the scene saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). Likewise, Jesus inaugurated His public ministry with the same announcement (Matt. 4:17). He frequently explained aspects of this kingdom by telling a story or relating a parable, prefaced by the phrase “The kingdom of heaven is like …” (see Matt. 13). Even a cursory glance at the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes reveals that Jesus associated the kingdom of God with His own life and ministry. We can’t separate the
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