The Kingdom is Here

It is true that every Christian, at some point, thinks about what it will be like when we are finally in heaven seeing Jesus, face to face. What an absolutely indescribable moment that will be. 

However, as Christians, the kingdom of Heaven is already within us and is an active part of our lives each and every day. We read verse after verse throughout the gospels where Jesus is talking about the kingdom of Heaven. In each verse, He is actually describing what they are experiencing because He is there with them. One example is found in Luke 17:20-21 where it says. “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

The gospels tell of the time Jesus gave the parable of the Sower and the four types of soil; His disciples then asked Him for the meaning of the parable. We read His response in Matthew 13:11; “And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.” The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit, but they had been granted understanding to the kingdom of Heaven because Jesus was constantly with them. We need to embrace this truth that Jesus is the answer and the key to all of the mysteries in the kingdom of God.

Our Lord and Savior is the embodiment of God’s Heavenly kingdom, and now, each of us possesses the fullness of that Heavenly realm. This understanding should bring clarity to every passage of scripture that talks about the kingdom of Heaven. In fact, it should bring greater clarity and understanding to much of what is taught throughout the New Testament. When we allow Jesus to flow through us as we show others mercy and kindness, understanding and forgiveness, compassion and love, we are in fact bringing the kingdom of Heaven into their midst.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us on how to better bring the kingdom of God to our family, our friends, our coworkers and even the strangers we meet. 

Pray that the richness of the kingdom of Heaven is felt and seen all throughout our church. Ask the Holy Spirit to use our pastors, our leaders and our partners at Thrive to be living examples of the Kingdom of God in the midst of everyone we serve.

Challenge ourselves today to read Matthew 13 and visualize Jesus giving examples of Himself as He teaches those wonderful parables on what the kingdom of Heaven is like. Then realize that every parable applies to us and the world around us. Jesus wants us to be His representatives of the kingdom of God. That is why we carry the kingdom of Heaven within us, so that we can freely share this wonderful gift with others.