September 17, 2010
99 Days 'til Christmas, but How many until the Kingdom of God comes?
Luke 17:20-37
Cheryl Boyd
Central Truth
We live in a world constrained by time and schedules, yet we are constantly reminded, as children of God, to lift the eyes of our heart to eternal things.
Key Verse | Luke 17:33
"Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." (Luke 17:33)
Luke 17:20-37
The Coming of the Kingdom
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.” 1 17:21 Or within you, or within your grasp
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. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 2 17:24 Some manuscripts omit in his day 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” 3 17:35 Some manuscripts add verse 36: Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse 4 17:37 Greek body is, there the vultures 5 17:37 Or eagles will gather.”
Dive Deeper | Luke 17:20-37
I often wonder when the Lord will return. Then I would know when to stop working on mundane checklists and get on with more eternally significant matters. It would also be nice to know when my time on earth will be done so I can “clean house” and make my life more presentable before I meet Him face-to-face.
Jesus knows me well, though. If I know exactly when something is going to happen, I tend to control things, and I get tunnel vision.
My challenge is to figure out how to live daily life and yet remain mindful of the kingdom of God as I go. They are not separate. My place in the kingdom of God should affect everything—how I go about my day, shop for shoes, and build relationships with my neighbors. I need to remember the greater purpose behind even the most menial chores of my daily routine. This perspective should also be the basis for determining those bigger decisions of life, such as career, spending, and relationships.
I tend to make my plans and then shove God into any crevice. If I do enough squeezing, then surely my life will line up with His will, reflecting the kingdom. Right? Jesus says, "No." He tells us to lay it all down, to lose our life, not just be “willing” to lose our life, but to surrender completely. He wants to be the foundation on which our life is built—every detail.
Jesus is talking to me. I live in a world in which I eat, sleep, and shop. The point is not what I do, but the perspective that I have. Wrong perspective means my heart is anchored to things that will fail. But, if my perspective is on the kingdom of God, I may move to the other side of the world far away from loved ones, experience a friend's premature death, and feel uncertain about tomorrow. But the peace of God that surpasses understanding will be mine when I settle my life on His foundation and wait with eager joy for the fulfillment of all of His promises.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever tried to apply a kingdom perspective to something like cleaning the kitchen or doing yard work? Turn off the TV or music and invite God into your thoughts as you tackle a chore! How does the experience change? Share your thoughts about your experience with someone.
2. What decisions do you face that make it hard to surrender to a kingdom perspective? What fears or risks are involved in aligning your life with the Ruler of the Universe?
3. In what ways have you practiced kingdom perspective and experienced royal blessing? Make a list and thank the King!
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Talk as a family about how quickly change can happen and what that change brings, both good and bad. (For example: the birth of a child, changing schools, seasons changing, earthquakes, and loss of a job).
2. What change is Jesus teaching about in this passage?
3. Do we know when Jesus will return? Jesus’ return will bring good for some and bad for others . . . what does that mean? We should not delay in accepting His sacrifice for our sins and sharing Him with others.