Jesus preached the Kingdom of God
Mark 1:14-18
Key Verse: Mark 1:15 ""The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Jesus did many things while he was staying in this world. When he attended a wedding in Gana,he showed a miraculous sign. He also cured many sicknesses. However, most of all, Jesus focused on preaching the kingdom of God, which anyone can possess through repentance and trust of the word of Jesus. When we possess the kingdom of God, all problems become nothing, power of sin and death is disappeared, we become overjoyed and we no longer wander about aimlessly, because Jesus teaches the kingdom of God is our life direction which we should seek during our whole lives. So, in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he began to preach the kingdom of God and teach us how to possess the kingdom of God. May God help us to accept Jesus’ teaching from our deep hearts so that we may experience the true joy of the kingdom of God every moment.
Part 1. Jesus preached the Kingdom of God
Let’s read the verse 14. “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.” “After John was put in prison” shows the background of the time. The king Herod divorced his wife and got married with his brother’s wife, Herodias. The Jewish law does not permit such behavior. John the Baptist said this was wrong. When he did this, he made Herodias very angry. So Herod ordered John's arrest and later murdered him.The King didn’t care about people. He killed a great spiritual leader, John the Baptist to secure his position, and satisfy his sinful desires. Also, at that timethere was no hope politically, economically, and spiritually. Many people had to live under the power of sorrow, despair, suffering and agony. In such a difficult situation, Jesus’ ministry began. When John the Baptist was put in prison Jesus didn’t go to Herod to plead the release of John or lead a demonstration group. Rather he went to Galilee and began to proclaim the good news of God.
What is the good news of God? This is verse 15. Let’s read verse 15. “"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"” Why is “the time has come and the kingdom of God is near” such a good news? Since Adam and Eve disobeyed by being tempted by the Satan, all men have suffered a lot under the power of sin and death. Many young students commit suicide and live to satisfy their sinful desires without hope and vision. They don’t know why they should live in this terrible world. They are wandering about aimlessly even now. Jesus knew that the biggest problem of Israel was the absence of the kingdom of God in their hearts and lives. What is the Kingdom of God? It is the place where God is King and everything is under God’s taking care of. There is no sorrow, no death and no darkness. Instead the place is full oflove and light. Therefore, “the time has come and the kingdom of God is near” is the good news for all of us.
Then, how can we possess the kingdom of God? Let’s read verse 15 again. “"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"”Just repent and believe the good news, then we can possess the kingdom of God!
First, what does it mean to repent? Repent means to repent self-centered life and live God-centered life. If we don’t repent, as we experienced, our heart becomes so hardened and selfishthat we cannot trust anyone. Repentance is the necessary condition to believe the word of Jesus.
However, the repentance itself cannot be our life direction. In the book of Pilgrim’s progress written by John Bunyan, he compared the repentance with sweeping the dust in a room that was full of dust. When a man began to sweep, the dust began so abundantly to fly about, that he had almost been choked and later soon all dust still stays there on the floor. Likewise, if we keep on only repenting, far from being cleansed, we may not breathe due to the dust of our sin. So, we need a forward direction after repentance.
Second, Jesus gives us a life direction. It is to believe the good news, which is the word of Jesus. Believe means to have confidence. When we have confidence in something, we actively follow what we believe. Abraham showed an example about how to believe the word of God. He believed the promises of God and followed God in his whole life. So, to believe the good news means to trust and follow the word of Jesus in our entire life. We should go forward by following and obeying the word of Jesus. May God bless YDJ’s daily bread and testimony writing everyday so that all YDJ members step forward and bear much fruits by following the word of God.
Let’s read verse 15 again. “"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"” If anyone repents and follows the word of Jesus, he or she will possess the kingdom of God. As we know, three Magi followed the star from the east to worship Jesus. They sacrificed and left everything behind to follow the star. When they found the star, they were overjoyed. Likewise, when we repent and follow the word of Jesus, we can experience the true joy of the kingdom of God. May God help us to cleanse our hearts and follow the word of Jesus every moment so that we may possess and experience all blessings of the kingdom of God.
Part 2. Simon and Andrew repented and followed Jesus and possessed the kingdom of God.
Let’s see verse 16. “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.”. Simon and Andrew were fishermen. Andrew was one of disciples of John the Baptist but after John was put in prison, he came to catch fish with despair and no hope. They had no meaning to live but had only to live as fishermen to fill their stomachs and live self-centered lives. They didn’t have the purpose or life direction. They were confused at how to live and what to live for. Their lives were like a wandering boat. As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew. Let’s read verse 17. “"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."” Who are fishers of men? They are to lead people to God. They are to help people to experience the Kingdom of God. Jesus planted great vision and hope in their hearts as fishers of men. In verse 17, we can find Jesus’ strong will in his promise to make them fishers of men.
Let’s read verse 18. “At once they left their nets and followed him.” Simon and Andrew followed Jesus at once right after Jesus gave them calling and promises as fishers of men. Such a great simple obedience changed Simon and Andrew, who were just fishers, into great spiritual leaders as fishers of men. Most of all, they experienced the true joy of the kingdom of God because they repent by leaving their nets at once and obeyed the word of Jesus, “Come, follow me”. They were overjoyed because they finally found theirlife direction toward the kingdom of Godfor their whole lives.
Jesus also has a great vision for each of us as fishers of men. How can we know that? Somebody might think that I cannot be such an excellent Bible teacher like M. Elijah Park. Someone might think that I cannot preach message well. But, Jesus’ calling and vision is for all of us. But, if anyone repents and follows the word of Jesus, Jesus will make us fishers of men to preach thekingdom of God.
On last Sunday, M. Alison Haga shared her mission report. When she didn’t know what to do in Taiwan, she spent most of time in watching Chinese dramas and movies. She had no power to serve any sheep. But, while she was preparing Christmas worship service, she met a baby Jesus who was sleeping peacefully inside the manger without worry and fear. Also, she received John 12:24 “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”. Through these experiences, she repented and has followed the word of Jesus everyday, reminding herself “kernel, wheat, died, produced many seeds”. Then, what happened? She has experienced the kingdom of God and shared the true joy with campus students. God is using her as fishers of men.
When I came to Washington from New York, I also didn’t know what to do. I feared to stay in Washington, because I couldn’t find any resting place and so most of time I stayed at my house. I didn’t show up at church during weekdays. I worried about my future because I have no stable job. But, God helped me to attend early morning prayer meetings. Through this, God has helped me to put down everything before God and repent my sins and focus on following the word of God everyday. Nowadays I am experiencing the kingdom of God because the word of the daily breadempowers my heart and guides my life step by step. Especially, through this passage, now I understand what my life should be, which is to repent and follow the word of Jesus and possess the kingdom of God. That’s it. Not anything else.
In Conclusion, Jesus said ""The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" This verse is our life direction. God eagerly wants us to experience the Kingdom of God every moment by repenting our easy-going lives and following the word of Jesus. And Jesus calls us “Come, follow me.” and hehas a great vision upon us as fishers of men. While we are preparing Summer Bible Conference, and also during the Summer Bible Conference, may the Kingdom of God come to us and also all attendants may experience the true joy of the Kingdom of God. Also, may God bless each of us to hold God’s great vision as fishers of men and invite one student like Jesus.
One word : Repent, follow the word of Jesus, possess the kingdom of God so that we can leave as fishers of men.