A Pilgrim's Journal

Usually there is some hero in the show, perhaps working for some secret arm of the American government, who has the backing of special ops and equipment. The generals and commanders get together and discuss the operation, the lay of the land, who has been captured, the political consequences if this gets into the news, etc. Secrecy is paramount, not just for the peace at home, but for the safety of the kidnapped victims as well.

So they suit up the hero and fly over the terrorist country with a stealth aircraft in the dead of night. The hero is covered in the latest gear: maps, night vision, weapons, supplies, radio. A rendezvous point and time is decided for pickup. All is set. The green light is given.

If this is an ultra-hero movie, then the hero hits a snag on deployment. Maybe his gear gets caught on the plane, and his only choice is to cut himself free from the gear and parachute into enemy territory with nothing but a knife and his wits.

Undeterred, he sets off in the direction of the hostages. Of course, he is somewhat off course due to the mid-air action, and now is behind schedule, without supplies, with little hope of success. We dig in. Can the hero overcome?

Of course, he dispatches the guards with ease, and sneaks into the camp otherwise undetected. He finds the hostages and crafts a plan to get them out of the camp in one piece.

When he reaches them, he looks disheveled, maybe a bit angry, and the poor hostages shrink back, worried that he is one of the terrorists.

What does he say? Usually something along the lines of: "I'm an American, and I've come to save you!"

There are a number of reactions that the hostages could take. They might not believe he's really an American. "Maybe it's a trick!"

Or they might believe he's there to save them, but maybe they like the terrorists, and don't really want to leave. The terrorists haven't hurt them that bad, and if they get the lingo down, there's opportunity for advancement!

Or they might believe he's there to save them, but are afraid that he's not enough to do the job. How can one man save all these hostages? Would the American government send a guy in without some equipment? What are the odds of success? The terrorists might catch us and kill us all!

Or they might believe he's there to save them, and expect him to take revenge right now, and somehow nuke the terrorist camp, and pay them back immediately for the hurt that the hostages have been through.

But in reality, the situation is none of the above. In reality, the hero is truly capable of getting the hostages out, but they will have to believe, and will have to work at it. They will have to follow the hero's instructions, and follow his timing, in order to be saved and return to their homeland.

So when Jesus tells his disciples to preach:

	Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God
	is near you.'
	   Luke 10:9 (NIV)

Which reality should we believe?

First, we have to believe that Jesus is really from the kingdom of God. He is not here to trick us. He is not here to condemn us. He came to save us.

	For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
	but to save the world through him.
	   John 3:17 (NIV)

Second, we need to realize that this world is a terrorist camp. None of this will last.

	... as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That
	day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire,
	and the elements will melt in the heat.
	   2 Peter 3:12 (NIV)
 
	Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
	   Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

If we clutch to the things of this world, we are clinging to what is not ours, and we are clinging to things that will pass away. We can take nothing of this world with us when we die, no matter how much we accumulate in this life.

Third, we need to realize that the kingdom of God is not like this world. The rules are upside down. The things we value highly today are actually worthless in heaven.

	What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.
	   Luke 16:15b (NIV)

So if the rules of this world, which we are used to, are not what will save us, then why couldn't Someone from another world, much greater than this one, be able to save us all?

	For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through
	that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant
	provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in
	life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
	   Romans 5:17 (NIV)

Fourth, we also need to realize that Jesus did not come to setup a kingdom the first time. If He had, none of us would have been ready.

He came to show us that the kingdom of God is coming, and indeed, the first probes of infiltration are already here, in order to save those that do not belong to this present kingdom.

Does God's first infiltration come in war? Or in peace? In peace. Jesus tells all who follow Him to love, to give, to forgive, to absorb pain instead of inflict it, to use the things of this world to build riches in the next.

	While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a
	parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought
	that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
	   Luke 19:11 (NIV)

Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the ten minas, which you can read here. Near the end of the parable, Jesus teaches:

	"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be
	given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will
	be taken away. ...'
	   Luke 19:26 (NIV)

I've often pondered what that could mean, but I believe I understand a bit of what it says today. Everyone who has something in heaven (in real riches, in heavenly riches, that cannot be destroyed) will have more given to him. But he who has nothing stored in heaven, even the things he has on earth (which he should have used to build riches in heaven) will be taken away from him.

And that only makes sense. For any hostage that stayed behind to build his house in the terrorist camp would suffer loss when the hero's army returns to defeat the enemy camp and make sure that no kidnappings ever happen again.