Nougat 13

One important lesson for us to learn about the Coming of Christ is that it is beyond time. Not sure what that means – it already is, but not yet – present, past and future. If you are still curious, consider today’s Holy Nougat

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”” Luke‬ ‭17:20-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It is interesting to note that the question about the coming of God’s kingdom came initially from the Pharisees. They, unlike their counterparts the Sadducees, are considered to have believed in the resurrection of the dead. Yet, we know that they did not recognize or affirm Jesus’ divinity. One can therefore presume that they were once again testing Jesus.

Jesus however, took their question seriously and responded with a very profound spiritual response. (Of course, theirs was a temporal question – they wanted concrete answers, in days and measurable time). His response offers us a very good guide as WE seek to prepare for the day of the Lord’s return.

The first thing Jesus noted was not that He was already in their midst; rather Jesus established that the moment we begin looking for the tangible, we have lost sight of God’s Kingdom. That is a caution to you and I also, for although Heaven is real, the concept of Heaven has first to begin being real in our hearts, before we can experience it.

Moreover Jesus indicates that Heaven is already in the here and now. Scholars are not entirely sure if Jesus meant Heaven had come to earth by way of His arrival, or if He meant in their hearts. Scholars argue that the Pharisees were such critics of Jesus, God’s own Truth, before them that they would not have room for God’s kingdom in their hearts. And that makes sense, for then it suggests that Jesus, in His usual manner of word play, was telling the Pharisees that the Christ was already here (the first coming); and that the Pharisees would not experience Heaven unless they sought Heaven in their hearts. I wish to suggest that for you and I, Jesus, the Living Word, God enfleshed lives within and so, in that manner the Kingdom is within.

And, if God’s Kingdom is within us, then we need not be anxious about Christ’s return. For that is merely sight from Faith. It means then that we also live as though Heaven is real and that we are already there. As we look forward to face to face time with our Messiah, may our lives shout our belief that the Kingdom of God is Here!

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May all we seek be found in Christ