The Kingdom of God Is in Your Midst

In one paragraph

This message worked through Luke 17:20 through 18:8, Jesus' teaching on the kingdom of God and the coming of the Son of Man. Pastor James had just returned from delivering vehicles and supplies in Ukraine, and that experience shaped how he framed the urgency of the passage. The sermon closed with the Lord's Supper. The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, and Pastor James gave...

Read together

1. Luke 17:11-19 previous sermon passage about Jesus healing ten lepers, one a Samaritan returning to give thanks
2. Luke 17:20 - 18:8 main passage for the sermon, Jesus on the kingdom of God and the parable of the persistent widow
3. Leviticus 14 procedure for when someone heals a leper, cited as a messianic symbol
4. Genesis 19:26 Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt
5. Jeremiah 31 prophecy of a new covenant that is to come, referenced during communion
6. Revelation 6:9-11 fifth seal, souls of martyrs under the altar crying out how long until God avenges their blood

Talk about it

1. The pastor described the Pharisees asking Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, and Jesus answering that it is already in their midst. What do you think it means practically for the kingdom of God to be 'among us' right now, in this congregation and in your own life?
2. Jesus tells his disciples that when people say 'look here' or 'look there' for signs of his coming, they should not run after them. What are some ways you have seen people get pulled away from faithful daily living by chasing predictions or signs about the end times?
3. The pastor used the example of Lot's wife looking back as a warning against clinging to a former life when God has called us forward. Is there something from your past that you find yourself looking back at, and what would it look like to keep moving forward without turning back?
4. The parable of the persistent widow is given to show that believers ought to pray and not become discouraged. What discourages you most when you look at the world around you, and how does persistent prayer help you hold on when justice seems a long way off?
5. The sermon closes with Jesus asking whether the Son of Man will find faith on earth when he returns. If you set aside the complicated questions about timing and signs, what does a life of active, visible faith actually look like for you from one ordinary week to the next?