On Palm Sunday, we were reminded that the people of Jerusalem were
celebrating the arrival of their king when they welcomed Jesus with songs
and waving palm branches in what is called his triumphal entry. However,
very few of those present and celebrating on that day really understood what
the implications of Christ Jesus’ reign would be. Even Jesus’ specially
chosen twelve apostles did not yet understand what Jesus had been teaching
them concerning the kingdom of heaven. Most were hoping Jesus would reign as Messiah over an earthly kingdom. They were hoping for the glory days of David and Solomon (the good old days) to be restored in Israel.
They were hoping that their daily lives would soon be made easier and more
prosperous.
Yet, when Jesus proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
near,” he was referring to a spiritually-based kingdom in which the Lord God
rules in individual hearts and the qualities of holiness and love centered
in the nature of God are constantly displayed through the lives of his
subjects. Jesus wanted his disciples (including those who follow him by
faith today) to understand that he was calling them to live for the things
of heavenly and eternal value, rather than the things of this world that
eventually will pass away.
That can be a hard concept for us to adopt and practice in our lives.
It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of life in this
fallen world and to set our affections on the things of this world that we
push thoughts of the kingdom of heaven to the back of our minds and do not
really let them affect our attitudes, worldview, priorities and actions.
That is why Jesus went about teaching concerning the kingdom of heaven
during his earthly ministry.
He told parables (illustrative stories) about the kingdom of heaven to
help people begin to understand. He preached concerning the kingdom of
heaven, contrasting the ways of this world with the ways of God’s kingdom
(see the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7). He demonstrated the qualities
and priorities of the kingdom of God through his own life. Even after his
death and resurrection, he continued to try to help his followers understand
what his earthly life and ministry were all about. Acts 1:3 says, “He
appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of
God.”
Over the next several weeks we are going to continue looking into the
Scriptures to see what they teach us about the kingdom of heaven. I
encourage you to pray about these things-asking God to open your heart and
mind to the realities of his kingdom and to help you live for his kingdom.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is a matter
of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That sounds much more
satisfying than the alternatives on which we so often set our hearts. Let’s
pursue it together in Christ Jesus for the glory of God!
We love you and we are glad to serve in Christ’s kingdom with you, Pastor
Roland and Elaine Kramer
