The Gospel of Jesus
Ever notice that the gospel of Jesus that we find in the New Testament is not the gospel that is being preached in most American churches? Jesus came to Israel proclaiming a very concise but powerful message. Let’s read it in Mark’s gospel, the first chapter: “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee , preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15) For the sake of brevity let’s focus on these two questions: a. What is the Kingdom of God ? b. What is the gospel? The Kingdom of God What is the Kingdom of God ? Jesus told us many parables to describe the Kingdom. The essence of these parables is that God is now actively working in the world to reconcile it to himself and to bring all things under his direct authority. Paul tells us of a time when this “kingdom project” of God’s will be fully realized