You Are Not Far From The Kingdom

Mark 12:34

Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

Prince had a song called the Ladder back in the late 80’s that said,
Everybody
Everybody's looking 4 that ladder
(Everybody's looking 4 the ladder)
Everybody wants salvation of the soul
(Everybody wants salvation of the soul)
(salvation)
The steps U take are no easy road
(the steps you take are no easy road)
(that's for sure)
But the reward is great (the reward is great)
4 those who want 2 go, (4 those who want 2 go)
those who want 2 go

This ladder that Prince talked about leads to a place of peace, wholeness, to me it was an allegory to the Kingdom of God. We are all in search of that place of euphoria that can only be found in God. The problem with many of us is that by the time we climb up the top of our respective ladders, we discover it’s propped up against the wrong building. Everybody is looking for the Kingdom of God, but have been looking in the wrong place or propped up ladders against the wrong building but you are closer than you think.

The Religious leaders of Jesus’ day had been trying to find the Kingdom, but had propped their ladders up against the building of Vain-Glory and Self Serving agendas. They asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in the Torah or the Law was, and Jesus quoted them two commandments in Mark 12:29-31

Mark 12:29-31 (New International Version)
29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[b] 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c]There is no commandment greater than these."

Then one of the scribes was impressed with the conciseness of Jesus’ ability to summarize all of the Law into these two commandments and he began to break it down even more. When he finished Jesus said, “You have answered wisely, you are not far from the kingdom.

What did he say that can get us closer to the Kingdom and climb up the right ladder?

1. There is one God and none other but he. We are a very spiritual generationm, but we fail to realize who God really is. We know who God is best by looking at his son Jesus. Jesus said, if you have seen me you have seen my Father. You see Jesus by reading the gospels and seeing what he did.

2. Love him with all of your heart. Have you ever heard someone say, “They have my heart?” Who has your heart? God should be top on your list.

3. Love him with all your understanding. Have you dedicated yourself through study to Love God? Do you read your bible? Are you in Bible study so you can love God better?

4. Love him with all your soul. Our soul is our innermost being, a composite of our personality, emotions, and psyche. Oftentimes, we are not able to love God with our souls because of soul ties. We are tied up with the wrong people and the wrong things. We are addicted to substances that rob our allegiance with God. We are in unholy alliances with people who we are not married to. When we are married that person is called our soul mate. When we are in a sexual relationship with someone, not our spouse, they are Cell Mates who keep our soul in bondage from giving God the love he’s due.

5. Love him with all your strength. We are to love God with our Physicality. Are you giving God a healthy body to love him with? What are you putting in his temple that says to him, “God I love you so much that this is what I’m doing with the body you gave me.”

6. Love your Neighbor as you love yourself. You are close to the Kingdom when you learn how to treat people like you want to be treated. Treat strangers like you would treat yourself.

7. When we love like this it means more than any money we could ever give God. It doesn’t mean you don’t give money, it just means that when you get Love right, it’s priceless because you’re climbing the right ladder.

Dear God teach me how to love you and others so I can climb the right ladder and one day be welcomed into your Kingdom. I’m too close to turn around, give me the strength to keep on climbing till I get to the gates of heaven and hear you say, Well done my good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, now come on up and I’ll make you ruler over many things.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.