WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.359 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. 00:00:11.620 --> 00:00:21.699 A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because you're filling seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:21.699 --> 00:00:35.759 And as we follow Jesus together, we've become convinced that there's no one so good, they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word. 00:00:36.619 --> 00:00:48.320 We're continuing our study in the Gospel of Mark. You'll remember Mark, as a gospel, tells the story of Jesus in His life, in His death, in His resurrection, and we're asking two simple questions as we go through this book. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:54.500 Who is Jesus, and how do we respond to Him? This is our fourth week now, so we've had a variety of answers. 00:00:54.939 --> 00:00:59.159 Three weeks ago, when we were in verses 1 through 8, we saw that Jesus is the physician. 00:00:59.740 --> 00:01:02.439 Jesus tells us in Mark 2, verse 17, 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:06.579 Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 00:01:06.960 --> 00:01:10.019 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. 00:01:10.740 --> 00:01:12.599 That's our first answer. Jesus is the physician. 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:23.039 Then, in verses 9 through 11, we saw that Jesus is the Psalm 2 king, the one who comes to rule over the whole earth, and He's also Isaiah's suffering servant. 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:29.560 So on the one hand, He is so great that the heavens rip open for God to make a pronouncement about Him. 00:01:30.039 --> 00:01:38.199 On the other hand, He's so humble that He receives the baptism from John the Baptist, the one who's not even worthy to untie His sandals. 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:44.480 And so as He's receiving His baptism, remember we talked about the fact that Jesus stands in the place of sinners. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:48.560 It doesn't make sense that He would receive John's baptism, and that's the point. 00:01:49.700 --> 00:01:55.520 Then, finally, last week, in verses 12 through 13, we saw that Jesus is the perfect one. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:02:01.980 Jesus succeeds and obeys where we fail and disobey. 00:02:02.820 --> 00:02:05.159 And so those have been our answers so far. 00:02:05.260 --> 00:02:07.500 This morning, we are leaving the desert. 00:02:07.500 --> 00:02:11.300 So verses 1 through 13, all desert scenes. 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:14.879 In a sense, the desert is meant to be this introduction to the Gospel of Mark. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:16.819 We know that the real action hasn't happened. 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:21.979 These things are private things for the most part, except for John the Baptist out in the wilderness as Mark presents it. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:24.400 Now we're going to take a shift of location. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:29.280 We're moving from the desert, probably likely in the south, and we're going to move to Galilee, which is more in the north. 00:02:29.420 --> 00:02:34.340 If you're familiar with the geography of the nation of Israel, there's two main bodies of water. 00:02:34.340 --> 00:02:35.900 There's the Sea of Galilee in the north. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:37.360 There's the Dead Sea in the south. 00:02:37.900 --> 00:02:38.879 And you can guess it. 00:02:38.920 --> 00:02:40.780 The Sea of Galilee is close to which of those? 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:44.879 Or the area of Galilee is close to the Sea of Galilee up in the north. 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:46.400 So Jesus is moving north. 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:49.300 He's moving back to where He grew up. 00:02:49.300 --> 00:02:56.280 And I'll remind you, as we talk about Jesus, I've been telling you that Jesus is not a mythological figure. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:03:02.939 He's not an abstraction in a theory or an idea, but He's actually a real man who lived in real time and real space. 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:06.080 So I've been giving you these earthy facts about Jesus. 00:03:06.200 --> 00:03:11.820 We've talked the last couple weeks about the fact that Jesus had, or He was one of, at least seven kids. 00:03:11.900 --> 00:03:13.540 So Jesus came from a large family. 00:03:13.539 --> 00:03:15.959 And I told you about Jesus' brothers. 00:03:16.099 --> 00:03:19.620 His brothers' names were James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. 00:03:19.739 --> 00:03:22.340 And I want to tell you just a little bit about Judas this morning. 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:25.399 Judas is not the same as Judas Iscariot. 00:03:25.579 --> 00:03:26.680 So it's a different Judas. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:34.699 And many people believe that Judas, Jesus' brother, is the same person as Jude who wrote the book of Jude in the New Testament. 00:03:35.259 --> 00:03:36.699 That's not what I want to talk about, though. 00:03:36.699 --> 00:03:42.639 What I do want to talk about is that we have an ancient historical record about Judas' grandchildren, 00:03:42.979 --> 00:03:45.439 which means that they were Jesus' grandnephews. 00:03:45.539 --> 00:03:46.599 So think about that for a second. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:48.299 Jesus had grandnephews. 00:03:49.619 --> 00:03:54.519 Judas' grandchildren had a plot, a family farm in Nazareth, 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:59.839 which means, most likely, Jesus' family had had this farm for generations. 00:04:00.799 --> 00:04:03.359 And so you might have heard that Jesus is a carpenter. 00:04:03.459 --> 00:04:05.379 We find that out in Mark 6, Matthew 13. 00:04:05.379 --> 00:04:08.259 It's likely Jesus was also a farmer. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:09.519 Okay? 00:04:09.979 --> 00:04:12.939 Because his grandnephews had access to the family farm. 00:04:13.019 --> 00:04:14.079 That's your fun fact for the morning. 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:14.579 Okay? 00:04:15.180 --> 00:04:16.300 Jesus is a real person. 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:18.279 He lived in real time, real space. 00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:21.459 And this real person is moving from the desert to Galilee 00:04:21.459 --> 00:04:25.300 because we're going to see this shift from the introduction of Jesus' ministry 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:26.980 to the beginning of Jesus' ministry. 00:04:27.159 --> 00:04:30.100 And so because of that, we're going to ask a slightly different question this morning. 00:04:30.180 --> 00:04:31.319 Not who is Jesus? 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:34.699 Although we're going to return to that question over and over again, 00:04:34.699 --> 00:04:37.620 but we're simply going to ask, what is the kingdom? 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:42.839 Now, I've been talking about this in various angles this morning about the kingdom of God. 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:46.219 And you will find all sorts of people will say all sorts of things. 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:48.240 It can be a little bit of a confusing topic. