Bible Reading: Leviticus 22-23; Mark 1:1-2
“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” – Mark 1:15 (KJV)
Jesus Christ said that the Kingdom of God is “at hand,” or “is here,” because he, Jesus the King of that Kingdom is present on the scene. He had arrived right on schedule, in the very year that the Bible had foretold He would appear as the future King.
For people to benefit from the good news about the Kingdom, they needed to repent, that is, to feel regret over past sins and to live by God’s standards. Those who repented showed that they had faith in the good news about that future Kingdom.
Jesus said these words at the start of his ministry in Galilee. “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17 (KJV)
The Kingdom was the theme of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than He did about any other subject because that was his mission on earth to reconcile man back to God. “And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.” – Luke 4:43 (KJV)
Turning from sin and turning to Christ was the message being proclaimed to the nation of Israel by Jesus Christ. Godly sorrow for their sin combined with a wholehearted commitment to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as the object of faith was the single message. The only possible way to turn away from sin is to turn to Christ. And the only way to turn to Christ is to turn from sin. Repentance from sin and faith in the gospel of Christ has to happen as an act of the will on man to receive salvation.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the glorious gospel of Christ and the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ Jesus.
Pastor Alfred Samuel