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#1224. The Kingdom is in your midst (5/2/25)

Community Church Putney Sermons

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  1. #1224. The Kingdom is in your midst (5/2/25)

  2. Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series.

  3. At present, I'm only posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

  4. From Luke 17:20-21, let’s reflect on what it means for the Kingdom of God to be in our midst.

    Luke 17:20–21

  5. You can listen to this devotional below (It’s also available on Spotify on the Community Church Putney podcast)

  6. https://youtu.be/GBk6XycI-e0

  7. ‘Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed,  nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”’ (Luke 17:20-21)

    Luke 17:20–21

  8. Jesus wants us to have a correct view of The Kingdom

  9. Jesus, in response to being questioned about God’s Kingdom coming, responds by telling them that, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”’ The religious leaders were expecting a David-like or Joshua-like figure to come and restore them to the Land, and restore the Kingdom in that sense. However, Jesus corrects them of this view. Like them, Christians need to have a correct mindset when it comes to God’s Kingdom.

  10. The Kingdom of God is not defined by geography.

  11. As seen in Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman, He challenges the prevailing understanding of how God works in this 'Last Days' era. In John 4:21-24, Jesus explains that worship is no longer tied to a specific location, such as the Jerusalem temple. Instead, true worship happens "in spirit and in truth," transcending physical boundaries and becoming accessible to all nations.

    John 4:21–24

  12. Similarly, those questioning Jesus in today’s reading needed their geographically centred perspective corrected. To Pilate, Jesus said, ‘“My kingdom is not of this world.”’ (John 18:36). The Kingdom is no longer confined to Israel or centred on Jerusalem as the hub of worship. It is now spread across the earth, present wherever people acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Thus, no one can say, “Here it is!” or “There it is!” because, as Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is in your midst." The King and Kingdom are wherever the saints are!

    John 18:36

  13. The Kingdom is in your midst

  14. In the context, firstly, Jesus is revealing Himself as their King and Messiah. Jesus wants them to know that He, Their King is present with them and the Kingdom is also among them. Here, Jesus is challenging the Jews of His day to receive Him before they are overtaken by judgement.

  15. Secondly, in applying this to ourselves, Jesus wants us to grasp that to enter the Kingdom, one must receive the King - receive Jesus. When we are ‘born again’, we are made citizens of the Kingdom of God. Wherever we are, The King is with us and is in us - in our midst! Christians, whilst living in this world, are also dwelling in the Kingdom right now. We are told:

  16. ‘And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.’ (Ephesians 2:6)

    Ephesians 2:6

  17. This means that wherever we go, we bring the presence of the King and Kingdom. People are to be affected by the presence and values of The Kingdom. Like an ambassador expresses the values of their nation, whom they represent, so we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, expressing the values of our King (see 2 Cor. 5:20).

    2 Corinthians 5:20

  18. The Kingdom is in our midst! The Kingdom of God is not merely a future hope; it is a present reality. Because the King is with us, we can confidently say, "The Kingdom of God is in our midst." His presence empowers us, allowing us to experience the joy and strength that come from walking with Him. Wherever we go, we carry the King and His Kingdom with us, bringing His transformative presence into the lives of others.

  19. Let’s pray together as we finish

  20. “Lord Jesus, teach me about your Kingdom. Teach me what it means for you and your Kingdom to be in our midst.’ Help me walk in your presence and live out the values of your Kingdom. Amen.”