Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus and The Kingdom of Heaven

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Jesus spoke these words, in teachings called the Beatitudes, as He taught His disciples how to pray to Father God (Matthew Chapters 5,6,7). God's Kingdom was often spoken of by Jesus, more than 70 times in the Bible. He called it both "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God". The first mention was by John the Baptist when he was proclaiming that Jesus was coming:  "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15). I've always understood the words "at hand" to mean that if you can put your hand on it then it is actually here. Truly good news!

It was Jesus Himself announcing the Kingdom that caught my attention; Him being here on Earth is what brought the Kingdom to us. Since I learned about being "born again" (John 3:3), this has always been associated, to me, with the Kingdom of Heaven, (John 3:3), and with the knowledge that that was the moment when Jesus came into my heart, by His Holy Spirit, and began to dwell with me. We are told that we are "new creations" (2 Corinthians 5:17), "citizens of Heaven" (Philippians 3:20), and no longer "of this world" (Colossians 2:20, Romans 12:2).

The intimacy of this relationship is exciting. No other faith or religion has a god who is in intimate relationship with his (or her) people. Most gods are very distant and untouchable (and often angry), and many demand much sacrifice and absolute obedience to their defined religious practice. The rock and roll group Abba sang: "The gods may throw a dice, their hearts as cold as ice" (Abba: Winner Takes It All); I feel that many regard all gods like this.

But Christianity is not like that at all; it is intimately relational and voluntary, we are brought into God's family as sons and daughters; God becomes our Abba Daddy, and Jesus becomes our brother! We all behave differently with our natural family than we do with even the best of our friends; God wants us to be like that with Him. Most Christian practice is required by the different denominations or local church congregations, and these rules are not supported by the New Testament. Religion offended Jesus (Matthew 23, Luke 3:7). Christians have been set free so they can be free (Galatians 5:1)!

In Jesus

The many "in Jesus" and "in Christ" scriptures have long been a huge help to me; they show that we're included in Jesus' Kingdom and His life. I try to work hard at being a good person but know that I only partly succeed. It was once prophesied over me that I "march to the beat of a different drum", I don't fit in very well and won't accept what I feel is not right. And I've always been upset by injustice (and there is always a lot of that about). But knowing that Jesus lives in me helps enormously; He is such a lovely person and a wonderful brother!

Here are some of the "in Jesus" scriptures I've come to love:

"In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" (John 14:20).

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me" (John 15:4).

"My prayer is .. that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me" (John 17:20-21).

"I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me" (John 17:23).

" .. you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)

" .. For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people" (2 Corinthians 6:16).

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession " (Ephesians 1:13-14).

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.  For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:6,10).

"And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22).

"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

As Jesus taught about the Kingdom of Heaven He often spoke in parables. He told stories beginning “the kingdom of heaven is like .. ". Invariably the stories revealed fairness, truth, freshness, justice and consistency. There are not fads there or trends which change over the years. Heaven is ruled by the same Triune God who created our amazing bodies and families and ecosystem and universe. Many times Jesus tells His hearers that the Kingdom of Heaven is near; also that "the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3) and "those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake" (Matthew 5:10), and those who are "born again" (John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23) already belong there, it's our spiritual home!

There have been times when Jesus in me, or in Trish, has been just so apparent. Things will happen and words will be spoken which, in the natural world, would not happen or not be said. People who were woodenly against God's intervention in their lives will suddenly relax and see a whole new world-view; this does not happen by the force of our personality or by the wisdom of our words, we know that it is supernatural, spiritual. John 7:38 says: "out of [our] belly shall flow rivers of living water", the living water comes from the life of Jesus within us. We are operating beyond the physical or the "spirit of this world" (1 John 5:4) and in line with our new citizenship with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven (Ephesians 2:19, Philippians 3:20).

One time, when I was on a mission trip to India, our team visited a remote village. We had been warned to be very careful as many of the men of this village were devout Hindus and may respond to our presence with violence (in India there have been many attacks against Christians in recent years, even Western visitors). Well, we had to walk past a number of these men several times, they were in an open air temple right by the road. 

They knew who we were. I could see them looking at me as I passed and saw respect in their faces. In their culture they were highly regarded as men of god. I saw that they were looking at me, also a man of God, though not of one of the many Hindu gods, but of the God Jesus, who is often seen in India as a God of love and of healing. Christ in me could be seen by these spiritually aware men. Instead of a kingdom clash there was an acceptance of Jesus, King of Kings, and His Kingdom, and of me, Jesus' ambassador (Ephesians 6:19-20). I felt perfectly safe there; we saw miracles of healing.

Our Destiny

It is really lovely to know that our destiny includes eternity in Heaven. If you are a born again Christian and are asked: "if you die tonight while you sleep, will you go to heaven?" you can confidently answer "yes"! We live in a certain hope because of Jesus' life and work.

Today you may have many troubles. I am horrified when I think of the Christians in those places where ISIS is causing such devastation .. (Who gives them all their guns and bullets? Can't their supplies at least be cut, captured or stopped?) These Christians are people of the promise (Ephesians 2:12-16), just like us, yet their lives right now are perilous and painful. We may say "God is good" when we are comfortable and safe, they can only say it by faith. It is so inspiring to hear or read testimonies of those who have been in dire circumstances; Jesus is very present to those whose faith is in Him when trouble is near.

In our family there are a number of problems which Trish and I do not know how to solve. We only know to pray for revelation or a way forward and to persevere in Jesus by His Spirit (1 Timothy 4:16, Hebrews 10:36). We know that we are Kingdom citizens.

I've heard so many testimonies of people in very difficult circumstances who have said that knowing that they belonged to Jesus, and that somehow he was "at bat" for them and "watching their back", made all the difference between total despair and being able to press on despite everything. Trish and I have talked about this and we feel the same way. Every day there are moments or events which bring God's peace to our hearts, which fill us with the certainty that Jesus is still ruling and reigning in the world.

Besides, we've read the last page of the Bible, and know the ultimate outcome, it is glorious and we're already part of it!

"The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come'! And let the one who hears say, 'Come'! Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17).

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen" (Revelation 22:21).

Yes. Amen! Praise you Jesus!

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Amen.