Jesus’ core message as he begins his ministry in the Gospels is, essentially, “Repent, for the kingdom of God has come near.” Which meant: “Repent, because you’re going to die soon and you need to be sure you’re going to go to heaven.” Or “Repent, because the world is about to end and you’re all going to burn!”
Or maybe not.
Personally, I’m pretty sure Jesus wasn’t announcing the end of your life or the end of the world. I think Jesus was announcing the presence of a new kingdom, one that stood in contrast to the kingdom of the Romans or the kingdom of the religious leaders of his day.
Is the Kingdom of God a Fortress or a Seed?
The kingdom of God is a different kind of kingdom than the world’s kingdoms. It’s a kingdom in which the poor in spirit (which Dallas Willard calls “the spiritual zeroes, those without a wisp of religion”) are blessed because, believe it or not, the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. It’s a kingdom in which those who mourn are blessed because they will find comfort. It’s a kingdom in which the meek are blessed because in the end they are the ones who will inherit the earth.
