Luke #43: Living from the Future

20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

What was Jesus saying? -NOT individual

Entos humin, best translated “among you” or “in your midst.” Where I’m from, you would say, “The Kingdom of God is in the presence of ya’ll.” But what is Jesus talking about?

Remember, Jesus had already performed plenty of visible signs for everyone, including the religious leaders, to observe - cast out demons, healed the sick, and raised the dead – all evidence that God’s kingdom was at hand. But Jesus hadn’t taken over… So, with doubt, the Pharisees ask “when the Kingdom of God would come” (v.20).

“Kingdom” to most Jews in the first century suggested a restoration of political power. The Messiah would raise up an army to defeat the foreign powers, restore Israel’s independence, and bestow economic prosperity. Much like we heard over the past days as politicians and news-makers obsess over movement in the Dow Jones, the Pharisees were looking for signs of the times.

Jesus wasn’t doing what they thought he should be doing as Messiah. The kingdom he heralded did not seem to be focused on their political situation.

Jesus’s response to the Pharisees in Luke 17:20 is icy: the kingdom does not come with careful observation. in other words, don’t be looking for political signs of a glorious political future through political channels.

Rather, “The Kingdom of God is among you” (v.21). It is right here, Jesus says, among the crowd of healed lepers, deaf, the demoniacs and get this … even the Gentiles.

We have to understand why the Pharisees were so offended by this. They expected to see signs and wonders manifested in them as a nation, not among the poor and lowly. The Messiah is supposed to come through the temple and mosaic law… Jesus seemed to be bypassing these cultural influences. Pharisees could never accept such an insulting paradigm. That is why they keep asking about the “real” kingdom, the victory of Israel and the religious establishment. Unfortunately for the Pharisees, the kingdom had already arrived, and not where they expected it… right in their midst.

But this isn’t all there is to teh Kingdom is it? NO

MOre is to come, we’ll get to that in a moment, but the Kingdom is Real right now Jesus says. THat’s where we get the idea of the Kingdom of God being now but not yet… or already but not yet.

By that we mean that believers are actively taking part in the kingdom of God today as we follow the promptings of the HOoly Spirit in us, but the kingdom will not reach its full expression until sometime in the future. We are “already” in the kingdom, but we do “not yet” see it in its fullness.

That’s because the kingdom of God is more of a Who than a WHAT.

The Kingdom of God is more of a WHO than a WHAT

It’s about the presence of God, his Son in the world, and his Spirit at work in his church.

The Pharisees were fixated on the kingdom coming… and couldn’t recognize the king… the lesson for us is to focus more on:

● the King than the kingdom

● the Giver than the gifts

● the Healer than the healing

This is the start of having a kingdom mindset and being able to live from your future. A future that is now… but not yet.

Look at what Jesus says next

Luke 17:22–25 NIV

22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

The Disciples knew something was different about this time with Jesus. The Kingdom had sort of just appeared among them. But Jesus wanted them to know that there was a time coming when this consummation would be obvious.

Everyone wants to know when and where, Jesus said just focus on the who.

Looking forward to someone you love returning… called all the time checking in… now that I’m here you know what she doesn't do… now she just talks to me… now she just walks in and scratches my back… now she just

Don’t get caught up in my return, the when and the where, just get caught up in my presence among you here and now.

Because even if you knew the where and when it wouldn’t matter. That’s the sad reality. Even if we knew the moment of Jesus’s return, it wouldn’t make a difference for most people.

Jesus went on to explain

Luke 17:26–30 NIV

26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

This sounds pretty normal, but the truth is that when we think back at these two occasions there is more to the story.

Remember Noah, built a 435 foot boat over the course of 120 years, all the while telling people about a flood that was coming. In 120 years, he was only able to convince 7 people… his family… of what God was doing. Everyone else was eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage.

When the flood came it wasn’t a surprise… they had been told… they didn’t do anything with the knowledge.

Same with Lot. An angel appears in the town and warns the people and Lot is only able to convince his family… everyone else is eating, and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.

Everyone knew God was about to judge Sodom and Gomorrah... they had been warned… but just like in the days of Noah, no one did anything with the knowledge.

Instead people just kept doing with normal things of living right now.

Knowledge does not equal Relationship

Focused on living right now, rather than the future they were being invited into.

Because it’s scary to step into the future right?

We are more comfortable with our past because we know it pretty good… we know how we always respond to things… we know how we always react… it’s like an old pair of tennis shoes… sure they may stink, but boy do they fit like a glove.

A relationship though is different from knowledge… a relationship is risky…

It’s easy to get caught up in the things of this world and take our relationship with Jesus for granted. But Jesus says instead get caught up in me and your place in my Kingdom here and now because one day...

Luke 17:31–37 NIV

31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” 36 37 “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”

Where? YOU WILL KNOW WHERE

How to live from your future

Not striving to attain… but allowing what has been won on your behalf feed, direct, and sustain you today

I asked my football players how would you play if you knew you had already won

Keys to live from your future: Accept your citizenship - 1 Thess 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NIV

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

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Keys to live from your future: Think Eternally 2 Corinthians 5:1-13

A kingdom mindset

2 Corinthians 5:1–13 NIV

1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

Keys to live from your future: Remember, your eternity has already begun

Expect resistance

Galatians 2:20 NIV

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 John 2:17 NIV

17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

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