At times, Jesus spoke about his coming into the world and what that means for the kingdom of God, as though most would not take notice. To illustrate this point, he calls attention to the days of Noah and those of Lot. In those days, people were going about their daily lives unaware of the disaster headed their way. Most in those days had no idea of the impact that his coming would have for them and for the generations to follow. This is why Jesus further suggests that this lack of awareness will extend from his first coming through to his second coming (Lk 17:22).
Jesus spoke this way because the kingdom of God is not something to be observed, but to be lived (Lk 17:20). Jesus indicates that love is the key to that experience when he says, “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it” (17:34). In other words, we cannot live an egocentric life and expect to participate in the kingdom of God where love is prime. On this view, those who participate in the kingdom are those whose lives and values are in sync with the values of the kingdom—love of God, love of self, and love of neighbor. This is why the Apostle John taught the early Christian communities that “whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
When we live in truth by the principle of love, we grow rich in what matters to God (Lk 12:21). What matters to God is what matters to Jesus, for he came to do the Father’s will. This is why he tells his disciples, “If you know me, then you will also know my Father” (Jn 14:7). What matters most to Jesus is that we love one another as he loved us (Jn 13:34). This is the new commandment he gives us because love allows us to remain as close to Jesus and to each other as he is to the Father (Jn 17:11).
Jesus is the Word of God who from the beginning teaches us how to live rightly in this world in preparation for our eternal home. Today we learn those lessons primarily from the written Word. For example, from Genesis, we learn that we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are thus “hard-wired” to be like God—to BE good and to DO good. From the story of Noah, we learn that God repents, makes promises, and is faithful to His promises. From the story of Abraham, we learn that we belong to God, that we are His own. From Hosea, we learn that God is an ever-faithful lover, even when we are not faithful to Him. In Joel, we learn that God is always a great forgiver.
From these and many other passages, we learn that God is a healer; God is open to all people; God forgives much; God does not hold grudges; God weeps in the face of stubborn injustice; God raises people to life; God inspires people to search for truth and to leave behind harmful ways of thinking and living.
The key in applying these lessons is to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us. The Holy Spirit empowers us to seek the good, to love, to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. In the words of Jesus, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” His anointing in the Spirit empowered Jesus to preach the good news, to heal the sick, to give sight to the blind, to proclaim freedom to the poor and oppressed. By staying close to Jesus and to each other, the Holy Spirit empowers us to make the kingdom of God present among us.
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