Jesus preached the gospel but not as we may understand it. Jesus had not yet died on the cross and rose from the dead. So, what was it that Jesus preached? It was the kingdom of God.

1 – The gospel in the first century

The term “gospel” refers to a messenger who brings a message of good news to the people. The people might be told of the Emperor’s birthday throughout the country so that they could reflect and celebrate. There was no distinction between religion and state at that time. The people were expected to revere the Emperor along with their own god(s).

Jesus was preaching dynamite! He was talking about the good news of the coming of a new kingdom which God were God would rule. It was sedition to some. The Roman Empire would not last. Jesus is announcing the coming reign of Yahweh.

2 – The meaning of the Kingdom of God

The meaning is different depending on whom you speak to. What we want to hear is not it. The Kingdom

• It had come and could be seen
• Repentance on the basis of above and a call to follow Him.
• The death and resurrection of Jesus is an indicator of the impending Kingdom of God.

The big picture is that God will reconcile all things under Him. God has the right to reign and it will eventually become an eternal kingdom that we see in Revelation 12:10. The parable of the sower is to make it clear about the importance of listening and putting it into practice. James and John were looking for a human government that would overthrow the Romans. See Mark 10:35-36. Nicodemus struggled with the message. See John 3:1-3. The last words to Jesus in Acts 1:1-8 showed that the disciples still didn’t understand it all.

3 – Conclusion

There are three:-

• Hear and Do – Jesus’ message of the kingdom was all about hearing and doing. This is what it is about to follow Jesus. In chapter 9 they proclaimed the message and healed the sick. James gets upset with faith without works. See James 2:19-20. Faith without works is the faith of the devil and demons. The Sermon on the Mount shows the depth and practicality of God’s message. We are to live according to God’s Kingdom and not the world. See 1 Peter.
• Get excited – There are too many dreary Christians. There are many opportunities for blessings in this new world order. His kingdom will replace the earthly kingdoms of this world. We are part of God’s project for this world. It is more than reading your Bible each day or going to Church. It is more exciting than that.
• Join up – If you are not a Christian then you are invited to join the kingdom by following Jesus. God’s rule and reign is coming soon!

Categories: Luke