The Kingdom and Justice

Introduction

While we want things to be fair, life just isn’t fair. We know this to be true. There are people who work hard all their lives and never have much to show for it, while others work hard and are amply rewarded. There are those who try to do the right thing and are taken advantage of and those who try to avoid the right thing and seem to never get caught. Our response to being treated unfairly is to call for justice. Justice carries the idea that wrongs are punished and made right while at the same time those who try to do right are rewarded.

There is a call for justice in scripture. One of Micah’s themes is a call for justice among the poor. The rich who oppress the poor are to be punished and the poor rewarded. One of the more interesting texts is Habakkuk. As God’s prophet he calls for justice. He wonders why it is that God is delaying punishing his own people for their idolatry and lack of following the will of God. Habakkuk cries out to God “why don’t you do something.” God answers Habakkuk that he is going to do something. He is going to allow Babylon to punish his people. Habakkuk’s response is quite telling. In great dismay, Habakkuk asks God how he can use a more evil nation to punish an evil nation. In other words, Habakkuk reminds us of the curiosity of justice. We want justice but we think we know what real justice looks like. God’s answer to Habakkuk like his answer to Job is a call to faith “I am God. I make nations rise and fall and what you need to do is trust me for my will is being carried out.” We want justice but we want it the way we think is fair.

The call for justice continues into the day of Jesus. From the Old Testament the phrase “day of the Lord” meant justice was going to be carried out. The day of the Lord was a frightening day for most and a welcome day for few. Jesus uses the same type of phrase in our text. Jesus uses the phrase “the day of the Son of Man” to still point to the time of justice. Punishment for many; deliverance for few. Our text this morning was a warning to the people of Jesus’ generation but the text still has something to say to us.

The Text

Our text can be understood in two ways. But the understanding must be in light of Luke’s context. Jesus has just healed 10 men. Luke has used this event to illustrate that Jesus is God’s representative. One of the 10, a Samaritan, is the only one who recognizes Jesus’ authority. In contrast to this Samaritan, Luke inserts a dialog between Jesus and the Pharisees. This dialog stands in contrast to the Samaritan’s confession about Jesus. The Samaritan because of his confession has received salvation into God’s kingdom. The Pharisees want to know when God’s kingdom is going to come.

Jesus’ answer is very concise. The kingdom is among you (NIV translates “within” but the idea is among or in your midst). In other words, the kingdom is right in front of you. The Samaritan recognized that and Jesus granted him salvation. The Pharisees look past Jesus and they miss out on the kingdom.

The question is what is the point of this text. Is Jesus speaking about his return or is he talking about something else? Those who believe that Jesus is speaking of his return use parallel texts in Matthew and Mark to make their points. The rationale goes this way—parallel texts in Matthew and Mark are about the return of Christ. This text in Luke is part of the those texts so this text must be about the return of Jesus as well. There is one problem with that reasoning. The texts in Matthew and Mark are not about the return of Christ. While they are often understood that way, when compared with Luke 21 and his fuller use of those parallel texts, Luke makes it very clear that Jesus is discussing the destruction of Jerusalem.

I believe that Jesus is discussing the destruction of Jerusalem in this portion of the greater text. Luke takes part of the whole text in order for it to serve as a bridge between the Samaritan who recognizes the kingdom, the Pharisees who do not recognize the kingdom and his disciples who are discouraged. Two other clues which signal this is not about Christ’s return.

Only Luke adds the image of the destruction of Sodom. Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom as it was being destroyed leading to her own destruction. The point—the person who tries to hold on to Jerusalem will be destroyed; the one who flees will be saved.

The proverb that where a dead body exists, there the vultures will gather makes sense. But the word Jesus uses is the word for eagle. The eagle was the symbol of Rome.

After telling the Pharisees that the kingdom is among them, Jesus turns to his disciples. You long for the days of the Son of Man—a day of judgment. You long for justice. It is coming but not in this generation. But when judgment comes be warned. It will come just as the flood came upon the earth and as Sodom was destroyed. Life went on as usual and then destruction came very quickly. Don’t go down into your house trying to save your worldly possessions. It will cost you your life. If you are in the field don’t head back into the city…run. The person who tries to save or preserve his way of life, will lose it. The person who gives up his life, will survive. One will be saved; the other will die. The disciples response is to ask “where this will happen?” Not when. The answer, where the eagle surrounds dead bodies—Jerusalem.

The point is supported by the parable in 18:1-8. Luke tells us the point of the parable in verse 1—keep praying and don’t give up. The story moves quickly. An unjust judge wearies from being confronted by a widow demanding justice. He finally relents. If an unjust judge will relent from the constant request for justice surely the God who is just will answer the request of his children for justice. The real question is has to do with the faith of those who wait on God’s justice. God is just. He will bring justice. Do we trust him to do that?

Application

Luke’s use of material effectively make an important point—the kingdom finds its fulfillment in Jesus. The Samaritan knew that; the Pharisees rejected Jesus. What will the disciples do? As Jesus heads to Jerusalem, he calls his disciples to follow him. To follow means that there is going to be rejection. Trials are coming. Unpleasantness and discomfort will occur. Will you still walk with me? Jesus asks.

Those who followed Jesus were among the saved in A.D. 70. They fled the city as Rome approached. They kept praying for justice. Life had gotten difficult for them. Following Jesus resulted in great persecution; rejection; discomfort. When justice came, the ones who trusted Jesus were saved. While Jesus is warning about a coming event, the principle is the same.

To walk with Jesus means we trust him not what this world has to offer. Those who try to save life now will lose life. The disciple of Jesus never gives up. It is about wanting God’s kingdom to be seen through each one of us. Do our co-workers and neighbors know that we want the kingdom to be seen? Do we seek justice? Are we advocates for justice? Are we praying for God to bring about his will in this world?

We look around and we see our world rejecting the kingdom. We forget that this is the nature of the world. There are those who want to recall days of old and that Christianity was supported more so than now. They point to prayer and the reading of the Bible in schools while forgetting Jim Crow laws and separation of races at water fountains, bathrooms, restaurants, and entrances to public buildings. Let us not glorify the past.

The unborn may be murdered; the homosexual agenda may be politically forced upon us; evil may seem to grow and become more obvious, but God’s people refuse to give up. We continue to pray for God’s justice to come. We place our faith in him. In our discouragement we do not give up. We preserve knowing that the justice of God will come. We always pray. The real question is about our faith.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.