1. Foundations of Christianity: The Person & Preaching of Jesus

2. Not a physical kingdom with a King It was Jesus’ vision – a way of life where one loves God and treats others fairly Jesus had a dream of a perfect world

3. Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist in the River Jordan when he was 30 This was the start of Jesus following his dream of a perfect world When Jesus emerged from the water, he felt the peace of God spread over him Then God spoke to him “You are my own dear son, I am pleased with you” Jesus understood God was calling him to spread the word of God

4. Jesus’ baptism was a very important event It marked the start of his public ministry – as a teacher and a healer Jesus spent the next three years travelling & spreading the word of the Kingdom of God around Palestine

5. Jesus used words and actions to help people understand what he meant by the Kingdom of God. 1. He told parables to teach people about the love of God. 2. He performed miracles to show people the love of God. 3. He shared meals and table-fellowship to help all people experience the love of God. 4. He called people to discipleship so that they could learn from him and follow a way of life based on the love of God.

6. A parable is a short story told by Jesus to help people understand the Kingdom of God Each parable is a simple story with an underlying message Jesus told parables so people would stop and think about their lives and to encourage them to live better lives

7. Jesus’ parables shows Gods love in real everyday situations with ordinary people They were easy to understand and remember Approx 50 parables are recorded in the Gospels, including: - The Mustard Seed - The Lost Sheep / Lost Coin - The Good Samaritan - The Prodigal Son

8. ParableCharacteristic of the Kingdom of God The Mustard Seed It’s about planting a small seed that becomes a tall plant. God’s love is a gift planted in people’s hearts where it can grow and mature. The Lost Sheep/ The Lost Coin It’s about a farmer and a householder searching for something precious. In the Kingdom of God, God loves every single person without exception. The Good Samaritan It’s about a person in need being cared for by a stranger. Being friendly and kind to everyone is a way of building the Kingdom of God on Earth. The Prodigal Son It’s about a person who regrets leaving home and wants to return. God’s unconditional love for people, even if they make mistakes and do wrong. In the Kingdom of God, God will always forgive someone who is truly sorry The Sower It’s about a farmer sowing seeds on different types of soil. People respond in different ways to Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God. Those who accept his teaching try to build the kind of world that God wants for everybody.

9. "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.'

10. Love God & Love your neighbour as yourself The Samaritan was an enemy of the Jewish man who was injured but he helped him anyway You should treat people the way you wish to be treated, even if you don’t like them

11. Miracle: an amazing cure or deed performed by Jesus to show the power and love of God. Jesus performed many amazing cures and deeds during his public life in Palestine. When Jesus performed a miracle he was showing people how God’s love and power exists in the Kingdom of God.

12. Healing Miracles: He healed people who were sick or disabled. Nature miracles: He changed something in nature such as calming a storm, or turning water into wine. Expelling miracles: He got rid of evil spirits from people’s lives. Raising to life miracles: He raised the dead to life.

13. In the Gospels, the evangelists regard the miracles as a sign that Jesus is the Messiah. They record thirty-five of Jesus’ miracles in the Gospels. Jesus fulfils Old Testament prophesies about the promised Messiah when he makes: - Blind people see. - Deaf people hear. - Lame people walk.

14. Show God’s LOVE: he cares deeply about everyone Show God’s POWER: his ability to perform miracles comes directly from God Strengthen people’s FAITH in God: he only heals those who believe God is made present in the world

15. Healing a blind man in Jericho (Mark 10:46-52) Healing a person with leprosy in Galilee (Mark 1:39- 45) Many people had health problems at the time of Jesus – if a person was poor & ill they had no way of supporting their family & had to beg Jesus healed people who had faith in God & showed that the poor had a special place in Gods Kingdom

16. Calming a storm on Lake Galilee (Mark 4:35-41) Turning water into wine in Cana (John 2:1-12)

17. Expelling an evil spirit from a man in Capernaum (Mark 1:21-28) Expelling an evil spirit from a man in Cana (Mark 5:1-20)

18. Raising Jairus’ daughter to life in Galilee (Mark 5:21- 42) Raising Lazarus to life in Bethany (John 11:38-44)

19. Table-fellowship: the way Jesus shared meals with everyone to show the Kingdom of God is open to all. Sharing meals were important occasions in Jewish life – it was a sign of closeness and friendship. In Jesus’ time Jews generally shared meals only with their family and friends. Jesus shared meals with everyone, including those outside his social group such as sinners, tax collectors and other outcasts.

