Trinity 25: Luke 17:20-30

 

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

 

“It is right in front of your face.” I used to hear those words from my mother. I now hear those words from my wife. There seems to be a disease, common to many men, that prevents us from clearly locating objects in the refrigerator or cabinet, even if they are sitting right there. The milk can be staring me down and I will look past it. “Lisa, where’s the milk?” “It’s on the first shelf, right in front of your face.”

 

The Pharisees had a similar problem, although they were missing something more than the milk. The Kingdom of God was right in front of their face and they could not see it. Now they had heard Jesus teach as one with authority. They had witnessed Jesus’ authority over the demonic, disease, and even death. Still, they were looking for something more than Jesus. They were speculating that the Kingdom would come with a dramatic flair. They were gazing into the sky, searching for some cataclysmic sign that would inform them God was at hand. They were pondering the geopolitical situation, hoping for hope that God’s redemption would arrive with might. They expected the Kingdom of God to come with overwhelming power, apocalyptic signs, flashing lights, booming voices, and a regime change. Well, Jesus had gathered a following. So they asked him to weigh in on the debate. They wanted to hear Jesus’ opinion on the signs of the times, how they could know that the Kingdom was at hand. 

 

Jesus tells them to quit looking around. He says, “For behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” In other words, Jesus tells them He is THE sign of the time. This man from Nazareth, standing before them, is THE Kingdom of God. It is right in front of their faces. They did not need to look for cosmic signs in the sky or news in the papers. They did not need to scour the earth for the kingdom. If they could see Jesus for who He was, is, and ever shall be, then they would recognize the King and His Kingdom. They only needed to look at this Jewish man of dubious origins. Of course, Jesus did not meet their expectations. They wanted God to usher in His Kingdom in a more dramatic manner. Jesus was all they got. To say they were disappointed would be an understatement. So when Jesus tells them the Kingdom of God was in their midst, they didn’t believe Him for a second. 

In the theologically profound words from Led Zeppelin, the song remains the same. Jesus and His Kingdom continue to disappoint. He is not spectacular enough. He is too ordinary. Jesus says, “For behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” The Pharisees did not believe Him then. The religious do not believe Him now. They deny Jesus’ claims to be the King. They will allow Him a place at the table of religious teachers and prophets, but the Kingdom is reserved for something or someone else much bigger.  They prefer to focus on shared human sentiments or spiritual impulses. They would suggest the Kingdom of God comes in the human spirit, regardless of what Jesus might say or think. Jesus is just one option among many as far as the religious are concerned. His claims to deity are rejected. The cradle, cross, and empty grave are dismissed. The Kingdom of God is sought elsewhere. 

 

Jesus says, “For behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” The Pharisees did not believe Him then. Many of us do not believe it now. We would not deny Jesus’ claims to be King, but we are disappointed with how the King reigns over His Kingdom. We confess our faith in the redemptive power of the mysteries of the cradle, the cross, and the empty grave. We know that His Kingdom was established by His death, resurrection, and ascension. We also believe that He keeps His promise to “be with us always, to the very end of the age.” We just don’t consider His enduring presence with us and among us to be thrilling enough. The Pharisees were not real taken with this man from Nazareth. We are not real taken with His gifts that He gives to us. Words. Texts. Water. Bread. Wine. Hardly exciting. Not exactly rare, precious materials. However, Jesus says that these are the instruments of His presence in our midst. Jesus is in these things by His Word and Promise. Unfortunately, these sacramental gifts are too mundane and boring for many. We would choose to ignore Jesus’ promises, neglecting and despising these gifts, opting for personal recreation, leisure, and selfish pursuits of our own design. Other Christians are embarrassed by these earthy, simple means of His grace. Rather than receiving them in faith with thanksgiving, these gifts are replaced or manipulated. The Kingdom of God is made more exciting with our snare drums and snazzy displays. Emotions are massaged with banal sentiments and pastors play the game show host, promising the faithful that God must be at work in their peaceful, easy feelings. The Kingdom of God becomes a cheesy karaoke bar, where mindless lyrics and a good backbeat hypnotize the masses into thinking the Spirit is at work in their stimulation. The Pharisees were not impressed with a God from Nazareth. Even the righteous are not impressed with a God that enters our midst in simple words, texts, water, bread, and wine. 

The religious and the righteous struggle with Jesus and His Kingdom. The rest don’t even care. They live like the people in the days of Noah, eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage until the flood of destruction came upon them. Or they are like the people in the days of Lot, eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building until the fire devoured them. The modern human person has little concern for truth or the Kingdom of God. They are more concerned with making a buck, working for the weekend, following their team, taking a run or a ride, grabbing some coffee and reading the paper, or just generally enjoying themselves. The Church proclaims that the Kingdom of God is in their midst in Jesus Christ and His gifts. They yawn and go on their way. The Church transforms itself to look like the culture, complete with lounge acts and therapeutic, self-help advice. The world giggles. They insist on living as if life will last forever and when it ends, nothing really matters. This is not true, of course. The day will come when the Lord will descend from heaven and there will be a final judgment. On that day when the Son of Man is revealed in all His glory, all humans will be exposed in judgement. 

 

So our Lord Jesus Christ says to us, “For behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” It is right in front of your face. You do not want to miss it. We are born of a woman into this world and our days are few and full of trouble. Life passes quickly. It is filled with joy and sorrow, tragedy and success, sin and death. Life is unpredictable. We can be certain only that death will one day have its way with us. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ entered into this fallen, sinful world. He came to save us from our sin and death. He even suffered many things and was rejected, giving His life on the cross to make payment for our sin. The Kingdom of God was present in Jesus. Jesus was the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the Kingdom of God. He is in our midst even today.

 

Christian faith hears Jesus’ promise to be with us and grasps the objects of His presence. Jesus comes to us in His Word, written and proclaimed. So faith listens to Jesus. Jesus comes to us in the water of Holy Baptism. So faith clings to the promises of being joined to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus comes to us in the bread and wine of the Holy Communion. Faith hears Jesus’ words, “My body for you” and “My blood shed for you,” and believes them to be certain and true. Behold, the Kingdom of God is in our midst. Jesus is here with His gifts for your life and salvation. The religious dismiss Jesus’ Word. Sadly, many Christians act as if Jesus needs their help in marketing and promoting His salvation. The rest, the modern consumers, are so consumed with the self that money, lusts, superstitions, and silly hobbies suffice. Still, there are those who believe that Jesus Christ, their Creator and Redeemer, reigns in His Kingdom through His Word spoken off the lips of sinful men, His Word joined to tap water, His Word spoken over simple wafers and harsh wine. For this, we give thanks and pray that we have the vision to see the Lord and His Kingdom in our midst.

 

Our Christian life consists of seeing the Kingdom of God right in front of our faces. Jesus is present in His Word and Sacraments to give us His forgiveness, life and salvation. He is also present to strengthen us for Christian living, that we may bear for the fruits of faith-patience, peace, charity, kindness, self-control, and the like. Do not respond to Jesus’ Word and promise like the Pharisees, denying or dismissing Him. You do not want to be caught unaware like the Pharisees, or live like the people in the days of Noah and Lot. Listen to Jesus. When you pray in His prayer, “Thy Kingdom Come,” know that you are asking the heavenly Father to give you His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace you believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity. Remember, the Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed. It comes in Jesus Christ; incarnate, crucified, risen, ascended, and now sacramental. He is right in front of your face, even today, for your salvation. May God give us His Holy Spirit so that we believe Jesus’ Word that His Kingdom is in our midst.