What Is The Kingdom Of Heaven? (Pastor Jose Jr)

What Is The Kingdom of Heaven?

The scene is Herod angered because the Magi decided not to tell him where the new King of the Jews was. He orders the death of all male children under 2 years old born in Bethlehem. Joseph has a dream just before they get to Jesus, and moves to Nazereth.

Mat 3:1 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying,

Mat 3:2 Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

American Standard Version

Jesus repeats this in Matthew 4:17 word for word.

Literally, this means “change your ways because the new kingdom of heaven (some translate this as ‘power’) is close.”

I. What is the Kingdom of Heaven?

a. Jesus was completely obsessed with this idea

b. His entire mission in life was to proclaim and usher in this idea

c. He told us that the things we need in life would be added to us if we would just dedicate our lives to searching for and preparing the way for his Kingdom.

d. Jesus said that it belongs to the poor in spirit and those persecuted for His sake.

e. People who are obedience to God and teaches others to be the same will be among the greatest in the Kingdom.

f. Those that are servants will be among the greatest.

g. You must be more faithful than the pharasees.

h. In Matthew 13:11, Jesus tells the disciples that he speaks in miracles because it they have been allowed to know the “mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven”

i. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus gives the Church that keys of the Kingdom of Heaven!

j. In Matthew 10:7, he tells his disciples to tell people that the Kingdom is near.

k. In Matthew 19:12, we see that there are some who stay single for the “sake of the Kingdom of Heaven”

l. It is hard for rich people to enter in.

m. He even talks about children being the measure of humility for entering into the Kingdom of Heaven.

n. The phrase is found 32 times in Matthew alone. It is refered to as the Kingdom of God another 62 times in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, it is referred to as the Kingdom of David only once, in Amos 9:11 – and requoted in Acts 15:16

o. Is this Kingdom something “real”? Is it something we should be concerned about?

II. The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like…

a. Mathew 13:24 - God let’s the weeds and the wheat grow together until the time of harvest. He does this for the sake of the wheat.

b. Matthew 13:31 - God grows his Kingdom out of something small, seemingly insignificant

c. Matthew 13:33 - God mixes Jews and Gentiles together in this Kingdom

d. Matthew 13:44 – The Kingdom is a hidden treasure that is worth giving up your life and possessions for.

e. Matthew 13:45 – Is is a fine pearl. Pearls have the unique quality of iridescence – which uses the various transparent layers to reflect the light shining on them in different ways as the pearl is turned.

f. Matthew 13:47 – There is an end of ages, where the angels will assist in separating those that are “good fish” and those that are “bad, smelly ones”

g. Matthew 13:52 – Having knowledge and wisdom is a treasure. But, you still have to search that treasure to find “the new and the old” – revelations from God.

h. Matthew 18:23 – We must forgive others in order to honor and derserve God’s forgiveness and mercy.

i. Matthew 20:1 – The first will be last and the last will be first – there are no ranks and favoritism in the Kingdom

j. Matthew 22:2 – God’s people rejected Jesus. So, He has opened the door for everyone to be saved. But He expects a right heart, or else we are just like those that rejected him.

k. I Cor 4:18-21 – It is Power, Not Words in authority

l. Rom 14:17 – Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in living life

III. What is the Word Teaching Us?

a. There is an unseen, “hidden”, spiritual Kingdom in effect RIGHT NOW.

b. Mark 9:1 – Talks about some there not dying before seeing the glory of the Kingdom

c. Mark 12:34 – Jesus tells a person they are “close to the Kingdom of God” because of how wise their answer was

d. Luke 10:9 – Jesus tells the disciples to heal people and to tell them that the Kingdom of God has “come near them”

e. God makes us responsible for knowing the “secrets” of the Kingdom through His Word

f. He gives us direct access to God throneroom through prayer

g. We are responsible for making anouncing the coming rule of Christ on the throne of David forever.