The Christian Community in Southern Africa
  • Home
  • About us
    • Sacramental Life >
      • The Sacraments >
        • Baptism
        • Confirmation
        • The Act of consecration of Man
        • Sacramental Consultation
        • Marriage
        • Ordination
        • Last Annointing
      • Our Children
  • Region
    • International News >
      • Perspectives
    • Southern African News >
      • Events
    • Africa Seminary
  • Congregations
    • Johannesburg >
      • Joburg Community website
      • JHB Programme
    • Cape Town >
      • CT Newsletter
      • CT Programme
      • CT Photos of events
    • Hillcrest >
      • Hillcrest News
    • Windhoek >
      • Windhoek Wen es intressiert
      • Windhoek Lichtstrahlen
  • Links
Picture

Windhoek Congregation (Namibia)

Picture

Lichtstrahl 142 - The Kingdom of God does not come in a form which is outwardly perceptible

10/9/2023

0 Comments

 
LICHTSTRAHL 142          GOSPEL:  Luke 17 (5-10,20-22)     TRINITY           9 September 2023
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD DOES NOT COME IN A FORM WHICH IS OUTWARDLY PERCEPTIBLE
 
 
Dear friends!
​
“The kingdom of God does not come in a form which is outwardly perceptible.”…..
Trying to connect to these words of our today’s gospelreading purely in an intellectual way is difficult.  Maybe it is of help to make use of an image, an imagination, a picture with which we can connect.  Children live in this world of images and pictures all the time, that is why their faith is so strong.  They only start losing it, when the intellect awakens in them.  Maybe for us, who as adults of our time have left the world of images and live completely in the world of the intellect, a childrens’ story can be helpful in this case:
 
Once upon a time an old king died.  He knew about a new land on the other side of the river, that was the border of his kingdom.  That land was however was mostly covered in thick mist.  Only in certain moments he could see this land.  Then the sight of its beauty and abundance  created a huge longing in his heart to lead his people into that land.  But the time was not ripe yet for him to fulfill that mission.  When he died, the older son took up his place on the throne and kept a watchful eye over the riches of his father’s kingdom.  The younger son however could never forget the words of his father on his deathbed:  BUILD A BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIVER AND LEAD OUR PEOPLE INTO THE NEW LAND!  One day the king on the throne got irritated and made his younger brother the treasurer of his kingdom.  That meant, that he would have to live in the dungeons, in a hall where all the riches were kept,  never see the daylight anymore and count the gold coins that filled the seven great chests in the hall up to the brim.  The younger prince cried out in agony about losing his freedom and being kept in the dark.  But he had to do what was demanded and so started counting the gold.  In the evening of that day there was a knock on the door.  The old treasurer entered into the hall, old, white haired, walking with a stick and with a warm and loving voice said: 
 
I have been living down here for seventy years.  I have never seen the world of our kingdom out there anymore and I have experienced more freedom down here, than I would have ever experienced otherwise.  He gave the prince some advice how to fulfill his given duties and at the same time gave him new tasks to fulfill.   Then he left again.  But he had given the prince patience, trust and deep faith.The end of the story is, that the prince managed to find a way to lead the people over a bridge of light and colour into the new land, just as his elder brother and  the old kingdom were ruined and were swallowed up by the earth.  The last people, that entered onto the bridge became witnesses to that.
 
Dear friends, strong images build strong faith and connect us with the realities of our destiny, which is leading us away from the outside world into an inner space.   There  we are all still in the dark, we all count our treasures daily, but there is that old treasurer.  We all hear his voice constantly speaking in us – especially in the evenings of the day:  “You will experience more freedom down there, than anywhere in the outer world”, and will find patience, trust and deep faith.
 
Christine Voigts
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Lichtstrahlen

