“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
Let’s start by talking about the Kingdom of heaven. Many people use these words, but what exactly do they mean?
Is it a place?
Is it a state of mind?
Is it in this world?
The scripture tells us about that Kingdom.
It is a wonderful place, where only certain people can go. It is a state of being. You can be in a war zone, and yet the Kingdom of God is within you. It will one day be in an actual place, called heaven.
You can only get in if you have been changed, and you trust in Jesus like a child.
It is nothing to do with this world, riches or being recognized. Jesus said a number of times, that it is hard for the rich to be part of this kingdom. Riches blind us to our need and we go after the things that money can buy.
It is so wonderful, that if you see what it is, you will give up everything to get it.
The kingdom stared small, like a mustard seed, but now it is everywhere, all over the world, in the hearts and lives of those people who believe.
The kingdom of heaven is like a wedding feast. Those who belong to it, are ready for the time when the bridegroom will come for the bride. One day soon, Jesus will come again for His people. Will we be ready for that great day? On this day, the kingdom will come and all evil and all evildoers will be put away where they belong.
The kingdom has workers who do Gods work. They sow the seed of the Good news about Jesus so that other people can believe.
Jesus said that to enter this kingdom, you had to become like a little child. You had to have a simple child-like faith that trusts God for everything.
It is imperative that we get into this kingdom. To be outside of it, is very serious, and we are in danger of the punishment of God. The gospel is Good news, for those who see the kingdom and see that it is worth having.
The kingdom is spiritual. It is not of this world and is the opposite of what this world offers to us. The promises of this world are false. They lie to us.
Duped?
Even at school we are told if we do certain things we will be successful. If we get our exams we will get a great job, whatever kind of job we like. We will have a house and car and all the great things on offer on the TV..!!
Many young people grow up to find it isn’t like that at all. People have to work very hard to get enough money to just get by. To get the rich-looking stuff, usually means you have to do things that are not good. Your life-style is not like Gods.
If you read the Bible and really think about it, if you come and hear talks about God and what he has done for us, you will understand more and more about who God is and what He has done. If we really see what Jesus did on the cross and how much we need His love and forgiveness, we will start to see this everlasting kingdom.
We will start to want to be in it. We will start to seek God.
- What would God like me to do?
- How would He like me to live?
We will start to love God when we see His ways. We will see our own sinfulness and it will get ugly -looking to me. I want rid of it.!!
I ask God to forgive me and take my sinful desirers away. I fight them every day. My behaviour starts to change. I start doing what it says in the Bible.
Then other people start to notice.
They don’t like how you have changed, because you are doing the right thing, and they are not. So friends and even family can turn against us.
People leave us out.
- They whisper behind our backs.
- They tell other people not to be friendly with us.
- Then someone calls you a name to your face
- When you don’t retaliate they do it more because they think you are foolish.
- Sometimes everyone can just ignore you and it can be very hurtful…
Jesus says, If you are badly treated for doing the right thing, then the kingdom of Heaven belongs to you.!!!
That’s amazing.!!
People who trust in Jesus and love Him and obey Him, have the Everlasting Kingdom of Heaven…it resides within your soul.
If people hate you for it… don’t worry.. think about what God has stored up for you on that last great day and forever.
It is hurtful when you are rejected… It is painful to be called names and laughed at…. BUT Jesus suffered that too!
He is able to comfort us in our souls in amazing ways, so that we do not forget what he has done for us and what is our inheritance in heaven.
If you do not know Jesus, and your soul is not alive to God, you will not appreciate the Kingdom of heaven anyway. You will be happy with the here and now, and may even find yourself persecuting the people of God…
If you know Jesus and are a forgiven one, then you will know that kingdom already, in your inner being.
The Holy Spirit lives in you and you enjoy the Living water that Jesus gives.
Luke 18:29-30 NIV
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Don’t worry about what other people say. If you belong to Jesus then His kingdom is yours.
Lift your eyes from this world, and think of what God has laid for you in that wonderful place, when the Kingdom of God will come. Those who love Jesus will have this kingdom in them. They will one day live in this glorious kingdom.
Lettsom Inn 