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:54.400 If you go to Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., there is no embassy for the kingdom of God. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:55.720 I'm just going to break it to you right now. 00:04:56.620 --> 00:05:00.879 And so what are we talking about when we talk about this kingdom? 00:05:00.939 --> 00:05:02.460 We're going to look at two things this morning. 00:05:02.540 --> 00:05:04.120 First of all, the coming of the kingdom. 00:05:04.120 --> 00:05:08.639 And second of all, Jesus' call to repentance and belief. 00:05:08.759 --> 00:05:12.699 And with that, I'm going to invite you to turn with me to Mark 1, starting at verse 14. 00:05:12.819 --> 00:05:14.120 You can turn in your worship guide. 00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:15.740 You can turn in your phone. 00:05:16.180 --> 00:05:17.560 You can turn in your Bible. 00:05:17.639 --> 00:05:20.500 No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's word. 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:24.680 And God tells us that his word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:28.699 which means that God has not left us to stumble alone in the dark, 00:05:28.699 --> 00:05:32.959 but instead he has given us his word to show us the way to go. 00:05:33.039 --> 00:05:35.860 And so that's why we read now, starting at verse 14. 00:05:37.459 --> 00:05:41.039 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, 00:05:41.259 --> 00:05:43.719 proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, 00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:48.459 the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:51.860 Repent and believe in the gospel. 00:05:53.159 --> 00:05:56.899 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:05:58.699 --> 00:06:07.620 Our Father in heaven, we thank you that your son is not an abstraction or an idea or a theory, 00:06:08.500 --> 00:06:11.199 but that he's a real person in real time and real space. 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:14.560 And we thank you that he's not just a person, but God as well. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.639 And he has come as the king of this world. 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:23.279 And so we ask this morning that you would help us to understand this king and this kingdom, 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:26.919 that we would be able to see the beauty and the glory of it, 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:30.580 and we would be challenged and encouraged to live in it. 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:36.540 We ask these things grateful and thankful that we don't have to earn them from you or deserve them, 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:39.759 but instead we simply ask them in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 00:06:40.300 --> 00:06:40.520 Amen. 00:06:45.220 --> 00:06:48.480 Three weeks ago, when we talked about John the Baptist, 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:53.980 I gave you this illustration to explain the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:57.640 Remember, I told you that it was like that between a nurse and a doctor, 00:06:57.640 --> 00:07:02.120 because when the nurse comes in, the nurse is preparing the way for the doctor. 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:05.020 The nurse gets you to admit that something's wrong. 00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:07.819 You have to confess why it is that you're there. 00:07:08.120 --> 00:07:10.520 You have to admit that you have a need. 00:07:10.900 --> 00:07:13.100 So the nurse is there to get you prepared, right? 00:07:13.100 --> 00:07:16.160 But the nurse doesn't have any power. 00:07:16.640 --> 00:07:17.960 The nurse can't write a prescription. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:19.820 The nurse is not authorized to diagnose. 00:07:20.500 --> 00:07:22.700 He is just there to prepare you for the doctor. 00:07:23.200 --> 00:07:28.939 The doctor is the one who is coming, actually has the power and the ability to change. 00:07:29.020 --> 00:07:30.420 He's the one who's able to write prescriptions. 00:07:30.640 --> 00:07:32.340 He's the one who's able to run tests. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.520 He's the one who's able to try to diagnose and figure out what's going on. 00:07:37.140 --> 00:07:39.840 Now, one thing I didn't mention when I told you that is, 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:42.579 I talked, of course, about the nurse coming in and then the doctor coming in. 00:07:43.039 --> 00:07:45.619 What happens between the nurse and the doctor? 00:07:46.699 --> 00:07:53.419 Well, if your doctor's office works like mine, the nurse has to leave, right? 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:56.559 The nurse never just stays and hangs around and waits for the doctor to come in. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:02.219 The nurse always says, the doctor will be with you in a minute, and then walks out. 00:08:03.019 --> 00:08:07.399 And then 10 minutes later, the doctor knocks on the door, right? 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:12.959 And then you say, come in, and the doctor comes in, and you talk about whatever it is that you need to talk about. 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:17.620 Mark is telling us here that the nurse has left. 00:08:17.679 --> 00:08:19.439 That's what we're looking at in verse 14. 00:08:19.579 --> 00:08:24.399 Now, after John was arrested, the introduction is over. 00:08:24.599 --> 00:08:27.139 John has served his purpose. 00:08:27.719 --> 00:08:30.000 It's now time for the knock on the door. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.360 You might wonder why John was arrested. 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:36.159 Mark has no interest in telling you about that. 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:37.480 That's irrelevant. 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:38.500 That's not the point. 00:08:38.719 --> 00:08:43.679 He will tell us about that in chapter 6, and we're going to have to wait for chapter 6 to find out. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:46.620 So we'll find out later why it is that John was arrested. 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:49.839 The point, though, is that things are moving forward. 00:08:50.059 --> 00:08:51.480 We're done with the introduction. 00:08:51.699 --> 00:08:52.879 It's time to move on. 00:08:53.199 --> 00:08:56.439 The one with the actual power is here. 00:08:56.439 --> 00:09:01.759 And, in fact, we see that point as well in the comparison that's drawn between John and Jesus. 00:09:01.939 --> 00:09:05.959 There's things that are the same, and there are things that are different. 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:12.200 The time is fulfilled here, we're told, in verse 15, which means that the moment has finally come. 00:09:12.420 --> 00:09:17.360 Everything that John has been predicting, everything the Old Testament prophecies have told us about, 00:09:17.460 --> 00:09:19.379 these things are finally coming to fulfillment. 00:09:19.820 --> 00:09:21.860 It is time for Jesus to come. 00:09:21.940 --> 00:09:24.620 It's time for the doctor to finally show up. 00:09:24.680 --> 00:09:26.680 The preamble has been finished with. 00:09:27.379 --> 00:09:29.519 But there's some similarities and some differences here. 00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:30.280 There's some overlap. 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:33.379 So if you have your Bible with you and you go back and look at verse 4, 00:09:33.539 --> 00:09:36.959 you will see that John was proclaiming a baptism of repentance. