When Jesus said, “the kingdom of God is in the midst of you,” He pointed to the presence of the King among His hearers. In Luke 17:20–21, the Pharisees ask when God’s kingdom will come. Jesus explains that they are overlooking what is already present in His person and ministry.
The passage helps us distinguish the kingdom’s present spiritual reality from its future fulfillment. We can belong to Christ now while still looking forward to His return and the open establishment of His reign on earth.
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Table of Contents
- The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven Refer to the Same Kingdom
- Proclaiming the Kingdom Was Central to Jesus’ Ministry
- One Way of Salvation Revealed More Fully Over Time
- The Gospels Announce the Arrival of the King
- The Old Testament Looks Forward to God’s Promised Salvation
- The Church Proclaims the Crucified and Risen King
- The Kingdom Was Present in Jesus’ First Coming
- Why Do We Still Pray for God’s Kingdom to Come?
- Christ Will Establish His Reign on Earth at His Return
- We Enter God’s Kingdom Through the New Birth
- Questions for Reflection
- Watch the Sermon
- Footnotes
The kingdom of God is the kingdom over which Jesus rules. Second Peter 1:11 calls it His eternal kingdom. Its central reality is therefore personal: to understand the kingdom, we must understand the King.
Jesus’ presence brought the kingdom near to people who could hear His teaching and see His works. Yet being physically near Him did not automatically make someone His follower. His hearers still needed to respond with repentance and faith.
The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven Refer to the Same Kingdom
Matthew frequently uses the expression kingdom of heaven, while the other Gospels commonly speak of the kingdom of God. These expressions describe the same kingdom, not two competing realms or two different ways of salvation.
Matthew 19:23–24 provides a clear example: Jesus uses both expressions in consecutive statements about the difficulty of a rich person entering the kingdom.1
Some explain Matthew’s preferred wording by Jewish reverence for God’s name. Whatever the precise reason for that preference, Matthew also uses the expression kingdom of God. The parallel passages themselves provide the strongest reason to recognize the shared meaning.
John the Baptist and Jesus announce that the kingdom is at hand and call people to repent (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). The language communicates nearness. The King’s arrival requires a response from those who hear Him.
Proclaiming the Kingdom Was Central to Jesus’ Ministry
In Luke 4:42–43, people want Jesus to remain with them, but He explains that He must proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom in other towns. He identifies this proclamation as a purpose for which He was sent.
Luke repeatedly develops that theme. Jesus travels through cities and villages announcing the kingdom (Luke 8:1). He sends the Twelve to proclaim it and heal (Luke 9:1–2), and He welcomes crowds, teaches them about the kingdom, and cares for those needing healing (Luke 9:11).
When He sends a larger group of disciples in Luke 10, their message includes the nearness of God’s kingdom. Even a town that rejects them is to understand the seriousness of the opportunity it has refused (Luke 10:9–11).
The message concerns the King’s identity, His authority, His works, and the response He requires. The title King of the Jews belongs within this larger biblical picture of the Messiah’s rule.
One Way of Salvation Revealed More Fully Over Time
Luke 9:2 says the disciples were sent to proclaim the kingdom, and verse 6 describes them preaching the gospel. This raises a useful question: how could they announce good news before Jesus’ death and resurrection had occurred?
God’s revelation unfolds through history. People before the cross did not possess the same completed account of Christ’s saving work that the apostles would later proclaim. Yet the way of salvation has always been by God’s grace through faith. Increasing revelation does not mean a succession of unrelated ways to be saved.
The Gospels Announce the Arrival of the King
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the disciples announce the kingdom and the arrival of the promised Messiah. Their understanding is still developing, especially concerning His suffering and resurrection. We should not assume that they could already explain every truth they would understand after Easter.
Jesus’ parables describe the kingdom’s character and the different responses to its message. The call is to receive the King and submit to Him, rather than merely admire His miracles or speculate about His plans.
The Old Testament Looks Forward to God’s Promised Salvation
Galatians 3:8 says Scripture announced good news beforehand to Abraham in the promise that all nations would be blessed through him. Genesis 15:6 records Abraham believing the Lord and being counted righteous. His hope rested in God and His promise.
Old Testament believers trusted the revelation God gave them, looking forward to the fulfillment of His saving purpose. They did not all possess an equally detailed understanding of the coming Messiah. Their salvation nevertheless depended on the work Christ would accomplish.
The wilderness accounts also contain types and shadows of Christ. Jesus connects His lifting up with the bronze serpent in John 3:14–15, and John 6 develops the significance of the manna from heaven.
