Everyone is invited into the Kingdom, and the invite is to come as you are and receive the best from God, freely given, clothed in His righteousness.

Jesus gives you an invite, not an invoice. We don't have anything to add to his grace, as he's already done it. We can't buy a place in the kingdom, or earn or serve our way in, in fact it involves laying down everything. Jesus is calling us to ditch the idols and gods of this world instead trust in Him and his Kingdom only.

The great power that is given to us as we take the keys to the Kingdom is to be held with great humility as ones called to serve God. How we hold the keys to the Kingdom is as important as the power within them.

The pivotal passage of the whole series which shows the power and authority that is vested in Jesus is shared and given to the disciples –which includes us in Basingstoke in 2026. We hold the keys to the kingdom, and are invited to play our part in all God is doing here.

Jesus was performing miracles, healing and setting people free, but some failed to recognise where that power came from, and that freedom was only available by the Spirit of God. Jesus’ triumph over darkness happens as we unlock the power of the Kingdom here on earth.

Jesus invites us to respond to the truth of the Kingdom, not what we want it to be. Are we listening, are we letting his word take root in our lives? Are we open to the challenge that comes when we live fully for the upside-down, unexpected Kingdom

Mustard Seed: In the Kingdom of God, even the small things you might offer and the seeds of prayer and good news that you plant can make a huge impact

The Kingdom is growing, it’s advancing and the world is standing forcefully against it. Jesus is telling us that this won’t be easy, there’s a battle ahead and not everyone will see and hear the good news and join in. But as Jesus says ‘wisdom is proved right by its deeds’ so we too, as we stick with it and join in the work of the Kingdom, will see the Kingdom come in power.

Jesus sends the disciples out, a bunch of ordinary people whom he has called, with huge power and authority that is gained from, and demonstrates, the Kingdom that is here. They are called to declare it and to show it, and we have that same power now.

When we have the keys to the Kingdom it produces good fruit in our lives. Being religious, just coming to church doesn’t mean anything until we unlock the goodness of God and see it flow in our lives.