The Real “Magic Kingdom”

Those of you who know me, know I love to read…especially anything related to history, philosophy, or theology.  Since I’ve been in school for the last two years, I haven’t had much time to read for enjoyment, which I’ve missed terribly.

Now that I’ve got more free time, I’ve started reading again, and one of the books I’ve picked up is “The Secret Message of Jesus” by Brian McLaren.  As I was reading, I came across this sentence:

“When Christianity sees itself more as a belief system or set of rituals for the select few and less a daily way of life available to all, it loses the ‘magic’ of the kingdom.”

The Magic Kingdom.  Now I’d bet money that McLaren intentionally used that phrase because of the imagery behind it.  Well, it worked… got my attention.  It also brought back to the front of my mind something that I keep thinking about and have thought about for years….

απο τοτε ηρξατο ο ιησους κηρυσσειν και λεγειν μετανοειτε ηγγικεν γαρ η βασιλεια των ουρανων (mattthew 4:17)

Or maybe this will work….

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Now, the part that has always intrigued me, the “at hand” part.  Until recently, I’d always assumed that the “repent” part meant confession.  While I was right to be intrigued about the first part, I’ve learned that I was wrong about the second part.  In fact, so wrong, that when put right it puts this bit into a whole new light.

The greek word translated as “repent” is μετανοειτε (metanoeite), which is a form of the root word μετανοέω (metanoeō) which means “to think differently, to reconsider”.

Now, Jesus was around during the height of the Roman occupation.  Rome WAS the Kingdom and Caesar was its deity (which makes the render unto Caesar scripture that much more politically charged).  Most Jews thought that the Messiah would come and deliver them from Rome.

Jesus, however, had a different idea.  He was telling them “Hey.. hate to disappoint you, but you’re thinking all wrong.  The kingdom of heaven (βασιλεια των ουρανων) isn’t coming “later”… its right in front of you and I’m going to show you.”

Now this was a big deal.  How could the kingdom of heaven be here, in the midst of oppression and occupation?

μετανοειτε! Jesus said, or more accurately κηρυσσειν which means “heralded”, sort of like the town crier.

μετανοειτε ηγγικεν γαρ η βασιλεια των ουρανων (mattthew 4:17)

or

Change your way of thinking and you can experience heaven now.

Now, when you’re in Anaheim or Orlando visiting the home of the big eared one, it is a place of joy, of happiness, where all is right with the world and you can be footloose and fancy free.

So now you can see why McLaren used the word “magic” in his book.

Jesus told us how to experience that every day, and it all starts with changing our way of thinking.

So, let me ask you this….do you spend more time focused on the Romans and their Empire in you life, or on thinking differently, like Jesus calls us to?