The Reign Of The Kingdom

The Reign of the Kingdom of God. Mark.1:14-20.

Mark has clearly laid the foundations for us about the gospel v1. We have seen the arrival of John the Baptist confirmed through the prophets. We see in the baptism of Jesus his inauguration and identification. In his temptations we see further preparation and testing.

The stage has been set V14 John had completed his God-appointed task he had prepared the way for the Messiah. The time had come for John 3:30 to decrease and the Christ to increase. Hence he was now be in prison and later beheaded.

Galilee was a thriving cosmopolitan place with a thriving political and commercial life, it stood at the crossroads of the ancient world. Many armies¡¦ diplomats and traders would pass through Galilee. It would have been a diverse culturally melting pot of Greek, Jew, Roman and Parthian mixing together.

The Roman Kingdom and God¡¦s Kingdom.

V14 Jesus is now straight into his Galilean ministry. The content of Jesus’ preaching is "the good news of God." The Good News is both from God and about God. The gospel contains the message of forgiveness, restoration, and new life in Christ Jesus.

1.The good news is that God has taken the initiative. V15. The time has come.

Not all time is of equal value some is of more significance. The people of Israel had waited in silence 400 years their had been no prophets and no Messiah. Then all of a sudden not only a prophet had burst upon the scene but also the Messiah himself proclaiming that literally ¡§the time is fulfilled!¡¨

All that was taking place was under the sovereignty of God. John the Baptist who claimed to be the one spoken of by the prophet Isaiah 40:3. The Good news of which Jesus is the messenger and message is also spoken of in Isaiah 40:9-10.

The greatest Kingdom.

It is the appointed time.

The time had come for God to break into the world and establish his Kingdom. The time has come, for God to set up his Kingdom, it is being extended as we speak, his kingdom is a present reality also a future certainty.

It¡¦s a Reign not a realm. V15b. He said the Kingdom of God is near.

Kingdoms of the world

The Expectancy of the kingdom (Geographical location a realm)

But the Aramaic term behind the Greek word Kingdom is kingly rule or reign rather than the geographical area (realm). Jesus would usher the Kingdom in, and it was embodied in the coming of the Messiah.

The Reign at this time is within us! Luke17: 20 V21.

The stories that follow in Marks gospel will authenticate God’s reign in the lives of people that Jesus encounters... he calls men to follow him 1:18, he subdues evil and the forces of their kingdom 1:25, he restores those who are sick 1:41, he has the power to forgive people their sins 2:5 and he teaches about the Kingdom 4::11.

Which Kingdom? Frederick William 4th Prussia. Took a school lesson and asked "To what kingdom does this belong?" A stone: mineral. A Flower: plant. A Bird: animal. Then he pointed to himself to what kingdom do I belong? This is the question we must all ask ourselves! What Kingdom do we belong to?

2. Jesus calls for a response to the good news.

Although God has taken the initiative and the time has come and the Kingdom of God is near and many of us have already entered it. Others have not and so Jesus still calls as he did then for individuals to enter it!

We may be asking ourselves how do we enter into Gods kingdom?

We see that Jesus is calling for a response from the people around him. His message has specific content, it speaks of the time coming, the Kingdom being near and repentance and belief a requirement for entrance into His Kingdom.

The answer is quite clear from the lips of Jesus V15 Repent and believes the good news! This is really his whole mission statement throughout the gospels this is the bedrock of the Christian faith.

This has been the Christian message throughout the centuries from Noah to the apostle Paul Acts.20: 21. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Repentance and belief are the foundation stones of the Christian faith. Without them the Christianity that might be practiced is futile. Without repentance and faith we will never know his forgiveness his constant presence and the security of heaven

Repentance towards God

Because it¡¦s against God we have sinned. God had given Israel his moral law, they had failed to keep it, throughout the history of Israel we see time and time again they ignore Gods word and turn to idolatry. But not only Israel but Gods law stands over every human being upon the planet.