The Kingdom Among You

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That space where the kingdom of God meets
the kingdom of the world. 


Scripture:


Luke 17:20   Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”


Observation:


The Pharisees were still looking for God’s kingdom somewhere or sometime in the future. What they wanted was a political future where God would take over, and run their country. They failed to understand that the kingdom would not be present in the materialistic sense of the world, seen in borders and passports and symbols of power. Instead, Jesus pointed out that the kingdom was already among them. 


Neale encourages us to see Luke’s vision of the kingdom which is “realized by the path of repentance and forgiveness. In this sense, the path to the kingdom of God lies ‘within’” (NBBC). John Wesley puts it this way “For behold the kingdom of God is within or among you—Look not for it in distant times or remote places: it is now in the midst of you: it is come: it is present in the soul of every true believer: it is a spiritual kingdom, an internal principle. Wherever it exists, it exists in the heart” (Notes).


Application:


In theological circles there is often conversation about the “already” and the “not yet” of the kingdom of God. This is an understanding that the kingdom is already here, and yet — the kingdom will only be fully realized when Christ comes again. Therefore, we live in the “already” about which Jesus spoke, while we anticipate the entirety of the kingdom in the future. 


This means that we live in a broken world. It is a world in which the kingdom of God is present, but continues to co-exist with the kingdoms of this world. Wesley’s words are especially challenging because his idea of the kingdom being spiritual, an internal principle which is present in the heart is significant. Wesley always made the connection between the change of heart which led to the change of action. We are all called to engage in this world, bringing the kingdom of God into dark spaces. 


If God’s kingdom people try to retain the light for themselves only, their flame will eventually be extinguished from lack of fuel. We have to go out into the highways and byways with the good news of the kingdom for our flames to remain lit. The good news of the kingdom is about transformation in the heart of people, but that should always lead to engagement with those who need to be touched by the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is among us as God’s people spread out and make an impact on others. On the other hand, woe unto us if we think that we can force the kingdom by doing good works, without sharing the good news of the transformational work of Christ in our hearts. The two must always remain inextricably connected. 


Therefore, if we are kingdom bearers, we must think about what that means for the ways in which we live our lives and engage with the world. The world is in desperate need of transformation, but Jesus never did this through political means. The change came when there was genuine heart-change and engagement with God’s kingdom. This is the tension in which we must all live — the “already” and the “not yet” of the kingdom of God. The kingdom is among us— and it becomes our responsibility to steward that kingdom presence well. 


Prayer:


Lord, it’s not easy living in the tension of the middle space between the already and the not yet. Give me wisdom to follow your direction and leading every day. Amen.  

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