Before Jesus himself ever preaches this message of the “kingdom of God”, we find in the gospel that someone else first preaches it: the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist, brings news of this ‘kingdom of heaven’ as an itinerant preacher preparing the way for the Christ. If it feels overwhelming to comprehend now (which it does), just imagine how it felt for those original hearers!
One of the most important themes in the gospel narratives of Jesus’ preaching and teaching is that of the “kingdom of God”. What exactly does this mean? Put simply, the “kingdom of God” is the reigning authority of God in which the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and promises are now set in motion! In Jesus, something new is happening not just for the followers of YHWH (God), but in fact for the whole world. Our faithful, loyal, omniscient God has ignited a new part of the grand rescue mission, which means that he has sent the Son (Jesus – who is both fully God and fully man) to earth in order to reconcile all of humanity back to God. There is an important part of theology that is intricately connected to this topic – that is what we call “eschatology”, meaning the study of last things. In order to describe where we are in this story, the “present age”, we must know where we came from and where we are going. In the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, a new age arrived. Jesus launched the reign of God’s kingdom on earth, which set in motion the “already” of the Kingdom of God, which is now present for us, because of Jesus. Yet, we know there is still more coming. We can see and feel there is still strife, struggle, and brokenness very present in this world and we await the day in which all of that will be restored completely. The present age and the age to come overlap and this is where we live… expecting and awaiting the return of Jesus (parousia) at his second coming. For now, the kingdom of God is already, and not yet.
These are the key themes of Jesus’ preaching during his adult ministry in Israel. As the long-awaited Messiah, you would think people would be eager to hear his sermons, right? Many times, Jesus is met with reluctance, confusion, or skepticism from the majority of religious leaders and onlookers. However, for those who meet Jesus and believe, their lives are transformed. Let’s explore the themes, many of which connect us to those of the Old Testament, which are woven into Jesus’ preaching as he ushers in the Kingdom of Heaven to a world so desperately needing it. These stories and lessons bring a new hope and perspective that ground our hope in Jesus.
