The Kingdom of God is at Hand

“I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none.” 1 Corinthians 7:29

Is there a stranger command in all of the Bible? Why would Paul write this? Does Christianity as a religion promote marriage and traditional family values? I mean think about it for a moment. What would happen if every single person who has a wife all of a sudden be as though they had none? It sounds like the premise of a comedy movie starring Adam Sandler! Were you paying attention when Ralph read this out loud, all the wives that here this morning shoved the Bible passaged up to their nose to take a closer look at what was really printed. All the, ahem, those who have wives stuck  their heads up and began to look around. Isn’t there a term for this these days. I think they call it a “hall pass,” right?

Talk about an evangelism strategy. Word of this is going to spread like wildfire. Can you imagine the talk around the neighborhood? “Hey honey, all the guys were saying there’s a great little Lutheran church on 21st street. I think you’re gonna love it. They preach great family values!”  

When I was a chaplain I visited with a woman who had just successfully come out of surgery. She would soon be going home, and despite all of this she had a sad look on her face. I asked her what was the matter. Here eyes focused on her feet whose toes pointed up under the hospital sheets and blanket. The blanket was tucked under her arms, her hands held onto the hem. Her chest swelled and then contracted, she sighed. “It’s my 60th wedding anniversary,” she said flatly.

“Oh wow congratulations, that’s wonderful!” I said. She stared at me with a long face. It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. “Or not?” I asked. Looking back I wish I would have thought about this Bible verse. Can you imagine? “You know ma’m the Apostle Paul encouraged couples to just pretend they aren’t married after all.” The poor woman would have probably falled out of her bed. Then she’d be having the other hip replaced. 

But that is the point of this passage. Paul is trying to rattle us awake. To make us fall out of bed. To read closely what he is talking about. Yes to even lift up your head and scan the perimeter to see who and what is out there. Paul says that the present form of this world is decaying. Paul is like Jonah finally walking into Nineveh telling them to repent or else God is going to wreak havoc.

The end of the world. The funny thing about the end of the world is that even atheists believe that the world is going to end. The sun will not last forever. Even if we could make it to another planet, eventually all the stars in the universe will die out, and the universe itself would collapse into itself destroying all matter and energy forever. And before any of that happens, each one of us will have our world end too. So it is interesting that Paul talks about this. He says that those who mourn shouldn’t. If you have lost a loved one pretend as though you haven’t. This is also a very strange verse. The point is to not place trust in the temporary conditions of this earth.

Did you believe the truth or did you put your trust in lies? He will judge you and examine you to see if you are righteous. How will you measure up? Will stand before God as a person that lived a holy and righteous life? Keep it mind that there is precisely one thing that God will care about more than anything. He will want to to know if you did the one thing you were supposed to do. You have one job to do. You have one task to complete. Faith. Did you have faith?

That is exactly what Jesus calls you to do, and what Jesus called the disciples to do. For Simon and Andrew, faith meant leaving their fishing nets in the water or the boat and following Jesus. For James and John it meant leaving their father with hired workers and following Jesus. Faith means nothing less than leaving absolutely everything behind and giving all of yourself completely to God. Leaving behind spouse, parent, job, business, money, nothing short of absolutely everything including yourself. Depend fully on God and nothing else. 

Why? Because Jesus said that the kingdom of God is at hand. Paul said that the present form of the world is passing away. Jonah said repent because the hour of the Lord is at hand! The Kingdom of God. Can you imagine what it would be like to live in the kingdom of God!? In the Kingdom of God, the ruler, the leader is God, and God is perfectly just and loving.

God makes sure that the air we breathe is perfect and healthy. In the kingdom of God we create all the energy we need without polluting the air. Any smoke or carbon dioxide that is created is absorbed by trees which filter the air and make it clean and beautiful and it smells wonderful. 

In the Kingdom of God the water is pure and clean. The oceans do not have bits of plastic in them that kill fish. There is not toxic waste. If ever the water becomes too acidic God takes away the acid so the creatures can live well. The temperature of the water is perfect for each life form. 

In the Kingdom of God everyone has just the right amount of food to eat. The food is healthy and good for you. It is delicious. Nobody has too much. Everyone has enough. 

In the kingdom of God there is shelter. Nobody is homeless. Everyone has a warm dry place to sleep and be clean.  People are safe and are not bothered or harassed. 

Finally in the Kingdom of God nobody is alone. Nobody is lonely or scared or afraid. But everyone has a friend. Someone to talk to, and laugh with, and be quiet around. And, well, you know. Except for Paul. Apparently he just wants to be alone. That’s okay too, because the Kingdom of God is at hand.  

The other day I spent the whole day painting a bedroom. We had put up crown moulding earlier in the week, and now it was time to paint. It took me all day, a sixteen hour day. Welp! I was so tired by the end. I used flat paint for the ceiling, satin enamel on the moulding, semi gloss white on the walls, and finally the last wall was a semigloss green color called, “Fresh Cut Grass.” Kneeling outside, cold wind blowing, clouds leaving us all in shadow. Then the sun broke through and for a moment I was bathed in golden light. My skin warmed up, and the warmth filled me to my bones. Then the sun was gone and I had to go back to work. That was okay because I was reminded that the kingdom of God is at hand. Amen.