Unlocking the Power of the Gospel: Nine Essential Elements of the Kingdom Message

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16, CSB)

The power of the Gospel is that it is the power of God for salvation. It is salvation here and now from our own self-direction and self-destruction. It is salvation today from the power of sin which dominates our lives. It is salvation from guilt and shame. It is salvation today in knowing that because of the Gospel, we have been born again into new creations; the old has gone and the new has come. It is salvation for the future, knowing that we are citizens of God's kingdom and our home is with Christ. It is power for living in the way God made us to live. It is the presence of God in every believer, with power made available through surrender to him.

“After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”” (Mark 1:14–15, CSB)

The Kingdom of God has come near. It is within our reach. This was the good news proclaimed by Jesus. But what does that good news mean? The word we use for “good news” is the word “gospel”. Therefore, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news about Jesus Christ. The Gospel of the kingdom of God is the good news about the kingdom of God. But what does that mean? What is the content of this good news? 

I believe that the content of the good news of the kingdom of God can be put into nine essential elements. I’m not writing that this is all there is of the kingdom of God, far from it. I do believe that if we reduce it down more than these nine, we will be in danger of changing this Gospel of the Kingdom into something other than what Jesus proclaimed. 

So in this blog, I’m going to just briefly outline each element of what I believe are the essential elements of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. In future blogs I will fill out each of the elements in its own blog. 

With this said, here are the nine essential elements of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. 

First: All are accountable to God. 

Every human being who has ever been born or will ever be born is ultimately accountable to God. We acknowledge there are other lesser authorities to which we are accountable. We are accountable to our own conscience, to family, to our place of work, and to government. But our ultimate accountability is to God. He is our creator and our judge. It is Jesus the Messiah who will sit on the throne of judgment and all humans will stand before him one day and give account for what they have done with what God gave them. The apostle Paul wrote, “I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom:” (2 Timothy 4:1, CSB) See also Revelation 20:11. 

Second: Our problem is that we have rebelled against God. 

The first humans were created to have intimate fellowship with God and with one another. When Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God (see Genesis 3), they broke His one command. Ever since, we have been at odds with each other because we are at odds with God. There can be no peace while living in rebellion. Every one of us is or has been in rebellion against God. The Scriptures put it this way, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, CSB) Every sin and every problem we have in this world, if it could be traced, would lead back to the desire to be our own god. We are not designed for such. The problems we have today are a result of generations of rebellion against God. “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, CSB)

Third: The Kingdom of God is now available.

Jesus said as much when he came preaching. This was the good news. God’s Kingdom, that was out of reach, is now in our midst. It was within reach because Jesus was there. Jesus is the king and wherever the king is, so is his kingdom. When reading the Gospels, you can see the kingdom of God being unleashed through Jesus and defeating all other kingdoms. “Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.” (Matthew 9:35, CSB)

Fourth: Jesus is the Messiah.

The Messiah, which means “anointed” is in Jewish expectation the one who would usher in the kingdom of God. The word “Christ” is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” This Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. The great question to ask someone who would deny that Jesus was the Messiah is this: “If Jesus of Nazareth is not the Messiah, then according to the prophecies of the Bible about the Messiah, who would the Messiah be?" The answer is that he would be like Jesus. John, the last living apostle wrote at the end of his Gospel, “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31, CSB)

Fifth: Jesus suffered and rose from the dead. 

A section of the Apostle Creed reads: “Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.” Jesus was arrested, beaten and endured three religious trials and three civil trials. Sentenced to die by Potius Pilate, he was flogged then crucified. 

From noon until 3:00 pm, darkness fell over all the land. About 3:00 pm, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus' words were a direct quotation from another ancient prophecy that described the kind of death the Messiah would experience and the results that would come from it (Psalm 22). 

After receiving a drink, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Then He bowed His head and drew His last breath. At that moment, the ground shook, rocks split apart, tombs opened up, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51).

On that third day, Sunday, Jesus rose from the grave. It was not a resuscitation but something new. Something that had never happened before. Something that has never existed before. Resurrection is the remaking, the transforming of matter in this created order. It becomes something new.

By his resurrection, Jesus overcame sin, death, and the devil. “Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”” (Revelation 21:5, CSB)

As the apostle Peter wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3, CSB)

Sixth: Jesus will return, reign, and rule.

Jesus told his disciples that he was going away. He would return and take them to the place he prepared for them. “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1–4, CSB)

From the announcement of the angel Gabriel to Mary we find the promise of Jesus’ universal reign and rule. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:32–33, CSB)

Seventh: Therefore, repent. 

“Repent” is a word that comes from the Greek word “metanoia.” The prefix, “meta” has one of its meanings as “change.” “Noia” is the verb form of the noun “nous”, which is the Greek word for “mind.” Put them together and it means “change of mind.” This is not just an intellectual exercise. “Repent” means a change of mind that goes on to be reflected so deeply that it changes us at the core of our identity and behavior. 

