IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

Date: Sep. 21, 2023

Passage

Luke 17:20-37 (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.”

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. 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.” 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 17:22

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.

The Pharisees believed that the kingdom of God would begin with the return of a powerful Messiah and King. But Jesus helped them recognize that the kingdom of God has a present and future dimension. Jesus’ words, “the kingdom of God is in your midst,” meant that its King was present before them. But they had not recognized Him. To be in God’s present kingdom, they needed to know King Jesus personally. If we don’t know Jesus personally and if we aren’t living under his kingship, we are not in the kingdom of God. The final form of God’s kingdom will be seen in the future by everyone when Jesus returns in power and in glory. But for believers who long to see Jesus, there is a danger that they will lose heart while waiting for his coming. God’s future kingdom will be given to those who wait patiently with spiritual discernment in the present.

To emphasize the suddenness of his next coming and to warn his people, Jesus illustrated the days of Noah and of Lot. In both times, the people of Noah and of Sodom lived godlessly everyday—till the day of God’s judgment. Likewise, Jesus will suddenly appear to everyone, ready or not ready, and face God’s judgment. Our living principle must be: “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it” (33).

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, help me to be ready for your coming by living a life of faith today.

One Word: One Word: Jesus will come suddenly?

Daily Bread

Like Seeing the Face of God

Genesis 33:1-20

Key Verse: 33:11

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