veryone is trying to get into a better kingdom.

‍People have always strived to gain entry into the greater kingdoms of their day. Rahab the Harlot asked for admittance into the nation of Israel before Jericho was conquered. A foreign-born centurion confessed to the Apostle Paul that he had to buy his Roman citizenship at a very high price. In modern times, many Africans have sought entry into South Africa, North Koreans have sought freedom in South Korea, Central Americans have sought entry into the United States, and the list goes on. Our emigration efforts don’t only happen at a national level. Down in community life, many teens have done all kinds of things hoping to enter their desired social group, and many adults spend most of their lives working crazy hours, buying lots of clothes, cars, and make-up—all in hopes of gaining a greater citizenship. This storyline goes on and on around the world in every generation. 

At every level of human existence, we long to enter into and belong to a kingdom greater than the one we find ourselves in.

Why? Because, every person has been created with eternity in their hearts, made to live in a kingdom far greater than the one they find themselves in today. We are God's children, created in His image, in His likeness, and so it’s built into us to long for His realm—our true home. The eternal Kingdom of Heaven is our destiny. It's what we've all really been aching and searching for. ‍

But what is it?

• The Kingdom of Heaven is real reality—and it’s far grander than settling for a cheap “my truth”.
• The Kingdom of Heaven is the domain of God’s reign, the place where His nature and words define and animate everything.
• The Kingdom of Heaven is full life in real life, filling its citizens from the inside and out—the way it was always meant to be.
• The Kingdom of Heaven is the all-good, flourishing reality God generates around Himself as He comes near, speaks, and moves within His Creation.‍

‍"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field." (Matt 13:44)‍

The Kingdom of Heaven is infinitely good and too grand to be fully comprehended simply because it’s a Kingdom—a whole country! It’s meant to be lived in and experienced, not just analyzed and discussed as if it were an abstract idea. It is the ultimate treasure chest of all things true and good that we’ve been looking for our whole lives, and it’s worth forsaking every other ambition and advantage to get into it.‍

But where is it?

Jesus announced this good news, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” It’s now here on earth! It’s not just a destination we hope to go to when we die—rather, Jesus claimed repeatedly that He brought His Kingdom with Him to earth. Permanently.‍

How do we enter it?

Jesus said, “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.” (John 10:9)‍

This was the good news on Jesus' lips. Not only is the Kingdom of Heaven now here on earth, there’s finally a way for us to get into it! Jesus is the King, but He’s also the Gate. He’s the Port of Entry, the only Way into the Kingdom of Heaven. We enter it through a new citizenship and allegiance in the heart. When we forsake all other citizenships in our hearts, bowing low, and declaring our allegiance forever to Jesus, we enter this new territory of God's Kingdom.

This treasure we’ve found in the field contains so much more than we’ll ever need—but the field in which we found it is expensive and will cost all of our heart possessions to obtain. There is no fence to sit on when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven. There is no dual-citizenship in the heart. No one who holds on to their other desires and allegiances is prepared to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Entry is an all-or-nothing migration, so Jesus warns everyone to count the cost carefully. It is the gift of full, eternal life, but it costs all of our alternatives. There is no in-between.‍

These days...

The 21st century is an age of loud opinions about everything, invitations to do anything, claims that we deserve all good things, and distractions all day long. This great treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven can all too easily stay buried and hidden in the field beneath a pile of modern messages, voices, and forces. As everything becomes more fluid, connected, and instantaneous, noise enters our minds and hearts from every possible angle, making it harder and harder to discern what’s real, what’s valuable, and what’s good. When this happens, people make fewer choices—and even fewer good choices—and can easily be swept helplessly along with our culture’s ruthless currents.

But make no mistake--this is where you want to be! It’s the greatest reality to be anchored in, filled with God’s very own presence, power, and goodness. Every generation must find ways to uncover it for themselves and help others find it too.