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 Table of Contents

Module Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Gospel Reading (2nd Week). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Formative Assessment. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. … . . . . . . . . . . 5

LESSON ONE: Jesus’ Mission (The Kingdom of God)

and the Birth of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 6

A. Jesus and His Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

B. Jesus and the Kingdom of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . … . . . . . . . . . . 12

Gospel Reflection (2nd Week) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Formative Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . … . . . . . . . . . 20

C. The Birth of the Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

D. The Early Christian Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . … . . . . . . . . . . 30

Enabling Assessment 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Learning References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

-oOo-

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 Module Markers
MEANING

GOSPEL READING
Each module starts with a Gospel activity. Bible verses are presented in text and
you should write a reflection about it. Guide questions for reflection are provided.
(Your respective teacher will determine if this will count towards your assessment grade).

MODULE OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES
You will see here the expected Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) and Topic Learning
Outcomes (TLO). This will provide an overview of what you should learn in the
module.

MODULE REQUIREMENTS
This section will show you the required activities/tasks that you need to
submit/accomplish.

STARTING ACTIVITY
This activity is designed to stir up your interest in the lesson to be discussed.
(Your respective teacher will determine if this will count towards your assessment grade).

LESSON PROPER
Contains the bulk of the learning activity. This will provide you with the content to
address the learning outcomes which are divided into subheadings.

ENABLING AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

These assessments will allow you to deepen your understanding of the lesson. The
different assignments and quizzes will assure you of a quality teaching-learning
experience.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
This is an opportunity (optional) to deepen one’s faith journey through a guided
reflection-based from the Gospel.

LEARNING REFERENCES
These are the materials used (sources of information) in the lessons. You may refer
to them to learn more about the topics discussed.

LESSON TIME
This will provide you an idea of how long the lesson and activities will take. DO NOT
BE ALARMED, this is simply a guide. There is no problem if you exceeded the time or
if you finished the lesson and activities ahead of time.

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 Leader: Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
(Pause in a moment of silence.)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(2nd Week)

GOSPEL
Mt. 13:10-17: “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears
because they hear.”

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in
parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of
heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more,
and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have
will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In
them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never
understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s
heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed
their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For
truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but
did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did
not hear it.

Opening Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the people

who continue to love me – my family, teachers, and
friends. Through each of them, I learn how good and
loving you are. Help me to be good and loving also.
Amen. (Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be).

St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

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  DETACH PAGE FROM THE MODULE 

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT (Optional)

Student’s Name: _________________________ Student ID Number: _____________

Instruction: Write your Gospel reflection here.

Thoughts for reflection:

1. The words of the song 'The Boxer' by Paul Simon, “A man hears what he wants to hear
and disregards the rest” witness to the fact that we are highly selective as to what want
to hear and see and understand with our heart. In today’s reading Jesus appeals to us
“to look with our eyes and listen with our ears and understand with our heart” so that
he might heal our sense of insignificance that so often stands in the way of our belief in
the Good News.

2. Am I one of those who look without seeing, or hear without understanding? Jesus
speaks in parables to challenge us out of our laziness, seeking the deeper meaning of
things. How easy to be distracted, especially nowadays when we feel overwhelmed by
too much information and images without any insight.

Reflection
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Lesson One:
Jesus’s Mission (The Kingdom of God) and the Birth of the Church

CLO1. Examine the basic characteristics of the Church as a community of disciples and
the sacraments by learning authentic discipleship in the light of church teachings
and scriptures.
CLO2. Analyze critically the role of the Church in the world today.
CLO3. Appreciate and value the role of every Christian as Christ’s disciple by zealously
embracing the church’s mission and sacramental life.

TLO1. Review of D-REED001 and an overview of the current course and be familiarized
with the online class course policies.
TLO2. Examine the basic characteristics of the Church as a community of disciples and
the sacraments by learning authentic discipleship in the light of Church teachings
and scriptures.
TLO3. Grasp the historical development of the Church since the time of Her birth.

Overview
This lesson gives us an
understanding of the life of
Jesus Christ. His message
about the Kingdom of God,
as a spiritual dimension over
which God reigns as king. It
will proceed on discussing
the Birth of the Church as a
sequel after the Ascension
event. Here we will also be
able to learn the life of the
early Christian Church. How
the first disciples of Jesus
were able to continue the
mission of spreading the
Good News.
https://www.learnreligions.com/origin-of-the-son-of-god-700710

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“Yes, God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, that whosoever
believes in Him may not die but may have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). Cognizant of the Father’s
will, Jesus lived, suffered, died and resurrected so that all will be saved and be one with Him.
Such was Jesus’ will and mission-- to bring all men and women to His Father’s Kingdom.

Introduction
Everybody loves to hear “good news” – something that gives us hope and reason to always
hope for. It is so, because there is so much “bad news” around us. If we watch television
and listen to radio, we can figure out actually on our own percentage of reports which are
“heartening” and “disheartening” to hear. The latter takes the high percentage. There is a
cord in us that tells: “This time I want “good news!”

For his contemporaries, Jesus was the “good news” sent by Yahweh. Jesus was the symbol
of hope and the sign of God’s salvific presence in their history for he came when they really
needed someone to inspire them. They, in hope that they may experience liberation and
salvation, listened to Jesus’ proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom of God and
followed him. His deeds and words are indeed signs of this Kingdom. Through his life God’s
kingdom was concretely experienced by the people particularly those who have so much
longed for it – the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the outcasts, the sick ones.
Indeed, God’s Kingdom was reigning in their midst.

A. JESUS AND HIS TIME

Jesus’ Profile
NAME: Yeshuah bar Yosep (Jesus, son of Joseph)
MEANING OF NAME: ‘Yahweh saves or “Yahweh is salvation” or “Liberator”
YEAR OF BIRTH: ca. 6-4 B.C.
PLACE OF BIRTH: Bethlehem, Judea
PLACE HE GREW UP: Nazareth, Galilee
MOTHER: Mary
FATHER: Yahweh
SEX: Male
RACE: Semitic
HEIGHT: about 5’9” to 5’10”
RELIGION: Judaism
NATIONALITY: Jew
PERMANENT ADDRESS: The Father’s Kingdom (heaven)
BUSINESS ADDRESS: Everywhere in Palestine
LAGUAGE SPOKEN: Aramaic, a Hebrew dialect
COMPLEXION: Fair
EYES: brown
HIS FAVORITE TITLE: Son of Man
OCCUPATION: Carpenter
PROFESSION: Rabbi (teacher)
AGE AT DEATH: 33 years old
YEAR OF DEATH: ca.30-33 AD
ROMAN EMPEROR IN HIS TIME: Tiberius

