Like Heaven on Earth

Jesus came preaching the Kingdom...

John 18:36–38 CSB

“My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” “You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” “What is truth?” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him.

John 14:1–3 CSB

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

Old Hymns about Heaven

When We All Get to Heaven

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace; In the mansions bright and blessed He'll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to Heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We'll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway, Clouds will overspread the sky; But when trav'ling days are over, Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we'll behold; Soon the pearly gates will open; We shall tread the streets of gold.

O That will be Glory for Me

When all my labors and trials are o’er,

And I am safe on that beautiful shore,

Just to be near the dear Lord I adore

Will through the ages be glory for me.

Refrain:

O that will be glory for me,

Glory for me, glory for me;

When by His grace I shall look at His face,

That will be glory, be glory for me.

When by the gift of His infinite grace,

I am accorded in heaven a place,

Just to be there and to look on His face

Will through the ages be glory for me. [Refrain]

For the Disciples Heaven was a Powerful Empire with Jesus as it’s divine leader… Over time Christians began to think of Heaven as a far away place where Jesus is waiting to reward us...

But what are both of these perspectives missing???

They both miss the reality of Jesus Here and Now!!

What did Jesus say about the Kingdom of Heaven...

When his disciples asked Jesus a question he either answered with a question or told a story...

The Kingdom of Heaven is like...

A Mustard Seed (Matt 13:31-32)

Leaven in Bread (Matt 13:33)

Hidden Treasure (Matt 13:44)

A Pearl of Great Price (Matt 13:45-46)

The Kingdom is the unseen love and power of Jesus Christ that transforms the world we can see.

---> The Here and Now! This World!

Jesus said to Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this World”…but that doesn’t mean his Kingdom in not IN this world!

1 Peter 2:9-12 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.”

That word “visitation” is where we get the word Bishop (episkope). It means the ruling spirit in your midst…not one day but THIS DAY!

Jesus is the Bishop of the Church because he carries the very DNA of who we are as a people!

What happens to our Faith when it becomes disconnected from this world?

It becomes Selfish and Isolated.

It becomes Divisive, rather than Compassionate and Inclusive.

(Inclusive) I don’t mean that God has no standard (Jesus is the standard)…what I mean is we don’t share Jesus by creating in and out groups.

God becomes Distant and Disconnected.

Our Faith becomes Fear & Anxiety Driven.

The Good News!

John 14:1–3 CSB

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

Many Christians read this passage to mean that Jesus is talking about a far away heaven…but remember Jesus actually “comes back” to them after his resurrection.

Jesus is telling them the Good News (gospel)… He is King and Lord of all, and we have been invited to live in that Kingdom NOW with him!

Principle: The cross not only saved your eternal soul…it also provided a place (oikas/home) for you to experience the power of Jesus in your life today…at your home…at your workplace…in your city....

How can I live in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Remember heaven is a present reality AND a final promise.

The Kingdom of heaven is both ALREADY and NOT YET.

By Living in the Way of the Cross, rather than the way of the World.

Remain Connected to the Family of God.

The people of God (the Church) should be the place and people PRACTICING RESURRECTION…

When the people of God gather for worship, that place becomes an OPEN DOOR of access between Heaven and Earth.

Pray

Matt 6:9-10 ““Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Prayer is Participation…Praying is what gets us in on what God is already doing!