How are we to define what is Christian? How are we to describe the Kingdom of God? I hope and pray that we have enough trust to allow Jesus to do such defining and such describing. However, Christians throughout history have taken this task upon themselves.
Within most mainline denominations the faithful have depended upon the efforts of early Church Councils to define and describe what is Christian. In doing so we unknowingly slight the words and deeds of Jesus. The congregation I am honored to currently serve, regularly uses the Apostle's Creed as our confession of faith. In this statement, the words and actions of Jesus are relegated to a comma. It is found between "born of the virgin Mary" (,) and "suffered under Pontius Pilate"...
As our commission from Jesus is to "Make Disciples", we must fill in the blank! To follow Jesus, we must study the words and actions recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Here is where Jesus models the life of a child of God. Here is where Jesus proclaims the Kingdom he establishes in our midst. Bringing the Good News of the Kingdom to our neighbors and communities begins with our watching and listening to Jesus of Nazareth.
