The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God: The Heart of Jesus' Message

The Kingdom of God was the heart of Jesus’ own message. From his very first sermon, ‘the kingdom of God is at hand,’ to his final promises, he spoke of God’s gentle, coming reign more than almost anything else. He described it in parables, blessed its citizens on a hillside, welcomed the poor and the children into it, and taught us to pray for it: ‘thy kingdom come.’ These pages walk through what Jesus said, in his own words.

What Jesus said

Jesus did not come first to found an institution or teach a philosophy. He came announcing that the Kingdom of God, God’s own reign of love and mercy, had drawn near, and he opened its door with his life, death, and resurrection. To explore his teaching on the Kingdom is to come close to the center of everything he said and did.

Begin with the wider introduction at The Kingdom of God, and meet the King himself at Who is Jesus? Then walk through his own words below.

The teaching of Jesus on the Kingdom

• The Parables of the KingdomAgain and again Jesus began, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like...’, and told a small, everyday story. A...
• The Sermon on the MountOn a hillside Jesus gave the Kingdom’s great charter, the Sermon on the Mount. He began with blessings that...
• The Poor and the LeastJesus opened his ministry by reading that he was anointed to preach good news to the poor, and he meant it....
• Justice and MercyJesus reserved his sharpest words for religion that counted coins and forgot people. The weightier matters, he said,...
• Of Such Is the KingdomWhen his own disciples tried to keep the children away, Jesus was displeased, and gathered them in. ‘Of such is...
• Thy Kingdom ComeWhen his disciples asked how to pray, Jesus gave them words that have been prayed ever since. Near the very start he...
• Already, and Not YetIs the Kingdom of God here now, or still to come? Jesus answered: both. It does not arrive with spectacle, he said;...
• How to Enter the KingdomJesus was asked, in effect, how a person gets in. His answers are simple and searching. You must be born again, born...

Frequently asked questions

What is the Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God is God's gentle reign, his rule of love, mercy, and justice breaking into the world in Jesus and one day filling it completely. Jesus made it the center of his message: 'the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel' (Mark 1:15).

Why was the Kingdom of God so central to Jesus?

Jesus opened his ministry announcing it, taught it in nearly all his parables, and made it the first request of the prayer he gave us. He came to bring God's reign near, to heal, forgive, and gather people into it, and finally to open its door through his death and resurrection.

Is the Living Bread app the Kingdom of God?

No. The Kingdom of God is God's own reign in Christ, not any app or organization. These pages simply point to what Jesus taught about it and invite you to read his words and meet him for yourself.