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.259 Jesus here is also, verse 14, proclaiming. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:44.620 So Jesus and John are both doing this. 00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:46.399 This is the same word in Greek, by the way. 00:09:46.459 --> 00:09:48.000 They're doing the same thing. 00:09:48.579 --> 00:09:51.220 They're also both talking about repentance. 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:56.200 We see the baptism of repentance from John the Baptist in verse 4, 00:09:56.279 --> 00:09:58.779 and then Jesus tells people to repent. 00:09:58.899 --> 00:10:00.420 So there's a continuity here. 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:02.740 They're both, in some ways, doing the same thing. 00:10:03.139 --> 00:10:04.899 There's also a discontinuity. 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:10.879 They're doing something different because Jesus is able to say what John is not able to say. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:13.680 That is, first of all, there's the gospel of God. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.160 We see this word twice, verse 14 and 15, the good news. 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:22.360 The good news is finally here because the one who is powerful has finally arrived. 00:10:23.579 --> 00:10:29.059 Jesus is able to come and do what John can only predict. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:32.360 So he's able to say the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:35.879 The difference then, the similarity is they're both preaching. 00:10:36.019 --> 00:10:37.240 They're both calling for repentance. 00:10:37.699 --> 00:10:41.600 The difference is that Jesus is the one who's able to bring the good news. 00:10:42.019 --> 00:10:46.039 He's the one who's able to say the kingdom of God is finally here. 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:49.659 The power has arrived. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:56.919 The ability to change, the ability to heal, the ability to rebuke is here. 00:10:57.079 --> 00:10:59.079 Jesus has arrived. 00:10:59.199 --> 00:11:04.539 And so as we come to this, this transition between the introduction of Jesus' ministry 00:11:04.539 --> 00:11:08.159 to the beginning of Jesus' ministry, we're still getting the framework, 00:11:08.539 --> 00:11:12.000 the understanding that we need for the rest of this book. 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:16.179 And this morning, we need to understand what we're talking about when we look at the kingdom of God. 00:11:16.179 --> 00:11:18.500 And so we're going to simply look at two things. 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:22.679 As I mentioned before, the coming of the kingdom and repentance and belief. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.099 So first of all, the coming of the kingdom. 00:11:25.199 --> 00:11:29.159 And I'm going to tell you, as I say many times, I'm going to say something, not everything. 00:11:29.599 --> 00:11:33.859 Because we need the whole book of Mark to understand what's meant by the kingdom of God. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.179 So this is just an introduction. 00:11:35.699 --> 00:11:38.620 We're going to have the parables of the kingdom in Mark chapter 4, 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:42.219 where we'll have a chance to slow down and look at the kingdom in detail. 00:11:42.220 --> 00:11:45.080 But I'm going to start with the most obvious thing of all. 00:11:45.680 --> 00:11:52.320 If it's true, as we saw in verses 9 through 11, that the Psalm 2 king is here, 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.160 then of course the kingdom is going to be here as well. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:11:58.480 Okay? 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:02.480 It doesn't make sense to have a king without a kingdom. 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:06.279 And so we need all of this background information, right? 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:09.159 We're building step by step on what Mark is telling us. 00:12:09.539 --> 00:12:11.819 John has already told us there's going to be a king. 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:14.480 Now we're just learning what we should have already expected. 00:12:14.600 --> 00:12:15.860 Of course there's a kingdom, right? 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:19.759 The king, by definition, has to have something he's in charge of. 00:12:20.459 --> 00:12:24.199 And so, again, looking back, we know, okay, what do we have to know? 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:25.980 What is absolutely true about this kingdom? 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:28.459 Well, it's the Psalm 2 king. 00:12:28.779 --> 00:12:33.740 So what we're told about the king in Psalm 2 is true of this kingdom as well. 00:12:33.740 --> 00:12:35.700 And you might remember some of the things from that. 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:42.860 The kingdom, first of all, remember it's something that's supposed to be for all peoples and all nations. 00:12:43.259 --> 00:12:45.279 That was what happened with the Psalm 2 king. 00:12:46.060 --> 00:12:47.500 In fact, it tells us in verse 8, 00:12:47.680 --> 00:12:52.519 I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. 00:12:53.639 --> 00:12:57.680 Nation of Israel had very little impact on the nations around them. 00:12:58.500 --> 00:12:59.419 Jesus comes. 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:01.639 He is opening up. 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:06.080 Now, it was an option as a non-Israelite to follow Yahweh, the God of Israel. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.500 Didn't happen for many. 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:13.220 Jesus is now bringing God in a greater way to the nations and the peoples. 00:13:13.340 --> 00:13:19.120 Mark chapter 13, we're told the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. 00:13:20.179 --> 00:13:22.939 So that's one way in which the kingdom is here. 00:13:23.500 --> 00:13:27.039 Jesus is bringing something fuller than what was there in the past. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.039 He's bringing something. 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:30.799 We'll see this in Acts chapter 2 at Pentecost. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:32.860 We're going to see the nations coming. 00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:37.399 All the different peoples, all the different languages hearing the gospel preached to them. 00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:43.799 Now, if you're a amillennial like me, you interpret Revelation chapter 20 verse 3, 00:13:43.899 --> 00:13:46.599 the binding of Satan so we can't deceive the nations, 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:52.279 as Satan no longer being able to prevent all the nations from coming to faith in Christ. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:55.580 And so that's part of what it means that the kingdom has come. 00:13:56.139 --> 00:14:00.019 The Psalm 2 king, he's supposed to have the whole nations as his heritage. 00:14:01.019 --> 00:14:02.040 Jesus the king. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:07.600 He's bringing the prophecies that have been made throughout the Old Testament about the nations coming to worship God. 00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:09.019 Those things are coming true. 00:14:09.100 --> 00:14:12.820 We see that throughout the prophets and especially in the Psalms. 