Members of the Kingdom
As members of the Kingdom of God, we are called to be conscious workers, contributing to its advancement, and finding consolation in failure through our membership.
Mary Wilder Tileston preaches about the Kingdom of God within us, emphasizing the importance of being conscious workers in God's Kingdom with our unique individuality and surroundings. She highlights how our work, no matter how small, can contribute to the advancement of God's Kingdom, giving even the humblest tasks a sense of consecration. Tileston encourages the idea that being part of God's Kingdom provides a source of comfort and consolation, surpassing any worldly success or failure.
Text
Who hath delivered us from the power of dark-ness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
COLOSSIANS 1:13
IT is right that we should have an aim of our own, determined by our individuality and our surround-ings; but this may readily degenerate into exclusive narrowness, unless it has for a background the great thought that there is a Kingdom of God within us, around us, and above us, in which we, with all our powers and aims, are called to be conscious workers. Toward the forwarding of this silent, ever-advancing Kingdom, our little work, whatever it be, if good and true, may contribute something. And this thought lends to any calling, however lowly, a consecration which is wanting even to the loftiest self-chosen ideals. But even if our aim should be frustrated and our work come to naught, yet the failure of our most cherished plans may be more than compensated. In the thought that we are members of this Kingdom, already begun, here and now, yet reaching forward through all time, we shall have a reserve of consola-tion better than any which success without this could give.
JOHN CAMPBELL SHAIRP
Sermon Outline
- The Kingdom of God
- Our role as members of the Kingdom
- The significance of being part of the Kingdom
- Reserve of consolation in failure
- Transcending self-chosen ideals
- Compensation in failure
Key Quotes
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“In the thought that we are members of this Kingdom, already begun, here and now, yet reaching forward through all time, we shall have a reserve of consolation better than any which success without this could give.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- Recognize that our work can contribute to the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
- Find consolation in failure by remembering that we are members of the Kingdom.
- Strive to be conscious workers, using our powers and aims for the benefit of the Kingdom.