“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 4:17

When we discussed this passage a few months ago in Community Group, we discussed the radical meaning of what Jesus was saying. In a cultural context, Jesus was probably saying something kind of like this: “You need to change your way of thinking. The ‘kingdom’ may not look like what you thought it would, but it is way more powerful than you could have imagined. The kingdom is HERE. It is in Me. And it is forever.” As Vizzini says in The Princess Bride, “Inconceivable!”

It has been over two months since we discussed this passage at the Harkey’s, yet the meaning of Jesus’ words is still impacting me today. I feel as if the truth He spoke about is actually literally changing my heart and changing my perspective of Christ. I think it has more to do with the fact that the verse means something completely different than what I thought it meant... something so much more profound. This “profoundness” makes me actually hunger to know more about what Jesus said while on earth. It makes me thirst for His truth to open my heart and chip off the hard parts. And it makes me want to be a better person. I am humbled by the fact that the Word of God is so powerful, so radical, that it actually changes lives. His Word truly is Active. It pierces the heart, and makes us new. I want to be new today.