Seeking First the Kingdom of God

Seeking First the Kingdom of God Dear Friend, Over one hundred times Jesus during His ministry on earth makes reference to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven. This reference to the Kingdom is a declaration of God’s sovereign rule in the universe. The Bible declares that at the very beginning where it says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In the book of Matthew, the Kingdom of God/the Kingdom of Heaven refers to the entry of God’s long anticipated Anointed One, the Prophesied Messiah, the Deliverer and King of Israel. He would be the Savior of not only the Jews but of all of humanity. Jesus’ presence introduced the Kingdom of God and the revolution of love and hope it brought. Living in the Kingdom changes everything. It means that believers living in the Kingdom will, when Christ returns (Matt 26:29) no longer be hostage to the rule of death, sin, or oppressive human political systems. Satan will be overthrown as Jesus brings life, hope, and love both now and for all eternity. In Matthew 3:2 and 4:17 Jesus declares, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” what does this repentance mean? Henri Nouwen explains, “Jesus the blessed Son of God hungers and thirsts for uprightness. He abhors injustice. He resists those who try to gather wealth and influence by oppression and exploitation. His whole being yearns for people to treat one another as brothers & sisters, sons and daughters of the same God.” “With fervor He proclaims that the way to the Kingdom is not saying many prayers or offerings many sacrifices but in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting the sick and the prisoners. He longs for a just world. He wants us to live with the same hunger and thirst.” Christopher Friedrich Blumhardt states that, Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of heaven, and He was filled with a mighty spirit, the spirit of the rule of God. It raised a storm among His listeners when he said: ‘Repent! Become quite a different person! Everything must change. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” 1