the language of faith: kingdom - guide
Opening Prayer
Lord, open our eyes to see you.
Open our ears to hear you.
Open our minds to know you.
Open our hearts to love you.
For you are our God and we are your people.
Through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, we pray. Amen.
The word in our “Language of Faith” series this week is “kingdom.”
● What images or ideas come to mind when you hear “the kingdom of God?”
Read each passage and identify what it says about the kingdom and how it connects with your
life now.
● “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given
to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33
● “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 18:2
● “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness,
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit...” - Romans 14:17
● Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to
prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” -
John 18:36
Do you think of the kingdom as something solely in the future or something that has come and
is at least partially here now?
If Jesus is the King of the kingdom, and kingdoms involve authority, where do you see Jesus
having authority in your life? What areas do you see need to be under his authority?
Jesus taught his disciples to pray for the kingdom to come. We do that now:
Lord God, because Jesus has taught us to trust you in all things, we hold to his word and
pray:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where nations seek war while Christ says to “Put up your sword”:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where people rule by power while God helps the powerless:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where women, men and children are treated without respect or dignity:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where Christians seek the kingdom in the shape of their own church:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Where our prayers falter, our faith weakens, our light grows dim:
Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Amen.