The Kingdom of God, Part 5

The Kingdom of God, Part 5

…strive first for the kingdom of God and (its) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[1]

Over the past weeks I have reflected upon some of what is recorded of what Jesus said about the kingdom of God, which he also called the kingdom of heaven, or simply the kingdom. Because he used analogies, parables, and metaphors when describing the kingdom we can assume it is not a specific physical place like Yellowstone Park, which we would describe by its location, features, history, and other tangible aspects. No, the kingdom Jesus alludes to defies such descriptions because its existence is not limited to a particular location in space and time, although it does exist eternally in the here and now. Nor are its features fixed with any sort of permanence or reliable consistency. Nor is it accessible by roads or trails. The history of the kingdom is both non-existent and all-existing because it has always been, is now, and always will be – all at the same moment. We cannot accurately compare the kingdom of God to earthly kingdoms because it exists in a dimension that, while inclusive of earthly realms, stretches far beyond them, not in space or time but in an expanded dimension of conscious awareness. It cannot be entered with the typical consciousness by which most of us go through our days. Once our consciousness transforms, however, the kingdom opens before us. We simply have nothing earthly with which to relate. As such, Jesus drew many seemingly disparate comparisons to discourage us from locking in the details of his kingdom as if we could ever fully understand its other-worldly treasures.

If we take Jesus at his recorded word, this is some of what I think we can infer about the kingdom:

• The kingdom is near – not like the house next door, but like a vivid memory or the feeling from an intimate relationship.
• There are people alive today who have experienced and are living out of the kingdom, not as a physical location other than where they have always been, but they experience where they have always been with an expanded awareness.
• The kingdom belongs to the poor, meaning those unencumbered by earthly attachments. Our seductive quest for additional power, possessions, and prestige stands as a barrier to the eternal rewards of the kingdom. Conscious awareness of our Oneness with God, which is the source of every longing, can only be found in the kingdom.
• Earthly wisdom teaches that more earthly wealth is a worthwhile goal. Kingdom wisdom reveals that earthly wealth is and always will be passing away, it never satisfies, and it distances us from the kingdom.
• Accessing the kingdom allows latent potentials to manifest that often appear magical or other-worldly to those unfamiliar with the kingdom.
• Seen through eyes transformed by the kingdom, what we value and prioritize shifts dramatically.
• Entry into the kingdom cannot be gained, bought, or influenced by social standing, socio-economic status, church attendance, or other earth-bound advantages. While entry is available to everyone, our desire for it must override all else.
• Something about children that makes it easier for them to enter the kingdom. Perhaps it is the closer proximity to their moment of birth when they were presumably still immersed in the Oneness of everything. The fact that children approach life with wonder, awe, and suspended judgment, that they do not assume they already know everything worth knowing about whatever they encounter almost certainly keeps them near the kingdom.

I believe what most inhibits a person’s ability to enter and experience the kingdom is the assumption that references to the kingdom, heaven, and eternity point to a future existence after our physical death. Churches and church leaders are likely the worst offenders by teaching, both directly and indirectly, that the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, or the land where Jesus is king is a mystical place in a faraway land in some distant future. And perhaps it is that, too, but that is not what Jesus’ teachings describe. The life he lived and modeled was about bringing heaven to earth now, by serving others ceaselessly, generously, and non-violently. The prayer he taught in Matthew is clear: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.[2] The kingdom manifests on earth as we allow God to work through us. As long as we assume that the uniting of heaven and earth is something God or others will do without our participation, or that it will simply manifest after we die, we find ourselves perennially on the outside of the kingdom. We cannot make things on earth as they are in heaven if we are no longer in the earthly realm. That was Jesus’ work 2000 years ago, and it is our work today, regardless of where we find ourselves in space or time.

This is the 30^th in a series titled Crucifying Christianity, Resurrecting the Way.Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.

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[1] Matthew 6:33

[2] Matthew 6:10