Jesus began his ministry by saying exactly what John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2; see 4:17). And then later in his ministry Jesus added, “The kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Let’s take a few moments to reflect on that statement.

What does Jesus mean when he says, “The kingdom of God is in your midst?”

What do you see? Is it here? Within you? Among us?

What does the kingdom of heaven look like here and now?

Is what you are thinking similar to or different from what Jesus said: “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” By reflecting and talking about this, we begin to stir up wonder in our hearts and minds—what exactly does Jesus mean?

This month, let’s join to­gether in discovering what Jesus means in his many teachings about the kingdom, and how each of us can engage in kingdom living. We’ll see how the kingdom of God is very important—even crucial—in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.