What is the Kingdom of Heaven?
As we study the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5 we find these words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
If you read the recorded words of Jesus in the New Testament you are constantly reading, “and the kingdom of heaven is like…”. But what is Jesus talking about when referring to the kingdom of heaven?
Let’s start with what he is not talking about: It is not a palace in the sky. It is not a gold fortress floating above the clouds, armed with angels and a moat of Dr. Pepper (although that would be super sweet). It is not a place reserved for our future (In Luke 17:21 Jesus says it is “in the midst of you.”). It is right here, right now.
But what is the kingdom of heaven? It is the reign of God here on earth. It is when God’s will is lived out within the world he created. And the kingdom is available here and now through the presence of Jesus in our lives with his Spirit. The kingdom becomes visible when we (filled with the very presence of God) live out his will in our lives.
We are living in the kingdom of heaven when we have submitted to the reign of Christ in our life. When Jesus has become Lord, King, Ruler…of our decisions, actions, attitudes, money, desires, passions, careers, future, past, hurts, failures, successes, families…
When Jesus was preaching, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17), he was speaking of himself. So we are living in the kingdom of heaven when we are living in Christ…or another way to say it… when we are living out the ways of Christ.
What would it be like to live in a world devoted to living out these Christ-like ways? Well, it would be like heaven…right here on earth.
“Our Father in heaven, holy is Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:9-10
