Our discussion of Week 1

 Bible Discussion, Week 1, June 7:  Introducing and Defining the Kingdom of God

It was a full house and wonderfully overflowing, full of a multitude of bible translations including some in languages other than English.  Additionally, some of our notes from the meeting include comments emailed to us from folks unable to attend the meeting.     

We began by asking participants what we think is the Kingdom of God (or if we think about it)?  Some of our answers were:

I think the Kingdom of God is everywhere, all encompassing.

 I think the Kingdom of God is everywhere, but not necessarily a place, but a decision or a way of living.

One foot in heaven, one foot on earth, going back and forth.

I’ve not thought about it an awful lot.  I think there is something there, somebody looking down on me.

Something to do with love.  That whole John 3, “God is Love”.  When you see the result of love, it grows, and the Kingdom has something to do with expansion of love.

I haven’t really thought about the Kingdom of God.  I think it must be mostly internal, a spiritual place I can go to.  But that it includes our environment.  I think this community here is part of the Kingdom.

We’re all children of God, and honoring that Kingdom, and growing the Kingdom of God.  Beyond that, I don’t know.

I  think the Kingdom of God is the reign of God over His kingdom, which encompasses all things that bow and confess to Him.

I believe the Kingdom of God is upon us and in us, and I don’t really think about it a lot.

The Kingdom of God to me is Heaven, and it’s ’up there’ somewhere.  I’m trying to flesh out that definition here.

This is our baseline.  Let’s see what the Scriptures help us learn.

We read Luke 18:18-27.

What do we do to inherit the Kingdom of God?  Do we have to “do” anything to inherit the Kingdom?  God wants us to be with Him.    “The answer is in verse 27:  ‘What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God.’  We surrender to Him, and then anything is possible.”

“For this particular person who is rich, this person is told to sell all he has and follow Jesus.” Discussed the call to discipleship, and asking people to follow him in other places in the gospels.  Discussed that the call comes from inside.

Is the Kingdom of God only open to Christian believers?  Discussed the universality of the Kingdom and non Christians.  Or those who have not been exposed to Christ.  If these people see the wonders of a sunrise, and if they believe there is a god who made that sunrise, are they believers or non believers?  They are.  Wherever truth, beauty love are, there is God, regardless of what language we use.

Pointed out verse 18, “No one is good but God”.  It’s not deeds; it’s God who fills people’s hearts.  This implies humility.  Does it count as good if we help other people?  This is growing that kingdom.  Love God, love your neighbor.  Christians aren’t the only ones who do that.  Others are humanistic.  In the last days when we are in heaven, every knee shall bend and every head shall bow.  It doesn’t say there’s a deadline on when we have to bow.  When we get to heaven we realize the kingdom is in place.

This physical story of the rich man:  what do we think about it spiritually?  “Accumulating wealth is an invention of man and thus has no bearing on entering the Kingdom of God.”. When you die, you don’t take anything with you, except the stored up “treasures in heaven”.

We concluded that selling all you have is particular to this rich man, that this is the rich man’s call, that we all receive different calls depending on our own needs and talents.   We are all called to the Kingdom, but in different ways.