20. Sharing meals with all kinds of people was a way of showing that the Kingdom of God is open to everyone. Jesus showed that the Kingdom of God is open to anyone who: - Turns toward the love of God. - Turns away from sin and wrongdoing. Jesus was criticised for being a friend to sinners, tax collectors and other social outcasts. “When the Pharisees saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with such people?’ (Mark 2) Jesus set out to show people what God is like. God is loving and forgiving. Jesus wants his followers to be like that too.

21. Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Jesus and Levi (Mark 2:13-17) Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50)

22. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

23. Discipleship: following Jesus and his teaching. Jesus had many followers. He chose twelve of them to be his disciples. A disciple is someone who learns from a teacher (a rabbi). Jesus wanted his disciples to learn from him and to follow his example.

24. The call to discipleship is a big step. It involves following Jesus and his teaching. In the Kingdom of God a follower of Jesus is one who puts God and other people first before him or herself. Discipleship involves a total change of heart, a complete break with the way one has lived life up to that point.

25. Jesus’ disciples were twelve ordinary men from all walks of life. They were: - Fishermen - A Tax Collector - Tradesmen - A Zealot

26. Jesus needed the disciples to help him establish the Kingdom of God on Earth. He trained them to pass on his teaching and way of life to others. The disciples learned: To open up their hearts to God. To love their neighbours as themselves.

27. The twelve travelled with Jesus all over Palestine. After Pentecost they would continue Jesus’ work: teaching, healing and forgiving members of a new community of faith, Christianity. Jesus Calls His First Disciples (Mark 1:16-20) As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

28. Jesus spent his public life teaching about the Kingdom of God. He used different methods to get his message across: he used parables, miracles and table-fellowship. Jesus also spoke directly to people through sermons. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus began by teaching the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-10). The Beatitudes is the list of qualities that Jesus’ followers must have in order to belong to the Kingdom of God.

30. Jesus says “Blessed are…”These are people whoBe-Attitudes …The poor in spirit Have faith and depend on God Be prayerful... The mournful Are sorry for their sins and want to start over again Be repentant … The gentleTreat others with kindnessBe gentle … Those who hunger and thirst for what is right Try to do what is right and just Be fair … The merciful Forgive those who hurt them and let them down. Be forgiving … The pure of heart Are honourable and don’t take advantage of others. Be honourable … The peacemakers Work for peace and an end to conflict Be a peacemaker … Those persecuted in the cause of what is right. Get into trouble because they stand up for what is right. Be brave

31. Vocation: a calling from God to help others. The word vocation comes from the Latin word ‘vocare’ which means ‘to call’. In the beginning Jesus called twelve apostles to follow him and be his disciples. Today, Jesus calls all Christians to be his disciples and to follow his teaching. A vocation is a person’s sense of being called by God to live a certain way of life. The Christian way of life involves following the teaching of Jesus “to love God and love one’s neighbour as oneself”.

32. Catholics, for example, can fulfil their vocation and follow Jesus either: As lay people, single or married. As a nun or a brother in a religious community. As an ordained priest. God’s Kingdom can be seen in the lives of all those who strive to do good in the world today.

33. Mission: the work carried out by members of a Christian community All Christians lay and religious, male and female, young and old, answer the call of Jesus in different ways. Each one has a mission, or specific work to do as a member of the Christian community. It is how God’s love is made present and visible in the world today. Missionaries are people who do Gods work

34. Sister Stanislaus Kennedy – set up Focus Ireland to help homeless people in Ireland Mother Teresa – set up the Missionaries of Charity to help the poorest of the poor in India and today worldwide. Brother Roger Schutz– set up an ecumenical community in Taize to help people from different Christian denominations to meet & pray.

35. Christian parents everywhere love and care for their children on a daily basis. Christian teenagers follow their parents’ good example. They regularly support the work of voluntary organisations at home and abroad eg organising Shoebox Appeal in School