2 Jesus Proclaims the Kingd

8/4/2019 2 Jesus Proclaims the Kingd

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Prepared by:

Richard G. Pazcoguin

UST Institute of Religion


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In a time when the Jews were looking

forwardto the re-establishment of their

fallen kingdom, Jesus came to preach thecoming of the Kingdom of God.

The KINGDOM OF GOD was the dominant

theme of the public ministry of Jesus

Christ. Though he did not define what the

concept meant, Jesus pointed outindicators that helped his audience

understand what the kingdom was.

Jesus presented the Kingdom of God as a

reality that is both HERE and NOT YET.


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KINGDOM OF GOD = KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HEAVEN

In the New Testament, we find three

concepts: Kingdom of God, Kingdom ofHeaven, and Heaven. The first two are

synonymous. Conservative writers simply

use Heaven as a substitute for God.

Hence Kingdom of God and Kingdom of

Heaven are one and the same.

HEAVEN, the dwelling place of GOD, is

where we go when we die. The KINGDOM

OF GOD orKINGDOM OF HEAVEN will

come to us.


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The fullness of the Kingdom of God

is experienced only at the closing

of age or on the last day.

It is not something we experience at

the point of death, for death is not

our ultimate destiny. There is a more

significant event THE END OF

HUMAN HISTORY. This event marksthe full establishment of the

kingdom of God.

This Kingdom is a GIFT from God

and a TASK on the part of man.


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But while the fullness of the Kingdom is

something we anticipate, the seeds of the

Kingdom have already been sown in the

present.

The present is a foretaste of the future. The

Kingdom of God is the present is found in

LIFE BLESSINGS, blessings that uphold and

further life.

KINGDOM = SALVATIONSalvation is not only salvation from sin, but

also from sinful conditions, i.e. those

conditions that God doesnt want us to be into

e.g. hunger, sickness, loss of dignity, etc.


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Luke, in his gospel (4: 17-19), presents an incident in the synagogue wherein

Jesus read the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah, and spoke of that incident as the

prophecies fulfillment. In the prophecy of Isaiah, we find how Isaiah and

Christ understood what the kingdom meant. Though the prophecy did notdefine the kingdom, it gave SIGNPOSTS to the Kingdom:

The Good News is preached to the poor

Liberty is given to captives

Sight is restored to the blind

The Year of the Lords Favor is proclaimed:

JUBILEE- Return of Land and Property, Release of

Slaves, Recall of Debt, Rest of the Earth.

How do these become signposts to the kingdom? Where is the Kingdom then?


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In the words of the Lords Prayer,

we can deduce where we can find

the Kingdom of God:

Our Father in heaven,

Holy be your name,

YOUR KINGDOM COME,

YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

What happens in heaven that must

also happen on earth so that the

KINGDOM will come?

GODS WILL!

Where then is the Kingdom of God?

Wherever the WILL OF GOD is done,

the KINGDOM OF GOD is there.


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If the KINGDOM OF GOD is where HIS WILL is done, then for people to

experience the KINGDOM, they must be liberated form the SINFUL

CONDITIONS that hold them bound.

POVERTY (hunger, thirst,

nakedness, homelessness)

CAPTIVITY and OPPRESSION

as a result of injustice

DISEASE (both physical and

spiritual)

GOOD NEWS: food, shelter,

clothing, restoration of dignity

LIBERATION

RESTORATION OF HEALTH

THE KINGDOM COMES WHEN GODS WILL IS FULFILLED!


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What happens to those who obey Gods will?

Whoever does the will of God is my brother,

my sister, and mother. Mark 3:35

Those who do the will of God are

incorporated into the family of Jesus.

Hence, the members of the kingdom of God

arent just subjects of the King. Rather, theyearn for themselves the dignity of being

called children.

Because of this, we who belong to the

Kingdom are able to call God

OUR FATHER


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The Kingdom of God is at hand, reform your

lives and believe in the Good News. Mark 1:15

Because the Kingdom of God is wherever

Gods will is done, and the opposite of Gods

will is sin, then Jesus calls forREPENTANCE

and BELIEF IN THE GOSPEL as the conditions

forTHE KINGDOM EXPERIENCE.

Turning away from sin is not merely avoiding

evil, but DOING GOOD PROCLAIM THE

GOOD NEWS, i.e. to make conscious efforts to

FURTHER AND UPHOLD HUMAN LIFE.


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For sure you still remember the Great Jubilee Celebration in the Year 2000.

The JUBILEE, as described in the Bible, is a concrete manifestation of the

Kingdom of God. The JUBILEE SONG describes to us what the Jubilee is allabout, and perhaps may further clarify our understanding of the Kingdom.

Its a time of joy, a time of peace,

A time when hearts are then set free,

A time to heal the wounds of division.

Its a time of grace, a time of hope,

A time of sharing the gifts we have,

A time to build a world that is one.


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Its a time of prayer, a time of praise,

A time to life our hands to God,

A time to recall all our graces.

Its a time to touch, a time to reach

Those hearts that often wander,

A time to bring them back to Gods embrace.

Its the time to give thanks to the Father, Son, and Spirit,

And with Mary, our Mother, we sing this song:

OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD AND BEGIN TO SEE THE MYSTERY

THAT WE ARE ALL TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY.

NO MORE WALLS, NO MORE CHAINS,

NO MORE SELFISHNESS AND CLOSED DOORS

FOR WE ARE IN THE FULLNESS OF GODS TIME,

ITS THE TIME OF THE GREAT JUBILEE!


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Carlos H. AbesamisA THIRD LOOK AT JESUS

Quezon City: Claretian Publications, 2000

Douglas Elwood and Patricia Magdamo

CHRIST IN PHILIPPINE CONTEXTManila: Christian Literature Society, 1971

Albert Nolan, O.P.

JESUS BEFORE CHRISTIANITYQuezon City: Claretian Publications, 1999

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2 Jesus Proclaims the Kingd