Life Waiting for the Kingdom of God

Luke 23:50-56

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

There must be something that we are all waiting for: something that makes us happy or excited.

Pastor Daniel shared about an experience he had with his son Namoo when he was younger. Despite their financial struggles, Pastor Daniel promised to get a book for Namoo through Amazon. He ordered it on Monday and it was scheduled to arrive on Thursday night. Namoo had waited anxiously every night, asking when the book would arrive. When the book finally arrived, he happily received and read the book when it arrived as promised.

For children, waiting eagerly for something may come in the form of gifts or time spent with their parents or siblings. For someone in love, this may come as a text, call, letter or time spent with their loved one. For parents, it may come from their children. For others, it may be taking breaks or trips, it could be in the form of a new start in life, advancing in their job, career, or education, or even for relationships in the form of engagement and marriage.

Are there any examples of people waiting for something with anticipation in the Bible?

Abraham, the father of our faith, had waited until he was 100 years old for the birth of a son. For the father of the prodigal son, he had awaited the return of his son. For Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of John, Jesus was awaiting his own death on the cross. And for God, He waited for His people to return to Him.

What about us? What are we waiting for? What should we be waiting for?

In Luke 23:50-56, a man named Joseph in Arimethea was “looking for” or was “waiting for” the kingdom of God. What does “waiting for the kingdom of God” mean?

Psalm 22:27-28 – “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”

Psalm 22: 27-28 gives us a hint at what is meant by Joseph “waiting for the kingdom of God.” To wait for the kingdom of God is to turn to God, wait for God to “rule over the world,” and for the love of Jesus Christ to spread to all nations and return to Him. As Christians, we should apply this to our lives.

When waiting, there are 3 practical ways to apply this to our lives.

We must apply and let God take control of our personal life. Is God at the center of our life? Is God in control of our lives? As Christ followers, we must not let our past, our sinful habits, worldly desires, or past hurts and relationships dictate our lives. Instead, we must make a decision as a Christ follower and let God take control.

We must let God take control of our relationships. This means not just personal lives but our relationships with others as well. Whether this extends to our spouse, our loved ones, our house church, children, VIP, friends, school, or work, we must invite God personally to take control of our relationships.

We must live life in a manner worthy of the Kingdom of God. In Luke 23:56, Joseph held a position equivalent to a congressman and did not consent to the decision to kill Jesus. Although he could not stop them, he did not follow their decision. Often, we cannot stop others in their decisions in life, but we must uphold and try to live our lives in a different way. We must not follow the patterns of the world.

Philippians 1:27 – “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…”

If we are following others in the patterns of this world, we cannot say that we are living in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. We would be no different from non-believers who have either known Jesus Christ or those who have heard Jesus Christ and refuse to follow. Instead, we must make a decision to live our lives differently and set apart. We should live our lives waiting for the kingdom of God.

Reflection Questions:

1. Are you waiting for something in your life? Does it align with waiting for the kingdom of God?

2. In what areas in your life could you practically let God take control of?

3. Are you living your life in a manner worthy of the kingdom of God? Why or why not?