- Lesson Nine in the Connect360 unit “God Fulfills His Promises” focuses on Luke 17:20-37
Jesus taught there are two natures to the kingdom of God.
The first is the kingdom of God present in the life and work of Jesus. In this sense, the kingdom of God can be defined as the reign and rule of Jesus Christ in the human heart.
The second nature of the kingdom of God is the ultimate reality of the final reign and rule of Jesus in the world at his second coming.
The Pharisees approached Jesus with a question that had been burning in the heart of Israel for centuries: when will God intervene in human affairs and bring an end to this present life of suffering?
The first-century Jews longed for the coming of a Messiah who would rescue them from centuries of oppressive rulers.
The delay produced a culture of anxiety, cynicism, and hopelessness. They didn’t want more promises. They wanted a definitive sign along with a timetable.
Jesus offered neither. He told them the coming of the kingdom of God was not something that could be calculated like the dates of their festivals and celebrations.
Instead, he told them to open their eyes to the ways God’s kingdom was already at work in the world (Luke 17:21).
Jesus, who embodied God’s kingdom, was standing in front of them.
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Jesus performed signs and wonders, which were pointers to the “breaking in” of the kingdom of God.
It started as a seed planted in each person’s heart. If the soil of the heart was receptive, the kingdom would grow from within and produce a harvest of good works (Matthew 13:1–8).
Jesus did not give the Pharisees a sign, because talking about the second coming of the Son of Man was fruitless, and until they were willing to accept the reality of the first coming of the Son of Man.
In contrast, Jesus’ disciples had embraced him as Messiah. Therefore, he was willing to teach them more about the second coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus taught his disciples the coming of the Son of Man would be sudden and unexpected.
An instrument of God’s judgment, the Son of Man will separate the good from the evil, the believer from the nonbeliever.
However, even this separation will be marked by shock and awe.
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