00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:21.260 Somehow, by the kingdom of God coming, not only is there going to be greater fullness as to who is going to hear the gospel and understand it, 00:14:21.280 --> 00:14:23.540 there's also greater power over demonic forces. 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:27.300 This is why Jesus is constantly casting out demons. 00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:32.140 We're told in Matthew chapter 12, Jesus says, 00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:37.220 If it's by the spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:41.799 In other words, there's this connection between the kingdom and power over evil forces. 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:46.059 That makes sense, by the way, if Satan has now been bound, he can't deceive the nations. 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:51.720 So there's a greater level of power now that Jesus has come than there was previously. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:57.740 There's a greater level of access from the nations than there was previously because Jesus has come. 00:14:57.740 --> 00:15:03.440 Paul tells us, 1 Corinthians chapter 4, the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:07.000 So we understand our lowest hanging fruit. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:08.460 This is the Psalm 2 king. 00:15:08.560 --> 00:15:09.779 Of course he has a kingdom. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:12.680 This kingdom is coming for all the nations. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.960 It's a kingdom with greater power and authority over evil forces. 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:23.659 We're also going to see that it's a kingdom where those who are on the outside are brought inside. 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:27.500 And so that's why it's often called the upside-down kingdom. 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:33.940 Jesus is going to reverse the priorities of this world because his kingdom, like any kingdom, 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:39.299 has rules and laws and expectations and a culture and norms. 00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:45.759 And then, at risk of stating the obvious, not only does the king have a kingdom, 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:51.039 here's our other low-hanging fruit, the king is finally present. 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:55.340 The king is finally there with his people. 00:15:55.460 --> 00:15:57.560 This is a basic logic of being human. 00:15:57.559 --> 00:15:59.479 We've learned this, especially in 2020. 00:16:00.359 --> 00:16:02.079 Presence really matters. 00:16:03.939 --> 00:16:12.039 There is something real and substantial about being able to look someone else in the eyes in person, not over Zoom. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:13.859 Okay? 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:19.440 Before COVID, now this is not necessarily true now, but as a minister of the gospel, 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:22.960 people at hospitals would break all kinds of rules for me. 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:25.300 So hospitals have all sorts of rules. 00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:27.519 The only way to break them is by being a pastor. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:33.860 Those of you who have been here for a long time, remember Stephen Clark passed away unexpectedly at the end of 2018, 00:16:33.860 --> 00:16:37.240 and there were rules about how many people could be in the hospital room. 00:16:37.299 --> 00:16:38.500 So they told me, you can't go in. 00:16:38.740 --> 00:16:39.899 There's already two people there. 00:16:39.939 --> 00:16:40.740 I said, I'm a pastor. 00:16:40.819 --> 00:16:42.039 They said, the door's right there. 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.039 Right? 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:43.599 Right? 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:49.759 Even secular nurses and doctors know you do not get in the way of the Lord's representative. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.039 Why? 00:16:51.419 --> 00:16:53.659 Because presence matters so much. 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:57.519 There's something new and different about this kingdom. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:05.160 The kingdom has come quite simply by the fact that Jesus is there as a man in real time and real space. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:08.279 He brings blessings that were not there previously. 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:10.200 Jesus is the one who casts out demons. 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:12.180 Jesus is the one who brings healing. 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:17.859 Jesus is the one who speaks over people who are outcasts and let them know they're accepted and forgiven. 00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:24.019 And so these are some of the broad framework that we need to understand the kingdom moving forward. 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.460 Of course there's a kingdom. 00:17:25.619 --> 00:17:26.139 There's a king. 00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:31.500 This king is the type of king that we were told was going to come in the Old Testament. 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:34.180 So of course his kingdom is going to look like that. 00:17:34.620 --> 00:17:36.060 He's going to bring in the nations. 00:17:36.520 --> 00:17:39.040 He's going to have power over evil forces. 00:17:39.520 --> 00:17:43.920 He's going to come and he's going to give us and bring us his presence. 00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:47.400 And so the same things are true of us today. 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:54.700 We experience blessings because of the nearness of the kingdom that we would not have experienced had we lived 3,000 years ago. 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:58.299 The kingdom of God is good news for us today. 00:17:58.299 --> 00:18:05.319 I hate to break it to you, but most of us, if any of us, are Jewish. 00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:08.159 And yet we're here. 00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:08.519 Why? 00:18:09.159 --> 00:18:11.019 Because the Psalm 2 king came. 00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:16.579 The king who is going to bring people from every nation and tribe and tongue. 00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:20.419 We experience a measure of God's power. 00:18:21.379 --> 00:18:29.039 We have an understanding and a clarity around God's grace to us that we would not have had 3,000 years ago. 00:18:29.139 --> 00:18:29.439 Why? 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:31.279 The king has come. 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:32.240 The kingdom is here. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.139 It is near. 00:18:34.140 --> 00:18:40.560 With all of that said, we have to understand what I mentioned earlier during the Lord's Prayer. 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:43.540 There's this important concept that the kingdom is here in part. 