3. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
•The gospels bear witness to theThe gospels bear witness to the
fact that “Jesus went everywherefact that “Jesus went everywhere
preaching the good news of thepreaching the good news of the
Kingdom of God”Kingdom of God”
(cf. Matthew 4:23; 9:35).(cf. Matthew 4:23; 9:35).
4. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• In Jesus’ feeding of the fiveIn Jesus’ feeding of the five
thousand, He showed that thethousand, He showed that the
Kingdom is a perfecter ofKingdom is a perfecter of
creation; the new order of lifecreation; the new order of life
under Kingdom rule is meant tounder Kingdom rule is meant to
confront human need in all itsconfront human need in all its
dimensions.dimensions.
5. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• Jesus rewards those who feed theJesus rewards those who feed the
hungry, clothe the naked, andhungry, clothe the naked, and
visit the imprisoned.visit the imprisoned.
6. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• James says that those who keepJames says that those who keep
the Royal Law are those who carethe Royal Law are those who care
for the needs of brothers andfor the needs of brothers and
sisters in the faith.sisters in the faith.
7. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• ““Religion that God our FatherReligion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless isaccepts as pure and faultless is
this: to look after orphans andthis: to look after orphans and
widows in their distress and towidows in their distress and to
keep oneself from being pollutedkeep oneself from being polluted
by the world” (James 1:27).by the world” (James 1:27).
8. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• What contrast to a civil religionWhat 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 toto manipulate rather than to
liberate,liberate,
to enslave rather than toto enslave rather than to
empower,empower,
and to enrich oneself rather thanand to enrich oneself rather than
to manifest generosity to all whomto manifest generosity to all whom
it reaches.it reaches.
9. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• In Bible history, Babylon is aIn Bible history, Babylon is a
political structure, Jerusalem is apolitical structure, Jerusalem is a
kingdom presence.kingdom presence.
10. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• People then, built aPeople then, built a
“tower that reaches to“tower that reaches to
the heavens” (Gen.the heavens” (Gen.
11:4), but Jerusalem is11:4), but Jerusalem is
“built like a city that is“built like a city that is
closely compactedclosely compacted
together” (Psalm 122:3).together” (Psalm 122:3).
11. The Kingdom PresenceThe Kingdom Presence
• As such Jerusalem is a redemptiveAs such Jerusalem is a redemptive
community actively present incommunity actively present in
society to initiate and empowersociety to initiate and empower
spiritual and social change.spiritual and social change.
12. The Kingdom PrincipleThe Kingdom Principle
• The church is God’s redeemedThe church is God’s redeemed
people expressing themselves aspeople expressing themselves as
God’s active rule on earth.God’s active rule on earth.
• Rather than erecting cities forRather than erecting cities for
fame and security, the church isfame and security, the church is
actively creating communities ofactively creating communities of
reconciliation, restoration andreconciliation, restoration and
renewal.renewal.
13. The Kingdom PrincipleThe Kingdom Principle
• The Kingdom of God, therefore, isThe Kingdom of God, therefore, is
not a place. It is active, a happeningnot 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.
14. The Kingdom PrincipleThe Kingdom Principle
• Development is really anDevelopment is really an
extension of the rule of God in theextension of the rule of God in the
affairs of men… wheneveraffairs of men… whenever
genuine human development isgenuine human development is
taking place it is a reflection oftaking place it is a reflection of
God’s own creative andGod’s own creative and
re-creative rule in history.re-creative rule in history.
15. The Kingdom PrincipleThe Kingdom Principle
• The Kingdom of God isThe Kingdom of God is
“God’s active rule leading to“God’s active rule leading to
man’s salvation andman’s salvation and
restoration of the createdrestoration of the created
order.”order.”
17. Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building
Kingdom-builderKingdom-builder
emphasizes theemphasizes the
dignity and worthdignity and worth
of the individualof the individual
person. Magnifiesperson. Magnifies
the glory of God.the glory of God.
City-buildersCity-builders
magnify themagnify the
glory of man.glory of man.
18. Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building
In the Kingdom,In the Kingdom,
the values arethe values are
placed uponplaced upon
communitycommunity
responsibility andresponsibility and
mutual sharing.mutual sharing.
In the city, menIn the city, men
hoard andhoard and
accumulate.accumulate.
19. Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building
Kingdom-builderKingdom-builder
assists the peopleassists the people
in managing andin managing and
controlling theircontrolling their
environment.environment.
City-builderCity-builder
attempts to useattempts to use
its power toits power to
subjugate andsubjugate and
control people.control people.
20. Kingdom buildingKingdom building City buildingCity building
God’s KingdomGod’s Kingdom
presence impartspresence imparts
life and hope.life and hope.
The city of manThe city of man
ends in deathends in death
and despair.and despair.
21. As the new Jerusalem descendedAs the new Jerusalem descended
from heaven, flashing withfrom heaven, flashing with
consummate beauty, the apostleconsummate beauty, the apostle
John heard a load voice from theJohn heard a load voice from the
throne:throne:
(Revelation 21:3-4)(Revelation 21:3-4)
22. ““Now the dwelling of God is withNow 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 GodThey will be His people. And God
Himself will be with them and beHimself will be with them and be
their God. He will wipe every teartheir God. He will wipe every tear
from their eyes. There will be nofrom 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 thingsFor the old order of things
has passed away”has passed away”
23. The Kingdom PeopleThe Kingdom People
• Having ears to hear, the ChurchHaving 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 itselfIt also responds by allowing itself
to become God’s Kingdomto become God’s Kingdom
presence in a broken andpresence in a broken and
shattered world.shattered world.
24. The Kingdom PeopleThe Kingdom People
• As we hear and obey, we becomeAs we hear and obey, we become
that “city on a hill that cannot bethat “city on a hill that cannot be
hidden”… the very light of thehidden”… the very light of the
world.world.
25. Questions to ponderQuestions to ponder
Task for Discussion: Group in 5 personsTask for Discussion: Group in 5 persons
1.1.What resonates your thinking aboutWhat resonates your thinking about
this development?this development?
2.2.What adjustments are you nowWhat adjustments are you now
thinking that might be helpful tothinking that might be helpful to
implement the program in your area?implement the program in your area?
26. iHELP Training Program foriHELP Training Program for
Coordinators & VolunteersCoordinators & Volunteers
DSWD
in partnership
PCEC
Notas del editor
If we think of Kingdom of God as CHURCH ONLY - … If we think DICHOTIMIZE KOG = God’s presence in our life, every time, every place, every thing Mt. 4:23; 9:35 – Jesus in His every moves, anywhere, any time. God confronting every need of people, spiritual or physical. KINGDOM PRESENCE If you feed the poor, visit the prisoners, etc… Kingdom’s presence is there. James 1:27 Civil religion – Change the world, physical change only, manipulate, enslave people KOG – liberates, freedom from sin, righteousness of God in his heart. To enrich oneself. Tower of Babel – Kingdom Presence -
