This week, I continue the series depicting the life and inspired teachings of Dr. Myles Munroe, the late Bahamian Pastor, Business Consultant, and International Speaker.
Last week, I reported briefly that Dr. Munroe was angry at things in the church not being the way they ought to be, and that churches not reaching people the way they should. With that being said, Munroe promoted the idea that Jesus came to bring the Kingdom of heaven, sometimes referred to the Kingdom of God, on earth – and that He did not come to preach a religion as is popularly preached in churches. After Jesus came out of the wilderness, he announced his mission, as illustrated in Matthew 4:17: “From that time on, Jesus began to preach saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived.” Munroe eloquently and simply dissected this verse by saying that ‘preach’ meant to declare, to announce to a community. Additionally, Munroe argued that ‘repent’ literally means to change your thinking or having a new mindset because the Kingdom of Heaven is here now. Munroe goes on to define a ‘Kingdom’ as “an actual country ruled by a King who influences and impacts the domain of his Kingdom personally with his values, morality, lifestyle, and his entire principles and laws until the people begin to reflect his lifestyle.”
Munroe intimated that Jesus’ mission statement was the arrival of the government that was promised by the prophets Isaiah and Daniel in the Old Testament. The Prophet Isaiah says that “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Additionally, Daniel says “The God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom [on earth] that will never be destroyed,” (Daniel 2:44). Daniel also prophesied that with Jesus’ coming, “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed”(Daniel 7:14).
Munroe noted that God’s original intention was to establish and extend His Heavenly Kingdom on earth from Heaven to be ruled first by Adam. When Adam sinned, he did not lose a religion, he lost dominion over the earth. Jesus came to restore the Kingdom of heaven on earth that Adam lost. Munroe argued that Jesus’ school of thought or ideology is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus’ belief system is that there is another invisible country that can come to earth to solve earth problems. Munroe added that the Bible is about a king, His Kingdom and His Royal Family.
So what is living in the kingdom of heaven like? Munroe argued that the Kingdom of Heaven is a country with a culture where there is peace, joy, daily bread for all, forgiveness, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, selflessness, respect for all, healing, gentleness, and self-control. These are the said things that Jesus preached about. “The Kingdom of God is not a gift. It is your inheritance that was given to us during the creation”, declared Munroe. Munroe said that God’s divine passion is the manifestation of the influence of heaven’s culture on earth through
colonizing the earth with the Kingdom of Heaven. Munroe, however, reported that for all the good things that the Kingdom can offer, persons must have faith that the Kingdom of Heaven is here on earth already.
Jesus used parables to teach the Kingdom of Heaven to multitudes, but he explains the meaning to his disciples, his students in private. Jesus likened the Kingdom to many things as illustrated in the Bible verses below. Even after his resurrection, Jesus kept on preaching about the Kingdom of God – and not a religion.
Unlike the religious Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus wanted everyone to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. These two groups vehemently opposed Jesus’ teachings. In fact, Jesus was crucified by these said religious folks. Jesus also paid particular attention and special care to certain groups of people in the Kingdom namely the poor, widows, orphans, strangers, fatherless and sinners. Munroe disclosed that in the Kingdom of heaven, the community is more important than the individual. Everyone must prosper and have his or her needs met.
To support his argument that it is not a religion that Jesus preached, but Kingdom, Munroe often quoted the following verses of scripture:
