![]() ![]() Psalm 47:2 says, "How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth!" Psalm 74:12 says, "But you, O God, are my king from of old you bring salvation upon the earth." And David says in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12, "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. No wonder the hymn writer said, "I love thy kingdom, Lord, the house of thine abode." No wonder another writer said, "His kingdom is glorious he rules over all." And another said, "Within the kingdom of his might, lo, all is just and all is right. People don't use each other in God's kingdom no, they honor each other. People don't lie in the Kingdom they love the truth because he is there and he is truth. God's kingdom is a good place because he is good it reflects him. It is a place of joy, truth, grace, health, light, and shalom. It is the place where things operate the way he likes them. God's kingdom is the place that perfectly reflects his character and values. So what is God's sphere of authority? God's kingdom is called "heaven." That's the way I like it it suits my personality, and besides, it's such a righteous way to live! I arrange my environment the way I like it. ![]() I lay out my razor, my tooth brush, and my comb in perfect symmetry. ![]() I place a hand towel on the counter in the bathroom. You know how chaotic travel can be, so when I arrive at my hotel, I like to impose order. When I travel, I try to make my hotel room my kingdom for a night. It drives me crazy when my teenage son sits in the passenger seat and starts punching buttons, resetting my stations and messing with my treble and bass. I have my mirrors adjusted for my height. ![]() It is an environment arranged according to how you like it. What does kingdom mean? A kingdom is one's sphere of control.Ī kingdom is the place you have arranged to suit your purposes and your values. What are we to make of this collage of teachings? What does the phrase "kingdom of heaven" mean? If we are to pray the Lord's Prayer, by all means let us understand what he is saying. He said that the Pharisees shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces ( Matthew 23:13). Jesus said that a great reversal is coming: harlots and tax collectors will enter the kingdom before the Pharisees ( Matthew 21:31). He said that if your eye or hand prevents you from entering the kingdom, pluck it out or cut it off ( Mark 9:47). Before his crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples he would not drink or eat again with them until he does so in kingdom ( Mark 14:25). We should seek the kingdom first, and then worldly needs such as food and clothing will be given to us ( Matthew 6:33). Not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven ( Matthew 7:21). He said the kingdom must be received as a child ( Mark 10:15). He said that the kingdom of heaven is hard for the rich to enter ( Mark 10:23-25). The kingdom of heaven is like yeast it permeates all, silently and pervasively.īesides using parables, Jesus also dropped comments here and there about the kingdom. (The kingdom has a funny economy, doesn't it?) The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed from a small beginning comes a great tree. He hired them at different times of day, but at the end of the day, he paid them all equally. The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who hired laborers to work in the fields. The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast wide it pulls in all sorts of fish, and the good fish must be separated from the bad. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field you would be wise to sell everything you own to buy that field to get the treasure. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like a banquet and a great wedding feast the door will be closed on some. Instead, he told stories and used metaphors and similes in order to expand our understanding of the kingdom of God. Jesus didn't give us a bullet point summary of the kingdom. But the concept is a hard one to understand. It is mentioned dozens of times throughout the gospels. The kingdom of God was central to the teaching and mission of Jesus. "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We pray that the kingdom of God may be expanded from heaven to earth, that his will be done here just as it is done there. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |