Luke 19.11 11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to
tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed
that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. (ESV)
When one reads the Book of Esther, one gets a real flavor
for modern day Jewishness: the Jews down through the centuries – whether or not
they’ve walked with God – have had many enemies and much reason for defending
themselves for the simple fact that they are Jews. Many have undertaken to
destroy the Jews only to find themselves destroyed or severely punished for
their actions against the people of God.
So, if we fast forward from Esther to Jesus, the people
of Israel (Judea) are now under Roman occupation, the Maccabean revolt has long
occurred, and the strong hand of foreign powers rules them. They have their
puppet kings but they are wholly owned by Rome and they long for the freedom of
the old days of Jewish glory: David and the kings, and the prophets like Elijah.
So, onto this scene comes Jesus the Messiah who tells
them: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Well, what’s a populace to think but that the
glory days are coming back, Rome will be humiliated and we’ll be back to Jewish
power and presence in the world. Right? Well, as Lee Corso says, not so fast my friend.
The funny thing about Jesus: He kept talking about the
Kingdom of God as if it was there already, and He kept pointing towards their
hearts; which they eagerly accepted but
miserably misunderstood. Jesus was talking not about a restored kingdom of the
Jews, but a new Kingdom of the disciples of God – one where the citizens really
would do what the Father told them to do. He
proceeded to tell [them] a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and
because they (eagerly anticipated) that the kingdom of God was to appear (right
now). Why does He keep pointing
towards our hearts???
The Kingdom of God is not an overthrow of government, but
an overthrow of purpose – a turning
from living for self to living for others at God’s command and direct involvement.
It wasn’t/isn’t the establishment of government but the building of
relationships with God and men. Jesus kept
trying to tell them this because they kept
thinking that the Kingdom of God was going to be like all the other
powerful kingdoms that already existed; and they’d be on top.
The Kingdom of God is a matter of the heart and a matter
of obedience. Performance isn’t the issue, love is. Then, as now, love was
distorted into something it was never meant to be. But love for God first, and
love for men next, is how the Kingdom works and we all need to be reminded of
that often because we keep insisting the Kingdom of God is something other than
what God created it, and Christ explained it, to be: loving relationship between
men and God.
Father, remind me however often I need it that Your
Kingdom is a Kingdom of the heart where men and women are transformed from dark
into light, and death into life. May I do as You say and may I quit wishing for
the overthrow of men but long for and seek the transformation of hearts by the power
and presence of the Kingdom of God. It’s already here…Amen.
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