#DailyDevotion The Kingdom Of God Is At Hand Is The Good News
Lent Day 9
Mark 1: 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Jesus is the fulfillment of history. Everything that had been happening in time the Lord had been using to bring about this time in history when the Lord would become man for mankind’s salvation. Whether it be the placement of the Jewish people on the land bridge, the spread of Greek as a common language through the conquest of Alexander the Great or the safe travel routes of the Romans through their conquest, and many others, all of history has as its pinnacle the time of Jesus of Nazareth. Paul reminds us “at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom 5:6). In Eph. 1:9,10 that Christ came in the fullness of time according to the plan of God. In 1 Tim. 2:5,6 this testimony concerning Jesus being the ransom for all and the mediator between God and man is now given at the proper time.
All these things are summed up in Jesus’ word, “the kingdom of God is at hand.” Jesus is the kingdom. His ransom for the world is the kingdom manifest. His shedding of blood as the atoning sacrifice for sin has wrought the kingdom of God in the world. Wherever the testimony about Jesus occurs is proclaimed, the Holy Spirit advances God’s kingdom in that place.
If this is true, and it is, then the message of Jesus “repent and believe the good news.” We are called to repent of our sins. Repent of our past and present sins and live a life of repentance because the flesh is weak. Repent is to be horrified by our sins. To be of a contrite spirit and a broken heart because we have disobeyed the law of God written on our hearts is to repent. We must hate our sins and our sinfulness. In as much as the Spirit gives us grace, to quit repeating those sins and to make amends, to repair the damage our sins have caused.
This repentance is wrought by the good news which we are invited to believe. What is that good news? The kingdom of God is at hand! The Lord God has won salvation for us in Jesus Christ. Forgiveness of sins is offered to all as a free gift. The Lord himself has provided the atoning sacrifice which has reconciled you to God. Indeed the free gift of salvation was won for the whole world and you are of this world. Everything that has stood in the way of you and your Father in heaven Jesus has removed by his life, death and resurrection. Your transgressions are no longer counted against you.
Heavenly Father, at the right time you sent your son Jesus Christ into the world to reconciled it to yourself. May this message advance the kingdom of God in our hearts that we may truly repent of our sins and live in your kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.