From Empire to Faithful Community
The Kingdom Reimagined
Purpose of This Study
This study invites us to slow down and reconsider a word we think we know well. Rather than assuming what “Kingdom of God” means, we will listen closely to how Jesus himself uses the term—and what he consistently refuses to do with it.
Opening Prayer
Jesus, you spoke of a Kingdom unlike any the world had known—
not built by force, not secured by power, not sustained by fear.
As we gather, quiet our assumptions and loosen our grip on certainty.
Teach us to listen for your voice, especially when it challenges what we expect.
Guide our conversation with humility and wisdom.
Help us recognize your Kingdom among us and learn how to live as faithful citizens of your way—together.
Amen.
Core Scripture Readings
Luke 17:20–21
“The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed… For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”
If the Kingdom is described as “among you,” what does that suggest about how it is experienced rather than achieved?
Matthew 20:25–28
“It will not be so among you.”
What kind of power does Jesus explicitly reject for his followers, and what does that reveal about the values of his Kingdom?
John 18:36
“My kingdom is not from this world.”
How does Jesus distinguish his Kingdom from worldly systems of power without removing it from the world entirely?
What Did People Expect the Kingdom to Be?
Discussion Questions
- When Jesus’ audience heard the word kingdom, what do you think they imagined?
- Why would people living under Roman occupation hope for a political or territorial kingdom?
- How does that context shape Jesus’ answers?
Community Insight
Jesus speaks into a world shaped by empire. His listeners expect liberation through power. His response consistently disrupts those expectations.
“Among You,” Not “Over You”
Read Together: Luke 10:33–37
“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor…?”
He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Reflection Questions
- Where do you see the Kingdom becoming visible in this story—through position, authority, or action?
- What does this parable suggest about how close the Kingdom is to ordinary human relationships and choices?
- How does Jesus’ command, “Go and do likewise,” challenge ideas of the Kingdom as something enforced, claimed, or controlled?
Key Idea
The Kingdom is revealed through mercy, proximity, and lived faith—not dominance or rule.
Jesus’ Rejection of Dominant Power
Read Together: John 13:12–15
“Do you know what I have done to you?
You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am.
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have set you an example,
that you also should do as I have done to you.”
Discussion Questions
- How does Jesus exercise authority in this moment, and how is it different from how power is typically displayed?
- What does Jesus assume about leadership when he says, “You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right”?
- What kind of community is formed when leadership is practiced through service rather than status?
Gentle Challenge
If Jesus defines leadership through self-giving service rather than dominance, how should that shape Christian attitudes toward power, influence, and control?
Kingdom vs. Empire
Group/Reflective Exercise
Jesus speaks about the Kingdom of God in a world deeply shaped by empire. This exercise invites us to notice the contrast between how power is commonly organized and how Jesus describes life in God’s Kingdom.
Name characteristics of:
- Empires / Political Kingdoms
- Jesus’ Kingdom (based on Scripture)
Common contrasts may include:
- Control vs. service
- Enforcement vs. invitation
- Hierarchy vs. mutual care
- Fear vs. love
Grounding Question
Which model feels more demanding to live out personally—and why?
Modern Uses of “Kingdom Language”
Discernment Questions
- Where do we hear “Kingdom” language today?
- When does that language feel faithful to Jesus?
- When does it begin to resemble empire, dominance, or moral control?
Important Boundary
This is not about labeling others as unfaithful. It is about evaluating ideas by the teachings of Christ.
Quiet Implication
(Read Aloud)
The Kingdom Jesus proclaims
is not built through power,
and it does not rule by force.
The Kingdom Jesus proclaims does not resemble the kingdoms people expected—or still expect.
It does not arrive through force, dominance, or control. It is not sustained by fear, loyalty tests, or winning. Jesus consistently refuses these models of power, even when they promise good outcomes or religious security. Instead, He reveals a Kingdom that appears quietly—among people—through mercy, service, and shared responsibility.
This does not make the Kingdom weak or irrelevant. It makes it demanding.
To live within Christ’s Kingdom is to release the desire to dominate and to resist the urge to secure faith through power. It asks for courage without coercion, conviction without control, and love without guarantee of agreement. The Kingdom takes shape not when Christians rule, but when they practice faithfulness in how they treat one another.
Walking His Way holds this tension carefully.
We do not deny the world’s need for justice or responsibility. But we trust that Christ’s Kingdom advances through transformed lives and faithful communities, not through enforcement or fear. To follow Jesus is to learn how to live His Kingdom among us—patiently, humbly, and together.
Personal Reflection
(Journaling or Silent Prayer)
- Where have I associated God’s Kingdom with power, control, or winning?
- What fears arise when I imagine faith without dominance?
- What might it look like to live as a citizen of Christ’s Kingdom through daily practice?
No one is required to share.
Practice for the Week
Choose one interaction this week where you:
- Listen rather than assert
- Serve rather than correct
- Love without expecting agreement
Reflect on how this practice reshapes your understanding of the Kingdom.
Closing Prayer
Jesus,
You spoke of a Kingdom unlike any the world had known.
Free us from the desire to dominate,
and teach us instead how to serve, love, and walk humbly together.
Help us recognize your Kingdom among us
and live as faithful citizens of your way.
Amen.
Practical Notes
- Expect discomfort—this is normal and productive
- Avoid modern political examples unless participants raise them
- Affirm that questioning power ≠ abandoning faith
Reinforce: Jesus defines the Kingdom, not history or tradition
If tension arises, remind the group:
- This study does not ask anyone to abandon Scripture.
We approach the Bible with reverence, humility, and seriousness. Our commitment is not to diminish Scripture, but to engage it more faithfully. - This study asks us to take Christ seriously as our guide.
Jesus is not an add-on to Scripture—He is its fulfillment and interpretive center. When questions arise, we return first to His life, teachings, and example.
Additional Guidance:
- Let tension remain.
This study challenges assumptions about power and faith. Discomfort is part of discernment, not a problem to solve. The goal is attentiveness to Jesus, not consensus. - Invite imagination, not defensiveness.
Encourage participants to consider how Jesus reframes power and leadership, rather than rushing to protect familiar frameworks. - Affirm questions as faithful engagement.
Wrestling with ideas of Kingdom, authority, and influence reflects serious discipleship. Jesus regularly unsettles what people think they already know. - Re-center when power language causes harm.
If “Kingdom” language is used to justify exclusion, fear, or dominance, gently return to Jesus’ practices of service, humility, and care for the vulnerable. - Model non-dominating leadership.
Lead in the way this study describes: create space, resist control, and name uncertainty when appropriate. - Protect the dignity of the community.
Conversations about power can surface strong emotions. Ensure that disagreement never becomes dismissal or harm. - Bring discussion back to practice.
Ask: What kind of community does this form?
How does this shape how we serve or lead this week?
Closing Reminder:
Walking His Way is not about exchanging one vision of power for another.
It is about forming disciples who recognize Christ’s Kingdom among them—
and who learn to live it through humility, service, and faithful love.
Let the Spirit shape the community in ways you cannot control.
Walking His Way 