  To make sure I had thought through the ramifications of what I had taught only moments before.  Fortunately, I had.

Follow my premise.  Stick with my thought for a moment.  If we can agree (for a moment) that Jesus came to change our world, to bring the very Kingdom of God to earth.  And if we can agree (for more than a moment) that this planet we call home does not seem to look, smell, sound or taste very much like the Kingdom.  Then what happened?

Jesus is God.  Scripture teaches us that through him all things were made.  He holds everything together.  Than why?  Why does the end result look like what I read in the newspaper or see on TV night after night?

Good question.  The answer? Us.  Well, more specifically, those of “us” who call ourselves “the church.”

You see, Jesus left the keys to the Kingdom in our hands (See Matthew 28:19-20, the book of Acts, etc.).  How are we doing?  Is this world more like Heaven… or more like Hell?

I define the Kingdom as everywhere God reigns (Jesus- for those of you keeping score).  I want to see him reigning more and more, not less and less.

Father, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  Amen