Seeking His kingdom

Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven is near.

"From that time Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Matthew 4:17

As He taught, He continued to refer to this kingdom of heaven. He made a point about entering the kingdom of heaven.

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:20

He preached that it is near, yet He also taught that it is difficult to enter.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

This kingdom, near yet too difficult to enter, is somehow good news. The gospel is the good news of the kingdom ("gospel" is an Middle English word for good news).

"And Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people." Matthew 4:23

Those who came to Jesus saw that the kingdom of God was near to Him; in all that He did the kingdom of God was near to man. Yet what is this to a man, flawed and frail? How can he enter this kingdom?

Jesus described the point of entry into the kingdom as difficult.

"Enter by the narrow gate; for gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." Matthew 7:13-14

In Luke, Jesus worded this differently on another occasion.

"Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you will seek to enter and will not be able." Luke 13:24

This is not what we expect. We think in terms of the "Easy Button" at Staples. Somehow two thousand years of religion have made what Jesus said seem inconsistent with all that we think Christianity is.

This is the gospel that Jesus preached; this is what He thought was good news.

Is this kingdom worth looking for?