So repent is to change your mind about who God is, what he has done, who we are, and what we are to do. We can have a change of mind because God’s Kingdom is here in Jesus the Messiah. Jesus said, “...I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.” (Luke 13:3, CSB). The apostle Peter in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost said, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, CSB)

Eighth: Believe the Gospel. 

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, CSB)

For many, to believe is to trust. I think this definition is about as good as any. Trust the Gospel! Put your confidence in not only the person of Jesus Christ, but what he has done for us as well. It all goes together. Make no mistake. Everyone who will change their mind in this way and then put their confidence in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will be saved. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame.’” (Romans 10:9–11, CSB)

Ninth: Follow Jesus.

Following Jesus means to become an apprentice of Jesus. We know what it is like to apprentice to someone. Plumbers have them. Electricians have them. Rabbi’s in Jesus’ day had them. They are individuals who live in the community of the Rabbi. In that community they learn by watching and by doing. Mistakes are made, but that is expected. It is why you “apprentice.” You can learn from your mistakes and grow and then change. Our following Jesus is not a quest for perfection, but an admiration. It is similar to a son wanting to be like his father. Love and admiration are the great motivators. A person who is a follower of Jesus will not stay the same. You cannot follow Jesus and stay the same. If you are not changing you are not following the Master. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19, CSB)

As you read through these nine essential elements of the Kingdom of God, you may have noticed that the first three describe how we got into trouble, but God has not abandoned us. The second three focus on the solution: Jesus the Messiah. The last three are things we do in order to receive the benefits of the available Kingdom. You see, while the Kingdom of God is open to all, it is not something automatically applied to your life. You must repent and believe. The evidence for you that you have properly repented and believed is that your life has changed. That change is that you now follow Jesus. How that change works out is different for each person, but the one constant is that you will represent Jesus and his kingdom on this earth somehow and in some way. Following Jesus isn’t easy, but it is the most rewarding, both in this life and the next. 

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29–31, CSB)

What is the Kingdom of God?

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish, and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

(Matthew 13:44-50, CSB)

You probably noticed that the Matthew scriptures above used the term “kingdom of heaven” instead of “kingdom of God.” The two terms are synonymous. Scholarly consensus is that Matthew uses the “kingdom of heaven” term in conjunction with Jewish sensibilities, avoiding using the divine name. Mark, on the other hand, is written to a more Gentile audience, perhaps living in Rome. He uses the "kingdom of God" terminology. 

With that in mind, we see Jesus asking the disciples if they understood the kingdom concepts he was laying out in the parable of the treasure, the pearl and the net. They said they did. Jesus concluded the lesson this way: “‘Therefore,’ he said to them, “every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom treasures new and old.”” (Matthew 13:52, CSB)

I’m going to share with you three central truths about the kingdom of God as we move into more detail later on the Gospel of the kingdom of God.  

First, we need a fresh understanding of kingdom of God concepts. 

I’ll give you four important kingdom concepts for our purposes in this blog. 

One, everyone has a kingdom. It's a realm that is uniquely our own, where our choice determines what happens. It is true that we are made to "have dominion" within an appropriate domain of reality. This is the core of the likeness or image of God in us  and is the basis of the purpose for which we were formed.  “We are”, as Dallas Willard said, "all of us, never-ceasing spiritual beings with a unique eternal calling to count for good in God's great universe." We should never forget this. 

Two, our kingdom is the range of our effective will. In short, our kingdom is only what we have say over. That is our kingdom. When you think about what you really “have say over”, our kingdom is not as big or as impressive as we want it to be. 

Three, every kingdom has these elements: A ruler, a realm of subjects and the exercise of that rulership. When we go back in the Scriptures and read of the creation of humans, when God made mankind he not only made humans in the image of God but also created them as a ruler. Adam’s realm was the earth and all its creatures were his subjects (Genesis 1:26-31). 

Four, God has a kingdom. So applying the definition of a kingdom, God’s kingdom is the range of his effective will. It is where he wants done is done. Everything that obeys those principles of his kingdom, whether by nature or by choice, is within his kingdom. 

Just a couple of more things about God’s kingdom. First, it is not made by anyone but God. Nobody has helped him and no one could help him. In Daniel's vision of the four kingdoms (Daniel 2:44-45), he sees the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman kingdoms come and go in succession. It is the kingdom made without hands (God’s kingdom) that will destroy any of the ones made with hands. 

One other thing about God’s kingdom that is different from any human kingdom. God’s kingdom has always existed (Daniel 7:14; Psalm 145:13). Daniel was seeing a vision of the clash of kingdoms and how the kingdom of God has not always existed but will outlast and out shine all other kingdoms and the Ancient of Days will sit on its throne. When Jesus directs us to pray, "Thy kingdom come," he does not mean we should pray for it to come into existence. Rather, we pray for it to take over at all points in the personal, social, and political order where it is now excluded: "On earth as it is in heaven."

