Last night at our Bible study, we look at what Jesus had to say about the kingdom of God, a common theme in His preaching throughout the 3.5 years of His public ministry. John the Baptist before Him preached on this theme too (‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’ Matt 3:2), a sentiment echoed in Jesus’s opening words of ministry (‘”The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15))
A kingdom is a place where a king rules. The kingdom of God is not a geographical location as such (though its presence in our midst (Luke 17:20-21) gives it a geographical aspect; where God’s people let God rule becomes the kingdom of God.) Jesus taught about this kingdom through parables, stories which capture our imaginations through their very ordinariness but which have the power to reveal spiritual truth to us.
The parables of Jesus describing what the kingdom of God is like remind us of the smallness of a mustard seed (which grows tall) or of yeast (which in comparison to other ingredients in bread making looks insignificant, but its influence is pervasive and changes the character of the bread completely. See Matt 13:31-34) Where God rules, justice, truth, love and honour will be seen. There is both a present and a future aspect to God’s kingdom, as the parable of the nets demonstrates. (Matt 13:47-52)
God’s kingdom is likened to a treasure and to a pearl of great pice (Matt 13:44-46). In these parables, we see that what we treasure requires commitment and cost; the people in these parables gave up everything to obtain the treasure and pearl. The kingdom of God is radical in nature (see Matt 19:16-24), requiring our whole-hearted commitment and obedience. The rewards are great, but God’s demands on our lives mean that we have to yield everything we are and have to His rule. Matt 6:33-34 reminds us that we must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (with the promise that our heavenly Father will meet all our needs) and forms the basis of our prayer, ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ (Matt 6:10)
