The Kingdoms of this World, 1962 September 14

Description

In his third sermon regarding Jesus and the tempter, Thurman discusses the dilemma one faces when deciding whether personal ascent to power will compromise one's spiritual integrity. It is possible, Thurman says, that Jesus considered how ruling over the kingdoms of the world might position him to further the aims of God’s kingdom. Perhaps Jesus contemplated the potential of his teaching, healing, and miracle-working power backed by political authority. However, Thurman warns that “the nerve center of our consent” must always go to God. Rather than succumbing to the temptation of expediency, the individual must be invested in a reality beyond one’s own.