Kingdom of God and the Contemporary Church
Prague, Czech
Republic March 2001
I. Political Actions Of Jesus (Differentiate And Define Political And Religious)
A. Definition of the Kingdom of God (See Handout on Messianic Expectations)
1. From Ezekiel and the prophets (cf. 43:1-5)
2. Josephus (locate in N.T. Wright)
3. From Mark 1:14-15
B. Incidents indicating Jesus was a political figure
1. Birth Narratives (See handout)
2. Triumphal Entry (Mk 11:1-11)
3. The Cleansing of the Temple (Mk 11:15-18)
a. Background of the Bazaars of Annas
b. O.T. Texts: Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11
4. Crucifixion
a.Charges: Taxes, Rebellions, Claims to be King
b. Roman Penalty for Rebels
C. Implications:
1. Acts - The church faced governmental entities some 20 times in 28 chapters, of a variety of sorts. In other words, the church upset the social structures of the day.
2. Two reasons for persecutions:
a. Jealousy from religious leaders.
b. Financial loss of unbelievers
3. Historic examples:
a. Roman empire - temples, education, adoption of children.
b. Religious underground church of China.
c. Haiti - the lady who left her live-in lover.
4. What if people came to Christ in sufficient numbers:
a. Drunkenness
b. Pornography
c. Fair treatment and literacy of women and children.