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PROCURATOR OF JUDEA:
HIGH PRIEST:
CRIMES ACCUSED OF:
of
DATE OF DEATH (approximate):
PUNISHMENT HE RECEIVED:
CAUSE OF HIS DEATH:
PLACE OF BURIAL:
QUALITIES HE LIKED MOST:
QUALITIES HE DISLIKED MOST:
ENEMIES:
FIRST APPEARED TO:
RELATIVES PRESENT:
Educational attainment
BASICS:
ADVANCE:
DEGREE:
FRIENDS:
CENTRAL TEACHING:
STYLE OF TEACHING:
PLACE OF BAPTISM:
AGE OF BAPTISM:
1st MIRACLE PERFORMED:
DATE (YEAR) OF MINISTRY:
Titles of Jesus
- The Nazarene (from Nazareth), Son of Man, carpenter, son of David, son of Joseph, Christ
(the anointed One), Son of God, Messiah, Kyrios (Lord), Rabbi (teacher), Eternal Word of
God (Logos), Savior and Emmanuel (God with us).
The Names of Jesus
To the ARTIST:
To the ARCHITECHT:
To the BAKER:
To the BANKER:
To the BIOLOGIST:
To the BUILDER:
To the CARPENTER:
To the DOCTOR:
To the EDUCATOR:
To the ENGINEER:
To the FLORIST:
Pontius Pilate ca.26-36 AD
Caiaphas, son in law of Annas
Rebellion against the Temple, blasphemy and breaking
the Sabbath Law
14TH DAY OF THE MONTH OF Nisan (or Abib) in Hebrew
calendar
Crucifixion, Roman punishment for criminals
Asphyxiation on the cross (inability to breath)
Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea
Repentant spirit, generosity, and humility
Sin, hypocrisy and pride
Some Scribes and Pharisees
Mary Magdalene (After the resurrection)
Mary, his mother; Mary, his mother’s sister and wife of
Cleophas; Mary Magdalene; the beloved disciple John (At
his crucifixion)
Reading Scriptures
Memorization of the Scriptures
Degree in Scripture and Torah
12, especially Peter, James, and John
Kingdom of God
Parables
Jordan River, baptized by John, the Baptist
30 years old
Changing of water to wine (wedding at Cana)
29-33 AD (Inclusive)
He is altogether lovely.
He is the Chief Corner Stone.
He is the Living bread.
He is the Hidden Treasure.
He is the Life.
He is the sure foundation.
He is the Door.
He is the Great Physician.
He is the Great Teacher.
He is the New and Living Way.
He is the Rose and the Lily of the Valley.
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To the GEOLOGIST: He is the Rock of Ages.
To the AGRICULTURIST: He is the True Vine.
To the JUDGE: He is the Righteous Judge, Judge of all men.
To the JEWELER: He is the Pearl of Great Price.
To the LAWYER: He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver, the Advocate.
To the NEWSPAPERMAN: He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
To the PHILANTHROPIST: He is the Unspeakable Gift.
To the PHILOSOPHER: He is the Wisdom of God.
To the PREACHER: He is the Word of God.
To the SCULPTOR: He is the Living Stone.
To the SERVANT: He is the Good Master.
To the STATESMAN: He is the Desire of all Nations
To the STUDENT: He is the Incarnate Truth.
To the THEOLOGIAN: He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
To the TOILER: He is the Giver of Rest.
To the SINNER: He is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the
World.
For CHRISTIANS: He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the
Redeemer
and the Lord.
HIS WISH FOR US: That all may be one or united.

The Country of Jesus: Palestine

Palestine is derived from the Hebrew term “Philistines”- the land of Palestine. Palestine is a
small country called Canaan during the time of Patriarchs, then Palestine under the Roman
rule during Jesus’ time, and currently known as Israel today - was bounded by the
Mediterranean Sea and Phoenicia in the west, desert to the east, Syria to the North and
Egypt to the South.

Palestine is divided into two parts: the northern part (Israel) whose capital is Samaria and
the southern part (Judea) whose capital is Jerusalem. It has an area of about 9,000 sq. m.
The conquerors were the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans-sought to
control it. The Major Places in Palestine and their rulers are:

1. Galilee - is found in the northern part of Palestine, the capital was Tiberias. Galilee is very
luxurious and productive; the people were cosmopolitan with many non-Jews who had
settled in this province. The place where Jesus performed His first miracle-Cana of Galilee.
Herod Antipas was the ruler.

2. Judea - located in the southern part of Palestine. The inhabitants were the exiles coming
from the tribe of Judah and they were called Jews. Jerusalem is the capital and became
the seat of religion. Archelaus was the Ruler. He was replaced by a Roman Procurator
Pontius Pilate the King during Jesus’ time.

3. Samaria - is located in between Galilee and Judea. The ancestors were Jews who
intermarried with colonists in Assyria. The people were called Samaritans. Religion was

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 based on the Five Books of Moses. Herod Philip became the ruler of Iturea and
Trachonitis and rebuilds the city of Bethsaida which he renamed Caesarea Philippi.

Social Situation in Palestine

The social situation during the time of Jesus was characterized by the presence of many
poor and oppressed people. They had no voice in the political and religious matters of the
community. The majority of the population was being exploited and abused. The Educated
and the Virtuous, the wealthy, and the Priests were leaders

In Palestine, the people who were considered as poor: those who could not support
themselves, suffered from the loss of human dignity. They are the sick and the disabled, the
widows and the orphans, the unskilled day-laborers.

The Sinners and Social outcasts were: people who do not keep the law and the traditions.
Among the sinners were the tax collectors - who work in the service of the Romans, made a
contract to submit to the Romans a certain amount for taxes. They were known for not being
honest.

The Shepherds were the ones who took care of the flock of other people. Many of them
would lead their flock to the land pastures of another or butcher a lamb for their
consumption.

Those with unclean professions were: prostitutes, tax collectors, robbers, shepherds,
usurers, and gamblers. Those incapable of virtue and piety

The attitudes towards Sinners during this time: there was no practical way for the sinners to
be made clean again and to be accepted by society. The process of repentance was very
long and elaborated-it would cost plenty of money. Thus, to be a sinner was one’s destiny,
suffered many guilt feelings which often resulted in mental disorders.

The Political and Religious Situation during this time. The community was no longer united
due to many factors: they were divided into several religious groups or sects such as the
Armed Group:

a. Zealots- taken up arms against the Romans - they had given up their lives for the
liberation of their lands.
b. Essenes - they waited for the right time to wage war against the Romans.

Both groups based their actions on the religious conviction that God was their only King.
Formalism and hypocrisy had eroded the true religion. Religion became the source of
division in the community. The law had been turned into an instrument of oppression of the
simple people. Legalism had replaced obedience to the law. There was a great need for
religious and political reformation.

The Prominent and Influential Groups

1. Religious Groups

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 a. Pharisees - the separated ones, considered themselves as the holy men of Israel. Life
was strictly ruled by the letter of the law. His members were mostly laymen. They
considered the Roman occupation a punishment from God because of unfaithfulness.
For them, to be liberated Israel must return to the laws and traditions. They still wait
for the Messiah who would set them free.
b. Sadducees - from Sadok, the high priest of Solomon and were composed of the
wealthy upper class (priestly aristocrats, elders, and few Scribes). Functioned as the
leaders of the people who rejected resurrection and recognized only the Pentateuch
as law. For them collaborating with the Romans was the best way to solve their
political problems. They were the dominant party in the Sanhedrin. Their belief: a
man should solve their problems and not always rely on God.
c. Essenes - they lived in a monastic community at Qumran (Dead Sea). Their lifestyle:
prayer, meditation, and property in common. They were the observers of the law.
They expected two Messiahs: King and Priest
d. Baptist Movements -value baptism as an initiation rite of forgiveness.
e. People of the Land - MASA: Common tao and were considered as ignorant of the law,
sinners, and impure.
f. Samaritans - mixed origin, separated from official Judaism. They observed the
Pentateuch and have a tense relationship with the Jews

2. Social-Religious Groups
a. Scribes - Doctors of the law, learned men, and teachers of the law. They were the
official interpreters of the Scripture and provides rules for everyday life and legal
judgments in the court. They loved to be called Rabbi or Master and law becomes an
obsession to them.
b. Publicans - auxiliaries (Jews) of the Roman tax collectors. They had a bad reputation,
public sinners.

