The Kingdom of God

Scripture tells us that Jesus came to establish His kingdom here on earth. But what does that mean? What is this kingdom, and how do we get to it, how do we live in it, and how can it change our lives?

As always God’s word never leaves us without answer, without guidance, without His wisdom for our lives. So, let’s turn first to scripture and get a biblical understanding of what the kingdom of God is. Scripture tells us that the Kingdom of God is when Christ rules in our hearts. Matthew 7:21 says, that the one who enters the kingdom is the one who does the will of God. Let’s look deeper into the kingdom of God and what it would look like for us to embrace His kingdom here and now.

In bringing us news of His kingdom, Jesus addresses our most basic need which is survival. Jesus continues the theme in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve were in the garden. Satan tempted them to use their will to secure more than all God gave them. They desired to be like gods, knowing all, and possessing more than what God provided. They would take their lives into their own hands despite God’s will that they not eat the fruit from that one tree. They trusted in their own wisdom to meet their needs over God’s wisdom for them. They sought more than God provided them. As they were tempted, there focus was not on God, and they lost sight of knowing that God provided them with all they needed. After eating the fruit from the one and only tree God directed them not to eat from, they immediately experienced fear, knew shame, and would know death. Man’s most basic need, the need for survival, was now to be known to him.

Christ’s answer to all the things we believe that we need for survival is to tell us to seek the kingdom of God, the kingdom that our Father desires to give us. Let’s turn now to Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:22-34 – ESV – And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell yo… (biblestudytools.com) and take a closer look at what this kingdom looks like.

Jesus begins by saying do not be anxious about your life, your food, clothing, your body, life is more than these things. If you could free yourself of your anxiety, would you? If you could free yourself from all the stress and worry over trying to secure your future, which is ultimately not in your control, would you? God takes care of all, the grass, the lilies, the birds. Jesus is saying do not seek your food, drink and worry. Seeking in this context refers to our focusing on things to the point of worry. When our focus and worry to obtain becomes primary and takes precedence over our focus on God, we find ourselves captive to anxiety. Jesus goes on to say, these are the things the world seeks, but God knows what you need. In your anxiousness you cannot add an hour to your life, so if you cannot do that little thing why worry about anything else? In reality all we think we possess on earth can be taken from us, but we have a treasure in heaven that can never be taken from us. We are told to seek His kingdom and all these things will be added to us.

Jesus tells us that all will be added to us, we will have all we need, and we can trust that. He does not tell us that all we need will be given to us immediately, in fact it may not be given to us during our time in this world, it may come later. He promises it all will be added to us.

Jesus did not have many of the things we believe we need and strive for. For example, our world tells us we are safe and equipped for survival when we have money, possessions, prestige and power. Based on worldly standards, Jesus had none of these. But Christ tells us as we trust in and walk in His kingdom, we look to God first rather than our effort to secure more and more, we depend on and trust that our God will provide. As we put God’s will first in our lives, keep our focus on Him, trust and believe in His care for us, He sustains us. He can sustain and provide for us through His grace, through all we do and through those around us. We come to find ourselves moving through our world and its circumstances knowing that we are secure, and we do not walk alone. This gives us a different perspective, one closer to that of Jesus. No matter what Christ went through on this earth He never doubted His life and security were in the hands of the Father. As we too walk through our earthly lives in this way, we are free from thoughts of fearful self-preservation. We are not anxiously seeking to preserve our lives striving for money, power and material things, but living in thankful awareness and the freedom in our trust of God’s provision. We cease striving for a future that ultimately, we cannot control. How wonderful it would be to rest in this trust in God, to rest in His kingdom, to believe and walk in the freedom that we are totally cared for and secure in our God.

In Acts 2, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%202:42-47&version=ESV we are told of the early church and people living both in the way of God’s kingdom while at the same time living in a dangerous world. they were not living, trying to protect what belonged to them at any cost. They were a community choosing to help each other and live together. As they lived free of self-worry, they were able to live with one another in a self-giving way, and in the freedom from fear and worry, striving to obtain to control and to defend. They were able to experience a world where security is in love for each other and not protection from each other. We too can experience this as we seek first the kingdom of God and live our lives in the freedom of trusting our Lord to provide the security we need.

Our needs, be they material or physical needs, may not be met as we believe they should be. In fact, scripture tells us we will experience trials and suffering. But, our God will provide for us a way through each of our trials, and ultimately, we can know that with Him our lives are not only secure now, but through Jesus Christ our lives are secure for eternity. We can live each day secure in the Father’s hands. Our Father who created us, knows each of us intimately, and will provide for us just as we need. We have a Father whose timing is perfect in all He does for us, and a Father who is working every circumstance in our lives for our good. We can trust and live securely in the freedom of this knowledge, seeking to walk in His will and in the blessing of His kingdom, and in the love and care of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Fear not little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

(A podcast version of this blog can be found at https://roughplacesintolevelground.buzzsprout.com )