Paul identifies the spiritual rock with Christ in 1 Corinthians 10:4. The account of water from the rock therefore belongs to that larger pattern. These connections become clearer through later revelation; we need not assume every Israelite understood them in full.
The Church Proclaims the Crucified and Risen King
After the cross and resurrection, the apostles proclaim what Christ has accomplished. First Corinthians 15:3–4 summarizes His death for our sins, burial, and resurrection according to the Scriptures. Peter’s message in Acts 10 and Paul’s message in Acts 13 likewise center on His death and resurrection.
This fuller proclamation does not abandon the kingdom. Philip preaches the kingdom and Jesus Christ in Acts 8:12. Paul teaches about the kingdom in Acts 19:8, and Acts ends with him proclaiming it while teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:31).
The cross explains how sinners are reconciled to the King. Kingdom proclamation and the message of Christ crucified belong together. We announce both His saving work and His rightful rule over those He saves.
The Kingdom Was Present in Jesus’ First Coming
In Luke 17:20–21, the Pharisees ask when the kingdom will come. Jesus redirects their attention from the kind of observable arrival they are looking for to His presence among them. The King is standing before them, yet they are failing to recognize the significance of His ministry.
The expression is sometimes translated “within you.” In this setting, I understand it as “in your midst,” referring to Jesus among His hearers. He is not telling every Pharisee present that God’s saving reign already rules his heart.
Luke does not describe the tone of every questioner. The important point is their need to recognize Jesus. His answer exposes the inadequacy of looking for a kingdom while overlooking its King.
Matthew 13:11–17 likewise distinguishes hearing Jesus’ words outwardly from understanding the kingdom’s truth. Spiritual understanding is a gift. Romans 14:17 describes the kingdom’s life in terms of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
I understand Christ’s first coming as establishing the kingdom spiritually among those who receive Him. This spiritual reality is substantial: people are forgiven, brought under His gracious rule, and called to live in obedience while awaiting the fulfillment still ahead.
Why Do We Still Pray for God’s Kingdom to Come?
Jesus teaches us to pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven (Matthew 6:10). He also speaks of a future time when His disciples will recognize that the kingdom is near (Luke 21:31).
The parable of the fig tree appears in that future-looking context. The kingdom’s presence in Jesus’ first coming does not exhaust everything promised about it.
| Present reality | Future hope |
|---|---|
| Christ saves and rules His people now | Christ will return in glory |
| Believers live by faith under His authority | His reign will be openly established on earth |
| We experience the Spirit’s righteousness, peace, and joy | We await the full realization of His promised victory |
We therefore pray with both gratitude and expectation. God is already at work, and we long for His will to be fully honored throughout the world.
Christ Will Establish His Reign on Earth at His Return
I understand the second coming of Christ as bringing the open, earthly establishment of His kingdom. The rejected and crucified King will return in victory. His first coming’s saving work and His future reign are parts of one divine purpose.
The Old Testament presents both the suffering of the Messiah and the glory of His rule. The accounts of David and Solomon help us consider the greater King to whom they point.2
Ephesians 1:10 describes God’s purpose to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and on earth. Philippians 3:20 speaks of our present heavenly citizenship while we await the Savior. Our present belonging gives us confidence in the future He has promised.
We Enter God’s Kingdom Through the New Birth
Natural birth, religious family background, and knowledge alone cannot bring someone into God’s kingdom. Jesus tells Nicodemus, a teacher and ruler, that he must be born again to see the kingdom (John 3:1–8).
The new birth is the Holy Spirit’s work of bringing a person to spiritual life. Jesus distinguishes being born physically from being born of the Spirit. To be born again is to receive the life we cannot produce for ourselves.
The response to the King is repentance and faith. We turn from sin and trust the Savior who died and rose for us. He becomes our Lord, and belonging to His kingdom begins to shape our desires, priorities, and conduct.
The question raised by Luke 17 is therefore more personal than a timetable: do you recognize the King and receive His authority? His kingdom was present in His ministry, His saving invitation remains before us, and His promised return gives His people enduring hope.
Questions for Reflection
- Are you more interested in the timing of the kingdom than in obeying its King?
- How should your present citizenship shape a decision you face today?
- What does Christ’s promised future reign give you reason to hope for?
Watch the Sermon
Footnotes
- Compare Matthew 19:23–24. Further parallels include Matthew 13:11 with Mark 4:11 and Luke 8:10; Matthew 13:31 with Mark 4:30 and Luke 13:18; and Matthew 13:33 with Luke 13:20–21.
- Jesus is the promised Son of David. See also Solomon as a type and shadow and the study of One greater than Solomon. These royal themes should be read alongside the suffering Servant in Isaiah 53.
