Advent Message for 13 Dec 2016
A Christian Living Article from All-Creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living

True Christian living requires us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth.

By T. S. Nicholson

“Are you a sleeping Christian or a Walking Servant of Love for All Life?”

Today is Tuesday, December 13th, in the third week of Advent.

Our gospel on this Tuesday, Matthew 21:28-32 just screams out to me concerning what is going on all around us today with the children of God and all life that the Lord creates.

Gospel of Matthew 21:28-32:
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“What is your opinion? 
A man had two sons. 
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 
The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 
The man came to the other son and gave the same order. 
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 
Which of the two did his father’s will?” 
They answered, “The first.” 
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the Kingdom of God before you. 
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did. 
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

Now envision God today as the father in the story. The one son is an active Christian who goes to church every week and prays, but is blind to the corruption of the world concerning sentient life and all of creation and is eagerly participating in abuse of all these lives. He/she will also defend these things that go against God's will by using the Holy Word in a corrupted way that supports continued abuse.

The other son barely acknowledges God because he/she is so turned off by the millions that are acting as the first son. He/she may believe or just simply acknowledge God but stays out of traditional religion because the corruption of the Word is so obvious to them. Yet, the second son understands lovingkindness and eagerly extends it to sentient beings, all of creation, and all life. And they mourn and are frustrated by all that are asleep from this truth.

John the Baptist becomes the Lord's word displayed through the natural world. His Word of loving-kindness and compassion appears very clearly to these second sons that know they are called to follow this way and do so even though they are often put down, ignored, ridiculed, or belittled by the first sons.

It is time that Christians wake up to take on the responsibilities of loving-kindness to all life and creation. (Not just their selected sub-groups of humanity.) It is time that Christians who have lived under the blind corruption of the world awaken and recognize themselves in this story as the first sons. It is time that Christians start lifting up those that are called to do the work of loving-kindness for creation and all life.

Peace be with you.

Go on to: Advent Message for 14 Dec 2016
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