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:45.500 It's not yet here in full. 00:18:46.180 --> 00:18:48.080 There's the already, but the not yet. 00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:51.480 So we experience the benefits and blessings of the kingdom. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:54.300 We also long for the kingdom to come. 00:18:54.299 --> 00:19:02.839 We also pray, Matthew 6, 10, your kingdom, your will be done, your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:06.299 And so that's the kingdom of God. 00:19:06.379 --> 00:19:07.240 Just our introduction. 00:19:07.399 --> 00:19:11.220 By the way, I'll mention, this is extremely helpful as we think about it. 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:17.720 I mentioned earlier that if you go on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., there's no embassy for the kingdom of God. 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:20.839 And if there is, you should be very concerned. 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:25.779 Which makes it hard to get our heads around it, right? 00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:32.799 Because it feels at times like maybe when we talk about the kingdom of God, we're talking about this pretend place that's kind of pie in the sky. 00:19:34.899 --> 00:19:39.519 And so I want to give you a couple categories as we're discussing kingdom of God. 00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:41.740 It's here in part, not here in full. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:44.339 There's a man who describes it this way. 00:19:44.419 --> 00:19:47.019 It is a reign more than a realm. 00:19:47.399 --> 00:19:48.980 It's a power more than a place. 00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:51.140 It's a reign more than a realm. 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.259 A power more than a place. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:58.000 Which means that unlike earthly kingdoms, the kingdom of God is not tied down by geography. 00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:02.120 Okay, so that's part of what makes it hard for us to wrap our heads around. 00:20:03.259 --> 00:20:10.460 And another way we could look at the kingdom of God is one definition is the rule of God in the hearts and lives of his people. 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:14.000 So you might have one county or one state. 00:20:14.099 --> 00:20:16.099 There are some people who recognize God as king. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:17.440 Other people who don't. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:22.059 We also don't want to get the kingdom of God confused with the church. 00:20:22.140 --> 00:20:29.519 So this same person who says the kingdom is a reign more than a realm, a power more than a place, he also says the kingdom is a power. 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:30.519 The church is a people. 00:20:31.820 --> 00:20:34.759 So the church are people who submit to Jesus as king. 00:20:35.120 --> 00:20:36.840 That doesn't necessarily make them the kingdom. 00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:42.160 Okay, the kingdom is God's rule, his reign over the world. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:45.279 And one day we'll see it in full. 00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:48.420 Now we only see it in part. 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:51.220 And so that's a small answer. 00:20:51.320 --> 00:20:54.259 That's the something, not everything answer to what is the kingdom? 00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:57.440 What is the good news that Jesus is proclaiming here? 00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.279 How do we respond? 00:20:58.500 --> 00:21:01.340 Well, gospel means good news, right? 00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:08.939 If everything I've just said is true, and it is, this is something that we should be excited and joyful about. 00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:17.559 There is real, true, and good news that has come to us that benefits us here and now because Jesus and his power are at work in this world. 00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:21.839 And so my question for you is simply this. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:24.899 Is the kingdom good news to you? 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:32.339 When you think about the fact that Jesus has come, is that good news? 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:39.839 Is that something that causes you to have that feeling that someone might have when they're thirsty and finally there's a drink of water? 00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:44.779 Is it good news to know that those who are on the outside are being brought to the inside? 00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:53.539 Is it good news to know that God is bringing in people who don't look like us, don't speak the same language as us, don't eat the same food as us? 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:57.500 Do you say, here's another paradigm I'm going to give you. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:03.339 Do you say when you think about the kingdom, oh no, or at last? 00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:10.639 Because ultimately as we go through the gospel of Mark, we're going to see there are only two responses to Jesus. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:21.000 Either we love him and see him and his kingdom as more and more beautiful, or we hate him, we turn away from his kingdom. 00:22:22.020 --> 00:22:24.780 Okay, so is the kingdom of God good news to you? 00:22:26.300 --> 00:22:32.500 When you look at it, when you think about it, do you say, oh no, or do you say at last? 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:38.559 And we're going to come back to that, I'm in the gospel, as we move forward. 00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:43.579 If you're a non-Christian, the response for you is to enter the kingdom. 00:22:43.660 --> 00:22:45.059 We're going to talk about that in a minute. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:51.839 If you consider yourself a Christian, the response for you is to know and love and follow the king more and more, 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.500 living in his kingdom more and more, submitting to his rule more and more. 00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:59.099 Do you want to know what that looks like? 00:22:59.099 --> 00:23:02.579 Keep coming back for the gospel of Mark. 00:23:03.939 --> 00:23:05.779 That's what this gospel is meant to answer. 00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:08.740 This is just a small introduction. 00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:12.599 Okay, so we're not going to go into all the details of the kingdom now, 00:23:12.679 --> 00:23:16.179 but as we walk with Jesus through the gospel of Mark, 00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:21.699 we're going to see over and over again what it looks like to live and love in his kingdom. 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:27.779 Now, if you're familiar with kingdoms in the nations of this world, 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.799 you know that there's many to choose from, right? 00:23:29.860 --> 00:23:31.920 Not everyone in this room is a U.S. citizen. 00:23:32.840 --> 00:23:35.140 Some of you, if I have this correct, are dual citizens. 