The Kingdom of God

What's it like?

Luke 13:18-33 | Acts 22:22-23:10 | Gospels in Lent: John 3-4

Most of the time, people ask Jesus questions. But in today’s passage, he asks a question of himself (a couple of times): What is God’s kingdom like?

Were people even wondering that? The idea of God’s kingdom is certainly not completely new with Jesus’ teaching. God declared himself to be Israel’s king even before Saul, the first king of Israel. But Jesus uses the image as the central picture of his way in his teachings.

Paul knew the kingdom of God, but in today’s Acts passage, he still uses his earthly citizenship to appeal for his life. Walking between citizenship in God’s kingdom and citizenship on earth seems to be difficult to differentiate for many, if not most Christians in the US today. Knowing when they come in conflict and when to choose the Kingdom of God is a skill that needs redevelopment. Paul asking for his life via Roman citizenship is not in conflict with his citizenship in God’s kingdom. But what would be?

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Luke 13:18-33

Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it? It’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and developed into a tree and the birds in the sky nested in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what can I compare God’s kingdom? It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole.”

Jesus traveled through cities and villages, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

Jesus said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate. Many, I tell you, will try to enter and won’t be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ He will respond, ‘I don’t know you or where you are from. Go away from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s kingdom, but you yourselves will be thrown out. People will come from east and west, north and south, and sit down to eat in God’s kingdom. Look! Those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last.”

At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and said, “Go! Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”

Jesus said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m throwing out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. However, it’s necessary for me to travel today, tomorrow, and the next day because it’s impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

Acts 22:22-23:10

The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they shouted, “Away with this man! He’s not fit to live!” As they were screaming, throwing off their garments, and flinging dust into the air, the commander directed that Paul be taken into the military headquarters. He ordered that Paul be questioned under the whip so that he could find out why they were shouting at him like this.

As they were stretching him out and tying him down with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Can you legally whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t been found guilty in court?”

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. He asked, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen!”

The commander went to Paul and demanded, “Tell me! Are you a Roman citizen?”

He said, “Yes.”

The commander replied, “It cost me a lot of money to buy my citizenship.”

Paul said, “I’m a citizen by birth.” At once those who were about to examine him stepped away. The commander was alarmed when he realized he had bound a Roman citizen.

The commander still wanted to know the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews. Therefore, the next day he ordered the chief priests and the entire Jerusalem Council to assemble. Then he took Paul out of prison and had him stand before them.

Paul stared at the council and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with an altogether clear conscience right up to this very day.” The high priest Ananias ordered those standing beside Paul to strike him in the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit and judge me according to the Law, yet disobey the Law by ordering that I be struck.”

Those standing near him asked, “You dare to insult God’s high priest?”

Paul replied, “Brothers, I wasn’t aware that he was the high priest. It is written, You will not speak evil about a ruler of your people.”

Knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, Paul exclaimed in the council, “Brothers, I’m a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!”

These words aroused a dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. This is because Sadducees say that there’s no resurrection, angel, or spirit, but Pharisees affirm them all. Council members were shouting loudly. Some Pharisees who were legal experts stood up and insisted forcefully, “We find nothing wrong with this man! What if a spirit or angel has spoken to him?” The dispute became so heated that the commander feared they might tear Paul to pieces. He ordered soldiers to go down and remove him by force from their midst. Then they took him back to the military headquarters.

Prayer

God,

This is going to be one of those moments where it seems like I’m purporting to know everything there is about being a Christian. Forgive me now and I hope you know me intimately enough to know that I acknowledge I have a lot to learn. But Lord, I’m frustrated. I suppose you could consider this something between a lament psalm and a imprecatory psalm. So help me, God.

I’m tired of Christians in the United States making a terrible name for you, God. It makes it harder for the rest of us who are trying to be faithful to your way. Why do they clamor for war? Why do they reject obvious responsibilities of hospitality? Why do they trade all sorts of Christian responsibilities toward the protection of life for one single one? Why do they put so much more faith in Biden, Trump, Obama, Bush, or Clinton…and reserve Jesus only for Sundays (if even that!)?

I’m sick of dichotomies and assumptions that if you’re not one thing, you must be the other, and vice versa.

I’m sick of war and the dollars I send going to fund weapons for nations to make it.

I confess, Lord, that sometimes I just want to withdraw from so many things to the wilderness.

This is my honest prayer,
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.