The Kingdom of God”

Chapter Six

Jesus had a strong vision of an ideal future

“The Dream of Jesus”

129

He referred to his vision as

“The Kingdom of God”

130

by “The Kingdom of God”

“the reign of God” - or -

we mean

“the rule of God over all the created world”

Psalm 981.Sing a new song to the LORD, who has done marvelous deeds, his right hand and holy arm have won the victory. 2. The LORD has made his victory known; has revealed his triumph for the nations to see, 3. Has remembered faithful love toward the house of Israel. 4. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. 5. With trumpets shout with joy to the King, the LORD. … the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth.

130- OT sometimes referred to God as father

- God was ”all holy”- awesome: Out of reverence Jews wouldn’t even say or write God’s name.

But an individual wouldn’t refer to God as “father.”

134

- Often saw God as distant, fearsome

B. Jewish understanding of God

“most high above all the earth”

(Side notes for “C”)

A. Jews were famous for their deep sense of

communal love, concern for poor;

B. Seven of the Ten Commandments deal with relationships with others;

137-8

C. Giving ALMS was required, not just

suggested

(At bottom of page)

Two main ideas interfering with Jewish command to love

a)

NationalismSense of being “chosen” led some

to believe that “love your

neighbor” referred only to fellow Jews

138-9

Tribalism!

6. Two main problems conflicting with command to

loveb) Legalism

An overemphasis on rules and regulations,

especially among Pharisees, which

tended to dominate many aspects of life

138-9

130Jesus rejected political kingship

i Rejected violent military

takeover.

ii Rejected a physical

geographical state with boundaries

131

iii Not a new

philosophyiv Not a plan

for social

reform

130

Then what DID Jesus mean by his “kingdom?”

131

130Jesus’ vision of

the kingdom is closely tied

to his understand

-ing of GOD

His idea of God differed dramatically

from the common Jewish

understanding .

131

130Jesus

shattered Jewish

belief and practice:

1.. He called God

“Abba !”

i. “Abba” is an Aramaic

word used by kids, an

intimate feeling: “Da-

da,” “Daddy”

134

ii Callin

g God

“abba” was

shocking!

E. Jesus’ understanding of God

1302. Jesus’ personal

experience of an intimate

relationship with God

136

led him to want to share that experience, teach about

God’s relationship with all people.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

(John 3:16-17)

.He saw God as a passionately caring

parent whose love is

•tireless,

•healing,healing,

•limitless and

•unreserved.

136

God offers his love not only to the just

and the rich,

but to outcasts, sinners, the poor.

136

The Kingdom that Jesus announced was a new understanding of our relationship

with God.

137

Want to know what God is like? LOOK AT JESUS!

Jesus breaks down God for us,

Jesus’ deeds

parables

miracles

attitudes

lets us SEE what God is like:

Loving

Accepting

Kind

Powerful

Forgiving

GOD is

F. Jesus’ understandi

ng of the Command to

Love

137

1. The ability to participate

fully in the reign of God requires a

137

“a change

of heart”2. Then the kingdom takes

root in the heart of the believer.

3. Kingdom is not just “me and

God.”

137

a new relationsh

ip between God and

the individual

, and also among individuals

Love

without

Limits

F.a)

The Good Samaritan

Who is my neighbor?

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemieslove your enemies, and pray for those who persecute youpray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and he makes his sun rise on the bad and the goodthe good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust…. So you must set no set no boundaries on your loveboundaries on your love, just as your heavenly Father sets no boundaries on his love." (Matthew 5:43-45, 48)

Jesus called people to love beyond the boundaries of

their own Judaism,

1. to love all people -- even their

enemies!

Mt 5:44-48

Tribalism!

“love your enemies”

a. Not found in OT or in teachings of

other rabbis.

2. Jesus’ call to

was unique to him

139B. Jesus did not believe that the Law in itself was bad,

but saw that the many spin-offs and additions to it had crippled people’s ability to respond with compassion &

love.

D) The reign of God is revealed when God reigns over the hearts

of people,

E) Jesus’ dream will be fully realized only when people are

in tune with God’s will.

Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' (Matt. 25:34-43)

“The Kingdom of God”

1. a nation-state

2. ruled by a military messiah-

king3. free from

pagan influence

1. NOT a place: no political borders2. new way of relating

to God, & neighbor =love without limits 3. messiah as a purely spiritual figure

“What God is Like”

1. awesome, fearsome: can’t

say/write His name

3. faithful, loving, patient

2. “all-holy:” distant, mysterious

“What God is Like”

1. awesome, fearsome: can’t

say/write His name

3. faithful, loving, patient

2. “all-holy:” distant, mysterious

1. a passionately loving parent

2. our “abba” -(intimate closeness) 3. who loves

everyonewith boundless & unconditional love

“Love Thy Neighbor”1. concern for one

another

3. only fellow Jews

2. esp. poor, widows;almsgiving

required

1. love everyone- no exceptions

2. our love imitates God’s love

for us:unconditional

3. love even your enemies

not gentiles, not outcast, sinner

“The reign of Sin”

141-143

601b

139Jesus did not use the word “love” very much,

He spoke instead of the results or expressions of love.

1. The ability to participate

fully in the reign of God requires a

137

“a change

of heart”2. Then the kingdom takes

root in the heart of the believer.

The reign of God is revealed when God reigns over the hearts of

people,

Jesus’ dream will be fully realized only when people are in tune

with God’s will.

1. Sin defined:

“The refusal to acknowledge God as

God,

142

and our dependence upon him”

Two kinds of sin:a.

Personalb. Communal

142

a) Personal sin

that has a negative effect on the sinner as an individual

142

and on his/her relationships with others”

“A personal,

freely chosen

action

b) Communal sinThe effects of the sinful

actions of individuals which accumulate over time

142

E.g. povert

yenvironmental pollutioninstitutionalized

racism

Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, ....' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? …. And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'

Evil that is not caused by sin?

“natural” evil:

143

tsunami

“natural” evils:

143

earthquake

sbirth defects

hurricanes

1432. A. Jesus’ unique role in the kingdom:

he was to save humanity from sin

B Jesus showed his claim to divine

authority:i.Called God “my

Father” ii.Claimed to be above the lawiii.Forgave Sinsiv. Rid temple of injustice

Right

Now

Not Yetbut

3.The Kingdom of God:

Right

NowNot Yet

The Kingdom of God:

“The kingdom of God is

among you.”

“Pray that the kingdom will

come”

1. Through the birth, death and 1. Through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesusresurrection of Jesus

2. Death and sin have been 2. Death and sin have been conqueredconquered..

WWe are e are alreadyalready saved saved

A. ALREADY:

2. We must say “yes” to God’s invitation.

1. The kingdom will only be fully realized when we respond to it by

our way of living.

B. NOT YET

Alread

y

Not Yet

in the tension between

C. We live in the “in-between” time,

and

145

1. Jesus’ dream of the Kingdom of God is made a

reality whenever people are

compassionate

concerned

willing to extend

themselves in

service to others

D. Explain how each of the following involves the Kingdom

1. Jesus’ identity /role is to

2. Miracles of Jesus are

3. Parables of Jesus give

4. SinSin:“me centered” vs Kingdom: “God-

centered”

- the “not yet” part

proclaim, define, establish Kingdom

signs that the Kingdom is starting

details of Kingdom: how to get in, etc.

J

oy

esus

thers

ourself

End

“God is ultimately victorious; love is stronger than hate;

good always wins over evil; and life, not death, has the last

say.”