The long-awaited Messiah has come and he has come to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth. The kingdom that he came to inaugurate was not a political or national kingdom, as was anticipated at the time, but a spiritual kingdom, one where God would rule in the hearts of his people through his Son, the righteous King. To be sure, there is coming a day when God will do away with all evil and establish his universal righteous rule; but for now, Jesus the Messiah has come to make us citizens of God’s eternal kingdom, by laying down his life for us.
He begins his Galilean ministry by proclaiming “the gospel of God” in Mark 1:14-15: (“and saying ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”). In these verses, Jesus makes it very clear that in order to enter the kingdom, one must repent of his/her sins and receive him as Savior and King. Repentance and believing are two essential components of the gospel. We cannot have one without the other. Faith in Christ is always accompanied by obedience to Christ, even as he said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
The second thing we note about these two imperatives is that they are in the present active tense. This tells us that repentance and faith are not just the act of a moment, but we are to live a life that is marked by continual repentance and faith.
In verses 16-20, Mark gives us an example of the cost to follow Christ, as we see the response of the first 4 disciples that Jesus called. They left everything to follow him. This shows us that it is costly to be a follower of Christ. Of course not all of us will be called to physically leave our occupation and family to follow Jesus, but there will certainly be sacrifices that we will have to make in order to make Jesus Lord of all in our lives.
As you read the passage, consider the following questions:
- What was the nature of the kingdom that Jesus came to establish here on earth, and what is the criterion that Jesus gave to enter that kingdom?
- If someone were to ask you what is the gospel, would you be able to give him/her a clear definition?
- Do you see the gospel only as something you’ve embraced in the past or as something you continue to need daily as a Christian?
- What is the cost that you continue to pay for following Jesus?
- Are you rejoicing in the privilege of being a subject of King Jesus, and are you seeking to advance his kingdom here on earth?
May the Lord help us all to treasure the gospel and be faithful followers of Christ.