“The Kingdom Has Come Near”: Jesus’ Opening Declaration

Galilee’s hills still echoed with John’s preaching when Jesus stepped forward and declared, “The time is fulfilled; the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). Those first words were not a slogan but a thunderclap that centuries of longing had reached their turning point.

Isaiah had envisioned a child who would shoulder a government of endless peace (Isa 9:6-7). Daniel had foreseen a stone-kingdom “set up by the God of heaven” that would outlast every empire (Dan 2:44). Jesus attached Himself to those promises. By speaking of “fulfilment” (kairos in Greek: the decisive moment), He presented His own ministry as the hinge of history, the overlap of God’s realm with ours.

For Jesus, “kingdom” was not geography but divine reign—God exercising His rightful authority over people, powers, and creation. Every exorcism, healing, or forgiven sinner was a lived parable: the King was reclaiming His territory one life at a time. Yet participation required a response: turn around (repent) and trust (believe).

Notice that Jesus does more than teach the kingdom; He demonstrates it. When He commands storms or demons, He is not borrowing power but acting as the rightful sovereign. The crowds sense this: “He taught as one who had authority, not as their scribes” (Mark 1:22). Authority (exousia) is the signature of kingdom arrival.

In a culture suspicious of authority, Jesus reminds us that power can be holy when wielded by the rightful King. Followers of Christ are invited to live under this kingly rule rather than the shifting standards of politics, trends, or self-created identities. Repentance today might look like surrendering the control panels of our calendars, finances, or social platforms to His governance.

Submitting to Jesus is never passive. The same Gospel that calls us to repent also commissions us to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons” (Matt 10:8). Kingdom citizens operate with delegated exousia. We pray boldly, confront injustice, and expect God’s power to break chains—spiritual or systemic—because the King is present.

Jesus’ inaugural sermon is still echoing. The kingdom is not an idea to admire but a government to enter. Today, choose repentance that realigns your loyalties and faith that empowers your actions. When you live under the King’s authority, you carry the King’s authority—announcing through word and deed that God’s reign has come near.