When will the Kingdom come?
Have you ever wondered when you will experience the “Kingdom of God”? Is it only after death that we experience God’s kingdom? Is Heaven the Kingdom of God? Is it when all of God’s people gathered together, or is it some special place that we travel to, where we experience God’s kingdom?
Where and when do we experience the Kingdom of God?
All of these are good questions to ask, or good assumptions to make, since the idea of a Kingdom seems like a place we would recognize. If you have ever been to England, or another European country, you probably visited a castle or two on your trip. When you were touring the castle, did you imagine the kingdom that this particular building once ruled? When I think of a Kingdom, I think of a castle with huge walls and guards protecting the building, which is the center of the kingdom.
In the 17th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus addressed a question like this from the Pharisees. Luke writes, ‘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, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”’ (Luke 17:20-22)
The Kingdom of God is not a place you can observe, is how Jesus answered the Pharisees’ question. So, how will we know it? How will we ever recognize God’s Kingdom?
If there is no castle, how can it be a kingdom?
When Jesus told the Pharisees “the Kingdom of God is among you,” he was referring to himself. It is not a place that we go, or a set of objects that we own. The kingdom of God is not even a church where we worship. The Kingdom of God is Jesus. Or, in other words, God’s rule for all of creation is in and through Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent out of love for all creation. Jesus was sent as hope for the hopeless and peace for the restless. Jesus was sent as the sacrifice needed to defeat sin and offer salvation to a world in need.
Jesus is the kingdom of God among us.
When you are worried about someone, or something, and yet somehow you feel peace in your heart, the Kingdom of God has come near. When you find joy in the midst of great despair or sadness, the kingdom of God has come near. When you turn to God and ask for forgiveness for the wrongs you have committed against others and yourself, and you experience relief within your soul, the Kingdom of God has come near.
Jesus offers the world a helping hand in all life’s difficult times. He said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
As we continue our Lenten journey, these next few weeks, I pray that you can find time each day to experience the Kingdom of God near you in the small and private spaces of your heart. Because, it is there, in your heart, where Jesus lives and the Kingdom of God is among you.
Blessings,
Pastor Mike Walerius