If you are looking in the sky for the kingdom of God you will miss it for a very simple reason. In fact the same reason why the Children of Israel missed it!
WDJK? 5 – Where is IT?
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.” – Mark 12:32-34
Most believers never find the kingdom of God for a very simple reason – they are looking for it in places other than where it is!
If you look in the passage above a couple of things really stand out for me. The first is that the legalist, one of the “teachers of the law” that was sent to ensnare and trap Jesus and always looking for a way to discredit Him – this man wasn’t “far from the kingdom of God.” The other is that the reason this man wasn’t far from the kingdom of God is that he talked about LOVE!
Jesus knew the exact location of the kingdom of God and He also knew how few would find it because everyone was looking in the wrong places for it! Later in the gospel of Luke Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is in your midst.” And what Paul and a few other early Christians discovered is that the kingdom of God IS within every believer Here and now that can grasp these 5 core ideas:
- You are completely forgiven and made whole at the moment you meet Christ!
- God is in complete and total control of every single event and second of your life!
- God Is Love and that Love is insane by human standards – going far beyond any Love you possibly conceive!
- God radically Loves you as a person as His cherished creation and Nothing can change His feelings for you – In fact not only does He radically Love you – He radically likes you just as you are and not as you should be!
- There is no longer any need for the law! The law brought you to Christ and that was its job but it doesn’t keep you in Him or have any impact on you once you are in Him!
Jesus knew that the exact location of the kingdom of God was, is and continues to be in the heart of the believer who grasped the Full Power of His Gift beyond description that He Freely gave on the cross!
