Kingdom Of God Reflection Paper

liberation to the essence of the gospel, which is Jesus Christ.” (pp. 1) James H. Cone stresses the

The term ‘Kingdom of God’ (or as is otherwise referred to as ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ in Matthew's Gospel) is mentioned throughout the Four Gospels. Over the centuries many scholars have reached the same conclusion that the central theme of Jesus’ message regards the ‘Kingdom of God.’ But what did Jesus mean by this term? This essay aims to discuss the meaning of the term ‘Kingdom of God’ and what Jesus must have meant by this.

I had been a “Christian” for years, being raised in a Christian home it was just the thing to do. However this meant nothing to me at the time I was a Christian because everyone else was. So after a long time and the struggles I went through, I was so far gone and away from what God had planned for my life that it looked like there was no hope. This is when something happened to me something incredible God restored my life and brought me home, out of my sin. Now this didn’t happen over night it was a process which took a matter of months, but it started the night I fell on my knees and realized I had been living a lie and that I was not a Christ follower, I knew the stuff but never applied it to my life and let it change my life.

I was a Follower of Christ and I didn’t even know it. I was the last of three boys to two faithful Christian parents. My parents attended St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron, OH. I was baptized and confirmed by the same Bishop. Some of my earliest memories are of me standing in the pews with my parents and stacking the prayer books as if it were my own pulpit and I would pretend to be the priest giving the Sunday sermon. I didn’t know what he was talking about but I always thought that I would be like him one day. I was an acolyte and attended the youth programs regularly with my friends. I completed my studies to earn my God and Country award with the Boy Scouts.

Currently, the future of his congregation members’ lives is very grim: death in eternal flames, powerless to escape, all due to the wrath and whim of God. However, he informs his audience that all across the colonies Christ is accepting all repentant applicants into Heaven. Once they convert, he promises that his pitiful audience will rejoice, sing, and revel in God’s glory, shed of the burden of eternal damnation.

My faith and how I lived in my faith made serves as a lasting example to believers in Christ (Lindslay, 3). In life, I believed that all work that I did was spiritual work for the betterment of the Lord’s kingdom. Whether I was writing, ministering, eating out, or simply talking with friends, all work, all things, all I did was for the advancement of the Lord’s kingdom. For the work of “a Beethoven” or the work of a “charwoman” were all the same in my eyes; for both the workers, their work should be “offered to God” and done “humbly” “as to the Lord” (Eshlemen, 2). Although I struggled with cynicism, this way of living life challenged and brought new meaning to my life (Lindslay, 3). This idea on the life I lived and how I lived the life I was given serves as an example of Colossians 3:17 for Christians who wish to live and long to live in similar fashions (The Holy, 237). This way of living my faith truly required me to be quite public and open with my thoughts and beliefs. My faith was not always outright and public. When I was young, my family was my first spiritual influence (Eshlemen, 5). My faith started when I was young, but was shattered with the death of my mother when I was ten years of age (Lindslay, 1). This tragedy shook who I thought God is. The death of my mother affected me deeply. In fact, in college, I denounced the protestant

To know Jesus Christ is the best thing that can happen in a person life. It transforms your mind, body and sprint. I have picked the following three topics to share my experiences of knowing Jesus Christ. First, what can your local church do to better communicate God’s love to your community? Second, why are personal testimonies important in sharing the gospel? Third, Did Jesus claim to be God? These are the three topics that always spark my interest when talking about our Lord savoir Jesus Christ.

In these brief three pages, there is a bold calling for spiritual authority, and ways friends of Jesus can authentically experience and acquire that authority. In the beginning, Anderson explained that spiritual authority is manifested from personal experiences and not “secondhand authorities” (pages 50-51). Next, he addressed certain characteristics that “make one fit to be a minister of the gospel” (pg. 51). Finally, he provided a glimpse on what it takes to be an Authentic Child of Light by walking well in the Light. In these three pages, I felt like Margaret Fall in which these words cut to my heart and I wept.

I grew up knowing this gospel, I lived in Salt Lake City, my parents were extremely emerced in the church with callings like young women’s president, primary president, Sunday school teacher, elder quorum president, 2nd counseler to the bishop, stake relief society president, and 1st counsel to the stake Sunday school president. Their testimonies and examples help me understand the principles of Christ’s teachings. I grew up knowing what was good and what was bad, and from an early age I hated being in the wrong. I liked to please people and felt so uncomfortable with the feeling of guilt. Looking back on it now I can see that is a gift that God gave me, it was great it kept me out of trouble for the beginning years of my life, but it wasn’t

In the book, “Announcing the Reign of God,” Bishop Mortimer Arias’, provides illustrations for Christian evangelism based on the teachings of Jesus. Which is grounded in the ministry of Christ and affirmed by evidence and experiences contributed from a diverse group of witnesses. Arias’, main point of view, analyzes the Kingdom of God as the governing authority for the proclamation of the gospel in word and deed. He explores biblical sources, particularly the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke with the intent to examine Jesus ' evangelization. The titles for the readings appraises the Kingdom of God’s: Good News, Presence, Imminence, In-Breaking, Eclipse, Announcing as Gift, Announcing as Hope, and Announcing as Challenge End of the Eclipse? Most importantly, Aries probes how we should answer the questions of: “What it means to be evangelical?” Also, “What would ‘kingdom evangelization’ look like?”

The Kingdom may exist in the individual human heart, in groups, in institutions, and in nature. The Kingdom of God is as broad and as overarching as the presence of God which renews and transforms and recreates everything touched by it.

Growing up Jesus was rarely talked about at my house. We went to church, and all, but God stayed at the church and we lived our lives. When I was about ten years old, my dad went to Men’s Encounter. He came home a completely different person. He was and is on fire for God; that fire consumed my entire family. We are now devoted to Jesus, church, and the amazing ministry that is Men’s Encounter. I am now an unofficial pastors daughter, and I am loving every bit of it. God has enabled me to witness His great works, and I could not be more blessed.

There are so many wonderful things about the gospel and knowing that we serve a gracious and merciful God. To know that God sent his son down to earth to pay for our sins is an incredible gift and through the gospel we get to receive it in its entirety. Most people don’t understand the great love God has for us and everything he’s truly done for the greater good of his people and I hope that I can get more and more people closer to a relationship with God as I grow in my faith as well. Four things about the gospel that have stood out to me are that it connects us as humans to God through his son Jesus who is our savior, it is the “good news”, it is the truth, and it teaches us about God’s grace.

This course has had a great impact on my walk with Christ as well as my witness for Christ. I pastor a church and teach two classes and for me I thought that I was doing plenty. However this course has helped rekindle my passion for sharing Jesus Christ with people through personal evangelism. This paper will demonstrate what I have learned throughout this course.

In examining my experience during the recent Cohort Intensives held at Payne Theological Seminary (PTS) in Wilberforce, Ohio; I was quite intrigued with how all of the scholars and guest speakers reinforced many of the initiatives I have already implemented in the context of my own ministry. Likewise, my time spent in class with my Cohort mentors Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and Rev. Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson was both scholastically and spiritually invaluable. During the week-long Intensive class sessions with my mentors, I learned a number of new things about myself that I was not previously willing to address. In short, I had a moment of self-actualization that required some personal omissions on my part regarding my faith and yes some internalized oppression as labeled by author Gayraud S. Wilmore. Opening up in class and admitting a few of my own short-comings was nothing short of liberating. Suddenly, I felt as though I had an epiphany; that has given birth to a renewed zeal, mind, and spirit. For the first time in years I am certain that I am now moving closer to the apex of excellence where God intended me to be.