We used to have a fish tank. I could see the fish in the tank. I am not sure whether they were aware of me. Sometimes food just fell into the water from above. I remember getting a new variety of fish one day. This upset everything. The fish were territorial and any fish that swam too close was chased away. The tank was no longer as fun because instead of just swimming around they were constantly chasing each other and fighting. I wanted to tell them to stop, they would not get eaten by the other fish (at least I hope not!!) There is no way I could tell them the truth about the world they lived in. I could not give them a better set of values to live by. Why? Because I was not part of the water world they live in.
Matthew 3:1-2 (CSB)
3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!”
Matthew 4:23 (CSB)
23 Now Jesus began to go all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
The kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is a recurrent theme in the gospels. We especially see the Gospel of Matthew, with Jesus preaching the kingdom of heaven. Jesus entered our world to bring God’s kingdom to mankind. He did this by His teaching, His behavior, and by the variety of miracles He performed.
What is a kingdom? It is the territory over which a king ruled or reigned. What then is the Kingdom of Heaven? It is the territory over which God rules. We should see this kingdom, not as a rule over a territory of land, but of the rule in our hearts and lives. Jesus came to bring us into this kingdom. We are the fish in the fish tank. We are living according to the way we see our environment. Jesus came to show us a better way. It would be a way that would be the opposite of the way the world sees things. The Sermon on the Mount is revealing to us the truths of God’s rule and reign. It is the way to a life that is opposite to the principles and priorities of this rule.
So the challenge as we go forward is as follows.
- Will You allow God to rule and reign over your life?
- This REQUIRES obedience. Are you willing to allow His reign to begin in your heart, it is not just external acts, but will you allow your heart to change to the extent that you will respond in obedience?
This is always the challenge that is set before us. We will be revisiting this challenge as we make our way through the Sermon on the Mount.
Will you allow God to wear the crown?