THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (part 3)
During the time that Jesus walked on the earth in flesh and blood, He taught many parables about the kingdom of Heaven. He wanted His disciples at that time (and all of His disciples down to this current age) to understand how the kingdom works, and how we should function as citizens of that kingdom. The longer we consider God's kingdom only as a place we will inhabit one day after Christ's return, the longer we hinder enjoying the blessings and power of that kingdom in this life. We are waiting for Christ to return, but God is waiting for us to grow up into Christ and become mature sons of God (Ephesians 4:14-16). "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God." (2 Peter 3:11,12a). In Matthew, we find a very simple parable that speaks of the mystical nature of the kingdom of God. "Another parable spake He un