00:23:35.340 --> 00:23:37.319 You have citizenship in more than one country. 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:40.140 And you know that if you're not a citizen of the U.S. 00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:43.420 and you want to become one, it's a long and arduous process. 00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:46.620 You have to have legal residency in the U.S. for three to five years. 00:23:46.619 --> 00:23:50.559 You have to take a test showing that you know United States history, thankfully. 00:23:50.719 --> 00:23:52.379 None of us who were born have to take that test. 00:23:53.879 --> 00:23:57.739 You have a long road ahead of you, right, to become a citizen. 00:23:58.359 --> 00:24:00.419 It's a long and arduous process. 00:24:01.879 --> 00:24:05.579 If you want to become a citizen of the kingdom of God, 00:24:05.879 --> 00:24:09.219 there is a process for you as well. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:12.439 And this is what Jesus is spelling out for us here in the rest of this passage. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:13.799 So we know the time is fulfilled. 00:24:14.399 --> 00:24:15.519 John the Baptist has left. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:17.220 The kingdom of God is at hand. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:18.139 Okay? 00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:23.019 Jesus now tells us what our response is supposed to be to that kingdom. 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:27.579 Verse 15, repent and believe the gospel. 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:34.460 Now this idea of the king and the kingdom help us understand what it means to repent 00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:36.379 and why we would need to repent. 00:24:37.660 --> 00:24:40.000 We've already talked about what it is to repent. 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:42.819 I gave you the illustration earlier of heading in the wrong direction, 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:43.940 needing to turn around. 00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:48.980 Repentance is more than just saying, I'm wrong, although it's not less than that. 00:24:49.420 --> 00:24:52.420 It's confessing our sin, what we've done that's wrong, 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:57.039 and turning around in the other direction, and heading after new obedience. 00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:59.180 So that's what repentance looks like. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.100 It's a turning around. 00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:03.480 The kingdom helps us understand why we need to repent. 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:06.799 If there's a king, he has laws and rules and regulations. 00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:09.400 He has a way that he's called people to live. 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:13.040 He wants people to listen to him, to obey him, to worship him. 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:15.519 Why do we repent then? 00:25:15.580 --> 00:25:17.640 Because we've done none of those things. 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:23.900 Jesus calls people to repentance because they are not submitting to him as king. 00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:26.340 They are not listening to him as king. 00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:28.920 They are not worshiping him as king. 00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:34.580 The concept of kingdom, in other words, helps us understand what repentance looks like. 00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:39.340 It looks like turning away from one allegiance and turning towards another one. 00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:42.039 Jesus is saying, I've come as the king. 00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:44.120 You have rebelled against me. 00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:46.519 You need to come and repent. 00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:50.900 If this is a challenging concept for you, I want you to think of it this way. 00:25:51.019 --> 00:25:57.059 Imagine, after we finished our little excursion down I-25 South to head to Denver, 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:00.700 I finally turned around, so you were relieved. 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:04.519 But then I got off here on this exit at West Meadow. 00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:09.500 I got onto South Academy, and I said, we're going to take a little trip onto post. 00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:14.240 So I found the line, or I found the entry point where there was no line. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:16.960 And you think I'm going to break, but instead I just hit the gas. 00:26:18.620 --> 00:26:20.779 And I just bust through the gates, right? 00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:25.120 And then I find an open space on post, and I just start turfing. 00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:28.319 I decide I'm going to do just like donuts in the grass. 00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:30.920 What's going to happen to me? 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:35.680 I've rebelled against the kingdom, right? 00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:38.220 I've refused to recognize its rules. 00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:40.559 I've refused to submit to its authorities. 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:43.480 Of course there's a problem. 00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:44.559 Right? 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:48.200 We get this when it comes to things in this world. 00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:50.559 We get this when it comes to the post across the street. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:53.559 The same is true with God as our king. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:57.640 People would ask, why would a loving God need people to repent? 00:26:58.759 --> 00:27:04.180 Why would a loving army post require people who blast through the gates at 50 miles an hour? 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:06.240 Why would they require anything of people? 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.180 You've rebelled against the king. 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:09.339 You've broken into the post. 00:27:09.339 --> 00:27:11.539 Of course, this is how the world works. 00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:18.920 Jesus is a king with a kingdom who we have not recognized, worshipped, listened to, or obeyed. 00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:21.259 Of course we need to repent. 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:24.700 Of course we need to answer to him. 00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:29.039 Yes, he's a good teacher, and he's so much more than that. 00:27:29.180 --> 00:27:36.019 He is not just in charge of one army post in one county, in one state, in one nation. 00:27:36.019 --> 00:27:38.720 He is the Psalm 2 king of the world. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:44.579 He calls people to repent and to believe. 00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:52.619 Now, by the way, if I did all those things on Fort Carson, I'm pretty sure there would not be a good ending for me. