Studies by Book
Luke 17 20-37 Be occupied with the work of His kingdom, till He returns 01 The kingdom of God does not come by observation
📖 Luke 17:20-37
08Aug2020 - *The kingdom of God does not come by observation* - _Luke 17:20-37_ - OCCUPY TILL HE RETURNS 1 – Bible reading: _Luke 9:1-2_
Friends, we have completed the study on _Luke 17:11-19_, which we had titled as SURRENDER, THANKFULNESS, GRATITUDE AND WORSHIP OF GOD. We are now beginning a new study. This study is from _Luke 17:20-37_, which we will title as *OCCUPY TILL HE RETURNS*
_Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; (21) nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."_
There was a period of the law and the prophets. This age was till the time of John the Baptist but after John, there started a new era. This was the time of the kingdom of God. _Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it._
The Old Testament is full of vivid descriptions of the kingdom of God. The Jews were familiar with the Old Testament prophesy and so they were waiting expectantly for the arrival of the Messiah and for the kingdom of God to be inaugurated.
I give here some of the prophesies of the kingdom of God given in the Old Testament - _Psalm 72:16-17, Isaiah 2:2-3, 9:7, 49:20-25, 51:2-3, 54:1-3, 60:15-22, 65: 17-25, Ezekiel 17:22-24, 47:1-12, Daniel 2:34-35, 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 18, 22, 27, Micah 4:1-2, Zechariah 2:11, 8:20-23, 14:7-9 …
Jesus came preaching the gospel of His kingdom. _Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, (15) and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."_
Jesus came to declare open the gospel of the kingdom of God - Matthew 4:17, 23, 9:35, Mark 1:14-15, Luke 4:43-44, 9:11
He made it clear that the Old Testament prophesies were now fulfilled in Him. _Luke 4:17-21 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: (18) "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; (19) TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." (20) Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. (21) And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."_
The Lord also trained His disciples and sent them out to preach and provide the benefits of the kingdom of God, to people. _Luke 8:1, 9:1-2,11, 10:11 Luke 9:1-2 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. (2) He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick._
The people’s expectations were raised high and they were now looking to Jesus to step up and reveal the visible manifestations of the kingdom of God, which are so richly described in the Old Testament. The disciples too were expecting Jesus to set up His kingdom. _Luke 19:11 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately._
We can now understand the question of the Pharisees to Jesus, _“when will the kingdom of God come?”_
The Lord was now throwing a screwball at them by saying, _“*The kingdom of God does not come with observation* …”_ But it was the observation that the Pharisees, the disciples and the people were looking for and expecting to see, about the kingdom of God.
Do you see friends, the matter of sight? We want to see concrete evidence, we want to see the tangible, we want to see the physical demonstration. The Lord, tells us, _” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”_
Yes, one day our faith will turn to sight but till then, we need to grow in the understanding of the kingdom of God, within us.
*Thought to ponder*
```Will you walk by faith in the kingdom of God, which is within you?```