To Live a Life in the Kingdom of God

Date: 5/14/23

Sermon Title: To Live a Life in the Kingdom of God

Context: Mark 1:14-15

(Mk. 1: 14) After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

(Mk. 1: 15) "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Preaching Note  

1. The Kingdom of God at hand

“After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee and proclaimed the good news of God (v. 14). The time is full. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent. Believe the gospel.” (v. 15).

     The first phrase that catches our attention here is “The kingdom of God is at hand.” Doesn't that sound a bit odd? How can a country come close? So, commentators have looked closely at the original meaning of the Greek basileia ((βασιλεία), translated as country here.

     As a result of research so far, there is a consensus that the basic meaning of 'basileia' is 'royal authority, dominion' rather than 'territory' or 'people'. Therefore, it can be seen that 'God's basileia' is a phrase that indicates God's kingly reign (right). Do you understand this verse then? It means that the kingly reign of God is at hand. In other words, the reign of God to come in the future has already begun with the coming of Jesus. That's why we can experience God's reign as a spiritual reality even now. Then, how can we experience this reign of God?

2. Repent

     In order to live the life in The Kingdom of God, Jesus says, 'Repent' first. “Repentance”. It means ‘changing one’s mind’. It contains the meaning of ‘changing one’s consciousness’ and ‘turning one’s life around’. In other words, “repentance is repentance as a complete life change that changes the way of thinking, values and worldview, and changes the direction of life 180 degrees”. Jesus said that without this great transformation he could not live in the life of The Kingdom of God.

3. Believe in the gospel

Jesus said, secondly, “Believe in the gospel” in order to live in the life of The Kingdom of God. Gospel means ‘to announce the good news’ or ‘to announce the news of victory’. This word meant 'notice' that Roman emperors at the time inform the countries that were subjugated. People at the time thought that the notification of the Roman emperor was the gospel that would save them and the world.

     However, today's text is not the notice of the Roman emperor, but the notice that Jesus conveys to save the world, and the core of the notice is that 'the Kingdom of God has come near'. In order to live a life in The Kingdom of God, it is possible when you believe and follow this notice.

     According to the gospel of Jesus' kingdom of God, we can live the life in  The Kingdom of God here and now. Spirituality is a life that turns away from a life obsessed only with me and aligns my values and vision with Jesus' gospel of The Kingdom of God. I sincerely pray that you become beautiful and wonderful Christians who are full of beautiful spirituality and intelligence, full of joy in the Kingdom of God, and overcome pain and suffering from the world with that joy.

Q. Do you believe the Kingdom of God?