- Goal: Create environments where people flourish → Jesus is the model.
Context of Jesus’ time:
- Jewish leaders → strict, rule/regulation-oriented.
- Roman leaders → harsh, oppressive, exploitative.
- Jesus counters these with a new Kingdom culture.
Four key ways Jesus formed this culture:
- Authentic engagement → lived with disciples, shared meals, extended hospitality; also engaged supernaturally through insight and questions.
- Invitation to participate → sent the 12 (Luke 9) and the 70 (Luke 10) to proclaim the Kingdom, heal, and cast out demons.
- Empowerment → gave authority and power to act (Isaiah 61, Luke 4).
- Correction → challenged wrong attitudes and beliefs (e.g., Sabbath healing confrontation with Pharisees).
- Result: A culture of flourishing, freedom, and participation in God’s Kingdom work.