Living in the Kingdom

Introduction

Last week we noticed that God has shared the kingdom with us. He did this freely and fully. He was not reluctant. And because he has shared the kingdom with us then we no longer need to be anxious. We share with him in the kingdom. We no longer need to go after stuff. God’s assurance is that he will provide what we need. As those who share in God’s kingdom we no longer need to worry or wring our hands. Just watch the birds and the flowers and learn how much God provides for these and be assured that he will provide for us as well.

Today we continue with this idea of sharing in God’s kingdom and particularly what living in God’s kingdom looks like. Like many sections of scripture this isn’t hard to understand but challenging to follow. What a joy it is to share in God’s kingdom with him. Let’s sing of our joy.

A Heart to Serve

It is imperative that we keep this section in its context. Luke 12 is a call for a decision about who Jesus is. In verse 8, Jesus calls on the thousands (verse 1) to acknowledge him as the Son of Man. This phrase would have brought the person of Jesus into clear focus. The Son of Man was a direct reference to the Messiah. It is in verse 10 that Jesus puts things on the line—it is possible for you to speak against me but to speak against the one who has verified my ministry—God’s Holy Spirit—results in no other options. This is a call for a decision.

But the call to decide is set aside for a moment as someone wants Jesus to arbitrate a family dispute. Talking about being anticlimactic. Decide if I am the Messiah Jesus says. And then someone shouts out I need more stuff. As we noticed last week, the problem that all humans have is greed. We become anxious about getting more stuff and Jesus says the kingdom is being shared with you. This brings us back to the decision. Jesus says, “I am the Messiah. You are so concerned about being comfortable that you have quit paying attention to the lesser things of God’s creation. If God is willing to take care of birds and flowers surely he will take care of you. Quit thinking about getting more and begin living in light of being in God’s kingdom.”

Skip down to verses 49 and following. In this section, Jesus resumes the call to decide about him. In very clear and confrontational language Jesus says that he has come to bring about division. Jesus has not come to divide families but because of him families will be divided. There are those who will call upon Jesus as the Messiah and there will be those in the same family who will not. Notice verse 56. The average person can predict rain and heat. Watch the clouds build in the west or feel the hot winds out of the south and you know rain or heat is coming. We do the same thing. How is it that we can discern the simple from watching the sky and feeling the wind and we cannot discern the important from the one who stands in front of us? Jesus says, “Can’t you see what is clearly in front of you?”

Let’s return to verses 35–48. Given the context, Jesus is appealing to his listeners and Luke to his readers to live in the present reality of the kingdom’s presence. Many come to this text and want us to talk about the return of Jesus. But this is to miss the point of the text. Notice some clues: In verse 36, Luke uses the word “like.” A comparison is being made. In verse 41, Peter asks about the audience for this parable. He understood that Jesus was making a comparison. The point is in verse 35. Dressed ready for service is literally “your loins girded.” The long flowing robe is to be taken from the back and pulled between the legs and tucked into the belt so that the person is provided with greater movement.

Since God has shared the kingdom and our treasure is found in God and not in things on this earth, then our lives are not to be spent pursuing stuff but in readiness and watchfulness. Many want to take the parable to make the point readiness and watchfulness for Christ’s return. But as we noticed in verse 8 and in verse 56, Jesus is focusing on the present. The attitude of readiness and watchfulness is in terms of seeing what is clearly in front of the thousands who are listening but also in terms of how one lives now. Do we live with an attitude of the things of this world are temporary? Do we live with expectation that we are part of the God’s kingdom?

The Point

The point is to live in light of God sharing the kingdom. Those who say in their minds “I am in a rut. I get up, go to work, eat, go to bed and start all over again tomorrow” are not living in light of the kingdom. Living as a partner in the kingdom means you take nothing for granted. You live with expectation and anticipation. To live as if you are not part of the kingdom is to be like the man who doesn’t prepare for the thief or the return of his master. The person who acts as if the kingdom isn’t real is like the person who mistreats others. But the one who understands that he or she is a partner of the kingdom is like the person who lives in expectation of the master’s return. The partner lives in readiness.

As an older teenager my parents would go off on vacation and leave my brother and me at home. My parents’ vacation consisted of going to a cabin in the woods, reading books, and resting. My response to that as a teenager was—BORING!! So my parents eventually left my brother and me with trusted friends and then eventually by ourselves especially once my brother got his license. So the house was ours for a week. This is not to suggest that all parents should do this with their children. Far from it. But I will tell you this, once the car was loaded and my parents headed away from the house a feeling of freedom took over. But it was not absolute freedom but freedom with expectations. It was freedom mingled with trust on both sides. We trusted our parents to come back and they trusted us to act like we knew the rules whether they were near or far. My parents had left very definite instructions—no friends over, keep curfew, clean up, get to work on time, and clean up the house. You see we didn’t live any differently just because the folks were gone.

We knew they would return one day but it wasn’t the return that we focused on. It was the day to day living that mattered. We lived in readiness. The point wasn’t the return; the point was what we already had. Our parents trusted us. We were partners with them. What a privilege to demonstrate to them that their trust was well founded. What a privilege to keep priorities straight.

Teens who hear this story and think if I had that kind of freedom I would use it to have parties and fun don’t understand what it means to be a partner with your parents for the family. Have you ever thought that if you took seriously the idea that you are partners rather than fighting so hard to get what you want that life might get easier?

Adults who hear this story and think your parents were crazy miss the point about what it means to share with your children in being partners in your family. Have you ever thought that if you treated your children as partners rather than as inconveniences that home life might get better?

And those who hear this story and live their lives bored, unfulfilled, stagnant, pursuing stuff—fail to realize that God has made you a partner with him in his kingdom. Have you ever thought that if you lived with partnership with God in mind rather than about what you can get that life would have purpose and meaning beyond measure?

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