Kingdom of God 2: Gospel of the Kingdom

Prayer:  With expectant hearts and minds, we seek your truth, O God. In this study, help us to be attentive as we listen, careful as we speak, and awake to your wisdom. Open our hearts to your Scripture and give us the courage to change in light of what we read. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

With your group, take turns reading the introduction and text and answering the questions in each section.

Introduction

We often think of the gospel (evangelion) or “good news” as a spiritual message about Jesus’ death and resurrection, but for Jesus’ original audience, the gospel was political; it was about allegiance to a political ruler. In fact, Roman citizens were familiar with the political nature of the gospel long before Jesus’ ministry began. 

One ancient inscription gives valuable insight into how people understood the gospel around the time of Jesus. The inscription is a decree which called for a new calendar for the Roman Empire, based on the birthday of Caesar Augustus whose birth “was the beginning of the good tidings.”

It seemed good to the Greeks of Asia, in the opinion of the high priest Apollonius of Menophilus Azanitus: “Since Providence, which has ordered all things and is deeply interested in our life, has set in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior, both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things, and since he, Caesar, by his appearance…. surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings (news) for the world that came by reason of him… –Priene Inscription (9 B.C.)

According to this inscription, the birth of the emperor was good news because he was a savior who brought an end to war and established peace for all who vowed allegiance to him.

The gospel Jesus preached is best understood not simply as a spiritual message about his death and resurrection, but also as a direct challenge to the political claims of Rome. The gospel of the kingdom identifies Jesus as the true savior and king of the world who brought peace not through war, but through selfless sacrifice.

This study will use texts from the Gospels and the Book of Acts to demonstrate that Jesus’ gospel proclamation was primarily a political message about the coming of God’s kingdom, not merely a spiritual message about his death and resurrection.

Section 1: Jesus’ divine purpose is to announce the good news of the kingdom.

Luke 4:42 – 44¹ 4:42 The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. 4:43 But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do.” 4:44 So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

Question 1: What was the reason Jesus gave for leaving? 

Question 2: What is the good news concerning?

Section 2: Jesus’ gospel consisted of an announcement of God’s kingdom and a call to repentance and belief

Mark 1:14-15
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. 1:15 He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”

Question 1: What are the main components of the gospel of God according to Mark?

Question 2: What actions does Jesus want his listeners to take in response to the gospel?

Section 3: Jesus sent his disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom

Luke 9:1-2, 6
9:1 After Jesus called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 9:2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 9:6 Then they departed and went throughout the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

Question 1: In addition to preaching, what else were the disciples sent out to do?

Section 4: After preaching the gospel to many cities and spending much time with Jesus, Jesus’ disciples were shocked by the announcement of his impending death and resurrection.

Matthew 16:21-23
16:21 From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 16:22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”

Question 1: How would you restate what Jesus told his disciples in verse 21?

Question 2: How did Peter react to Jesus’ disclosure of his death and resurrection?

Section 5: After Jesus’ death, the apostles continued to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom

Acts 8:9-12
8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” 8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

Question 1: What are the main two points that the author of Acts highlights in Phillip’s proclamation of the good news?

Question 2: What is the people’s response to Phillips’ teaching?

Read through the texts again below.²

Luke 4:42 – 44
4:42 The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. 4:43 But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do.” 4:44 So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

Mark 1:14-15
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. 1:15 He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”

Luke 9:1-2, 6
9:1 After Jesus called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 9:2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 9:6 Then they departed and went throughout the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

Matthew 16:21-23
16:21 From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 16:22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”

Acts 8:9-12
8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” 8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

Discussion and Application Questions:

1. Why do you think that the gospel of the kingdom is good news?
2. Compare Jesus’ proclamation of the good news in Mark (Section 2) to the disciples preaching before the resurrection in Luke (Section 3)  and after, in Acts (Section 5). Do you notice any similarities or differences?
3. Jesus’ disciples were shocked that Jesus would suffer, die, and be raised from the dead in Matt 16:21-23 (Section 4), even though they knew and taught the gospel in Luke 9:6 (Section 3). What does that tell us about the claim that his death and resurrection is the whole gospel?
4. Consider Peter’s reaction to the news that Jesus will be crucified and rise from the dead (Section 3). Is it surprising to you? Why or why not?
5. Who do you know that would benefit from hearing the good news about God’s kingdom? In light of Jesus’ example, are there any changes you might make in how you would share the gospel with someone?

Conclusion

Challenge: The news that Jesus is the true King and Savior who brings real and lasting peace is too good not to be shared. This week, meditate on this truth. Talk about it with a friend.

Blessing: May you experience true joy this week as you walk in obedience to King Jesus. May you find hope and peace in the promise of his coming kingdom.

1. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.[↩]
2. We find that rereading the text is very helpful—please don’t skip this part of the study![↩]