Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him
Jesus, King of the Jews, came to the world in fulfillment to the promises given to the forefathers in the Old Testament. It was finished.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
After their refusal to accept Jesus as their Redeemer King the world and all of its inhabitants were given redemption. It is now up to us to choose who we will serve! By faith in Him we are redeemed. Carla
As soon as John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus emerges from the wilderness to declare the arrival of God’s kingdom on earth. In this context, the Greek word used here for time, kairos, indicates a period of time predetermined by God. The Greek word used here for kingdom, basileia, can denote a geographical territory or the reign of a particular monarch.
The kingdom of God refers to God’s reign over all of creation and humanity. Jesus’ teaching in Mark reveals that members of the kingdom of God are marked by childlike humility (Mark 9:33–37; 10:13–16), concern for the poor (10:21–31), sacrificial service (10:42–45), and love for God and neighbor (12:28–34).
The language Mark uses to describe God’s rule demonstrates its dynamic character: The kingdom comes (verses 15; 9:1;15:43), it grows like a seed (4:26, 30), and people can enter it, but only by responding to God’s will (9:47; 10:15, 23–25; 12:34).
The Old Testament often speaks about God’s everlasting and worldwide rule (Psalm 9:7; 47:8; 145:11–13). Yahweh is described as enthroned in heaven and in His temple in Jerusalem (Psalm 9:11; 11:4; Isaiah 24:23; Ezekiel 20:33–40; 43:1–7; Micah 4:7–8; Isiah 66:1–2). It is this reign that Mark’s Gospel affiliates with Jesus. Jesus’ ministry involves the cleansing of Yahweh’s temple (the symbol of His earthly presence), and Jesus Himself is the epitome of that presence: His body is described as God’s temple (Mark 11:15–19; 14:58; John 2:19–22).
The Old Testament also affiliates God’s reign with the Davidic dynasty (1 Chronicles 28:5) in parallel, later in Mark’s Gospel, a crowd proclaims that Jesus has inaugurated David’s kingdom (Mark 11:10; 2 Samuel 7:13–16).
There are obvious examples in history before this time of Yahweh reigning on earth, such as when Israel was established in the promised land or when Yahweh’s temple was built in Jerusalem. However, God’s full reign—as seen in the garden of Eden shortly after creation—had not existed since sin entered the world (Genesis 2:4–9, 3; Revelations 22:1–5).
Jesus’ proclamation suggests that the time of God’s full reign on earth is near. God’s presence on earth has arrived in the flesh in Jesus. Jesus is saying that since that has occurred, it is only a matter of time until the justice and order that mark God’s reign are in place over all the earth (Isaiah 9; 66:15–24).
The kingdom of God is described as near (present) but not fully arrived because its full arrival on earth takes place upon Jesus’ second coming (1 Corinthians 15:20–28). Since Jesus announces the advent of a new kingdom, belief in the gospel entails allegiance to the new king, Jesus. Faithlife Study Bible
Mark begins his account of Christ’s ministry with events after John was put in prison, as do the other synoptic Gospel writers. John is the only writer who informs us of a number of events that took place before John the Baptist’s imprisonment (John 3:24).
Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. It was the subject of much Old Testament prophecy, and the theme was familiar to Jesus’ listeners.
Repent, and believe are both acts of faith. When a person accepts the only true and worthy object of faith, that person readily turns from inferior substitutes. The NKJV Study Bible
Matthew 3:1–2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Matthew 4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.
Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Here’s the deal: We do live in the real world, where many choices, and behaviors go off the rails, and real people pay the price.
A real world, where pain and cruelty and anguish are very real, and where the gift of hope has a mighty and restorative healing power.
And, speaking of witnesses and hope, Jane Goodall—UN Messenger of Peace and world-renowned ethologist, conservationist, and humanitarian—died yesterday. And I was grateful for a column from José Andrés today, “She was a very positive person to be around,” José said, “and she didn’t think hope is wishful thinking, she thought it was about action.”
“I see us as a species,” Jane told me on a podcast we did together, José goes on, “which is at the mouth of a very long, very dark tunnel. And right at the end, there’s a star shining, and that’s hope. But we can’t sit at the mouth of the tunnel and wonder when that star will come! No, we have to roll up our sleeves and we have to crawl under, climb over, work our way around all the obstacles that lie between us and the star.”
Yes. Hope fueled by intention and choice. And presence. To be a witness. “Sabbath Moments”
Romans 12:2 (ESV) "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
The Apostle Paul also understood the gospel's ability to radically change lives. Paul went from persecuting the Church to pastoring it (Acts 8:3; 1 Timothy 2:7). But this didn't happen automatically. Transforming into the likeness of Christ happens not by chance but by choice: God choosing us by His grace and us choosing Him by faith.
Romans 12:2, also highlights how we can choose to pursue "the renewal of [our] mind."
When Paul wrote to the church in Rome around A. D. 57, the city's culture was mainly pagan and polytheistic, worshipping false gods.Though the church was in a relatively peace-filled season, societal influence was pressuring Christians to compromise their faith. And in A. D. 64, Emperor Nero would begin persecuting Christians.
Paul therefore taught believers to "discern what is the will of God" (Romans 12:2) instead of caving to cultural pressures, following his previous exhortation "to present your bodies as a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). This implies dying to sin and laying down our lives as an offering to our world-saving God.
Our lives reflect Jesus' greatness as we are "transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Since this is a supernatural change, we need supernatural help! God provides this abundantly through the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to believe and live out a biblical mindset. Scripture tells us "we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16): the God-given ability to think what Jesus would think. We can purposefully allow the Spirit to teach us His way to process our thoughts and internalize gospel Truth.
By God's grace, He will meet us on our renewal journey. As God transforms our minds, His Spirit flows into our hearts, purifies our thoughts, and pours out into the way we live.
Everything God does is good because He is good (Romans 8:28).
Everything God does is acceptable because He is wise and all-knowing (Proverbs 2:6).
Everything God does is perfect because He is holy and above reproach (1 Peter 1:15-16).
In a beautiful connection, as we allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds in accordance with God's will, we become walking testimonies of God's grace and never-ending faithfulness. This will always be a part of His good purpose. First5
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