“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed” (Matthew 13:31). I heard that as a kid and immediately thought: mustard comes from a seed.
Then more questions came to mind: Is it smaller than a ketchup seed? If a mustard tree grows large, how big does a ketchup tree get?
I was a weird kid. And now I just want a cheeseburger.
But the kingdom of heaven is also like yeast in bread. And it’s like hidden treasure. And pearls. And a net.
Confused yet? This is getting complicated.
One of my favorite aspects of scripture is the way even a child can understand the basics that “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son…” yet even the smartest and wisest scholars discover new insight and depth of the scriptures every day.
This past Sunday, we tackled a big chunk of Jesus’ teachings on the kingdom of heaven, and I’m so grateful to Pastors Ken, Gage and J.C. for helping us explore the kingdom of heaven. I hope it has stuck with you like a song that you just can’t get out of your head. I hope it lingers. I hope it becomes not just noticeable but undeniable.
Jesus was very clear about how we should pray, and part of that prayer He gave as an example went like this: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10).
We know the kingdom of heaven is in, well, heaven. But are we looking for the kingdom of heaven here on earth? Jesus told us to pray for it. Then He gave us examples of what the kingdom of heaven looks like. It’s here. Open your eyes. The goodness, the forgiveness, the grace, the love. It’s all around us. Look for growth, transformation, value and righteousness. There you’ll find the kingdom of heaven on earth.
This week, please help me find it. Where is the kingdom of heaven breaking into this world? We’ve done a great job, as Christians, identifying the things and actions that are NOT in line with the kingdom of heaven. Good. Stay away from those things. But in our rush to single out what is wrong with this world, we often don’t take time to see what is right.
The kingdom of heaven is breaking in. Where is it?
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7).
Keep seeking the kingdom of heaven. It’s here.
Pastor Billy