Return to God’s Kingdom John 18:28–38

Grace, mercy, and peace be with you, from God our Father, and our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, His Son.

Our message is taken from John 18:28-38: 28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.

 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

Our theme this evening is, Return to God’s Kingdom, based especially on verse 36: My kingdom is not of this world.

                                                                                                                                             Again and again in the Gospels, 126 times, Jesus refers to the Kingdom of God. But what does He mean by the Kingdom of God? Perhaps this might be better understood as “the rule and reign of God.” 

But in what way? What kind of reign and rule? 

In our sermon text, Pontius Pilate, ruling from his temporary headquarters in Jerusalem, is forced to wrestle with that question, as He comes face-to-face with the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. And it puts Pilate in quite a dilemma.

How do we navigate the waters, if you will, of worldly authority, and stay true to the eternal authority of our God in heaven? That’s been a question God’s people have asked, and have had to find their way through since the beginning of the Church. And sometimes it’s put them in a dilemma, even costing them their lives.

Our message tonight takes on the question of what it means to say that Jesus is our King above all kings, and that His Kingdom is the true and eternal Kingdom, the Kingdom above all Kingdoms.

In verse 38, Pilate asks Jesus, “What is truth?” But the real question is, “Who” is truth? Once we can answer that correctly, then we can know “what” truth is.

And the answer is really quite simple: Jesus. He is the way and the truth and the life, John 14:6 says.

He’s our King in a way that no earthly authority or leader could ever be. He is the King who loves and provides for His people for eternity. He’s the King who places a premium, not on power, but on service, as we talked about last week. 

He is the King who leads by example rather than by force; the King who offers Himself, His own life, to ensure the eternal well-being of His subjects, His people, whom He calls His family; the King who calls us to return to His rule and reign, so that He can pour out a multitude of blessings on us, now and for eternity.

Our sermon series this Lent has focused on God’s calling in the Book of Joel: “Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster” (Joel 2:13). 

We’ve seen our own sinfulness, but we’ve also heard how God continues to pursue us, encouraging us to turn from our sins and return to Him. 

Today, the invitation is for us to return to the kingdom of God. 

When we hear the phrase “Kingdom of God”, we tend to imagine it as a place. Like here, within the walls of the church, where God does some of His most visible and obvious work, the proclamation and teaching of His Word, and the celebration of His Sacraments.  

Certainly the Kingdom of God is within the walls of the church, but certainly not limited to this sacred place. It goes far beyond.

Perhaps we think of the Kingdom of God as something that follows the pastor around—sort of a mobile kingdom, centered on the things that God does through pastors and teachers and other church workers wherever they’re doing ministry.

That’s not wrong, but it’s important to remember the kingdom of God is not centered on the person of the pastor or any church worker. The person is flawed.  

When ministry is based on a personality, eventually it comes tumbling down.

Maybe the Kingdom of God is only in Heaven, and not on earth. Jesus did talk about the Kingdom of Heaven. In Matthew 3:2, as His ministry began, Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

And before Pilate Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my 

kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Jesus came from Heaven, to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, not a Kingdom of political rule and military might, but a Kingdom of grace, a spiritual kingdom that transcends all borders, a Kingdom that exists wherever the Gospel is proclaimed and believed; a Kingdom that centers in Christ alone.

Jesus told His disciples, and this is a promise to all His followers of all times and places, “I am with you always.”.

Where the Gospel is, there is Christ. When the Gospel is in your heart, when you believe, there is Jesus with you, and there is the Kingdom of God within you.

As we gather around God’s Word and Sacraments, there is God’s Kingdom of grace. As we go into the world as His people, there goes His Kingdom of love. 

This is a Kingdom of faith, in the hearts of all who believe; and a Kingdom of truth, wherever God’s Word is proclaimed. And this is a kingdom of life and salvation, which comes to us the moment we’re baptized and believe, and lives victoriously in us. 

And this is a kingdom that never ends: it came from Heaven to start with, and it will return to Heaven to end with.  

The repentant thief said to Jesus on the cross, “Remember me in your Kingdom.” Jesus recognized his faith and promised, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”.

With faith in Christ the Kingdom never ends for you; it’s always where Jesus and you and His Word are, now on earth, and in then in heaven. And that means you’re always surrounded by the blessings of His Kingdom.

When we’re tempted to make worldly kingdoms, the kingdoms of our hearts --whether political or economic or any worldly institution -- let us remember that the Kingdom of God is most important and most powerful and lasting in our hearts. 

Though we must operate in these earthly kingdoms, and are called by God to do so in a responsible way, it is the Kingdom of God that we exist in, now and forever. 

This is the Kingdom for our hearts to return to and always hold on to; and to call others to, that they may share in all the blessings of God’s glorious Kingdom. 

And as we live forever in God’s blessed Kingdom, His peace, which passes understanding, will guard our hearts and minds, Christ Jesus, our king above all kings. Amen.