Kingdom Principle: The Revelation of the King is the means of Reconciliation of his People.

The King is concerned with Process & Possibilities not Problems and Products.

There has been much written in the last 20 years in organizational leadership regarding vision casting and how organizations must know there Mission and Vision Statements in order to have organizations that will survive. Unfortunately Vision Catching is rarely a part of and truly the most important part of the process. If a “church” leader casts a vision, but it is their vision, rather than coming from a vision/dream/revelation or anything other than the LORD, how then can the church follow Jesus and the pastor’s vision. (so much more could be said, but not the point here) Jesus is willing and wanting to reveal himself, so that God’s people are reconciled unto him. This is the History of the Bible. Revelation precedes reconciliation so that a revolution might take place.

Have you ever had that moment where something has been confusing, frustrating, or perplexing then all of the sudden you see it clearly, only to discover that all the while it been in front of you. Revelation is God’s specialty, in fact he even hides things so that they can be revealed. (Pr. 25:2, Daniel 2:22, Luke 12:2, Col. 1:26, Eph. 3:8-12) This act of revelation is made possible in the process of walking with the King of Kings. God has walked with humanity throughout the Old & New Testament, and he continues to walk with those in His Kingdom today. (God walked in the garden with Adam & Eve, he walked with Abraham, and wrestles with Jacob, passed before Moses, and David’s intimacy moves us to the metaphor of what it means to walk with God today, and Jesus came in the flesh to walk in the neighborhood as “The Message” expresses John 1 ) I have had this experience of revelation and walking with Jesus a number of times on my journey it led me to: get engaged, the call to work with youth and families, the current church where I am the pastor, understanding the Kingdom & holistic leadership development, and weekly when it comes to writing these posts – What is at mysterious and confusing or hidden from my eyes, becomes revealed in my heart as I walk with Jesus. When we come to see that the revelation (of Jesus) is the key to reconciliation (with Jesus), it moves our focus from the problem and frees us from pursing the end-product to now enjoying the process.

This week we continue to encounter God’s revelation and process with Jacob. The act of wrestling is a process and God entertains the possibility that Jacob can and even does “prevail”. In this Jacob must reveal his name, (to comes to terms with who you are, is always a part of the process of coming to terms with who God is), and yet God does not reveal his Name. God is creating a deeper journey for Jacob to travel, for we know the Jacob new this was God, but Jacob preferred to have it the revealed on his terms not God’s. God will ‘again” change Jacob’s name to Israel in Chapter 35 back at Bethel, for I believe this indicates the process of revelation for Jacob is going to take a life time. (Most of us aren’t much different.)

Further we discover in Romans, the process of revelation God has with the Jews. Paul clearly understands the process of God’s history with His People. He lists 7 clear revelations to Israel which God brings to his people so that they may be in relationship with Him. This movement of reconciliation is the purpose of everything that God does with Israel, so that they will be his people and He will be there God.

In the Gospel passage we see the process of revelation to which Jesus submitted himself to the Father and invited the Disciples into the realm of possibility. He does not feed the people, he tells them to do it. He reveals and reconciles, for this is work of Jesus. Read the text closely – The disciples are with the people in the place when Jesus comes ashore (I think the disciples even led the people to this “place” – they knew this because they had gone there with Jesus before- it had been revealed) While waiting for Jesus’ return the disciples must have ministered and taught the people. It was compassion that moved Jesus, what moved the disciples? Jesus was alone in the boat – seeking revelation from the Father…. The disciple don’t seek revelation from Jesus, rather they seek refuge and rescue. (yet they have nothing to be rescued from, that is if they have received the revelation of Jesus love read the last couple posts). Jesus receives revelation and filled with compassion (moving the people to reconciliation.) The disciples seek refuge, and they get rebuked.

Below is a series of statements about Revelation and Reconciliation. They are prompted by the text this week but not directly derived from it… rather they are my thoughts on the subject as a whole. David makes it clear in the Psalm this week that it is by prayer which God reveals. David never ceases to have enough revelation or to be close enough to God. And yet he is a man after God’s own heart. May we be inspired by the process of God to pray for more revelation so that our lives might be marked by reconciliation.

Revelation is a work of the ____Spirit_____

•   Revelation precedes Reconciliation, God always moves 1^st

Revelation changes how we see ____God_____

• Revelation makes salvation/shalom possible

Reconciliation changes how we see __Others_____

• We must ask ourselves What has been done for me? Not What must I do?

Next week we will look at:

Revelation demands a ___Response_____

• Jesus’ response to the Father was to surrender control.
• Will you follow Jesus by faith?

Reconciliation demands a ___Relationship______

• Jesus’ relationship with the Father was one of total Submission.
• Will you follow Jesus into dependence?

Reconciliation changes how we see ____Ourselves______

• Here the question is What must I do?   Not   What has been done for me?

Then in 2 weeks we will discover:

Revelation + Reconciliation = ____Redemption______

• Jesus gave his live that new life might be given to all.
• What is keeping you from seeing your Identity as found in Jesus?

Revelation + Reconciliation = ____Repentance_____

• Jesus was never out of control, rather he was Spirit-Controlled.
• What is keeping you from total surrender unto Jesus?

Revelation + Reconciliation = ____Revolution_____

• Jesus started a revolution by being in relationship with people.
• What relationships of your are in need of revelation and reconciliation?