3. Political Groups
a. Sanhedrin - means “to sit together”. The highest council, composed of seventy-one
members (high priest, Elders, some Scribes, and Pharisees). They had their sessions
at the temple (twice a week). They were the political powers who enacted laws,
owned the police force, passed death sentence (not at the time of Jesus)
b. Zealots - resistance movement (militaristic). They were the armed rebels against the
Romans. Their belief: Messiah was the great military leader and they see Jesus as a
political Messiah.

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 https://churchofchristatgoldhillroad.org/what-the-bible-says-about-the-church-the-body-of-christ-on-earth/
B. JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Etymological Meaning
The word church is taken from the Greek word, ecclesia, which means originally an
assembly or groupings of people. The word, however, had no religious undertone. This word
was adopted by the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) to render the
Hebrew word kahal, which signifies the religious assembly of people Israel. Later, the early
Christians simply took it over to apply their household gatherings or sometimes to a
Christian community in a specific locality, for example in Corinth. Thereafter, the word
applied to the Christian community as a whole, the Universal Church as we call it now.

At the heart of the gospel of Jesus is the kingdom of God. This one phrase sums up the
entire ministry of Jesus and his whole life’s work. Jesus spoke in Aramaic and the New
Testament was written in Greek. The expression kingdom of God — basileia tou theou (bas-il-
EH-ah too THEH-oo) in Greek and malkutha d’elaha (mal-KOOTH-ah dehl-ah-HAH) in
Aramaic—points to the ruling activity of God over human social relationships.

As we read the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we see that every thought and saying of
Jesus was directed and subordinated to one single thing: the realization of the reign of God’s
love, compassion, justice, and peace within human society. Although Jesus spoke of the
kingdom of God frequently, he never clearly defined it. Instead, he spoke of it in parables,
comparing something familiar (mustard seed, leaven, lost coins, a man who sowed a field)
with something unfamiliar.

“What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall we compare it?”
We must test any proposed definition or meaning of the kingdom against the parables. Over
the centuries, a variety of interpretations of what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God have
been put forth. We will briefly examine six of the most common explanations: the reign of
God as 1) heaven, 2) an inner spiritual experience, 3) the church, 4) a separate society, 5) a
new state, and 6) a new world.

1) Many Christians probably believe that heaven is the proper understanding of the kingdom
of God. The term in Matthew’s gospel, the kingdom of heaven often causes massive
confusion and leads to this distorted misconception. The kingdom of heaven is not a term
that was used by Jesus but rather is a secondary form created by the author of Matthew’s
gospel as another way to proclaim the kingdom of God without specifically mentioning the
word God. As God’s dwelling place, heaven is a symbol that can stand for God. The author
of Matthew’s gospel wrote to a predominantly Jewish-Christian audience. He modified the
term kingdom of God because of the Jewish aversion to speaking the name of God. Pious
Jews did this to avoid breaking the commandment that prohibits taking God’s name in
vain, even if unwittingly. So, for Matthew’s community, the kingdom of heaven had the

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 same meaning as the kingdom of God. But today, it confuses and misleads many as to
Jesus’ meaning and intent.

2) Many Christians understand the kingdom of God to mean an inner spiritual experience —
the rule of God in people’s hearts. But it is wrong to place all the emphasis solely on an
individual relationship with God. Kingdom by its very nature implies a collective order—a
monarch ruling over a group of subjects. In the past, Jesus’ words in Luke 17:21 have
been frequently translated to read, “The kingdom of God is within you.” More recently the
Greek word entos (en-TOS) - which can mean either within or among - has been
translated to read, “the kingdom of God is in your midst” or “the kingdom of God is
among you.” Within implies an individualistic and private realm, while the newer
translations reveal the corporate and public nature of a kingdom.

3) Christian preachers often speak as if the kingdom is

just another word for the church. This interpretation
at least has a corporate dimension - a group of people
who recognize the rule of God in their hearts. But as
much as we try to talk of the “one holy and apostolic
church” and the “holy catholic church” as a universal
body of believers, one cannot avoid the fact that the
church is manifested in a wide variety of human
social institutions with offices, hierarchies, a history,
divisions, prescribed sets of beliefs, rituals, etc. Jesus
was pretty clear that the kingdom of God has no place
for hierarchies, titles, and exclusionary practices. The
checkered history of the church - including religious
warfare and crusades, approval of slavery, intolerance https://truechurch.forumotion.com/
of other faiths, religious schisms, torture and burning of heretics, and many other acts of
hatred and violence - suggests that this institution is not the kingdom that Jesus
envisioned. Despite credal claims, it is not a very holy institution. If the kingdom of God is
in any way like the church, it is in the context of a faithful community, but not as an
institution.

4) Some people believe that the kingdom of God will be a separate society — an earthly
utopia created by men and women based on the ethical principles of Jesus. Throughout
history, they have created social experiments based on the teachings of Jesus. This often
leads to groups of people who withdraw from an “evil” society and create alternative
communities in which they legislate kingdom values as community laws. But the kingdom
of God is not geographically or socially isolated from the center of society. The kingdom is
not a demand for social avoidance or withdrawal. The kingdom of God is found squarely
in the middle of social evil, injustice, domination, and exploitation.

5) Many of Jesus’ contemporaries were looking to establish a new state — to restore the
ancient kingdom of Israel as an independent nation, free from Roman control. They
wanted to return to the idealized glory of the kingdom under David and Solomon. They
were waiting for God to act through an anointed king — a messiah. But Jesus rejected the
messianic role of a military conqueror and king. The mission and message of Jesus do not

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 validate any earthly state or nation. God’s kingdom and ruling style cut across all national
boundaries. The governing style of God stands in opposition to the domination systems of
nation-states, especially to their unjust favoritism toward the wealthy and the use of
violence to support the status quo.

6) Some believe that the kingdom of God is a reference to a new world based on the
metaphoric imagery in the book of Revelation of a new heaven and a new earth. In this
apocalyptic scenario, this world will end, replaced by a new one. This interpretation is
often associated with the earthly return of Jesus at some future date. Many Christians
believe that at the second coming of Jesus, the kingdom of God will come in its fullness.
But Jesus suggested something quite different—the kingdom is very near or already here
in our midst, not a part of some distant future.

Any New Testament references to the coming of a new world, or a new creation may also be
understood as the inauguration of a new age or new order within our contemporary world.
God’s new order as conceived by Jesus is a new age breaking into the present one. The
change will come not from replacement but the transformation. Jesus’ parables of the
mustard seed and the leaven illustrate his vision. Tiny seeds of the mustard plant sown in a
cultivated garden will transform it as this unruly and uncontrollable weed takes over. A s
mall amount of yeast or leaven placed in a large amount of bread dough will transform the
dough, causing it to rise and change from within. Once started, neither mustard seed nor
leaven can be controlled.

If we read the gospels closely, none of the traditional interpretations - heaven, an inner
spiritual experience, the church, a separate society, a new state, or a new world — fit with
the visionary images in the proclamation of Jesus. Most are an attempt to domesticate the
vision of Jesus — to control it, to water it down, to render it harmless. But despite the best
efforts of the church, the vision of Jesus for humanity’s future — like the mustard seed —
refuses to be controlled.

