The Gospel of the Kingdom

David W Palmer

(Matthew 24:14 NKJV) “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Jesus, the Master, was concluding the training of his apprentice leaders, so he began focusing on what he wanted them to do after they graduated. In John’s gospel, we see that during the Passover meal in the upper room, he focused on love, their relationships, and their connection to him (See: John 13–16). However in the above passage, we see that on this occasion he began to get them ready for their outward mission; the Master’s dream is to see them do what he has been doing—preaching, teaching, healing, and making disciples—until “all the nations” hear the gospel.

We note also that on this occasion, our Lord didn’t call it the gospel of salvation; he called it the “gospel of the kingdom.” This echoes the message he preached at the beginning of his ministry:

(Matthew 4:17 NKJV) From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

(Matthew 4:23 NKJV) 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.

(Mark 1:14–15 NKJV) 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.”

Jesus was not only “preaching the gospel of the kingdom,” but in the context of proclaiming it, he demonstrated the veracity of what he was claiming by “healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people”—something only God could do.

So what is the gospel of the kingdom? A kingdom is a king’s domain—king-domain, which is shortened to king-dom., or kingdom. We can see from this that the kingdom of God is the domain over which God is king—that is the realm in which God’s will is done. So, when Jesus was preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God and healing etc., he was saying in effect: “I have some good news for you; God is now ruling here, and this is what happens when he does. If you want to be in on this, repent—change your thinking, amend your ways—and believe the gospel.”

Of course, for Jesus to proclaim that God was ruling in and through him, it had to be true—experientially genuine. By healing and performing miracles, he certainly demonstrated the reality of what he said. So, how was it that God’s kingdom was “at hand” when Jesus was present? In other words, how did God’s rule gain access to the world through Jesus? To find out, we look to Jesus’s own explanation of how he operated:

(John 5:19–20 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. {20} For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”

Thankfully, Jesus explained in very simple terms how God’s kingdom came to be ruling in and through him; he did God’s will. He did this by finding out what God wanted to do, and then doing it. How did he “see” what God was doing? Jesus enjoyed intimate and transparent relational closeness with his Father. In that spiritual communion, Father revealed his intended works; Jesus saw, heard, and noted them. Then, doing them became as easy as a child imitating his or her much loved parent. This not only proved the veracity of Jesus’s claim that God’s rule was at hand, but it also proved who his Father was.

Today, we too can “see” the kingdom of God, so we can allow his rule through us into our world. But to do this, we first need to be born again, and then we need to draw near to God to “see” what he is showing us:

(John 3:3 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

(James 4:8 NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

To help us in this, after Jesus ascended he sent the Holy Spirit:

(John 16:13 WEB) But, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all the truth: for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he shall hear, that will he speak: and he will show you things to come.

Today, if you are born again, you can draw near to God with a cleansed conscience and “see” his kingdom. With the Holy Spirit’s help, you can see and hear what your heavenly Father is showing you—the works he is calling you to walk in. When you proclaim what he says, and imitate what you’ve seen with him, you will be fulfilling your part of: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations.” Right now is the perfect time to draw near, watch, listen, and imitate.

(Ephesians 5:1 NET) Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children.

(Ephesians 5:1 AMP) Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father];