23rd Sunday after Pentecost /Proper 26 (year C)

Today's Epistle, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, reminds us that we should not limit our understanding and interpretation of the life and Second Coming of Jesus Christ, as found in scripture, to physical and literal lenses. Many spiritually awake believers recognize that these myths, parables, writings and actual events are not confined to the dimensions of time and space. They primarily refer to the mystery of the transforming presence and work of Abba Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit, in removing the lawless one and restraining power from the heart, soul, mind and life of Jesus Christ, and ultimately the lives of all humankind, through the spiritual core of all people [2 Thessalonians 2:8].

The Bible teaches that in the historical Jesus Christ, the omnipresent Christ descended from heaven and became incarnate in Jesus’ flesh. With God’s help, Jesus was able to revealed and fully modeled God’s plan and vision for his life and the lives of all humankind, throughout our planet [John 5:30, 10:10]. Since the beginning of Creation, Christ has always resided in the spiritual core of all humankind, as the image of God [Genesis 1:27]. Because of humankind’s error thinking and spiritual blindness, God’s mysterious and glorious presence, grace and truth have been restrained and hidden from our discernment [Colossians 1:26-27]. Unbelief, disobedience, sin and rejection of God’s law and divine plan, have blocked humankind from seeking the incarnation, appropriation and reign of Christ in our lives.

Before Jesus Christ began his ministry of modeling and teaching the Gospel of Christ, John baptized him in the river Jordan. When Jesus was coming up out of the water, the Spirit descended on him and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased”. The Holy Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. During his 40 days of fasting in the desert place, Satan tried to destroy Jesus' faith, trust and welcome of Christ's incarnation and reign in his heart, mind and life.

Through the spoken Word, the power of the Holy Spirit and ministering angels, Jesus was victorious over the multitude of undisciplined and uncultivated thoughts and beliefs, which Satan brought into his heart and mind. At the end of that inner and outer wilderness experience, Jesus was able to declare, "Away with you Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve". The devil left Jesus and he then began his earthly ministry [Matthew 4:3-11].

Satan, as the mind of flesh, has been one of the primary inner sources of humankind’s persistent and prevailing wilderness experiences of alienation, confusion and separation from God and each other. Satan as the antichrist within humankind causes unbelief, ignorance, disobedience and sin. In the human experience, the mind of the flesh is at enmity with the will of God and cannot please God [Romans 8:5-8]. Jesus taught that his disciples need to follow him in overcoming and crossing out the undisciplined and uncultured thoughts, ideas and attitudes from their hearts and mind, and replace them, as Jesus did, with the divine thoughts and ideas of the mind of Christ [Luke 9:23]. Jesus' demand becomes obvious when our present lives are seen in the light of God’s promised covenant relationships and reign within all humankind, through Christ-centered theology and the new life in Christ [Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 17:20-26, Romans 8:9-11, Hebrews 8:1-13]. 

By discerning, understanding and daily practical application of the allegorical, metaphorical and metaphysical interpretations of the Holy Scriptures, believers can by faith, follow Jesus in moving beyond the limited and erroneous ideas and beliefs of the mind of the flesh. Within these Christ-centered and Holy Spirit-based teachings and principles, the disciples of Christ can find the tools, skills and empowerment to seek, discern and welcome the return, incarnation and reign of the risen Christ within us, just as the omnipresent Christ reigned in Jesus Christ.

Like Jesus Christ, spiritually awakened believers must choose to reject the reign of Satan in their lives as the mind of the flesh. With God’s help, the lawless and restraining one, the old self with its sinful and evil desires must be rejected and cast out. Like Jesus, disciples of Christ must also proclaim the incarnation and reign of Christ, through the spiritual core of all people [John 17:20-26]. Taking up our own cross, which Jesus demands that his disciples do daily and follow him, is nothing less than God’s instrument for overcoming, dethronement and destruction of Satan, in the hearts, minds and lives of baptized and Spirit-filled disciples of Christ.

With prayer, repentance, steadfast faith and God's help, we can follow Jesus Christ in casting Satan, as the mind of the flesh, out of our lives. We can welcome Christ's return, incarnation and reign in the hearts, minds and lives of all humankind. We can all persevere in seeking the clarity, truth, grace and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, as we engage in genuine dialog about our personal inner and outer wilderness experiences, inner spiritual journeys and our highest priority to practice Christ-centered kingdom living on earth as it is in heaven.

Angel of the Week: ‘Self-discipline’

Prayer of the week: ‘Spirit is already within you’