Second, The kingdom of God was central to the mission of Jesus. 

“From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”” (Matthew 4:17, CSB)

Jesus came to ultimately usher in a new age, a new era. He was the culmination of all the promises of God and what God is going to do in this realm. There are three things I want you to see in this passage of Matthew 4:17. 

First, In Jesus the kingdom of God is made available. I wrote about this in a previous blog, but will mention it again here because it is so important. Jesus was preaching that people should change their minds and realize that now, the kingdom of God is within their reach. It is not something far away, or something that only a few could earn entrance into. It is now available and now available in relation to Jesus the Messiah. 

Second, the kingdom of God is a reality in which to live. We live in the kingdom of God as long as we submit to the range of God's effective will. That means we cooperate with God in doing what he wants done. When we are doing that, then the kingdom is a reality in which we live. As you submit to Jesus the Messiah, to that degree you live in the Kingdom of the heavens (God). Jesus always lived in the kingdom of the heavens. He never walked outside of it. Never. Jesus was careful to only do what he was the Father doing and only say what he heard the Father say. 

Third, the kingdom of God is present and now working in this world. There is a divine co-action. Jesus sent his apprentices (the disciples) out to do what he did. As they went they were to heal the sick and announce that "the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (Luke 10:9). Though this kingdom of God is "at hand", there are other kingdoms currently present. They too are "at hand." Sometimes the places where God's effective or actual rule is not yet carried out, and his will is not yet done, lie within the lives and little kingdoms of those who truly have been invaded by the eternal kind of life itself. 

We call this the “clash of kingdoms.” When a child says, “no” to a mom who has just told her to pick up her toys, there is a clash of kingdoms. The kingdom or “effective rule” of the child comes into conflict with the “effective rule” of the mom. Of course, mom wins for now. But not always and not forever. 

All of us, both the obedient and disobedient, operate within the scope of God’s kingdom. His reign and rule is so great that it can include our decisions, whatever they may be. While our decisions may not affect the outcome of God’s rule and reign, they do determine our fate. 

This brings me to my third and last point on God’s kingdom. 

Third, the kingdom of God is meant to be personally and individually sought and received. 

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”” (Mark 10:15, CSB)

We enter into the kingdom of God through a new spiritual birth, one that takes place when a person comes to a saving faith in the person and work of Jesus the Messiah. While we still live in the kingdoms of this world, we are, through faith in Christ, citizens of another eternal kingdom. 

I’ll just say two things about life in this new heavenly kingdom. First, we should each personally pray for God's kingdom to become a reality in our personal kingdom, that is, in our lives. Jesus taught us that in what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” We pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” 

Second, we should personally seek God’s kingdom every day. Jesus told us that in the midst of our anxious life, to first seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all the other things we are concerned about will be added to us. 

What is the kingdom of God for you? It is God’s rule and reign in your life. Or as James, the half brother of Jesus wrote: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10, CSB)

WHY THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

Isn’t the Gospel of Jesus Christ the same as the Gospel of the Kingdom of God? That is a good leading question. An answer that is correct, but not that helpful would be, “yes” and “no.” Yes it is, and no, it is not. 

I’ll explain.

But first, allow me to explain why I bring this up in the first place. It involves a bit of two and a half years of history. (If you don’t want to read this bit of history and just get to the Gospel of the Kingdom, jump down to the call out box of Mark 1:14-15.)

The churches and leaders of Fairburn Baptist Association have been on an almost three year refocus journey. When I became the associational missionary, I believe the Lord Jesus gave me a three part theme, with one part to be emphasized each year.

The three year theme is this: As an association of churches, we are moving forward together through open doors with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. 

Thus, the focus of 2022 was to partner together so that we may move forward together. I spent most of that year getting to know our pastors, leaders and churches. We became aware of how we could partner with other organizations in our associational area. It was a time of awareness and evaluation. We had seminars and Lunch & Learns featuring other organizations that our churches could partner with - those that would make an impact in their church family and also in the wider community. 

The focus of 2023 for our association was “Open Doors.” Specifically, to go through open doors. When I write about “open doors” I’m using a metaphor. One that the Bible uses. One that both Jesus and the Apostle Paul used for an opportunity to fulfill God's will and ministry. An open door is an opportunity provided by God for you, or me, and our churches to do something that will make a positive difference in people’s lives and bring glory to God. Even our logo is an abstract image of a door that is opened by the cross!