Sacred Scripture
When Jesus began His public ministry in spreading the good news of salvation His
reputation preceded Him and spread throughout Galilee. He taught in their synagogues, and
all were loud in His praise. He came to Nazareth where He had been reared, and entering
the synagogue on the sabbath as He was in the habit of doing, He stood up to do the
reading. When the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed Him, He unrolled the scroll and
found the passage where it was written: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year
acceptable to the Lord.” (Lk. 4: 14-19)

Church Teaching
1. Jesus’ mission is the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Being a Jew himself, Jesus
was so aware that the people have really been longing for God’s presence particularly in
their clamor for justice and liberation. They were hoping that God would reign supreme
again as a King in their midst particularly in the presence of the Romans. He clearly
understood his mission and that is, to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom. Luke

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 4:18-19 is an important account in our understanding of Jesus because in it he explicitly
declared his mission.

It is mentioned clearly in the text that the beneficiaries of Jesus’ announcement of the
good news of the kingdom were the poor, the captives, the blind, the oppressed and the
marginalized people who are at the fringes of society. This preferential option for the
poor, which is born out of his love and compassion for them, reflects the situation of his
society and his time which was characterized by an oppressive structure that perpetuates
the marginalization of the poor from the privileged found at the center of the society.

2. Kingdom of God is an experience of Salvation. The Kingdom is indeed an experience of

liberation particularly for the poor. It is good news for them for it is only their source of
hope. It is an experience of salvation – an experience of a fuller and meaningful life (Neo,
et. Al., 1995). Jesus’ mere presence is indeed a manifestation that God is so close to
them and is always at their side, a compassionate God. He healed the sick (Mk. 2:1-12,
Lk. 17:11-19), forgave sinners (Lk. 7:36-50), associated closely with the poor, sinners,
and the outcasts (Lk. 15:2, Mk. 2:15-16, Lk. 19: 1-10, Lk. 14:12-13).

This Kingdom is concretely realized and manifested in the life of Jesus- His ministry of
teaching and healing, and ultimately in His Paschal Mystery (His death, resurrection and
ascension). His person is a concrete manifestation of the good news that this Kingdom
brings. In it we can experience liberation from all forms of personal and structural
imprisonment - negative behavior, ignorance, tyranny, injustices, and sins - and fullness
and a meaningful life. The Kingdom is not therefore a territory or a place that one can
enter but rather a new condition or a new way of life.

3. Kingdom of God is a Gift. The good news to the poor was the Kingdom of God. Jesus
proclaimed this Kingdom as a gift of God. Though we don’t deserve it because of our
sinfulness, we must accept it actively for it is from our gracious God. It is a seed quietly
sown. The seed of the reign of God, he whom Jesus addresses intimately as ‘Abba,’
Father, and who is revealed as ‘sensitive to the needs and sufferings of every human
being. He is a Father filled with love and compassion, who grants forgiveness and freely
bestows the favors asked of him. All are invited to the Kingdom on no merit of theirs.
God’s kingdom is the gift of salvation. It is the offer of pardon to sinners. It is eternal life.
The kingdom is a banquet, a table-fellowship, a joyful communion with the Lord and with
one’s fellow human beings. When the reign of God breaks into our world, the devil’s
dominion of sin and death begins to break up.” (PCP II 39)

The Kingdom is a “gift” that comes from God. (PCP II, 39). It is realized when people
accept Jesus wholly into their lives. This acceptance is manifested in a free response in
faith. This marks a total turning from one’s old life to the newness of life in Jesus
(conversio). Thus, accepting Jesus means accepting his values, teachings, his ideals, and
vision of reality. It is a free action to become Jesus’ disciples. The Kingdom is within the
persons (Neo, et. Al., 1995). This personal dimension of the Kingdom is described in the
parable of the pearl of the great price and the parable of the treasure.

15
4. Kingdom of God: A Task and a Promise. The Kingdom of God as a task is something that
“comes” through our effort and cooperation with God’s grace. The Kingdom is not just a
reality within a person. Acceptance of Jesus in discipleship should be made visible in our
relationship with others and society. The Kingdom cannot be confined only within us. It
is a relationship as God has tried to reach us in and through Jesus. Concretely, the
kingdom invites us to be concerned with the needs of others particularly the poor and to
become vigilant toward situations and structures that perpetuate injustices and
oppressions in our society. That is why Mt. 5: 13-16 points out that disciples who have
accepted the Kingdom become light and salt of the earth.

The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines challenges each one of us to do our job as
members of the Church, as heirs to God’s Kingdom. “Though the Kingdom is God’s gift,
we must receive it actively. “Repent and believe in the gospel,” Jesus calls out. (Mk. 1:15).
We must have a change of mind and heart, mend our ways and return to God. We must
seek the Kingdom of God and His justice as the supreme priority. We must be prepared to
give up everything that might compromise this pursuit of the Kingdom. It demands our
vigilance and the use of our talents. Hence, the Kingdom of God is a task, a project” (PCP
II 42).

The Kingdom of God is promised to those who do the will of the Father, to those who
serve “the least” of Christ’s brothers and sisters, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked and
the homeless, the sick, those languishing in prison (Mt. 7:21, 25:31-46). It is promised to
the meek and the pure of heart, to those who hunger and thirst for justice (Mt. 5:5-6,8).
This promise is of a Kingdom yet to come in its fullness. We must pray in for its coming;
strive for its coming. And when that Kingdom comes, death, the last enemy, will be
vanquished, and all will submit themselves to Christ who will turn everything to His Father
so that God may be all in all (1 Cor 15:25-28).

CONCLUSION
The kingdom of God as preached by Jesus is a vision of a profound transformation of human
beings and human institutions — social, political, economic, and religious — to a form that
expresses the character and nature of a God of love. It combines elements of personal and
social transformation in the spiritual and political realms.

According to Jesus, God’s new order is

something of great value, yet it is often
hidden from view by the overwhelming
presence of injustice and violence and
must be uncovered or recovered. It is
something that has been lost and must be
found again. It is something we have long
believed is impossible, but must now
struggle and hope for again. The kingdom
is something that cannot be seen in and
by itself, yet its effects are visible. To enter
the kingdom to even see the kingdom,
one must experience a dramatic change -

https://www.christiantruthcenter.com/focus-on-the-
heavenly-the-earthly-will-be-added-unto-you/ 16
a reorientation, a new way of thinking and seeing, a kind of metaphoric rebirth.

The kingdom of God that Jesus described in metaphors and stories was the action of a
social-political movement inspired by the God of love to restore what Jesus believed to be
God’s intention for humanity from the very moment of creation. Rather than the Jewish
dream for the restoration of political and religious power through external divine action,
Jesus painted a vision of God changing the world from within through the creation of a new
community bonded together in new egalitarian social relationships. Jesus described what
would happen when love finally broke through the hearts and minds of people to transform
their actions and relationships into a society based on compassion, generosity, and equality.
Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom had already arrived and could be seen and entered into
if a person underwent a radical transformation of the beliefs and values that conventional
wisdom of power and success has implanted in their hearts.

The kingdom of God was the metaphor Jesus

used to describe his vision of THE WAY
THINGS WERE MEANT TO BE IN HUMAN
SOCIETY — how things could be dramatically
different within us and among us — and to
understand Jesus you have to understand the
nature and power of a vision. Visions always
deal with the future. Indeed, a vision is where
tomorrow begins, for it expresses what those
who share the vision are working hard to
create. The power of a vision is that while it
describes the future state to be achieved, it
begins to immediately shape the present. A
community or organization doesn’t wait for a
vision to magically happen, they work together
to make it a reality. Jesus chose to take the
long-awaited dream of a just and
compassionate society, and by articulating
and acting on it, making it a vision that would
lead to the transformation of the world. When
people embrace a vision of the future, they
begin to live it out in the present.

