the school, a Christian acts as if he really believed that each person he meets is a child of God holding equal rights in His world. Socially, brotherhood is realized in every elevating law of custom that opens opportunity to men and women. The act of Parliament that freed slaves in all British possessions was an act of brotherhood. Our educational laws are acts of brotherhood. The mere courteous customs that make our daily work easier are acts of brotherhood. We shall add to these social acts of fraternity every year. It is plain that the Kingdom is absolutely moral and spiritual in its aim. Repentance is one of the chief qualifications for entrance-repentance, no mere annoyance over a failure, but a deep determination to turn our back upon evil and never touch it again-that is the requirement. This means more than an individual avoidance of evil. It means a hatred of sin so real that the Christian really assumes the burden of the wrongs of the community and sets about eradicating such wrongs with the same determination as he would attack an evil habit within himself. The Kingdom is concerned with real results-"bringing forth fruit." Not mere words nor worshipful motions, but loyal action-that is the way of the Kingdom. III Certainly if such a new community can be established in the world, it will mean the solution of our vexing problems -poverty, race antagonism, class rivalries, national conflict, business immorality, spiritual unrest. It would mean a new life for the individual and a new order for society. The new life for the individual is spiritual satisfaction in a sense of real communion with God; the new order of society is a social existence organized in brotherhood, working out the will of God in its corporate life. But plain common sense seems to ask, "What is the use of talking of a Kingdom like this if there is no possibility of realizing it in a world like ours?" SUGGESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION Why do Christians ask us to turn back to Jesus for the solution of our modern problems? What were the leading elements in Jesus' idea of the Kingdom? How did He differ from the current conception of the Jews? How would you define the Kingdom of God in modern terms? What effect would the acceptance of Jesus' ideals have at the tension points in modern life? What changes would Jesus' ideas make in the relationships between labor and capital? Are these changes possible? Is poverty a "necessary evil"? Why are people poor? Does Jesus throw any light upon the problem? Why is race prejudice so persistent? How can we get people of different races to live together as brothers? What are the chief causes of international friction? Can these be overcome? Are Jesus' ideals for the relation among individuals applicable to nations? What do you think are the real causes of spiritual unrest? How can these be satisfied? CHAPTER III CAN JESUS' NEW ORDER BE REALIZED? DAILY READINGS Nineteen hundred years have passed since the new Kingdom was inaugurated by its Founder. If it is the real solution, why do we find ourselves in our present condition? Why has the Kingdom progressed so slowly? Does past progress give us hope that final victory is possible? FIRST DAY: If you ask anyone today why there are not more Christians, they will probably answer: "People are unwilling to be followers of Jesus." But Jesus had a different idea. What is suggested as the reason in His words? And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.-Matt. 9:35-38. Was Jesus right in His idea that people are really interested in religion? How many workers has Jesus in the world? If every worker did his part, would the Kingdom come at once? SECOND DAY: There seems to be no doubt about Jesus' insistence upon the responsibility of every individual to do his part. What could be more complete than His condemnation of the man who refused to do his share because he felt he could do so little? For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. In like manner he also that received the two gained other two. But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent How far is the failure of Christians to make use of their ordinary capabilities responsible for the slow progress of the Kingdom? What would happen in any community if every idle "onetalent" Christian would do his duty? THIRD DAY: Are the most prominent religious leaders always the greatest helpers of the cause of the Kingdom? Usually we do pick out the most prominent men, but note how strongly Jesus felt that the religious leaders of His day were hindering His cause. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold? Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.-Matt. 23: 13-17, 23. What was wrong with the religion of the Pharisees? Why did Jesus consider it a hindrance? When is a religious leader a hindrance to the cause of Christianity? |