The kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven has everything to do with Jesus inaugurating entitlements:

A woman had been hemorrhaging for twelve long lonely years, broke after paying magicians and astrologers to stop her bleeding to no avail.  Desperate, she clinched Jesus’ cloak and his power freed her red suffering.  It was healthcare for the uninsured, an ancient Medicaid.

A man was robbed and beaten, left in a ditch.  A Good Samaritan crossed over, hoisted the injured man onto his donkey, took him to safety and put him up in a room.  It was death on the streets to life under a roof, Near East public housing.

A starving crowd was crushing, and the disciples wanted to send them away to feed themselves. But Jesus refused, took a can of sardines and a loaf of Wonder Bread, blessed both and multiplied them for thousands to feast on.  It was nourishment for the hungry, Palestinian food stamps.

While Jesus’ ministry enacted the social programs of God’s government, he didn’t believe in Welfare.  He didn’t believe in getting a monthly check covering for clocking in.

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Why doesn’t Jesus go to Jerusalem to call his first disciples?

Matthew 4:12-23 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.  Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Congregational responses:

The clergy types, the educated scribes, the long robed Pharisees would have never relinquished their seats of power.
The world was expecting a warrior Messiah to gather an army of braun and bravado.  And, like he always, Jesus did the opposite, picking obscure fishermen.
Capernaum was the town of common people, the beach village of ordinary.
Jesus most related to those close to the earth.  Farmers hurling seed, bakers mixing yeast, seafarers tossing nets.
He wanted a Church of the masses, so he picked people from the masses.

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Jesus isn’t interested in the Welfare State because in God’s good government there are no unemployable citizens of heaven on earth.  Ruth gleaned wheat, Joseph planed wood, Dorcas crocheted clothes, Paul crafted tents.  Even the Fall couldn’t get Adam and Eve fired; God created them good and then created a good job for them in the Garden.

Why doesn’t Jesus go to Jerusalem to call his first disciples?

Because he needs a workforce to follow him with hands and feet even more than people to believe in him with head and heart.  Galilee is the land of God’s laborers, the roughnecks with no collars, dirty collars and blue collars, who tote their lunch pails and show up early with calloused hands and sturdy backs and sweaty brows.

So you who wash dishes and teach children, who lay bricks and sling trash, who mop floors and cast nets, know that Jesus began with fishermen and the Church continues with everyone of us hired hands.  Discipleship is the faithful response of those paid to do something other than follow Jesus.  The Good News is not just that we are saved but that we are employed.

A young seeker, it has been told, wanted to know the ways of God.  So he sought out the wisdom of the wise monk, saying excitedly, “I’m here to memorize the great scriptures, crawl on my knees for eternity, mediate myself out of this world.”  The Abba responded, speaking the Zen truth, “Before Enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.”