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:53.960 Okay? 00:27:53.960 --> 00:28:01.480 Jesus, as a much greater king, provides the opportunity for a good ending. 00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:06.600 We should not be offended at Jesus' call to repentance. 00:28:06.840 --> 00:28:09.700 We should be surprised and delighted by it. 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:14.759 Imagine if they said, get out of the car with your hands up and everything will be okay. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.819 That'd be miraculous, right? 00:28:17.420 --> 00:28:19.759 It'd be miraculous for me to make it out alive. 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:24.099 Jesus here offers them something, offers us something miraculous. 00:28:24.859 --> 00:28:30.180 He offers us the opportunity to be forgiven by the king of the universe that we've rebelled against. 00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:35.640 We have blasted through the entry point of God's post. 00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:40.379 And he offers to make us his sons and his daughters. 00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:47.579 And so we see this repentance as this turning around, turning from sin and towards righteousness. 00:28:47.579 --> 00:28:51.039 We also see this phrase here, believe in the gospel. 00:28:51.179 --> 00:28:56.559 Now, you need to understand that in the Bible, belief and action are not two different things. 00:28:56.659 --> 00:28:57.359 They go together. 00:28:58.460 --> 00:29:02.359 If you don't act on something, it shows that you don't believe it. 00:29:02.939 --> 00:29:06.799 So this separation from belief and action that we believe in in the Western world, 00:29:06.879 --> 00:29:10.199 it's a foreign concept to the world of the Bible. 00:29:11.159 --> 00:29:15.740 Now, we're also familiar with belief that requires action. 00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:20.500 In fact, I think one of our greatest examples probably comes. 00:29:20.620 --> 00:29:22.380 Some of you are on the app called Nextdoor. 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:28.420 Nextdoor, if you're familiar with it, is where you find out about all the things that are going on in your neighborhood. 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:31.980 Nextdoor provides you with news. 00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:35.660 By the way, when we hear this word gospel, it's good news. 00:29:36.099 --> 00:29:38.019 It's news that's telling us about something. 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:39.000 So it's not advice. 00:29:39.380 --> 00:29:40.539 Someone has pointed out before. 00:29:40.900 --> 00:29:41.980 It's not a good idea. 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:43.920 It's not a nice spiritual thought. 00:29:44.380 --> 00:29:46.960 It is news about what is true and happening. 00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:47.920 Okay? 00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:49.000 The kingdom of God is near. 00:29:49.120 --> 00:29:54.740 So recently, there's been some important and actionable news in my neighborhood on Nextdoor. 00:29:54.839 --> 00:29:57.059 It's been a couple animals that have been causing problems. 00:29:57.500 --> 00:30:00.680 First of all, there's been a bear who's been roaming around our neighborhood. 00:30:01.500 --> 00:30:06.720 Now, I know that you all who live on Broadmoor Bluffs think that's silly that I would bring that up, 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:09.740 because you all have bears happen all the time, right? 00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:11.519 Bears are old hat for you. 00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:14.220 We don't have that luxury over Cheyenne Meadows. 00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:14.559 Okay? 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:15.880 This is a new thing for us. 00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:20.000 There is a bear without adult supervision wandering around our neighborhood. 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.740 And you can track it. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:24.039 People are posting their ring photo. 00:30:24.100 --> 00:30:25.460 This is a street over from me. 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:25.680 Okay? 00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.680 This is not foreign. 00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:30.220 In fact, my neighbor told me he spotted it across the street on my street. 00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:31.519 So there's a bear on the loose. 00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:34.440 That's news that requires action. 00:30:34.440 --> 00:30:36.340 I need to be aware. 00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:37.820 People need to be locking their cars. 00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:38.140 Okay? 00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:40.220 Bears know how to get inside your car and get your food. 00:30:41.380 --> 00:30:43.380 We ignore that news at our peril. 00:30:43.420 --> 00:30:44.660 I'll give you an even better one. 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:48.740 Now, I just recently found out there is a large fox wandering around our neighborhood. 00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:50.920 One street across from me. 00:30:51.840 --> 00:30:53.960 The fox is eating people's cats. 00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.299 This is not a joke. 00:30:55.360 --> 00:30:56.160 I'm not making this up. 00:30:57.360 --> 00:30:59.779 There's one post talking about the fox eating cats. 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:04.200 There's another post underneath it of someone asking about if anyone's seen their missing cat. 00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:05.059 You can't make this up. 00:31:07.360 --> 00:31:13.559 Now, depending on how you feel about cats, your response might be, oh, no, or at last. 00:31:13.819 --> 00:31:13.900 Right? 00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:18.580 And if you don't like cats, you might think of that fox. 00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:20.200 You know, you might think, may his tribe increase. 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.460 May the Lord bless his ministry. 00:31:22.420 --> 00:31:26.380 If you love cats, you want the fox to be stricken down. 00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:27.100 You want him to die. 00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:30.180 Regardless, this is news that demands action. 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.940 It's news that demands a response. 00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:36.720 People are saying, if you're a cat owner, you need to keep your cat inside until the fox goes away. 00:31:38.100 --> 00:31:43.259 Jesus, when he says, believe in the gospel, this is not an intellectual act. 00:31:43.320 --> 00:31:45.299 It is something that requires action. 00:31:45.580 --> 00:31:51.279 If we are believing in the gospel, it means that we believe that God's kingdom is true and that his rules are real. 00:31:51.360 --> 00:31:57.100 And so we're following after him in faith and obedience, acting on the knowledge that we've been given. 00:31:57.099 --> 00:32:01.819 It is news that demands a response. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:04.879 It's news that demands repentance. 