But none of these things do the trick, do they? In some way, they all fail to adequately sum up the heart of our faith or the message of Jesus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead of thinking of creative slogans and soundbites, we would do well to look at how Jesus encapsulated his message. Jesus was not just a miracle worker or healer but also a teacher and preacher. Jesus came \u201cproclaiming the good news of God\u201d (Mark 1:14<\/a>). This proclamation of the gospel has three main components.<\/p>\n Jesus came announcing that the time of the Messiah had begun. \u201cThe time has been Fulfilled,\u201d Jesus says (Mark 1:14<\/a>). It can be easy to miss the nuance of such a statement. The Greek language has two separate words for \u201ctime .\u201d Chronos<\/em> refers to the passage of linear time. It is time ruled by calendars and clocks, hours, and minutes. Kairos<\/em>, the form Jesus uses, speaks more to the appointed time of God\u2019s activity. Kairos\u00a0<\/em>is particularly related to the sending of the Messiah, the time of salvation. Later, Paul writes, \u201cWhen the appointed time had come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship\u201d (Galatian 4:4-5). When Jesus speaks of the time\u2019s fulfillment, he particularly references the appointed time of redemption and the dawning of the messianic age.<\/p>\n Israel had been waiting for the Messiah for centuries. They understood this event as marking the close of the present age and the beginning of the next. Just like we might say that the sunrise becomes the definitive change between night and day, the coming of the Messiah was to mark a substantive change in life.\u00a0<\/p>\n The fulfillment of time brings a message of hope and encouragement. Jesus was announcing that it was the time for God to step into the world and act in their midst. It was the time when God\u2019s promises were revealed in all power and fullness, and it was the time when salvation would break upon the people and where forgiveness<\/a> and grace would reign.\u00a0<\/p>\n No more waiting. No more spiritual wandering. The day of the Lord had come.<\/p>\n Christ\u2019s message about the fulfillment of time is connected to his assertion that the kingdom of God had broken into the world. When Jesus began his preaching ministry, his message was, \u201cThe time has come, and the Kingdom of God has come near\u201d (Mark 1:14<\/a>). This message is the same in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n The coming of the Kingdom of God was central to Jesus\u2019 teaching and preaching. Occasionally, people offer that the heart of Christ\u2019s teaching was the golden rule: \u201cDo to others as you would have them do to you\u201d (Matthew 7:12<\/a>). Others suggest that Jesus message can be summed up in the call to \u201clove one another\u201d (John 13:34<\/a>). While the themes of love and righteous living are present in Christ\u2019s teaching, these statements are mere subcomponents of the central theme of Christ\u2019s preaching. The fact is, Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God more than any other topic. Fundamentally, Jesus came proclaiming the good news that God\u2019s kingdom had broken into the world and was active around us.<\/p>\n Still, this begs the question: What is God\u2019s Kingdom? Importantly, the Kingdom of God is not a thing to hold. It is not a castle or a place. God\u2019s kingdom is God\u2019s activity, manifest in human life. This is exactly what we pray for in the Lord\u2019s prayer. When we pray, \u201cThy kingdom come thy will be done on earth\u201d (Matthew 6:10<\/a>), we ask that our lives on earth cohere with God\u2019s purposes. Because God\u2019s activity has come to earth uniquely in Jesus Christ and is present with us today in the Holy Spirit, we are invited to experience all that defines God\u2019s blessed rule.<\/p>\n Jesus stands amongst the people and says, \u201cNow is the time. Everything you have been waiting for is present for you. Repent and believe in the good news.\u201d \u00a0Repentance<\/a> is obviously a loaded word. We have images of red-faced street preachers who scream scripture into people\u2019s faces and talk more about hell than they do about heaven. But repentance simply means to change your mind \u2013 or to turn around. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Think of it like this: Imagine that you are on your way to church on Sunday morning. If you find yourself approaching the next town over, then you need to repent, literally. You will need to turn around and head the other way. This is what Repentance means, and it is what Jesus is getting at when he calls people to this action. Repentance is an invitation to turn into the good things Jesus Christ offers us. Because, after all, if it is true that the full manifestation of God\u2019s kingdom has come upon the earth, isn\u2019t this a reality that we want to turn into? If Jesus stands in our midst and offers forgiveness of sins and a love that casts out any fear over divine punishment, isn\u2019t this something we want to turn to and embrace?\u00a0<\/p>\n Jesus calls us to believe this good news. To turn into it, accept it, and base our life on it. Believing the gospel isn\u2019t just about intellectual assent or answering biblical trivia questions correctly. Believing the gospel is about deciding that my life going forward will involve Jesus. Believing in Jesus is the act by which we turn to Jesus each day and embrace him. When we turn to Jesus and dare to believe that our lives can be touched by his, we uncover the rich things of God\u2019s kingdom made manifest in our lives.<\/p>\n The gospel that Jesus proclaimed and incarnated is not time-bound. It didn\u2019t fade away by the centuries. It is as relevant and as powerful for us today as it was to the people when Jesus walked. And so, today, the message comes: \u201cThe time is at hand, the kingdom is here, turn into it and believe this good news.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo Credit: \u00a9GettyImages\/Aiden Franklin<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n LISTEN: Let Our Bible Study Expert Help You Start the New Year Right!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Have you ever chosen a word for the year? Whether you pick a word each year or never have before, I think this episode will help you order your life in the year to come. If you don’t know what your word is, today might be a great day for you to hear some of the things that we are promised in Christ that you in faith can claim for yourself for 2024. Keep in mind, each of these words requires faith.<\/p>\nThe Time has Been Fulfilled<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Kingdom of God is at Hand<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Repent and believe. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/picture>The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>is the Rector of St. Paul\u2019s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. \u00a0He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com,\u00a0crosswalk.com<\/a>,\u00a0ibelieve.com<\/a>, Renovare Canada, and many others. \u00a0He also maintains his own blog\u00a0revkylenorman.ca<\/a>. \u00a0He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.<\/em><\/p>\n