    All
    Lichtsterahl 107 - Siehe Ich Schaffe Alles Neu
    Lichtstrahl 109 - Dass Ihr Kraft Findest Möget Zu Stehen Vor Dem Menschen-Sohne
    Lichtstrahl 110 - The Whole Of The Earth Will Be Shaken
    Lichtstrahl 111 - “Da Hüpfte Das Kind In Ihren Liebe"
    Lichtstrahl 113 - Schicksalsmomente
    Lichtstrahl 115 - Heilungen An Einem Sabbat
    Lichtstrahl 116 - Was Euch Zusteht Das Sollt Ihr Haben
    Lichtstrahl 117 - How Do We Live With The Gospel?
    Lichtstrahl 118 - Materieller Und Spiritueller Reichtum
    Lichtstrahl 119 - And Lead Us Not Into Temptation
    Lichtstrahl 120 - As This God Willed Being Is Descended
    Lichtstrahl 121 - Siehe Meiner Schwäche Versuchende Macht
    Lichtstrahl 123 - It Is Jesus
    Lichtstrahl 124 - Der Friede Sei Mit Euch
    Lichtstrahl 125 - I Am The True Vine
    Lichtstrahl 126 - Ich Gehe Zum Vater
    Lichtstrahl 127 - Niemand Kann Zum Vater Kommen - Denn Durch Mich
    Lichtstrahl 129 - Ihr Werdet Meinen Geist In Die Welt Tragen
    Lichtstrahl 130 - Neu Geboren Werden Von Oben Her
    Lichtstrahl 131 - Das Gespräch
    Lichtstrahl 132 - How Do I Find The Messiah?
    Lichtstrahl 133 - Johanni Betrachtung
    Lichtstrahl 134 - The Wrath Of God Remains On Him
    Lichtstrahl 135 - Der Fels In Der Brandung
    Lichtstrahl 136 - Enter Through The Narrow Gate
    Lichtstrahl 137 - Der Verlorene Sohn
    Lichtstrahl 138 - Die Taten Der Ausgesandten Jünger
    Lichtstrahl 139 - The Healing Of A Blind Man
    Lichtstrahl 140 - Ein Seufzer Entringt Sich Seiner Brust
    Lichtstrahl 141 - Er Sandte Weitere Siebzig Aus
    Lichtstrahl 142 - The Kingdom Of God Does Not Come In A Form Which Is Outwardly Perceptible
    Lichtstrahl 45 - Nikodemus
    Lichtstrahl 50 - Der Tod Johannes Der Täufers
    Lichtstrahl 51 - Moments Of Truth
    Lichtstrahl 52 - The Lost Son
    Lichtstrahl 53 - Die Aussendung Der Jünger
    Lichtstrahl 54 - Die Heilung Des Blinden Vor Jericho
    Lichtstrahl 55 - Heilung Eines Taubstummen
    Lichtstrahl 56 - Lämmer Unter Den Wölfen
    Lichtstrahl 57 - Das Reich Gottest Ist Eurem Innern
    Lichtstrahl 58 - Do Not Be Anxious
    Lichtstrahl 59 - Die Königliche Hochzeit
    Lichtstrahl 60 - The Armour Of God
    Lichtstrahl 61 - Die Kosmische Frau Und Der Kampf Im Himmel
    Lichtstrahl 62 Reformation
    Lichtstrahl 63 - The New Jerusalem
    Lichtstrahl 64 - Gemeinsamkeit Der Lebenden Und Der Verstorbenen
    Lichtstrahl 65 Erwartung
    Lichtstrahl 66 - Die Verkündigung
    Lichtstrahl 67 - Becoming
    Lichtstrahl 68 - Liebet Einander
    Lichtstrahl 69 - Der Zwölfjährige Im Tempel
    Lichtstrahl 70 - Buds And Blossoms And Seeds
    Lichtstrahl 71 - Der Gaben Der Könige
    Lichtstrahl 72 - Sie Steigen Auf Das Dach
    Lichtstrahl 73 - Seeds
    Lichtstrahl 74 - Die Gerechtigkeit Gottes
    Lichtstrahl 75 - His Words Were Hidden From Them
    Lichtstrahl 76 - Die Versuchung
    Lichtstrahl 77 - The Transfiguration
    Lichtstrahl 78 - Das Zeichen Des Jona
    LICHTSTRAHL 79 - Ich Bin Das Licht In Der Welt
    Lichtstrahl 80 - Einzug In Jerusalem
    Lichtstrahl 81 - The Chalice And The Cross
    Lichtstrahl 82 - Be Not Rigid In Your Heart
    Lichtstrahl 83 - Ich Bin Der Gute Hirte
    Lichtstrahl 97 - Aussendung Der Siebzig Jünger
    The Prophet

Copyright © 2012 to 2023. | All rights reserved. | Powered by Weebly

Find out more

An overview
Sacramental Life
     The Sacraments
Children
Links
Contact us

Congregations

Johannesburg
    Community website
    Programme
Cape Town
    Newsletter
    Programme
Hillcrest
Windhoek
    News
    Green Market
West Coast
​
    Newsletter

Regional activitIes

International news
        Perspectives
Southern African news
        Events
​Africa Seminary
  • Home
  • About us
    • Sacramental Life >
      • The Sacraments >
        • Baptism
        • Confirmation
        • The Act of consecration of Man
        • Sacramental Consultation
        • Marriage
        • Ordination
        • Last Annointing
      • Our Children
  • Region
    • International News >
      • Perspectives
    • Southern African News >
      • Events
    • Africa Seminary
  • Congregations
    • Johannesburg >
      • Joburg Community website
      • JHB Programme
    • Cape Town >
      • CT Newsletter
      • CT Programme
      • CT Photos of events
    • Hillcrest >
      • Hillcrest News
    • Windhoek >
      • Windhoek Wen es intressiert
      • Windhoek Lichtstrahlen
  • Links