Jesus and His Kingdom

"I tell you the truth; no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again". John 3:3

Visiting other countries can be exciting. Meeting new people, seeing new sights, experiencing new cultures. These are things that memories are made of.

Upon entering other societies we notice some differences almost immediately. For instance, the people there may speak a different language, drive on the opposite side of the road or, have different currency (money). Some countries are democracies; others may be socialists, while others may have a religious government.

Then there are things that are not noticeable right away, such as their laws, customs and, local norms. But if we plan on living outside of our native country we have to learn the ways, customs, language and, laws of the country we are in.

It's the same way when entering Gods' Kingdom. Some things are easily understood right away, while other things need to be learned and practiced gradually.

The Kingdom of God was the central theme in Jesus preaching as clearly seen in Mark 1:14, 15. The Lord's Prayer contains three (3) requests, as follows: (1) "Hallowed be thy name" (2) "Thy Kingdom come" (3) "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Matthew 6:9, 10 these three phrases mean just about the same thing, and they tell us a lot about the Kingdom of God. "Hallowed be thy name" means: Let your name be hallowed, or honored". "Thy Kingdom Come" means: Extend your rule over human lives". Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" means: Extend your rule over human lives here and now so that they will reverence and respect you". In his preaching Jesus regularly invited people to enter the Kingdom of God, that is, to open their lives to the ruling of God. God is very gracious and loving toward all people, and His Kingdom is offered to everyone. To speak of salvation is to speak of the Kingdom of God.