00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:07.740 And it's news that demands belief. 00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:10.459 Belief that leads to action. 00:32:11.859 --> 00:32:14.639 And so that's our introduction here to Jesus' message. 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:17.119 We're going to hear over and over that Jesus is preaching. 00:32:17.399 --> 00:32:19.779 When we hear that, we look back to this passage. 00:32:19.919 --> 00:32:21.000 What is it that he's preaching? 00:32:21.459 --> 00:32:23.939 He's preaching that the kingdom has come near. 00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:25.319 The king has finally arrived. 00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:28.700 And he demands a response. 00:32:28.859 --> 00:32:31.859 We have to enter that kingdom. 00:32:33.059 --> 00:32:37.980 Now, if you're familiar, I mentioned earlier, the kingdoms of this world, there's many of them, right? 00:32:39.159 --> 00:32:41.119 Some of you are members of more than one kingdom. 00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:47.200 Ultimately and finally, the Bible presents us with only two kingdoms. 00:32:48.700 --> 00:32:53.679 There is the kingdom of God and there's the kingdom of this world. 00:32:53.680 --> 00:33:01.600 Colossians chapter 1, Paul talks about the fact that we have been transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of his beloved son. 00:33:01.680 --> 00:33:03.240 So there's two kingdoms you can be in. 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:05.600 Kingdom of darkness, kingdom of the son. 00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:08.720 Jesus says the same thing in Mark chapter 9. 00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:10.500 When we get there, verse 47, he says, 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:16.279 It's better to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be cast into hell. 00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:25.539 And so when we look at this kingdom and the response that it demands, that's why it's news that has to be acted on. 00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:28.680 Because there are only two options. 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:30.740 There are only two choices. 00:33:30.740 --> 00:33:35.579 And that's why the announcement of the kingdom is immediately followed by a command. 00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:39.120 Jesus commands you to choose the right kingdom. 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:44.759 And he commands us to choose it with faith and repentance. 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:55.120 Now we know that Jesus is going to pay for our entrance into the kingdom and he's going to pay for it by his own death. 00:33:55.119 --> 00:34:02.579 There's a reason that he offers us what I would not be offered if I smashed through the gates of Fort Carson. 00:34:03.679 --> 00:34:07.879 And he offers it to us because he ultimately is headed on his way to the cross. 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:10.779 He is headed to a place where he's going to die. 00:34:11.099 --> 00:34:14.699 He's going to take the penalty for our sins onto himself. 00:34:15.259 --> 00:34:19.299 And as living the perfect life that we should have lived, he's going to give that to us. 00:34:20.460 --> 00:34:23.799 Jesus, in other words, offers us what he should not, 00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:27.600 which is the chance to be a part of his kingdom. 00:34:28.680 --> 00:34:31.760 Philippians 2 tells us this, that Jesus was in the form of God. 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:35.760 He did not account equality with a God, a thing to be grasped, 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:40.580 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:46.620 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, 00:34:47.180 --> 00:34:48.640 even death on a cross. 00:34:49.280 --> 00:34:53.200 Remember, so great the heavens rip open. 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:57.220 So humble, he receives baptism from John the Baptist. 00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:59.720 He stands in the place of sinners. 00:34:59.719 --> 00:35:04.480 And so our hope as we go through this book is looking towards Jesus at the end, 00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:10.199 knowing he's the one who allows us to be a part of this wonderful and glorious kingdom. 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:13.919 But Paul goes on in Philippians 2 and tells us this, 00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:17.579 because Jesus did this, because he paid for our sins, 00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:22.720 God has highly exalted him and bestowed him on the name that is above every name, 00:35:23.200 --> 00:35:28.960 so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:34.960 And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:35:35.840 --> 00:35:36.680 Okay, did you hear that? 00:35:36.679 --> 00:35:42.500 Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. 00:35:43.559 --> 00:35:48.259 And so as we begin looking at Jesus teaching and his ministry, 00:35:48.419 --> 00:35:50.279 these two verses are the introduction to that. 00:35:50.280 --> 00:36:01.019 We know, I am telling you, you will either confess Christ now or you will confess him later. 00:36:02.660 --> 00:36:05.360 But you will confess him one day. 00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:09.480 And so you can choose, you have two choices. 00:36:10.180 --> 00:36:13.700 You can serve the king and you can live. 00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:17.779 You can live full and abundant life in his kingdom. 00:36:18.379 --> 00:36:22.179 Or you can rebel against him and die. 00:36:23.980 --> 00:36:30.359 God is coming with his kingdom for those who serve him. 00:36:32.019 --> 00:36:34.059 Who is Jesus? 00:36:35.759 --> 00:36:37.899 He is the king coming with the kingdom. 00:36:38.659 --> 00:36:41.439 How will you respond? 00:36:42.839 --> 00:36:43.659 Let's pray. 00:36:43.699 --> 00:36:51.579 Our Father in heaven, we thank you and praise you that the kingdom of this world is not our only hope, 00:36:51.839 --> 00:36:55.980 but that you are bringing something greater and more glorious. 00:36:56.739 --> 00:37:00.399 But you also ask us to do what is difficult and hard and foreign, 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:02.919 that we would repent and believe in you. 00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:05.599 Father, we know that that's impossible without the help of your spirit. 00:37:05.719 --> 00:37:08.960 And so I ask that you would give us a full measure of your spirit, 00:37:09.059 --> 00:37:12.239 that we would follow you with faith and obedience. 00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:15.639 For those who are not part of your kingdom, we ask that you would, by your spirit, 00:37:16.099 --> 00:37:20.039 soften their hearts, help them to see their sin and their need of you, 00:37:20.119 --> 00:37:24.639 that they have to confess and turn around, following you as king, 00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:29.599 so that they can live confessing and following and obeying you. 00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:33.599 We ask these things, grateful that they don't come by anything we do, 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:38.159 but instead they come by the death and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:40.420 So we ask them in his name. Amen.