Swinging Pendulums

"Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." - Jesus (Matthew 19:27b-30)

Jesus daily encountered a literalist mindset. When he told the crowd he was the real bread from heaven, that they had to eat his body and drink his blood, they went wild thinking he was implementing a new form of cannibalism. The context of his statement clearly showed otherwise.¹

We, in our culture, have swung the other way to the point we don't take anything he says literally.

Jesus taught there is an actual, touchable, noticeable change coming to this world - what he called "the regeneration". Those who "spiritualize" this miss the point of why we remain here in this life; why we continue to have struggles and work through our problems.

Jesus is taking real human beings as leadership material and engaging them in an apprenticeship program. We who follow Christ were chosen to have real responsibilities in that coming renewal. All the apostles knew this and believed it literally.

"It is a faithful saying: ... If we suffer, we shall also reign with him..." - 2nd Timothy 2:11a, 12b

Don't spiritualize it to the point of irrelevance; live like it, expect it. Appreciate the privilege!

- fritz

^{1 - John 6:30-60}

Being touchy

Matthew 19:14-15
14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid[ his] hands on them, and departed thence.

Jesus went about touching people, not just spiritually, but actually touching. There are reasons God gave you and me a body; I believe one is to enable us to touch, it conveys more than words ever could.

Touch your children, even the teens, they may pretend they don't like it, but they will know you love them. Take your spouse's hand while walking. Touch a friend on the arm while talking.

Actually touch people with God's kind of love.

- fritz