Entering the spiritual dimension known as the “Kingdom of Heaven” was the key focus of the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. He urged us to seek it now and provided teachings as to its nature and how to enter into it.
The Kingdom is Jesus's good news
“but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43 ESV
“Until John, there was only the Law and the Prophets. Since then, the good news of God’s kingdom is preached, and everyone is urged to enter it.” (Luke 16:16 CEB)
This is the Gospel or ‘good news’ that Jesus preached. We often forget this but this was the original message. The word ‘Gospel’ was then also used in relation to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and Paul’s view of salvation. But in terms of the good news that Jesus wanted to preach it was in relation to the Kingdom of Heaven which we can enter into now.
It is of the greatest value
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46 ESV)
This is not a case of selling your material goods – as it isn’t possible to buy the Kingdom. Instead, this parable is emphasising the spiritual importance of the Kingdom as something we should seek above all else.
We are to seek it first
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)
In fact, seeking the Kingdom should be the first thing we do as everything else then flows from it.
It is within and all around
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21 KJV)
Jesus said, “If those who lead you say to you, ‘See, the kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. (Thomas 3)
His disciples said to him, “When will the kingdom come?” Jesus said, “It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying ‘here it is’ or ‘there it is.’ Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it.” (Thomas 113)
Entering the Kingdom is by doing the will of the Father
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 ESV)
Entering the Kingdom is not something you can do by believing or pledging allegiance, it is a spiritual transformation that starts to happen as you come more into alignment with God’s will.
Which is by following Jesus's teachings
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matthew 7:24-26 ESV)
Jesus then takes this point further, emphasising that those who hear his words but don’t do them lack foundations and are washed away when the waters come. It is the doing of his teachings that brings the transformation and gives us the solid foundation. And it is the doing of his teachings that takes us into alignment with the will of the Father.
And Jesus teaches us to
- Love God
- Love your neighbor
- Love your enemy
- Forgive
- Be merciful
- Do not become entangled with evil
- Do not judge
- Do not be anxious
- Do not be angry