There were a lot of open doors in 2023. There may be even more in 2024. Mental Health is a huge issue and this crisis has still not peaked. I believe that the Gospel of the Kingdom is the best news for anyone who is struggling with mental health. The Bible is full of examples of people who struggled in life and by trusting in God and leaning on the resources that God provides in His Word and through His people, they were helped. They are over-comers. Your association offered multiple training and information opportunities and resources for providing spiritual mental health. We have a resource page for it. You can find it by clicking the button below.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

There are open doors in our local schools. Your association has encouraged every church in our association to adopt a school. Some of our churches have adopted multiple schools. The READ Georgia initiative by our Georgia Baptist Mission Board through Mission Georgia has been an invaluable resource for helping churches minister to the needs of the schools in their community. For more about READ Georgia or other open door opportunities, check our Open Door page by clicking the button below:

OPEN DOOR OPPORTUNITIES

There are open doors with our first responders. When I was a pastor in Stillwater Oklahoma (home of Oklahoma State “Go pokes!”) I became the chaplain for the Stillwater Fire Department. The chief would have me come to every third shift meeting to bring a devotional and to just visit with the firefighters. I’d drop in the different fire houses with snacks and just visit for a few minutes as time allowed. Often I’d meet up with a firefighter in my church office or grab a drink at a coffee shop to hear what was on his heart. That became an open door of ministry for me. 

Frank Mercer has done this very thing in Fayette County. However, he’s taking it further and organized it into a chaplain ministry to all first responders. This ministry is 4Heroes. Our association promotes this ministry. I serve on his Board of Directors. I believe in what 4Heroes stands for and does. I suggest your church leadership look into connecting with 4Heroes to see what you can do to enhance the life and ministry of our police, firefighters, EMT’s, and 911/Dispatch. It would be a great ministry for your missions committee or team to sponsor. Find out more about 4Heroes by clicking the button below.

4HEROES

So, if you’ve read all this you see what has been happening, at least at some level with your association. I just believe we can do more and do better and move forward if we work together. I believe God is providing open doors for us to minister. But I also believe that we are on mission, working as ambassadors for Christ and His kingdom. We are to bring with us through these open doors the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. 

This brings us finally to the Gospel of the Kingdom. Why do I use those terms? Why not just say, “the Gospel?” 

I think you would agree that we are called to do more than work together and to help our world become a better place. We are called to share the good news of the Kingdom of God. We are called to make disciples of all peoples. We are called to immerse them in the reality of the triune God. We are called to lead others to live as citizens in our country but also as citizens of heaven, meaning to live as we are, children of the King in His kingdom. 

Yes! We are to live as children of royalty, fellow heirs in the Kingdom of God right now. That is the good news. That is what Jesus came preaching after his baptism. “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:14–15, NKJV)

Jesus was teaching more than getting people saved, he was after total transformation. Of course, salvation is hugely important. I don’t want to minimize this at all. But still, getting people saved is not all that Jesus is talking about when he speaks of the gospel of the kingdom of God. 

For me, when I think about a person getting saved, I think about a person getting to go to heaven when they die. I believe that heaven is now their home. They are going to one day get into heaven and be with God and all of the wonders and all of the saints for eternity and whatever else that may entail. But when I think about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, I think about heaven getting into me. 

Notice what Jesus said. He basically said, “The wait is over!” All that God has been promising since the sin of Adam and Even is now coming to pass. That is huge! That deserves two exclamation points!! 

Look at what else he said. “The kingdom of God is at hand.” Again, he is basically saying that while for a long time God’s kingdom has been closed to you or has been out of your reach, today it is available to you. You can now step into it and it can step into you. No more distance. No more prohibition. 

As a result of this Kingdom of God being available, Jesus then says, you need to change your mind about it and believe the good news that I, the messiah, am telling you. 

Do you get the idea that what Jesus is doing here is more than about “getting people saved”? Does it sound like more than sharing a simple plan of salvation? The Gospel of the Kingdom certainly includes all these things, but it is more than these things. It is certainly not less. 

The good news of the Kingdom of God is that Jesus came to put heaven in the hearts of people, not to just put people into heaven. If home is where the heart is, then when your heart is heaven-ready, heaven is truly your home. 

The good news of the kingdom is that Jesus did come to save us, but he saves us by changing us. The very next words of Jesus in Mark are about him changing his people. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”” (Mark 1:17, NKJV)

Jesus said that if we would follow him, he would make us different. He would make us like him and seek to spread the good news of the Kingdom’s availability to any who would change their minds and believe the message. 

This isn’t a complete answer to “Why the Gospel of the Kingdom of God?” but it is a start. In the next blog I will begin to outline nine essential aspects of the Gospel of the Kingdom. 

In a day when there are a lot of “gospels” out there, I think it would be good for us to know what it really was that Jesus preached and what the Apostles believed was this good news which was worth laying down their earthly lives. If it was worth dying for, then it will be worth living for. It will give hope to a world that is in desperate need as well as courage to a church that feels powerless. 

Let’s learn what it is we are taking together through these open doors.