In modern America, there is massive ignorance about the present and social dimensions of the kingdom of God, what the content of the kingdom is. For Jesus' disciples, their only Bible was the OT. Their understanding of the kingdom would have been grounded in Isaiah.
A suggestion: Cold, without any comments which might bias or influence your group or class, with your Bibles closed, ask each person to write down a one sentence definition of the kingdom of God. Then have each person read their definition out loud; the sharing of definitions is an important part of the learning process. If your experience is like mine, most will flunk this biblical test.
Then hand your class a copy of the Messianic passages from Isaiah and ask each one to rewrite their definitions based solely on these Messianic passages. these passages from the NIV are:
9:7 Of the increase of his government and shalom there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness.
11:1-4 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him---the Spirit of wisdom and understanding . . . with righteousness he will judge the needy and with justice he will give decisions for the poor.
16:5 In love a throne will be established . . . one from the house of David who seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.
28:16-17 I lay a stone in Zion . . . a precious cornerstone. . . . I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line.
42:1-4 Here is my servant . . . my chosen one . . . I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
61:1-4 (Noble paraphrase) The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the oppressed poor, to proclaim freedom and release by practicing Jubilee justice for the oppressed poor.
To bestow on the oppressed poor, a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
These transformed poor will be called oaks of righteousness or trees of justice. These transformed poor will rebuild the ruined cities.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice.
Isaiah 61:1-4 is quoted in part in Luke 4:18-19 with an addition from 58:6. Now carry your Isaiah definition of the kingdom over into the NT as you try to understand Jesus' purpose for the kingdom of God.
My next blog will be on the need for a creedal statement on the kingdom of God.
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