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Sermon #5356

The Kingdom of God is at Hand

A Sermon on Mark 1:14-15

Originally preached April 28, 1963

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Scripture

Mark 1:14-15 ESV KJV
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (ESV)

Sermon Description

In this sermon on Mark 1:14–15 titled “The Kingdom of God is at Hand,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones presents God’s message that calls all to listen to the truth. Humanity’s notion of Christianity is wrong. The depth of the knowledge of God’s truth is far from known. The modern position finds humanity without God and without a proper guide. Humanity is always ready to worship itself, but this must not be. Learn that all questions have already been answered, and the problems have already been solved. Listeners are encouraged to receive the revelation of God; His gospel announces a plan and a purpose and all that is needed has already been given. The problem of humanity today is the same problem that has always been. Christianity is the plan of God acting out in history. Salvation depends on what God has done in Christ, not on what a person can understand. Humanity is a slave of sin, but Christ has broken the chains to set them free for His kingdom and stand blameless before God in Christ.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The sermon begins by highlighting that the words in Mark 1:14-15 summarize the essence of the Christian gospel.
  2. Jesus came preaching the gospel, meaning he came making an authoritative proclamation and announcement. Preaching conveys certainty and authority.
  3. The gospel announces God's plan and purpose. God had a plan to deliver humanity even before creation. This plan has now been revealed and fulfilled in Jesus.
  4. God's plan is carried out through events in history, not through human discovery or philosophy. Christianity is based on what God has done, not human ideas.
  5. The "time" referred to in Mark 1:15 is God's time for fulfilling his promises and plan. This time has now come in Jesus.
  6. The kingdom of God refers to God's rule and reign. It means righteousness, peace, and God's blessing. It is the antithesis of the current state of the world.
  7. The kingdom of God has drawn near and arrived in Jesus. He is the king, and the kingdom comes where the king is. Jesus came to establish God's rule and reign.
  8. Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, give sight to the blind, and set the captives free. This is what the kingdom brings.
  9. The gospel is the good news that God has visited and redeemed humanity in Jesus. Jesus is God come in the flesh to be our deliverer.
  10. Jesus died on the cross to open the gateway into the kingdom of God. We can only enter the kingdom and become citizens through faith in Jesus.
  11. We do not need to understand everything before coming to Jesus. We simply need to repent and believe in him. We must stop relying on our own intellect and efforts and instead trust in Christ.
  12. The gospel should be thrilling good news to us. If it is not, we do not yet understand our lost and helpless condition. We need Jesus as our savior.
  13. We are called to believe in Jesus, cast our sins and lives upon him, and cling to him. This is the heart of the Christian gospel.

Sermons on the Kingdom of God

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.