The Brinkley argus., 1914-06-05
LESSON FOR JUNE '
COMING OF THE KINGDOM.

I,EESON TExT--Luke H:2o-T. GOLDEN TExT-"Io, the Kingdom or God ts within you" Luke 17:N.
 1. The Klnqdom Psssent, w. 20, 21. The Pharisees held some peculiar ideas about the coming of the king dom. Contrary to their ideas there are no special outward signs to herald its coming. The word observation v. 20. Is an astronomical one and sug- eesss that the kingdom was to come in | bodily shape from the sky. cur rent expectation on the part of the Pharisees.
 In answer to the boastful Pharisees (v. 10) Jesus plainly told them that he himself Is the kingdom. and that that Kingdom was in their midst or "among you" see (v. 2D margin. Their question was hippant one, one of unbelief, and to 1t Jesus makes characteristically brief. but clear re- ply. that partook of the nature or rebuke. The kingdom would no' come with trumpets and drum. They could not say, "Lo here! To there! It's coming was not to be spectacular arresting the attention of some who in turn brought 1t to the attention oi others, The authorized rendering within you" does not imply that the kingdom already existed in the lnoi- vidual lives of his Questtoners. SUD- seuuent teaching of Jesus shows that he here refers to another and nnai coming of the kingdom, at the tune oi the final coming of the son Of man. What he desired to teach these Phari- sees was that the kingdom of which they spoke had already appeared due to the fact of his presence Tn thelr midst. The carping Pharisees wltn- draw and Jesus speaks openly to ms disciples of the days that will come, a time of persecution when they will long for comfort
 Prophecy Fulfilled.
 n. Tho Visible Son of Man, w. 22-24. The Kingdom In its outward form was rejected by the Jews, John 1.26, 27. In its spiritual form It IS now in the hearts of believers (Rom 14:1D. but he who was rejected with contempt will one day be sought after. though in vain, Matt. 23: :37-S9 Dur ing the time of his absence many shall claim to be Christ (v. 2S), but we are not to believe such claims. His tory has abundantly proved and ful- fllled this prophecy. When he really comes there will be sudden publicity ~ 24). that shall flash from one cor ner to the other of the heavens. Matt. i! 24:27; then every eye shall behold him. "So shall the son of man De in his day" This instruction Jesus gives to his disciples. Men shall search for him, time when he shall not be present as he then was. Alter 1 the false ones will come day or revelation when the whole heavens will reveal him and all will know 1t. Finailty of Events.
 lH. The Day of the Son of Man, w. 25-37. Before that day comes. how ever, he must suffer and be rejected, l but following that rejection men will 1 marry, carry on merchandising anu | merriment as In the days of Noah l and those of Lot In the days of Noah l and of Lot there came sudden halt in these activities and a Judgment ol flood and fire, even so after the same manner shall it be in the day that the l son of man is. revealed. V. 50. This refers to the nnality of events when the kingdom of God comes by way ol Judgment la Here Jesus sets his sea I upon the truthfulness of these two l events which preceded his first ad
 vent If they be not true then he if Ia false teacher. Like as men dis
 credit those events they likewise woule
 set aside his teaching about his sec I ond advent. Many claim that verse 3l
 refers to the destruction of Jeru
 salem; the context to us clearly dis
 proves any such interpretation 1 Verses 32 and B must be taken to
 gether.
 Summary. Quite emphatically this
 passage Is teaching on the subject of the coming of the Kingdom of God
 That kingdom came when Christ came
 in grace It will come when he comes
 in Judgment. It is coming constantly
 between the two advents. Remember
 his reading of Isaiah's prophecy, Luke
 AIS. 19; cf Isa 61:1 In his firs1
 advent he did come to preach the ac
 ceptable year, the year of grace. Tha'
 day is still with us. In his second
 advent he will proclaim the day of the
 vengeance of God. He will establish
 the kingdom, will build the waste
 places and raise desolations. Today
 the kingdom of God is among us Il
 power through the presence of Chris
 by the spirit in the living church.
 To the Pharisees he said: "Neithe
 shall they say, To here! 10 there! fo
 the Kingdom is in your midst" T'
 his disciples he said: They shall sa.
 To there. To here. go not away no
 follow them" We cannot localize tn
 Kingdom. On an ancient Syrian frag
 ment the words of Luke 1:33 read
 .'and to his kingdom there shall b
 no frontier" On the lips of the Pharl sI sees, kingdom meant political ol
 sanitation and empire. With Jesus < means a spiritual realm universal Il
 extent, rule Of righteousness, an 1 peace and joy in the Holy Spirit ,t When he appears all will know.