Luke 17: 20-24

Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you.”

But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Luke 11:20)

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. (Colossians 1:13), The kingdom of God is not matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

Luke 17:22, 23,24 Lord Jesus tells them during the temporary separation, (when after Jesus Christ is taken up to heaven) these disciples will become weary and discouraged without Jesus and want to see HIM.

Jesus will come back and establish HIS literal Kingdom on earth, the whole world will see it (like lightning in dark sky shines from one end to another)

Rev 19:11-14; 2 Thes 1:7,8; Jude 1: 14,15; 1 Thes 4: 16-18; Zechariah 14:2, 4, all these verses in the bible speaks about second coming and its nature.

Luke 17:26–Jesus continues to say how the people will be during the period of HIS Coming. Giving examples of the people in Noah era and Lot and his family. God brought both judgement and salvation. Similarly, in these end days too there will be Judgement on one group and salvation on the other group. (1 Thes 5:3)

What made God bring judgement? (Gen 19:17-20)

1. People’s tendency to rejected God and don’t want God’s control or counsel, want to do according to their own desire of flesh and mind.
2. No realization of sin and its consequences.

Good example in Bible the Life of Samson the judge in OT. (Judges 14,15,16 chapters)

He was mighty warrior, chosen by God to be Nazarene and brought up very carefully by his parent to be holy and set apart for God. He was a judge on the whole Israel, did mighty things by the special anointing on him. (Judges 16: 16, 19, 20, 21)

But we see, that just he fell prey to the lust of his eyes. He wanted to marry a philistine woman (who did not know God) against his parents wish just because she pleased his eyes. Then he fell for a harlot who enticed him and found the secret of his strength and sold him to philistines for money.

Samson once who defeated philistine as a single person, now became slave to them and lost his eyesight, had to be imprisoned where the mighty judge of Israel was pulled down to grind flour.

What a pity?

Sin (small or big) is powerful to pull anyone out of their great purpose in the kingdom of God.

Today how many people of God who are anointed, taking part in Lord table, doing ministry are deceived by such sin.

God gave 3 chances to Samson to realize the deception of sin, but he did not. (judges 16:7,9)

Even today many God’s people have fallen for flesh. In each person’s life there is God’s plan and Satan’s plan. We need to submit ourselves and use God’s grace to overcome the desire of flesh (Roman 6:12,13,14) thereby fulfill God’s plan.

3. Preoccupied their heart with present world and cares of this life. (Luke 21:34)

• Angle said “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be ^[c]destroyed.” Genesis 19:17. But Lot did not want to go to the hill but wanted to stay in plain only. (v 19:18)

Likely, even today people don’t want to take effort to receive higher spiritual experiences.  Just stay in comfortable zone. (come to church and go, just they and their family). Unlike Moses climbed the mountain to see God’s glory and Peter, John and James climbed transfiguration mountain and seeing the glory of our Lord.

Instead obeying of word of angel he said, ^“See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” Ver 20.

Today also many people have fallen prey to small sin, which eventually destroys their entire life.

• Luke 17:31 people’s heart is filled with lust of worldly things or with the worries of the world like Lot’s wife. Instead our heart should be filled with Godly love and mercy.

Today my dear brothers and sisters are we like Lot?

Not willing to fast and pray and walk in the narrow path of life to grow in the likeness of God?

Still is our heart longing for the useless entertainment of this world, cinema, serial, gossip, parties?

Do we really want to be the part of the kingdom of God?

Are we ready to submit ourselves wholeheartedly to the complete control of God?

Let us judge ourselves and turn towards God.

May God establish HIS kingdom in us and through us.