The Kingdom of Heaven - Who Would Have Thought?

My imagination has spent more time thinking about heaven than my understanding has grasped the significance of what Jesus was trying to tell us.  The Kingdom of Heaven has been an abstract concept, similar to trying to explain what government means for a country.  It exists obviously in heaven and it has come to earth.  But what is “it”?

The key lies in the prayer he gave us. “Thy Kingdom come...”  Many simply see that as an invitation to wait until a future return.  They look for Christ to come back so that the government of God will be established.  They also miss the point.

Jesus told his disciples that the Kingdom of God was near (Mt.4:17).  He described who it belonged to: the poor (Mt.5:3), the persecuted (Mt.5:10), those who are child-like (Mt.19:14).  Yet we have all met some nasty poor, persecuted or child-like people and the thought may have crossed your mind - Does the Kingdom of God belong to people like this?

So Jesus brings us back to his Kingdom, over and over through his stories.  He is always drawing it to our attention.  One day a farmer planted wheat in his field.  During the night his enemy scattered weed seeds into his crop. He is like the Kingdom and the wheat is the citizens of that Kingdom and the world is his field (Mt. 13:37-43). 

Again, a farmer sows good seed in his field.  The soil varies from hard packed, to rocky, thorny to good. But all the field is still his. The soil in this story is the heart of a person. The seed is the message interpreted by the Spirit of God. When that seed penetrates the heart of a receptive person, it produces a huge harvest.  A harvest of what?  Of seed.  And what is the seed? The message inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Good soil increases the message.  It doesn’t increase good soil (Mt. 13:1-23). 

It is a place where people can come and find rest and shelter, like birds in a mustard bush.  It too was intentionally planted in the farmer’s own field (Mt. 13:31-31).

This tying the Kingdom to the heart of those who long for God brings profound implications.  When they seek God and find themselves exposed to the message of God, their influence spreads through society as yeast permeates dough (Mt.13:33).  Interestingly Jesus himself talks about how the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world, bringing an end to the current discord we find in society (Mt. 24:14).

Who owns this message?  Who teaches it; imparts it; convicts people by it?  The Holy Spirit. And this message, when we understand its significance becomes to us like a treasure we find hidden in a field (Mt. 13:44).  We discover it when our heart’s desire is to know God.  The treasure is hidden in the Spirit of God.  When the pure in heart call upon the Spirit of God, they discover truth that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has even conceived of - yet the Spirit leads them into all truth (1 Cor. 2:9-10).

God understands the significance of people being inspired by Kingdom policy.  When people discover Truth, they becomes extremely valuable.  It is like a merchant who discovers the rarest pearl.  Recognizing what he has found, he sells everything he has to possess it (Mt. 13:45-46).  For our sakes, Christ became poor that we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

The net is cast.  Fish of every kind are caught in it (Mt.13:47-50). No one can escape the fact that God has revealed himself.  We are all without excuse (Rm.1:18-20).

So how does this Kingdom strategy come about?  Through piety? Evangelism? Organizing the institution we call church?  Go back to the template, the hidden treasure that transforms us into pearls of great value. Go back to the prayer Jesus taught (Mt.6:9-13).

1. Honour God - sacred and cherished 
2. Your Kingdom come - May your message penetrate the heart of the pure, enabling them to respond appropriately in every circumstance so that it creates a “pay it forward” mentality through all the earth 
3. Seek out and obey his will - Seek first his kingdom and everything else will be given to you (Lk. 12:31)
4. Repent because of your longing to please him - His Kingdom isn’t about cheap talk.  It is about power (1 Cor. 4:20)
5. Forgive others because we love them
6. Resist temptation by recognizing the value of good and the danger of the forbidden - we pursue what we love
7. Step away from pursuing Satan’s agenda - anything not of love is not of God (1 John 4:7-16)

Blessed are those who recognize their need of God because it enables them to receive the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 6:3). They become adopted, brothers not servants, sons of God.

This is seasoning salt for all the earth; not solely geographically but also vocationally and personally (Mt.6:13). This is light.  Darkness does not possess it. When it comes, darkness simply ceases.  The invitation is to allow our good influence to be seen by all so that everyone is exposed to the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  The Kingdom on earth is you.  That exposure increases other’s chances of becoming soil that actually allows the message of the Spirit of God to take root.  These are good fish in the net; a pearl of great value.  These carry a life nurturing message that provides shelter and safety for the soul that is searching.

Additional themes to consider:

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   1. New revelation (treasure) Matthew 13:52 - For those who have been raised in religion, bring what you have and also receive something new
   2. Authority Matthew 16:19; Luke 9:1-3 - Each individual has been given authority to bind or loose.  Be careful of unhealthy dependency upon church leaders.  Allow them to equip you and mentor you so that you can invest back into society what you have been given.
   3. Child-like Matthew 18:2-4; 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-15 - Without faith (trust) it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11).  Logic and reason fight with faith continually.  We try to comprehend what is beyond our ability to conceive without the guidance of the Spirit of God.  We are invited to cease the striving and come if we are weary.
   4. Heart Attitude Romans 14:16-18 - We are about being righteous, perusing peace with attitudes of joy.