iHELP Training Program foriHELP Training Program forCoordinators & VolunteersCoordinators & Volunteers

DSWDin partnership

PCEC

The KingdomThe Kingdomof Godof God

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence•The gospels bear witness to the The gospels bear witness to the

fact that “Jesus went everywhere fact that “Jesus went everywhere preaching the good news of the preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God” Kingdom of God” (cf. Matthew 4:23; 9:35). (cf. Matthew 4:23; 9:35).

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• In Jesus’ feeding of the five In Jesus’ feeding of the five

thousand, He showed that the thousand, He showed that the Kingdom is a perfecter of Kingdom is a perfecter of creation; the new order of life creation; the new order of life under Kingdom rule is meant to under Kingdom rule is meant to confront human need in all its confront human need in all its dimensions. dimensions.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• Jesus rewards those who feed the Jesus rewards those who feed the

hungry, clothe the naked, and hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned.visit the imprisoned.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• James says that those who keep James says that those who keep

the Royal Law are those who care the Royal Law are those who care for the needs of brothers and for the needs of brothers and sisters in the faith. sisters in the faith.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• ““Religion that God our Father Religion that God our Father

accepts as pure and faultless is accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).by the world” (James 1:27).

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• What contrast to a civil religion What contrast to a civil religion

which wraps itself in patriotism, which wraps itself in patriotism, and the kingdom of God: and the kingdom of God: to manipulate rather than to to manipulate rather than to

liberate, liberate, to enslave rather than to to enslave rather than to

empower, empower, and to enrich oneself rather than and to enrich oneself rather than

to manifest generosity to all whom to manifest generosity to all whom it reaches. it reaches.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• In Bible history, Babylon is a In Bible history, Babylon is a

political structure, Jerusalem is a political structure, Jerusalem is a kingdom presence. kingdom presence.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• People then, built a People then, built a

“tower that reaches to “tower that reaches to the heavens” (Gen. the heavens” (Gen. 11:4), but Jerusalem is 11:4), but Jerusalem is “built like a city that is “built like a city that is closely compacted closely compacted together” (Psalm 122:3).together” (Psalm 122:3).

The Kingdom The Kingdom PresencePresence• As such Jerusalem is a redemptive As such Jerusalem is a redemptive

community actively present in community actively present in society to initiate and empower society to initiate and empower spiritual and social change. spiritual and social change.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PrinciplePrinciple• The church is God’s redeemed The church is God’s redeemed

people expressing themselves as people expressing themselves as God’s active rule on earth. God’s active rule on earth. • Rather than erecting cities for Rather than erecting cities for

fame and security, the church is fame and security, the church is actively creating communities of actively creating communities of reconciliation, restoration and reconciliation, restoration and renewal. renewal.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PrinciplePrinciple• The Kingdom of God, therefore, is The Kingdom of God, therefore, is

not a place. It is active, a happening not a place. It is active, a happening – it is what God is doing! – it is what God is doing!• It is that place where:It is that place where:the sick are healed,the sick are healed,the sinner is forgiven,the sinner is forgiven,the saint is restored. the saint is restored.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PrinciplePrinciple• Development is really an Development is really an

extension of the rule of God in the extension of the rule of God in the affairs of men… whenever affairs of men… whenever genuine human development is genuine human development is taking place it is a reflection of taking place it is a reflection of God’s own creative and God’s own creative and re-creative rule in history. re-creative rule in history.

The Kingdom The Kingdom PrinciplePrinciple• The Kingdom of God is The Kingdom of God is

“God’s active rule leading to “God’s active rule leading to man’s salvation and man’s salvation and restoration of the created restoration of the created order.”order.”

How How Kingdom Kingdom building building differs from differs from City City building!building!

Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building

Kingdom-builder Kingdom-builder emphasizes the emphasizes the dignity and worth dignity and worth of the individual of the individual person. Magnifies person. Magnifies the glory of God.the glory of God.

City-builders City-builders magnify the magnify the glory of man.glory of man.

Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building

In the Kingdom, In the Kingdom, the values are the values are placed upon placed upon community community responsibility and responsibility and mutual sharing. mutual sharing.

In the city, men In the city, men hoard and hoard and accumulate.accumulate.

Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building

Kingdom-builder Kingdom-builder assists the people assists the people in managing and in managing and controlling their controlling their environment.environment.

City-builder City-builder attempts to use attempts to use its power to its power to subjugate and subjugate and control people.control people.

Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building

God’s Kingdom God’s Kingdom presence imparts presence imparts life and hope.life and hope.

The city of man The city of man ends in death ends in death and despair.and despair.

As the new Jerusalem descended As the new Jerusalem descended from heaven, flashing with from heaven, flashing with

consummate beauty, the apostle consummate beauty, the apostle John heard a load voice from the John heard a load voice from the

throne: throne: (Revelation 21:3-4)(Revelation 21:3-4)

““Now the dwelling of God is with Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. men, and He will live with them. They will be His people. And God They will be His people. And God Himself will be with them and be Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no from their eyes. There will be no

more death or mourning, or crying, more death or mourning, or crying, or pain, or pain, For the old order of things For the old order of things

has passed away”has passed away”

The Kingdom PeopleThe Kingdom People• Having ears to hear, the Church Having ears to hear, the Church

responds. But not only with, responds. But not only with, “Amen, even so come quickly, “Amen, even so come quickly, Lord Jesus”… Lord Jesus”… • It also responds by allowing itself It also responds by allowing itself

to become God’s Kingdom to become God’s Kingdom presence in a broken and presence in a broken and shattered world.shattered world.

The Kingdom PeopleThe Kingdom People• As we hear and obey, we become As we hear and obey, we become

that “city on a hill that cannot be that “city on a hill that cannot be hidden”… the very light of the hidden”… the very light of the world.world.

Questions to ponderQuestions to ponderTask for Discussion: Group in 5 personsTask for Discussion: Group in 5 persons

1.1.What resonates your thinking about What resonates your thinking about this development?this development?2.2.What adjustments are you now What adjustments are you now thinking that might be helpful to thinking that might be helpful to implement the program in your area?implement the program in your area?

iHELP Training Program foriHELP Training Program forCoordinators & VolunteersCoordinators & Volunteers

DSWDin partnership

PCEC