But the reality is that the final consummation https://www.amazon.com/Am-Way-Truth-

of the vision may never come about Life-Pack/dp/1682163253
completely in human history. And it may never come about, as many imagine, at the end of
human history. We do not indicate that the vision of Jesus will ever be fulfilled. But the
dream is that it could be fulfilled through the power of transforming love, compassion, and
nonviolence and it is worth struggling to achieve. The reality is that if no one acts upon a
vision, it only remains a dream. The proclamation of the reign of God by Jesus is a call to
action. The vision of God’s new order is an invitation to a journey. The destination is hoped
for, but not assured. If we choose to follow Jesus and contribute to making the kingdom of
God a reality, we are called to spend our lives in the pursuit of this vision.

17
But the kingdom of God is more than the vision. It also includes the people inspired by the
vision who work at the margins of society to transform it through small daily actions.
Kingdom people lead radically transformed lives that stand in contrast and opposition to the
unjust society that surrounds them. Their actions comprise a conspiracy to subvert and
disturb the normalcy of the domination system by persistently prodding the powers and
principalities toward social transformation.

Jesus called people to follow him in a way of living. He did not require his followers to accept
a catalog of religious beliefs or adopt a set of spiritual practices. Rather, he offered them a
new way to live their daily lives. As a result, the earliest members of the Jesus movement
were known simply as followers of the Way. They represented not just any way, but a way of
life dedicated to selfless love amid a selfish, unjust, and violent world. The way of Jesus puts
love for others ahead of one’s ego-centricity, resulting in a lifestyle of compassion toward
those in need that sets one apart from societal norms of self-interest, self-concern, and
selfishness. The way of Jesus is simply the way of love toward others in the world.

It is time to change our lives and begin

transforming our communities at a fundamental
level. It is time to save our corner of the world
from the reigning spirit of indifference, greed,
exclusion, and violence. It is time to assist in the
birth of a better world that our hearts know is
possible.

Thus, the Kingdom of God is not just a reality

within a person. Acceptance of Jesus in
discipleship should be made visible in our
relationship with others and society. The
Kingdom cannot be confined only within us. It is
a relationship as God has tried to reach us in and
through Jesus. Concretely, the kingdom invites
us to be concerned with the needs of others
particularly the poor and to become vigilant
toward situations and structures that perpetuate
injustices and oppressions in our society. That is
why Mt. 5: 13-16 points out that disciples who
have accepted the Kingdom become light and
salt of the earth. https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/AfP48joizV5oF1Vj1
MMkyXmlShDMIzUEJuXwMfKB4Do5J-J7TxzGT5o/

18
 CLOSING PRAYER: I will continue, O my God, to do all my actions for the love of you.

St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Leader: Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
(Pause in a moment of silence.)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(2nd Week)

GOSPEL

Mt. 5:1-12: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his
disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness's sake, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of
evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.".

Opening Prayer: Dear God, I know now that you are a God who loves surprises. Make me
ready always to welcome the new challenges that I encounter. I hope they will help me become a
better person. Amen. (Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be).

St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us.

19
 Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

 DETACH PAGE FROM THE MODULE 

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Student’s Name: _________________________ Student ID Number: _____________

Instruction: Write your Gospel reflection here.

Thoughts for reflection:

What the world sees as tragic or empty, Jesus sees as blessed: humility, mourning,
gentleness, peacefulness and other virtues. Jesus lived by these qualities himself and we
can notice them in his words and actions during his life with us on earth. He could
encourage us to live in the spirit of the Beatitudes because he himself lived them and knew
that a life of integrity and honesty is indeed a blessed life.

I choose two of these beatitudes to be a backdrop to my prayer and reflection today: one
that affirms me and one that calls me further.

Reflection
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________
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20
 C. THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH

Every community has a beginning. Sometimes, some communities start with grandiose
beginnings, others with humble ones – some with grand plans by their founders, others
without, only the charisma of the founder. Jesus’ community depicts the latter description.

Jesus did not have a “master plan” for the church. To be sure, he was the originating cause
of the church; that is to say, that without his life, his ministry, his teaching, and his death
and resurrection, there would have been no church. But he did not organize it. He did not
personally frame its polity or constitute its discipline. Jesus was the impetus given to the
apostles to establish the church. He was the inspiration and stimulus for organized
Christianity. He anticipated the institution founded by those who came after him and to
which they gave his name.

He attracted a band of followers during His lifetime. His chosen group of apostles, and some
others particularly some women, travelled with Him as He went about preaching the
message of the Kingdom of God throughout Judea and Galilee. This little band of Jesus’
followers would not have known the word “church” or the word “Christian.” The appellation
“Christian,” as we are told in the book of Acts, was first given to the infant church in the city
of Antioch (in modern-day Turkey) years after the death of Christ. Nevertheless, it is this
particular communal lifestyle that sets the tone for the development of other communities
that are the building blocks of the Christian church (Knox 2003).

The nature of the church is so different from the nature of any other social institution that it
is hardly correct to think of it as having been established by any person or collection of
persons, even the apostles themselves. The best way to picture the origin of the Christian
church is in terms of birth. Maybe it is providential that Luke's placement for the beginning
of the church in the book of Acts falls at the same place as his description of the birth of
Jesus in his Gospel-in the second chapter. THE CHURCH IS THE EXTENSION IN TIME OF THE
INCARNATION. It is the continuation in the corporate form of Christ's presence. Indeed, it is
the body of Christ. It is the historical institutionalization of Christ's ministry and the life-giving
properties of his death and resurrection.

The Holy Spirit is the founder of the church. Just as Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit to
be born of the Virgin Mary, even so, the church was given its corporate life by that same
Spirit. As God once lived on earth as a human being in the Second Person of the Trinity, so
God resides now in the Third Person of the Trinity in the church and its members. The Holy

21
Spirit is God still living among and in God's people. Thus, it is correct to say that at a given
time in history the Christian church was born of the Holy Spirit.

Sacred Scripture
The twelve apostles, and some of the early band of followers, including Jesus’ mother, Mary,
were gathered together in the house in Jerusalem. Here is how Luke, in the Acts of the
Apostles, describes what happened:

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And
suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the
whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire
distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving
them utterance.

Now Jews were living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And
when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were bewildered because
each one of them was hearing them speak in his language. They were amazed and
astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it
that we each hear them in our language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes
and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors
from Rome, both Jews, and proselytes, Cretans, and Arabs—we hear them in our
tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” And they all continued in amazement
and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others were
mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” (Acts 2: 1ff.)

