ADVENT 2015 - KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

"In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matthew 3: 1, 2.


The kingdom of heaven referenced in Matthew began when God himself came to earth as a man. When John was imprisoned, Jesus left Nazareth to live and preach in Capernaum where he fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah being a light to the people living in darkness, Matthew 4:17 states, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”

We need to understand that the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven is not of this world in palaces and thrones but in the hearts and lives of God’s followers. This is what makes the kingdom near to us now. Mark 10:37 tells how James and John requested, “’Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’” They misunderstood the Old Testament prophets’ predictions about the Messiah’s kingdom. While James and John wanted the highest positions in Jesus’ kingdom, they were denied. In Mark 10:45 Jesus said, “’For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”

Before Jesus started the Sermon on the Mount, He began teaching the Beatitudes or Blessings to his disciples. Each begins with the word “Blessed” implying the most desirable or enviable state one could be in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 states, “’Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’” The Beatitudes describe what it means to be a follower of Christ. There are standards of conduct; show difference between kingdom and worldly values; tell what Christ’s followers can get from the world and what God will give them; contrast fake attitudes with true humility; and explain how Old Testament expectations are fulfilled in God’s kingdom.

People tried to prevent Jesus from leaving their town, desiring him to stay there and preach. Jesus replied in Luke 4:43, “’ I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’”
Peter wrote a letter especially for new believers in I Peter 1. He wanted to warn them about trials and persecutions they might experience, but also to encourage them when facing opposition.

When speaking to crowds, Jesus often used illustrations or parables. A parable compares something familiar to something unfamiliar. Through parables inspired listeners discovered the truth, but those who were lazy, stubborn, or uninterested could not fathom the message and heard them only as stories. The parables in Matthew 13 all reference the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 20:1-16 also clarifies the membership rules of the kingdom of heaven. Our entrance is by God’s grace alone. We hear in the “Parable of the Workers Paid Equally” it is not about rewards but about salvation. It is about God’s grace and generosity. Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come. Luke 17: 20, 21 reveals Jesus’ reply. “’The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is’, because the kingdom of God is within you.’” The kingdom of God begins with His Spirit working in our lives and relationships.

The kingdom of God was inaugurated with the coming of Jesus. When Jesus returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit’s presence entered the hearts of believers within God’s kingdom. But the kingdom of God will not be fully realized until Jesus Christ returns to judge people and remove the evil from the world. 

Until that time we must continue to live a Christ like life daily. The kingdom of God is more valuable than anything else we could ever possess.