”Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.” He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’ “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.” At that time some Pharisees said to him, “Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!” Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem! “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”“
Luke 13:18-35 NLT
The Kingdom of God is the topic that Jesus taught about the most, yet few of us understand what it really is. The Kingdom of God is where God’s presence reigns and His will is done. While the people of Jesus’ day (and ours too) thought the world would change through politics or military might, Christ came to show the power of the Kingdom. It is like a mustard seed starting small that grows large and blesses the world. It is like yeast in bread dough that works its way through the batch. The Kingdom is open to the whole world, but very few choose it; choices of devotion are required to enter the Kingdom of God’s will. And the Kingdom often includes suffering to follow God’s will in a world bent on selfishness and personal power. Jesus died in obedience to the Father’s will.
Jesus wept over Jerusalem because they had rejected the way of the Lord. The city would be destroyed because they refused the way of peace, the way of the King. Jesus calls us to “work hard to enter the Kingdom.” The Kingdom is a gift, brought by the King, but we still make the choice to accept the gift, work hard living it out, and are even willing to go through the struggles to stay close to God. Suffering is worth the cost if we are close to the King. Jesus is always with us. The Kingdom has come. The King is here. Choose to be closer to Him, no matter what.
How is the Kingdom of God alive today? In you? If our King is all powerful, why do you sometimes have to suffer?