Church Teaching
“He (Jesus) formed them into a group, the innermost circle of which was called the Twelve.
To them, He revealed the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He taught them that the secret
of greatness in the Kingdom was childlike trust in God and humble service. He sent them
out on a mission to the villages and towns of Israel.” (PCP II, 46)

“He gathered them around him at supper on the night he was betrayed, handed to them his
own body and blood as the seal of the new covenant, and gave them the command to love
one another as he loved them. Scattered during his passion and death, they regrouped after
he rose from the dead. He entrusted
them with a definitive mission as his
representatives, to make disciples of
all the nations whom they were to
teach to obey his commands. He
sent the Holy Spirit upon the
disciples on Pentecost. Invested with
power from on high through the
descent of the Holy Spirit, with

22
supreme courage and holy zeal they went to proclaim the Good News, the love of Jesus who
died and rose that all might have life.” (PCP II, 47)

https://nwbible.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/
Pentecost (2:1) matthew-10-the-apostles-first-mission-trip/
This birth of the
church by the Holy
Spirit took place on
the day of Pentecost.
Next to Christmas and
Easter, Pentecost is
the greatest day in the
Christian year. On that
day the paraments on
the altars of our
churches are red, and
the ministers wear red
stoles over their
shoulders. Red is the
liturgical color for the
Season after
Pentecost, which can
extend now from
Pentecost Sunday https://www.calendardate.com/pentecost_2021.htm
until the beginning of
Advent. Trinity Sunday
follows Pentecost, and some churches begin Trinity Season on that day, which limits the
Season of Pentecost to only one week. United Methodists renamed Trinity Season Kingdom
tide. But no matter how we divide the Christian calendar into seasons, Pentecost itself is
one of the three great feast days of the Christian year. Since Christmas seldom falls on
Sunday, Pentecost Sunday is second only to Easter as the most important Sunday in the
Christian year.

Yet the word Pentecost occurs in the Bible only three times, all in the New Testament (Acts
2:1, 20:16; 1 Cor. 16:8). The latter two refer to Paul; in the first instance, it is indicated that
he has to be in Jerusalem at Pentecost, and on the second occasion, he says he will remain
in Ephesus until the Pentecost.

PENTECOST MEANS "The FIFTIETH DAY. It corresponds to the Jewish Feast of Weeks, which
was a one-day religious observance that came fifty days after Passover. On that day the first
fruits of the wheat and corn harvest were presented to the Lord God in the Temple. All Old
Testament holy days commemorate some special event in Israelite history, and the Feast of
Weeks is no exception. It recalls God's covenant with Noah and later with Moses. It came to
be the anniversary of the promulgation of the law by God from Mount Sinai through Moses.
There is a rabbinical tradition that the Ten Commandments were issued by God in the
several languages of the seventy nations of antiquity.

23
Pentecost comes fifty days after Easter Day. The Passover is the anniversary of the
deliverance of the Hebrew people from Egyptian slavery, and the Feast of Weeks is the
anniversary of God's constitution for the establishment of a new nation. Without the law, the
state of Israel in the Promised Land could never have come into existence. Likewise, Easter,
as the anniversary of the resurrection, is the celebration of Christ's conquest of death and
his victory over the grave. Pentecost, then, signalizes the gift of the power of the resurrection
to Christ's followers and the constitution of a new Israel -- the church -- to supersede the old
Israel.

Before that could happen, however, two requirements had to be met. THE FIRST WAS THAT
THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD CONSTITUTE THE NEW ISRAEL, THAT IS, THE FIRST MEMBERS OF
THIS EMERGING ORGANIZATION, THE ORIGINAL CORPORATE MANIFESTATION OF THE BODY
OF CHRIST, HAD TO BE OF "ONE ACCORD." They had to possess a single mind. They had to
share the same ideal. Divisiveness among them would have meant ruin for the whole
enterprise and would have thwarted the plan of Almighty God.

The Christian church could never have been born had Judas Iscariot remained in the lot. He
would have polarized the group and prevented the unity necessary for the accomplishment
of God's purpose. But his contrary attitudes and actions seem to have died with him.
Fortunately, there was no other "Judas" in that illustrious company on that first Christian
Pentecost.

The second requirement that had to be met was that the people had to be gathered together
in one place. They could not be scattered abroad. When the glorious transaction took place,
they all had to participate in it.

From its very inception, Christianity has been a social movement. The plan of what it should
be and the motivation for it did not come to just one individual who had to convince others
of the value of what he recommended. In this regard, it was entirely different from Buddhism,
Confucianism, and Islam. The church was born through a collection of people who were
assembled in one place. It did not originate under a Bo tree or in a scholar's study or on the
sands of the desert. It began in an upper room.

24
 https://faithfulstewardshipblog.com/2014/03/19/peters-first-sermon/
Empowerment by the Holy
Spirit (2:2-13)
Under such circumstances, the Holy Spirit came and
transformed that small collection of people into the
first congregation of the Christian church. Luke uses
two symbols -- wind and fire -- to describe the descent
of the Spirit; a symbol is a sign, an indication, not the
reality itself. He says that those present heard a sound
out of heaven like a strong, swift wind blowing through
the whole house. At the same time, they saw above
them streaks of bright light like fi re. Their vision was
that of bolts of lightning striking everything about them.
The Holy Spirit was manifested to them by both what
they heard and what they saw. Pentecost for those first
followers of Jesus was an audiovisual experience.

According to the account, however, the sound was

more than mere sound. It became almost tangible to
them. Indeed, the noise that sounded like wind
whistling in the distance proved to be wind and blew in
on them so that they felt what they heard. The blowing,
whistling wind illustrates the pervasiveness of the holy
spirit, which reached and affected everyone in that first
Christian congregation. https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/
429179039488060170/

There is no Old Testament equivalent for this. God was not in the wind that blew in the face
of Elijah as he stood waiting for God atop Mount Horeb in the wilderness (1 Kings 19:11).
However, Jesus used the image of the wind to explain to Nicodemus the coming and going of
the Spirit, whose presence one always feels when one experiences the new birth, is "born
again," so to speak, in the image of God, and becomes an entirely new person (John 3:8).
That is precisely what happened to those people on the day of Pentecost.

The symbol of fire for the Holy Spirit does

have its equivalent in the Old Testament.
God led the people out of Egypt by a pillar
of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night
(Exod. 13:21). Fire illustrates the guidance
the Holy Spirit will give the followers of
Jesus as they undertake their mission in
the world. He will show them what to do
and how to do it. He will enable them to

25
convict people of sin, to warn them of God's judgment, and to make them righteous (John
16:8). In other words, the same thing the Spirit has done for them at Pentecost, he will
through their agency do for all those who believe and accept the gospel they proclaim.

Luke says that the bright light that looked like fire settled on each one of them; that is, a
separate tongue of fire lapped every person -- a bolt of lightning struck every individual. At
Pentecost, those people were set on fire spiritually by the Holy Spirit. They gained divine
energy;

they no longer operated as mere human beings Their strength and influence were the
strength and influence of Almighty God. When Luke says that they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit, he means that their personalities no longer belonged to them but belonged to
God. It was no longer they who lived but Christ by the Holy Spirit who lived in them (Gal.
2:20).

The immediate result of the descent of the Holy Spirit on that little congregation at
Pentecost was the ability the Spirit gave some of them to speak in languages other than
their own. The languages were not unknown tongues in the sense of being something
different from any languages spoken by people on earth. What each spoke was unknown to
him before he spoke it, but it was not unknown to those to whom it was spoken. And
evidently, each person spoke a different language from every other person; there was a
variety in communication corresponding to all the languages that the foreigners in
Jerusalem understood. The purpose of speaking in other tongues was not for the personal
edification of the Christians but simply as means of converting unbelievers This gift,
therefore, was altogether utilitarian.

The response of those who heard, as might have been expected, was mixed. Some were
most favorably impressed and wanted to hear more and ponder the meaning of what they
heard relative to their own life and destiny. Others discredited what the followers of Jesus
said, made fun of them, and claimed that they must be drunk to make such extravagant
claims for this new faith and their risen Lord. But, no matter, both those that took them
seriously and those that did not were equally amazed and perplexed to hear the presumably
ignorant Galileans conversing fluently with them in their languages.

