Mark in March

Chapter 1

¹⁴ Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.

¹⁵ “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Later, after John was arrested (that’s a whole other post), Jesus was ready.  He’d been baptized with the Holy Spirit; He had been declared fully pleasing to the Father; He had been in the wilderness for forty days, with wild animals being tempted by and stood firm against Satan; and He had been cared for by angels while in the wilderness.  He was ready to go into Galilee to preach God’s Good News!

In verse 15, Jesus speaks of “the time promised by God.” 

This time was promised by God through the prophet Isaiah and again by John.

“The Kingdom of God is near!”

Is this earth currently the Kingdom of God?

NO!

The Kingdom of God is near” means that this earth as we know it is just about finished, done, over.  The Father could say at any moment, “Son, Go get my children!”  World, get ready for Judgment Day!

That’s Good News?  If one didn’t understand who was speaking and what He meant, it would sound like….. doom.

But, praise God, there is a provision for the world….. “repent of your sins and believe the Good News!!”

Jesus Christ, Immanuel, the Messiah is the Good News.  Isn’t it interesting how, three years before His death, burial and resurrection, He is admonishing His listeners to believe?  Hmmm.  That requires faith.  No shocker there.  It’s always been about faith.

Jesus said, “believe the God News.”  Believing takes faith.

“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” – Hebrews 11:6

It takes faith to believe the Good News and the message of the God News about Christ builds our faith… a full circle, so to speak.

And Romans 10:17 says, “Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news—the Good News about Christ.”

What does Mark 1:14-15 say to you.