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The Good News Kingdom

(Mark 1:14-15, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, June 24, 2018)

[14] Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, [15] and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

After John was arrested

This is how it goes in this fallen world. Your best spiritual giant, John the Baptist, gets arrested. It was also how things went for the Man who was far greater than John. Jesus was handed over to the authorities. It was also the case for early believers and church leaders. They faced the violent assaults of the powers that existed in their day. Acts 3 and 4 tell the story of a healing by Peter that leads to his arrest. In Acts 5 the apostles are again arrested. In Acts 6 there is an internal dispute regarding ethnic favoritism that threatens to destroy the church in Jerusalem. In Acts 7 one of the Christian leaders, Stephen, is stoned to death by an angry mob.

All of this leads to Acts 8:1–4:

[1] And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. [2] Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. [3] But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. [4] Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God

So in our text this morning, John the Baptist was arrested, yet this is how it continues in this world: John may be close to death, but Jesus takes His position in the unstoppable mission of God beginning in Galilee. John may be killed, but the proclamation of the Word continues. And now the Son of God is speaking. His message? The gospel of God: But what is it? A very big question, and one we do not want to get wrong (Galatians 1:8).

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand

Using only the verses before us for the moment, the gospel (good news) has to do with a time and a fulfillment. It is the story of the kingdom of God from beginning to end. At this moment in the life of Jesus, the story of the Old Testament is fulfilled and the opening motions of a New Testament world begins. The amazing kingdom of God with its resurrection conclusion is “at hand.” The reason is that the gospel is all about a person, and that person just entered the public arena.

Therefore, two gifts must now be exercised by all who would be part of God's kingdom: repentance and faith.

Repent

What does it mean? The word means a turning of the mind, and here's something we want to get right: Repentance is a gift of God (Acts 11:18, “God has granted repentance that leads to life.” Also 2 Timothy 2:25 speaking of opponents to the faith, “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”) But what is the gift? To repent is to surrender to God:

An ancient Jewish historian, Josephus, gives us an illustration from Roman history that helps us to get the point. A Roman general speaking to a group of valiant rebels calls upon them to “repent.” They once hoped that they could fight the Romans and win. Now they must face facts, switching their misplaced loyalties from their own failing plans back to the emperor. God Almighty in the flesh calls us to do the same, not as a matter of grinding submission to someone who hates us, but to the Lover of our souls.

Peter in Acts 2:38, as an ambassador for the King of kings, called on all His hearers to do what Jesus had commanded a few years earlier: “Repent.” When a child in a family has acted in a way that is deeply hostile toward the authority structures of his household, surely nothing less than true repentance can bring about the right ordering of a happy home. The child must surrender to the parents who love him, not as an outward reality only, but with body, soul, and spirit. But how can the little rebel do it? He needs a gift.

And believe in the gospel

Faith is the second gift (Ephesians 2:8) that must be exercised by the one who wants to be in the kingdom. What does it mean to believe? The view of the ancient world was that there were many gods, and that one might go to an oracle in order to get the answers that he or she needed for living. Ezekiel 21:21 gives us a vivid picture of a military leader needing to make a life or death decision regarding an imminent battle looking for something to believe. “The king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shakes the arrows; he consults the teraphim; he looks at the liver.”

In John 9 we are told about a man born blind who was healed by Jesus. We read about a breakthrough in faith coming to this man who can now see. When he is first questioned by the authorities he makes no claim about who Jesus is. He later says that Jesus is a “prophet” (John 9:17). He then suggests that on the basis of this amazing miracle Jesus must be a “worshiper” of God who “does His will” (John 9:31). At the end of the chapter he says directly to Jesus, “Lord, I believe,” and “he worshiped him” (John 9:38).

People look all over creation for answers for living and for a message they can trust, especially searching within self, yet many come up empty. What about you?

1. Have you heard and understood the gospel of Jesus and the kingdom of God?
2. Have you repented of your sin as a gift of God rather than your work of merit?
3. Have you believed in the gospel as God's mercy received rather than your wisdom?

At great cost, Jesus started proclaiming the good news that comes from God. What a thrilling development! The era of preparing for Messiah was over. The call began to be heard: Repent and believe in the gospel. May God's kingdom come right here, right now.

Final thought: He wins, and it really is good news!

Check out Nehemiah 8:9-12 – If the plain understanding of the Law was supposed to lead to joy, what should our reaction be to the gift of right relationship with Jesus?

Sermon Point: Jesus announces a good news kingdom that cannot fail.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 63 – Your steadfast love is better than life

New Testament Reading—1 Peter 3:13-22 – Honor Christ the Lord as holy