Kingdom Principle: The narrative of the coming of Jesus the King is simply but profound. Jesus the King has come, Jesus the King has gone away for a time, but Jesus the King will come again. Might we be ever watching for his return.
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The King _________ ___________________
Luke 17:20–21 (ESV) — 20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom first. The power of the kingdom of God changes the hearts of men and women everywhere.
Jesus, however, in his answer indicates that they harbor a misconception concerning the nature of the kingdom, as if it would arrive with loud proclamations, prancing horses, marching armies, martial music; briefly, with “outward show.” If that were true, people would be greeting its arrival by shouting, “Here it is,” “There it is.” Over against all this, Jesus declares that the kingdom—or here preferably kingship, reign, rule—of God is basically spiritual in its essence. It is within, or, if one prefers, inside a person. Wherever God is truly recognized and honored as King, there one finds his kingdom or kingship.
Note that little word within or inside… the kingdom-kingship Jesus has in mind here is not an outward, visible entity, so that people would be able to point to it and exclaim, “There it is,” but consists of inner qualities, such as “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17), qualities that exist wherever God is recognized as King.
Submission and gratitude, ought to mark every believer in Christ.
“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how can I blaspheme my King and Savior now?” –Polycarp
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 (pg 768)
How is the kingdom of God among the Pharisees? For three reasons; the king has come and his name is Jesus. He is ruling in the hearts of men and women who have given their allegiance to him. And those willing and joyful subjects find themselves mingled among those who belong to the world.
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The King _______ _____________ ____________ (for a time)
Luke 17:22 (ESV) 22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
We are living in the days of Christ’s departure. Jesus will suffer at the hands of lawless men. (Acts 2:23) Not because he isn’t the King of the Universe, not because the kingdom has not come, but because it is in the plan of the Heavenly Father.
John 15:18–20 (ESV) — 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
This is the plan of God. That we, who belong to Christ’s kingdom and who are among the world (the kingdom is among you), might make the glories of that Kingdom known to those who are blinded by sin and taken captive by the evil one. We are on a rescue mission.
Questions to Consider
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Have you given your life to Christ the King? In what ways do you long for his return?
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To whom is God calling you to declare the glories of Christ the King?
