|
9. Of the Kingdom of
God.
From that time on
Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God or of the kingdom of
heaven, namely the good news that God loves people and has mercy on them;
that he wants to redeem them through his Son from false beliefs and from
the habits of sin; that he wants them to be pious and happy in God
already on earth and blessed in heaven. Pious people are already in the
kingdom of God here on earth, pious children in advance.
People once brought children to Jesus so that he could touch and bless
them. The disciples initially refused the people. But when Jesus saw it,
he said to them, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them,
for such is the kingdom of heaven. Truly I tell you, anyone who does not
receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it.” When
he had said this, he pressed the children to his loving heart, laid his
hands on them and blessed them.
More than once he said to the people and his disciples: “Become like
children,” namely like good ones. “Take heed,” he said, ”that you do not
lead astray or cause to sin any of these little ones who believe in me,
for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my
Father in heaven.” Furthermore: “Whoever receives one such child in my
name receives me.”
What does my heart say to this? I want to love Jesus again, who loves
and blesses children. I want to follow his exhortations to godliness
childlike and enjoy his beautiful promises. I will keep my innocence,
that I may abide all my life and forever in the holy and blessed kingdom
of God, in which I am. My angel in heaven always sees the face of his
Father in heaven. -
Jesus went from the Jordan to Jerusalem for Easter, as his mother had
once taught him. Good motherly teaching is not lost on the heart. At
that time a man named Nicodemus, a noble and learned man, came to him by
night. He had become aware of Jesus. He wanted to get to know him better.
He had the idea that he was the one whom God had appointed to deliver
people from error and sin. He said to him: “We know that you are a
teacher whom God has sent. For no one can do the signs you do unless God
is with him.”
Jesus also spoke to him about the kingdom of God and how one must be
born again, as it were, and become a child again in love and trust. As a
farewell and a memento, Jesus gave him the beautiful saying: “God so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
This is also a description of the kingdom of God in other words.
Nicodemus honored Jesus from that time on and was probably one of his
faithful followers, albeit in silence.
|