Matters Concerning the Kingdom of God
The lecture reflects on the statement in the Book of Acts that the Lord Jesus Christ, after His Resurrection, appeared to His disciples for forty days and spoke with them about the matters concerning the Kingdom of God. It explains that this period was a time of deep spiritual preparation for the disciples before they began preaching throughout the world.
Main Idea
Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that the believer should be concerned with the matters that build the Kingdom of God within himself and in the lives of others, and that his speech should be a source of spiritual edification rather than stumbling or emptiness.
Spiritual Teaching
He explains that Christ delivered the teachings of the Kingdom to His disciples not only through what was later written in the Gospels, but also through oral teaching and Apostolic Tradition that was passed from generation to generation. God guided His people and revealed His will even before the existence of the written Holy Scriptures.
The Church Sacraments and the Kingdom
The lecture affirms that the Church sacraments such as Baptism, Chrismation, Repentance, and Holy Communion are among the matters concerning the Kingdom of God because they lead the person to union with God and eternal life and establish the work of grace in his life.
Preaching and Service
The teaching stresses that preaching, teaching, and service are essential means for building the Kingdom, and that every believer is called to participate in spreading the Word of God according to the grace given to him, whether inside the Church, in his home, or within his community.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
One of the most important subjects of the forty days was preparing the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the source of power, wisdom, teaching, and witness to Christ, and without Him no true spiritual ministry can be built and the Kingdom of God cannot spread.
Bearing the Cross and Trials
Christ prepared His disciples to face persecutions and hardships and taught them courage, steadfastness, and freedom from fear, relying on the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of God rather than on human abilities.
Building the Kingdom Within
Pope Shenouda III explains that building the Kingdom begins first within the heart of the servant, because God must reign over the person before using him to lead others into the Kingdom.
Final Message
The believer is called to leave preoccupation with worldly and temporal matters and to continually seek the matters concerning the Kingdom of God, preserving God’s Kingdom within the heart and working to build it in the lives of others through witness, teaching, service, and love.
Spiritual Essence
The Kingdom of God begins in the heart and grows through the holy sacraments, the work of the Holy Spirit, preaching, and witness to Christ, until the believer becomes an instrument for building the Kingdom in the world.
For better translation support, please contact the center.
