30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 17 20-37 Be occupied with the work of His kingdom, till He returns 05 Clarifying the doubt of John the Baptist
📖 Luke 17:20-37
12Aug2020 - *Clarifying the doubt of John the Baptist* - _Luke 17:20-37_ - OCCUPY WITH THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM, TILL HE RETURNS 5 – Bible reading: _Matthew 11:2-6_
_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."_
We have been considering as to what it means, when the Lord said, _“the kingdom of God is within you.”_ Let us now look at another dimension of the kingdom of God within us.
_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._
We had said earlier that there was an era of the law and the prophets and that age was until the time of John the Baptist. John knew this very well.
_Matthew 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) and saying, "Repent, for the *kingdom of heaven* is at hand!" (3) For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: 'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.' "_
John the Baptist, saw himself as the bridge between the earlier era of the law and the prophets to the new era of the kingdom of God. He was linking and introducing Jesus as the one who is setting up the new ear of the kingdom of God.
John was now in prison and we find him sending two of his disciples to Jesus, to ask a very strange question. _Matthew 11:2-3 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples (3) and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"_
Why was John doubting Jesus? How could this be possible to the one, who was so clear as to who he was and also of who Jesus was? We can see, quite obviously, the dilemma in the mind of John.
The Old Testament prophesies of the kingdom of God was clearly political in nature. The administration would change, the life of the people would be good, there would be righteousness, justice, truth and all-round wellbeing of life for all. John was in prison and it did not seem that he would be released any time soon. John could not understand as to why Jesus wasn’t turning the political injustice around and establishing truth, righteousness and justice.
We can now understand as to why the Jews had difficulty in accepting Jesus as the Messiah. They are not willing to accept Jesus as the Messiah, even until today. John the Baptist too was confused about Jesus, for he was expecting Jesus to be setting up a political kingdom.
Jesus then explains himself and his ministry of the kingdom to the disciples of John. _Matthew 11:4-6 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: (5) The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (6) And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."_
This is the kingdom of God within us. This is what we need to be occupied with till He returns and establishes a political kingdom of truth, righteousness, justice and peace. A kingdom where there will be the experience the Shalom of God.
Jesus was desiring that John would not be offended because of His scheme of the kingdom, for it was not the way John was imagining it would be. Whereas, the Lord was wanting John and He wants all of us to see that the kingdom of God to be lived out from within us. The kingdom lived out from within us is to be concerned and to be engaged in the lives of people and bring healing and wellness into their lives.
Some of us may look at verse 5 above and be thinking that I do not have the gift of healing so as to make the blind see or the lame walk and so forth. This is not about the gift of healing, this is about being concerned and in being engaged with the lives of people all around us, who are hurting in so many different ways.
As people of the kingdom and those who are living out the kingdom from within us, our task is to relate with people, engage with them and be God’s instruments. The healing and wellness come from the Lord. God’s healing will flow but there is a need for the link, the connection to be established for God’s healing to flow into the lives of people.
Hurting people are all around us and we cannot give any excuse for not being filled with the kingdom of God within us. This is our occupation until He returns.
*Thought to ponder*
Are you looking up and around at the needs of people around you or are you looking down and within and looking only at your own needs?