The Kingdom
“The kingdom of God is within you”, Jesus says in Luke 17:20. The comment was in response to a question on when the kingdom would come, but Christ quickly turns the discussion to more stinging issues.
He was talking to the Pharisees who thought that observance of the Law qualified them as God’s subjects. The kingdom to them was an outward thing, based on legal compliance, visible as an earthly empire. It was a doing thing.
Christ knew the weakness of men and this example of the Pharisees is there to cast the spotlight on all of us. The Pharisees displayed the characteristic flaw that they had been given something precious, then allowed its goodness to be eaten away as they tried to possess something with it that could only be reached by faith. The Law is not to be evaded, says Luther, “but without the theology of the cross man misuses the best in the worst manner”.
In this framework we become weary of grace and look outwardly for the kingdom, in works and culture, saying ‘here it is’ or ‘there it is’ (v21). We even allow our twisted theology to suggest that these works can stand in the place of Christ Himself, saying ‘there He is’ or ‘here He is’.
The nub of the matter is reached at verse 33: “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it”. Any kingdom requires a king. Whereas earthly kings might be admired from a distance, and their favour enjoyed while keeping a little control for ourselves, Christ is no such king. The king within you requires ownership of you.