Have you ever wondered what the kingdom of heaven is like? Have you considered the kingdom of heaven is not quite the same as heaven itself? Huh? Are you willing to give that a little thought? Will listen to some logical thinking on the subject?
As Christians, we talk a lot about heaven. We even talk about the kingdom of God, which the same as the kingdom of heaven. But do we realize they are not quite the same? I believe we think of them as the same…incorrectly. Hear me out.
Heaven is a place. Heaven can even be a vision. The kingdom of heaven is not just the place, but it includes all angels, the saints, and God himself. Heaven can be a place we long to go to. The kingdom of heaven is something we can belong to. Perhaps that is why Jesus uses so many parables or analogies to describe it.
When Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven being like a mustard see that grows into a large tree, He is talking about the growth of the kingdom. Jesus is the seed. The growth is His church. As more and more people accept Him as their Lord and Savior, the kingdom grows. As the Apostles went throughout the world, big branches spread. As those they taught continued to spread the good news, smaller branches sprouted. More and more branches continue to sprout as we continue to tell people about Jesus, and they become His disciples.
I pray we all see heaven as a place. I pray we understand the kingdom of heaven as Jesus’ church. I pray each one of us continue to spread the news of Christ and keep the tree growing. Seek to go to heaven. Be a part of the kingdom of heaven. Tell others about Jesus. Keep the kingdom growing.
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Marty Pressey 