Luke is very careful to enumerate the countries from which all the people came. They were
all Jews of the Dispersion. There was a larger population of Jews scattered throughout the
Roman Empire and its borders than lived in Jerusalem itself, almost as many as lived in the
whole of Judea and Galilee and the other territories that constituted the old kingdom of
Israel. The Jews of the Dispersion tried at least once in their lifetime to attend one of the
feasts in Jerusalem. Of course, most tried to be there at Passover. Wealthy Jews from
abroad came often on such occasions to Jerusalem, and it was not unusual for them to
move to the Holy City in their old age to die and be buried in the land of their forefathers, the
land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

One might expect such people to know Hebrew, but most of them did not. Practically all of
them had forgotten their native tongue. The Old Testament had to be translated into Greek

26
to satisfy the Jewish population in Alexandria, Egypt. Even the inhabitants of the homeland
itself had forgotten Hebrew. Jesus and his followers spoke only Aramaic.

The countries Luke names indicate that the people came from all parts of the known world.
He wants thereby to show the international character of Christianity from its inception. At the
outset, it addressed itself to the whole world, for many of the Jews was proselytes, that is,
Judaized Greeks, Romans, and Orientals.

Peter's Proclamation of the Gospel (2: 1-36)

The very first act of this newly
constituted Christian congregation was
to preach the gospel to unbelievers.
Evangelization is the soul of Christianity.
After the Spirit descended on that little
company at Pentecost, its members did
not remain in the upper room to sing
hymns together, pray for one another,
and reenact Jesus' last meal with them
by breaking and eating bread and
drinking wine together in memory of his
death and anticipation of his second
coming. They went immediately into the
streets of Jerusalem to witness to others
and to announce the good news about
Jesus Christ.

The first sermon to be preached by the

infant church was delivered by Peter in
Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Luke
is ambivalent as to how many persons
the Spirit gave them the power to speak
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/693202567614384361/
in other languages. Probably it was only
the twelve apostles, for the other eleven alone stood up with Peter when he preached his
sermon. It is obvious from the -beginning of the church when Matthias was chosen to
succeed Judas, that there was a duly constituted ministry distinct from the membership at
large. The first ministers were the apostles, and their primary responsibility was to preach
the gospel.

Peter used the accusation of the mockers in the crowd that the disciples were drunk as the
lead-in for his sermon. He said it was too early in the morning for people to start drinking;
they had not even eaten breakfast. What the crowd saw in those witnesses was a
demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit prophesied by Joel in the Jewish scripture (Joel
2:28-32). The disciples of Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, had dreamed dreams and seen
visions, and they could not help prophesying. Earlier, God had shown wonders in the
heavens and signs on the earth. At the death of Jesus, the day had suddenly become night,
an earthquake had struck Jerusalem, the veil of the Temple had been rent in twain, and the
graves had given up their dead (Matt. 27:51-53).

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This Jesus, who had demonstrated that God approved him by miracles and wonders, had
been arrested and convicted by the very people to whom Peter preached, and they caused
him to be crucified by the Romans. Peter denounced them for this in his sermon, accusing
them of killing their own Messiah. But God raised Jesus from the dead, as King David
himself had prophesied. What reads like a statement by David about himself (Psalm 16:8-
11) Peter interpreted as David's description of what would happen to the Messiah. He told
the crowd that David could not have been talking of himself, for David had died and been
buried and his tomb was visible to them in Jerusalem.

Jesus of Nazareth was the person whose soul God would not leave among the dead. It was
her whom God raised to sit at God's right hand in glory. It was Jesus the Messiah who had
sent the Holy Spirit to empower Peter and the other disciples, and the people were
witnessing now in them the demonstrations of the Spirit. The people at large had not
witnessed the resurrection. Only the intimate friends and followers of Jesus had seen the
tomb immediately after Jesus had vacated it. Only they had had fellowship with him after his
resurrection. And they alone had watched him ascend to heaven. But the demonstrations of
the Holy Spirit in the words and deeds of the apostles and the other followers of Jesus on
the day of Pentecost were public acts that anyone present could see and hear.

Peter brought his majestic sermon to a close-by proclaiming that the person his auditors had
crucified, God had designated as their Lord and their Messiah.

The Response of the People and the Pattern of the Church (2:37-47)
The people were deeply moved by Peter's sermon. He convinced them of the truth of what
he said and also convicted them of their sins. Their response was immediate and positive.
They asked Peter and the other apostles what they should do. They wanted to be told how to
amend their lives and become acceptable to God. They wanted to know how they could be
saved.

The only way, Peter told them, was for them to repent of what they had done and to be
baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ. Then they
would receive a double
gift: their sins would be
forgiven, and they would
also receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. In other
words, the new converts
could expect the same
empowerment by the
Holy Spirit that they had
witnessed in the words
and deeds of the little
company in the upper
room who had known
and loved the Lord when

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he sojourned with them on earth. These gifts of the Spirit might differ in their various
recipients. Certainly, the new converts could not expect to be apostles. Nonetheless, they,
too, would become effective witnesses to their Lord.
Three thousand people were converted on the day of Pentecost as a result of peter's sermon.
As they took their places as new members of the emerging church, the pattern of
organization of the believing community began gradually to take shape. Its form was very
simple, but some of its features have remained as characteristics of the body of Christ.

At its heart was the teaching ministry entrusted to the twelve apostles who had been with
Jesus, listened to his words, and knew his mind. It is safe to assume that preaching went
hand in hand with teaching, both being expressive of the same truth, the teaching designed
to nurture and edify the believing flock while the preaching won new converts.

The church was a place of fellowship where members shared a common meal as often as
they could and where also, presumably as a part of their worship, they ate bread and drank
wine ceremoniously in remembrance of their Lord's death and anticipation of his coming.
Voluntarily they shared what they had with one another, putting their material resources at
the disposal of the congregation as needs arose. There is no proof that they lived together in
one community as the Essenes did.

They did not break

at first with their
Jewish past. They
still worshiped daily
in the Temple, but
they also met in
one another's
homes that they
might increase in
their understanding
of the apostles'
doctrine. As they
praised God and as
the apostles did
many wonderful
things, they at first
found favor with all
the people, and
every day new
converts were
added to the
church.

https://answeringthehardlinechurchofchrist.wordpress.com/tag/acts-238/

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 D. THE EARLY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Jesus Laid Down the Foundation of the Church

In his preaching, Jesus never mentioned
selecting a group that would constitute his plan
of establishing a church or a sect. There were
plenty of such groups in his time. For example,
the Essenes, a community of monks living at
Qumran, near the Dead Sea, called themselves
the holy remnants of God’s elect, the chosen
community of the new covenant. Though, in
his preaching of the coming of the kingdom of https://www.reasonablecatholic.com/alo
God, Jesus could not avoid dealing with a vital okbackatearlychristianity/
problem of an eschatological people of God, a
chosen group of people in the end time. While he was painfully aware of a decisive and
divisive effect of such a message, he never based his preaching on the idea of the holy
remnant, as other groups of his time addressed themselves (Kung, 1967). Jesus’
preoccupation was to make the will of God concretely manifested to all kinds of people
regardless of classes, beliefs, races, and cultures. His compassion for the sinners
(prostitutes, tax collectors, Samaritans, etc.) signifies the inclusive character of his words
and deeds which for Jewish authorities are scandalous. He was so aware that his mission is
not for the “just”, the “righteous”, the “pure”, but for everybody particularly those who are at
a disadvantaged position in Israel, which his indirect way of gathering back Israel as a new
whole. The calling of the Twelve is not a contradiction of Jesus’ action; it is the calling of
Israel as a whole. Jesus did invite these Twelve and they responded and bound to follow
and to witness His life. There was no specific rule of life or membership. They lived in
mutual sharing of life. There was no account whatsoever of Jesus “instituting” a church as if
he had with him a plan or a “blueprint” of founding it.

