Kingdom Come! Series

Kingdom Come!

Mark 1:14-39

INTRO:

What’s the best news you have ever heard/could ever hear?

Today, God has some really good news for you!

PREV:

Today we will see Jesus begin to proclaim God’s good news. He’ll tell us what this good news is, and we will see what we are invited to do about this good news. Then we will see what we can expect from this good news, as well as what not to focus on. It all begins in with some bad news, though, so look with me at

Mark 1:14-15

A. The kingdom is near

The bad news is that John was put in prison...

The good news comes from Jesus.

“The time has come!”

Come = fulfilled. OT promises are coming true - Messiah!

Its the right time!

Favorable, opportune, significant time, not just chronology

Time is now - a sense of urgency

“Time’s up!” – The Message

The kingdom is near.

Rule of God over His creation. Spiritual & physical.

Kingdom & king always go hand in hand.

Near = at hand; this stage complete, return of Jesus is ultimate.

God has begun the decisive, ultimate chapter of history that will climax with Christ’s return. More news later...

God has drawn close in a dramatic fashion – in the person of Jesus. That’s as close as you can get!

Reach out and take it - we often make it distant and difficult.

Illus.: Think about this for a minute. Is this good news or bad news? First day of school, wedding day, April 15th – good days or bad days?

Good or bad news? Jesus says this is Good News! The kingdom has come so close you can touch it! “I’ve got good news for you,” Jesus says, “The kingdom has come near!”

B. RSVP!

This stunning announcement requires a response.

You must RSVP!

There is an urgency – time is up! Time to decide!

How should we respond to this wonderful news?

Jesus says “Repent, and believe the good news”

Make a radical change in one’s life as a whole

“Change your life” (The Message)

“Change your hearts and lives” (NCV)

Turn back to God!

And believe that the kingdom is near! A new emphasis on faith. "To bet your life that Christ is right."

Jesus is God’s final word to man in man’s last hour.

An either/or decision is required.

God has opened the door and made provision for repentance, but there is no time for delay!

Only by turning to God with faith can man participate with joy in the coming kingdom.

We’ll see an example of the kind of decision necessary in the next few verses. Notice the immediate responses of these 4 men as I read vv. 16-20.

C. We are invited to follow

Jesus suddenly calls Simon (Peter) and Andrew to follow. Their response is immediate.

They are called to fish for men. A clever play on words, yes, but more than that. What does it mean?

When I fish, I use lure or bait to fool, trick fish. Hmmm.

When they fished, they dropped a net and hauled in a scoop

This coincides with OT picture of God as fishermen/judge, (Jer 16:16; Ezek. 29:4f., 38:4; Amos 4:2)

Jesus was calling them to the urgent task of gathering men in view of the forthcoming judgment.

There is an urgency. Because Jesus has come, fishing is necessary!

Jesus gives us the same invitation.

We’re invited to join the KOG!

Prompt - Simon and Andrew immediately dropped all.

Complete - James and John left behind a successful business, and family to follow.

The call is so compelling, all other calls lose their validity.

Jesus expects the same response from us.

To respond requires following Jesus exclusively.

Notice that they don’t volunteer, they are invited...

I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS DRAWN NEAR, AND YOU ARE GRACIOUSLY INVITED TO ENTER

God’s kingdom is close at hand, and he invites you to participate, to follow. Good news! Jesus brings the kingdom of God near, and invites you to follow!

Transition: Because Jesus has come, the kingdom is close, and we are invited to participate. What do we expect from this close kingdom? What happens because the kingdom is near? Next we will see what happens when the kingdom draws near. We will see what Jesus did, what happens when we go fishing. The first thing comes in vv. 21-22.

A. Teaching truth

As was the custom in the synagogue, a visiting teacher was invited to teach that day.

This is a good example of Mark’s emphasis on events – we’re not told what he actually said. Implied: v. 15.

His teaching "amazed" them. Mark mentions this often.

A sense of alarm. Alarmed at his authority.

New style (unlike scribes - scholars) and New content.