The "gospel of the kingdom" was foretold in the Old Testament, preached by Jesus—brought by Jesus!—preached by the early church, and should be preached by us until all the peoples hear it. This gospel of the kingdom is the good news that, at the coming of Jesus, God moved into this world in an unprecedented way. Since Jesus has come, God is exerting his right to rule in new and powerful ways. He is attacking his enemy the devil in new ways. He has dealt with sin in a new way. He is gathering a people in a new way. He is empowering his representatives in new ways. And in all this he is reigning as king. This is the coming and the advancement of his kingdom.
And this is good news. It is the gospel of the kingdom. Therefore let everyone of us turn from every other claim on our allegiance and surrender to the king of kings. Let's repent of all rebellion and treason, accept the terms of his amnesty, and let's put our trust in the King of glory, and sing with all our heart the truth of Isaiah 52:2,
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, good news; announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness: Our God reigns! Our God reigns!
"O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies."
Revelation 21:23 "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."
Oh God! That we would see Your Glory in the Lamb Who is Christ! Forgive us for our attempting to fulfill the law as if Christ has not already fulfilled it! Oh that we would be self-abasing and Christ-honoring as we worship HIM for what He has accomplished! And may we do our duty with Joy in the thought that our ability to do is not resting upon us but on The One Who has already finished!
Amen
"It has the life of God. Paul said to the Corinthians, "I gave you birth through the
gospel"! And then, after it has regenerated us, it is the instrument of all continual growth and spiritual progress after we are converted. "All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth." (Col. 1:6). Here we learn: 1) That the gospel is a living thing (cf. Romans 1:16) which is like a seed or a tree that brings more and more new life--bearing fruit and growing. 2) That the gospel is only "planted" in us so as to bear fruit as we understand its greatness and implications deeply--understood God's grace in all its truth. 3) That the gospel continues to grow in us and renew us throughout our lives--as it has been doing since the day you heard it. This text helps us avoid either an exclusively rationalistic or mystical approach to renewal. On the one hand, the gospel has a content--it is profound doctrine. It is truth, and specifically, it is the truth about God's grace. But on the other hand, this truth is a living power that continually expands its influence in our lives, just as a crop or a tree would grow and spread and dominate more and more of an area with roots and fruit."
Tim Keller