The Kingdom of God is explosive in power and therefore when it is fully understood, and boldly declared, it will radically impact those who hear and respond. The truth of this statement is nowhere more clearly seen than in the life and ministry of Jesus. We cannot read the Gospels and not be confronted by the centrality of the kingdom in the preaching of Jesus.
It is not insignificant that the Gospels begin with Jesus preaching the Kingdom. Matthew tells us that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested. The final testing is pivotal when the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and offered Him all the kingdoms of the world if he would but worship him. Jesus’ immediate response was to quote from Deuteronomy 6 which underlines the exclusive worship of the Lord your God. It is not insignificant to notice that the testing is followed by the note of John’s arrest and Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. Listen to verse 17: “From then on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!.” The implication of the verse is clear — the preaching of the kingdom was not a casual and momentary matter, but a convictional and continual one.
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In Luke’s gospel we have a slightly different emphasis but with the same bottom line. His preaching begins in the synagogue in Nazareth. Luke tells us that Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 and then declares: “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled” (4:21). While there is no specific mention of the term “kingdom”, we have here a clear description of the kingdom as it invades planet earth. Thus this Old Testament reference with its emphasis on redemption, freedom, social justice for the oppressed, and sight for the blind is a reference to the invasion of the kingdom through the ministry and preaching of Jesus.
Mark tells us with brevity and power that after John was arrested, Jesus began preaching the good news of God. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, Repent and believe in the good news!” (Mk. 1:15). Mark’s emphasis on “time fulfilled” indicates that Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom signals a major turning point in the history of redemption. History is moving toward an ultimate goal under the direct supervision of God.
John’s first mention of the kingdom is found in Nathanael’s declaration: “’Rabbi,’ Nathanael replied, ‘You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (Jn. 1:49). Nathanael had been impressed that Jesus had seen him under the fig tree before Philip had called him to follow Jesus. Jesus thus assures him that much more is in store as he sees heaven opened and the angels descending on the Son of Man. The imagery of the kingdom is not far in the background. The first specific mention of the kingdom in John’s gospel is found in Jesus’ message to Nicodemus: “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”