The Fellowship of the King

We’ve talked before about being amphibian—belonging in two different worlds. We walk the green earth, but we are also citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. This concept strikes a lot of people as odd. Not as in “frogs are funny,” but if we make decisions based on following Jesus, they won’t make sense to people working by the rules of this world. Jesus was pretty clear—“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, ESV). Note that this isn’t saying, “You shouldn’t serve God and money,” or “It will make you unhappy to serve God and money.” It’s saying, flat out, you can’t do it.

On the other hand, this isn’t the adventures of the Lone Ranger (and even he had a friend and a horse). Christianity isn’t a religion for rugged individuals. Tolkien, who was deeply Christian, put his protagonists in a Fellowship together. The Church is the Body of Christ, and each Christian is part of a larger whole—a very large and diverse whole. Christians in the West may think of Christianity as western. But it originated in the Middle East, and right now the Church is larger in the global South than it is in the West.

Scripture calls Christian to “meet together” and to encourage one another, “and all the more as you see the Day [of Jesus’s return] approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25, ESV). These meetings could be a church, a Bible study, a family, or a professional group. In the latest Wild at Heart documentary series, one of these gatherings is a men’s bonfire.

This last week, we attended the annual Christian Legal Society conference, which was in Washington D.C. this year. Actually, we do this every year, because it’s a great experience. If the thought of several hundred attorneys worshipping Jesus together gives you chills in a good way, this conference is for you. I gave a couple of CLE presentations, which I always enjoy, especially when the audience seems to enjoy it too. I snuck off for a quick look through the National Gallery of Art (solo) and the Smithsonian Gems and Minerals exhibit (with Bruce). But most of all, I appreciated the meals and chats with friends. Sharing our struggles—who is having a bad year, who is facing cancer surgery or troubles with children. Sharing our gratitude to God for bills paid and good employees and loving spouses. Sharing our spiritual journey and ways we’ve learned to love Jesus more.

I took the photo above during one of our gatherings, the one where Bruce put on his nice suit and polished shoes. Someone asked me, “Wouldn’t you love to have that view, looking out over the White House?” I answered, “Well, not really. I prefer Pikes Peak and the Front Range from my office window. I guess we’re a little spoiled.” God's architecture beats the White House any day in my book. Plus, no one is going to get Bruce out of flannel, Smart Wool, cargo pants, and hiking boots for long.

Why do we need the support of a fellowship? Like Frodo, we too are on a long and dangerous quest, in the midst of a difficult and dangerous war. Our enemies are the adversaries of the human soul, and we can be grateful that they usually are not visible to physical eyes. The Kingdom of God is coming, and we are part of that. We too are waiting for the Return of the King. One of my favorite hymns goes, “Then onward from the hills of light, our hearts with love aflame, We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night, in Jesus’ conqu’ring name.” (“Faith is the Victory,” John Yates.) Tolkien didn’t send Frodo out on his own, but with the Fellowship of the Ring. Jesus doesn’t send us out on our own either. We’re part of the Fellowship of the King.