Jesus manifested the Kingdom of

God in his person and his deeds as
he promised its full realization in
the future. His proclamation of
the Kingdom was decisive for it
entailed a decision that his
contemporaries should make at
that moment. Understandably, as
a prominent figure of
contradictions in the sight of the
Jewish religious authorities, he
https://www.omsc.org/residential-program-overview had invited criticisms and had
drawn a line between those who
were against him and those who responded in faith in his message. For him, these people

30
who responded to his call of discipleship were already participating in the future community
of salvation at the end time in which they already belonged. Jesus called this group a new
people of God which is not based on ethnic origins, rather, is based on his life. The event in
the Last Supper would best illustrate the scenario of the development and emergence of
this church in the future. His disciples will gather together again after his death and
resurrection and will do the same to remember his selfless life offering for everyone through
the breaking of the bread. The common experience of personal communion with the Risen
Christ in the communal meals will strengthen them more to proclaim that indeed Jesus is
alive and who is to come soon.

This group of men and

women in faith in the
resurrection of the
Crucified Jesus and the
expectation of the
realization of the
coming of the Kingdom
of God and the return of
the Risen Christ in glory,
the Church came into
existence. In his life
and mission, Jesus laid
down the foundation of
the Church. It is, thus,
apt to say that the
concept of the Church
has emerged after
Jesus’ resurrection https://bibletruthandprophecy.com/men-and-women-of-faith-
new-video-release/
(post-resurrection). The
event that happened in
the Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1ff.), was a signal and an inauguration of the existence of the
Church, concretely experienced as a community of disciples.

It marked the moment when the outpouring of the Spirit of the Risen Christ and power
became concrete realities for the disciples. They experienced themselves as Spirit-filled and
transformed communities as they were sent to all nations to proclaim the good news that
Jesus preached. From being frightened and insignificant they became courageous and
zealous bearers of Jesus’ life and mission. This event made the life of the early church
changed and it has dawned the world with a new perspective at realities, a new life, and a
new order to humanity.

The Life-Core Patterns of the Early Christian Community

The life exemplified by the early Christian community showed certain patterns that our
Church in history tried to follow. These would only reveal how the Apostles of Jesus made
influence the life of the early believers and succeeded in building on the foundation Jesus

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had laid in his life and mission. The following life-core patterns are deduced from Acts 2:42-
47;

1. Kerygma (Proclamation/Instruction).
The Apostles spoke so much with intensity,
like Jesus, the good news of salvation that
Jesus brings to their life. That through him,
who had been crucified, raised from the
dead and was exalted and glorified, the
Kingdom of God was truly reigning! This is
https://pewartasabda.wordpress.com good news for them for God is very much
/2017/ 01/11/kerygma-dan-didache/ present in their history in and through Jesus
person. By this, the Apostles developed
further instruction (Didache) that matters the faith and worship of the believers. The first Christian
community proclaimed this good news of salvation through their words and lives that Jesus is the
Lord. Their instruction is centered on this holy truth and they were ready to die for the Lord. “They
devoted themselves to the apostles’ instruction” (Acts 2:42).

2. Koinonia (Community). The early Christians gathered

themselves together and formed into a community of faith. They
shared common belief that in Jesus they may experience a
meaningful life and shared his inner life with one another in
fellowship and in worship. There was a communal sharing of
properties. No one was in need because “the community shared
everything in common; they would sell their property and goods,
dividing everything based on each one’s need, and they took their
meals in common (Acts 2: 44,46).
https://fruitlandcommunity.com/ser
mons/koinonia/

3. Diakonia (Service). Like Jesus, they, too, performed good deeds.

Faith in Jesus was a matter of deeds, not merely of words. They
lived out Jesus’ demand of being a humble servant to one another.
“They worked with their whole being for the Lord rather than for
men” (Col 3:23).

4. Leitourgia (Worship). In
their private gatherings, they
https://humansandmedia.wordpress.c
always celebrated the breaking
om/2016/01/15/helping-others-or-
ourselves/
of the bread as a form of
worship that Jesus had
bequeathed them as a
remembrance of his selfless
life offering for all. This celebration is the life-core of the
community. Through which, all other life-core patterns are
united and find expression. It is a celebration of offering to
God who they are and what they do. “They went to the temple
area together every day, while in their homes they broke
bread. With exultant and sincere hearts, they took their
meals in common, praising God and winning approval of all
the people” (Acts 2: 46-47). Their common worship in the
Lord (leitourgia), as the center of their lives, gave them the

32
 courage to proclaim Jesus’ life and mission and strengthened their faith and attitude to render
their loving service to one another.

(For the professor to decide)

Option 1:
Draw your “Image of the Church as the Kingdom of God” and explain it.

Option 2:
Make your own “Kingdom of God Commitment” by highlighting the following:

a) First Paragraph: Statement of belief on God’s Kingdom

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

b) Second Paragraph: Statement of acceptance of the values and teachings of God’s

Kingdom into one’s life
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

c) Third Paragraph: Statement of the commitment of participants to the work of God’s

Kingdom through concrete programs in the parish or community
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Option 3:
What similarities can you see between our time and during the time of Jesus especially on
economic and socio-political aspects?
______________________________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

What do you think are the common injustices of our society today? If Jesus denounced
injustices, what do you think we as Christians should take as a stance on the issue/s that
you have mentioned?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Option 4:
What does the calling of the Twelve mean?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

What is the significance of the Pentecost event in the life of the apostles and the early
Christians?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

What does the outpouring of the Spirit mean in today’s time? How would you respond to it?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Pray to God for guidance as you wish to continue to participate in the Church life by invoking
the presence of the Holy Spirit.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

34
 LEARNING REFERENCES

Primary Sources:
New American Bible (NAB)
Christian Community Bible, Revised Standard Version (RSV)
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. (2005). Catechism
for Filipino Catholics. Makati: Word and Life Publications.
Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines
(PCP II)
Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education.
(1994). Catechism of the Catholic Church (newsprint edition).
Manila: Word and Life Publication
Evangelii gaudium (Joy of the gospel).
Patambang, Salibay, and Valera. (2001). Sacraments, marriage,
and family life. Manila: National Bookstore.
Alonsozana, De Leon, Domingo, Ellema, Ramirez, Regis, Salibay,
Talamera, Valera. (Workbook) Christian Discipleship in the
Modern World. Pan Asia Book Exchange Inc., Quezon City,
Philippines

Additional Online Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kingdom-of-God
https://followingjesus.org/the-kingdom-of-god-an-introduction/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Church#:~:text=The%20Chr
istian%20Church%20originated%20in,teachings%20to%20all%
20the%20world.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/pent
ecost.shtml
https://www.religion-online.org/book-chapter/chapter-2-the-birth-of-
the-church/
http://www.catholic-pages.com/church/marks.asp
http://www.catholic-pages.com/church/marks.asp
https://www.sacredspace.ie/scripture/john-316-18

CLOSING PRAYER: I will continue, O my God, to do all my actions for the love of you.

St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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