How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS
(Part 3 --- The Gospel of the Kingdom)
Where do we find the Kingdom Gospel?
The gospel of the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven, which can be understood as the gospel of the Kingdom which is from heaven), is proclaimed by different individuals throughout the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The message proclaimed in this Kingdom gospel is unique to these four books and to the period of time from John the Baptist to the cross of Christ.
The four gospel books provide different accounts of Jesus life and ministry from the perspective of prophecy and the manifestations of God's character traits (Ezek.1:10). Matthew presents the kingship of Christ in the face of the lion. This is why only Matthew mentions, "the Kingdom of Heaven" in his writings, portraying the gospel as the good news that the King, which is from heaven, has come to set up His Kingdom.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark presents the servanthood of Christ in the face of the ox. This gospel focuses on the service of Jesus to His people, especially by referring to the many miracles of Christ. Luke presents Jesus as the perfect man, the second Adam, in the face of the man, while John presents the Jesus as God in the flesh in the face of the eagle. This can be verified by simply reading the first few opening verses in John.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were
made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him
was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ... 10 He was in the world,
and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto
his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on
his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Who preached it?
John the Baptist,
Matthew 3:1-3 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
The gospel of the Kingdom is first preached by John the Baptist who called for the repentance of the Jews. His message of repentance was in preparation for the kingdom of heaven, (or the kingdom of God, which comes from heaven). Although this gospel centered around Jesus Christ, John did not preach about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, like our gospel today. His message focused on announcing and preparing the Jews for the King's arrival, as the book of Luke suggests,
Lk.1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Jesus,
Like John, Jesus also started His ministry by preached the Kingdom gospel,
Matt.4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
In addition to this, Jesus' message focused predominantly on the Kingdom He would usher in. His parables and teachings laid the foundations for living in the law and constitution of that kingdom.
The 12 disciples and the seventy,
Lk.10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
To whom was the Kingdom Gospel preached?
There is so much confusion in churches today regarding the gospel. The source of the confusion is that people do not apply right division to the scriptures, and they end up mixing up the doctrine to Israel with the doctrine to the Body of Christ.
The scripture makes it clear that Jesus was born a Jew and His entire earthly ministry was towards His brethren, the Jews, ONLY!
Gal.4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, (planned, ie: everything was in place) God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, (born into the flesh nature; taking on flesh) born under the law (born a Jew, under Jewish custom and constraints), 5 to redeem those who were under the law (Israel) (Israel first, and then the Gentile),
Matt.15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Rom.15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [Jews] for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
The gospel of the Kingdom was for the Jews ONLY! The gospel that John, the 12 disciples, and the seventy preached, and the message and parables that Jesus taught, was limited to the Jewish people alone. They were to go to Jews only and prepare the Jews to recognize that Jesus was their Messiah. The gospel was focused on the fact that the King was in their midst, and that the Kingdom was at hand, ready, and about to be ushered in, IF they would believe the identity of the Son of God. Even the miracles that Jesus performed were testimony of His identity.
Matt.10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Since the above is true, we can easily confirm that the Kingdom gospel is NOT for the Gentiles. You and I have nothing to do with this message. It is not designed for us! Ever since God called Abraham in Genesis 12, and set up a nation from his seed, God had a plan for the Jews. This nation would be preeminent above all the nations in the promised Kingdom and would represent the rule of Christ over the Gentiles. The Kingdom gospel was a call to the Jews to get ready and receive their King, who would soon be ushering in His kingdom and reign over the earth. The Jews would be that kingdom of priests and that holy nation (Exo.19:6) who would be the representatives of Christ in that kingdom.
Since the Jews did not recognize their Messiah, this program was divinely put on hold for a future date. Since this program was placed in limbo, a different gospel was introduced and would eventually become the gospel that you and I know and are saved by today. (We will discuss this in a later post!)
What is the Kingdom Gospel?
The kingdom gospel was radical to say the least!! Jews who would hear this message had to make some deeply profound and radical choices that would forever change their lives, literally!! One must remember that the hope of the Jews was a physical kingdom and a physical king and Messiah to rule over them. Once they took that step of faith to believe in Jesus, they had to do specific things to 'prove' their faith,
James 2:14-26 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ... 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ... 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ... 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The gospel of the Kingdom was one that had to have works accompany it. It was NOT enough to just believe. There were conditional instructions that went with it, and if one would not do these, one's faith would be in vain!
In addition to believing in Jesus, they had to sell all they had and follow Christ. See Matt.13:44, Matt.19:21, Lk.12:33, and,
Act.2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
This communal living was a necessary thing considering it would be the only way that Jews would survive during the tribulation. They would share all things amongst themselves in order to break dependency on the government of the Antichrist when that day would come!
Other phrases you read regularly during the four gospels are things like,
- pick up your cross and follow (Matt.16:24, Lk.9:23),
- lay down your life for your brother (Jn.15:13),
- those who desire to save their life must lose it (Matt.16:25) and
- one must endure to the end to be saved (Matt.24:13).
- no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.(Lk.9:62)
- only if you forgive another will God forgive you (Matt.6:14),
- etc...
What is the outcome or result of receiving it?
Those who were saved under the Kingdom gospel, like the 12 Apostles, those 120 in the upper room in Acts 2, and all who participated in the church of God during the Acts period, have a hope of resurrection when Jesus comes, after the tribulation, at His second coming. These people would have believed that Jesus, who dwelled on the earth during His 3 years of ministry, was the Messiah and King of Israel. They would have sold all they had and relied on each other for wellbeing. They would have continued their sacrifices at the Temple under the priesthood (as their trust would have been in a resurrected Christ and not in the cross work for salvation). They would have to work at maintaining their salvation, obeying the law, doing good works, and enduring in the faith until the very last day of their physical lives. These are the ones who would receive rewards for enduring to the end and keeping the faith when Christ raises them up on the last day.
This is the Kingdom gospel and the lifestyle that went apart with it. This faith is very different to ours, steeped in conditional living and law and faith that required works to prove it. In addition, the gospel of the kingdom always refers to the establishment of God’s reign over the physical earthly kingdom. One day, Christ will reign from David’s throne, and Israel will be head of the nations. This gospel will be preached again after the Body of Christ is raptured off the earth and the tribulation begins.
Matt.24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
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