Hearing the Gospel: Understanding God's Call and Kingdom

The Divine Invitation

God extends His call to humanity, yet as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:14: "For many are called, but few chosen." This selection isn't arbitrary but reflects a profound spiritual reality—our response to God's invitation matters.

Jesus explained this divine initiative in John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day."

But how exactly are we called? How does the Father draw us to Jesus?

Jesus' Core Message

When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He established a clear pattern that would define His approach throughout His mission:

"Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God's Kingdom, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and God's Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.'" — Mark 1:14-15

Jesus was straightforward and direct. He called people to two essential responses:

1. Repent – to change their thinking and turn from sin
2. Believe – to place their trust in His message

This pattern reveals the heart of what we call "the Gospel" or "Good News."

Understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Gospel message encompasses several interconnected truths about who Jesus is and what He accomplished:

The Fulfillment of Promise

"For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." — John 1:17

While the Mosaic law revealed God's holy standards and humanity's inability to meet them, Jesus brought the fulfillment of God's promises through grace and truth. He didn't abolish the law but fulfilled it, offering a new pathway to relationship with God.

The Victory Over Death

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" — John 11:25-26

This powerful declaration reveals Jesus' authority over death itself. Through Him, physical death loses its finality, and eternal life becomes possible. The question He asks—"Do you believe this?"—invites personal response and commitment.

The Sacrificial Atonement

"But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all." — Isaiah 53:5-6

This prophecy, written centuries before Jesus' birth, vividly depicts the sacrificial nature of Christ's death. His suffering wasn't random but purposeful—He bore our sins and their consequences, offering healing and peace through His sacrifice.

The Living Hope

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." — 1 Peter 1:3

The resurrection of Jesus transforms the Gospel from mere historical account to living reality. It offers not just wishful thinking but a "living hope"—vibrant, unshakable, and grounded in God's mercy and power demonstrated through Christ's victory over death.

The Indwelling Spirit

"I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world can't receive; for it doesn't see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you." — John 14:16-17

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit's presence—not as a distant force but as an indwelling companion who guides, comforts, and empowers believers. This intimate relationship with God's Spirit distinguishes Christian faith from mere religious observance.

The Good News of God's Kingdom

Central to Jesus' message was the proclamation of God's Kingdom. This wasn't merely a future hope but a present reality with future fulfillment:

The Present Kingdom

"The time is fulfilled, and God's Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News." — Mark 1:15

Jesus announced that God's Kingdom had arrived in and through Him. This Kingdom isn't primarily geographical but relational—God's rule and reign in human hearts and communities.

"But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well." — Matthew 6:33

Jesus taught that the Kingdom should be our highest priority, reshaping our values and pursuits.

Our Role in the Kingdom

"And he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." — Revelation 1:6

"And made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth." — Revelation 5:10

Believers aren't merely subjects in God's Kingdom but active participants with specific roles as priests (representing God to people and people to God) and kings (exercising righteous authority in God's name).

The Future Kingdom

"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever." — Daniel 2:44

This ancient prophecy points to the Kingdom's ultimate triumph over all earthly powers—not through conventional warfare but through God's sovereign intervention.

"The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!'" — Revelation 11:15

The Kingdom's future culmination will bring all creation under Christ's explicit rule, fulfilling God's original intention for creation.

The Kingdom Fully Realized

"I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away... Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more." — Revelation 21:1, 3-4

This breathtaking vision reveals the Kingdom's ultimate expression—a renewed creation where God dwells directly with His people, and all suffering, death, and tears are eliminated.

Christ as Messiah: Understanding the Title

The word "Christ" is the English transliteration of the Greek word "Χριστός"—pronounced "khristós." It carries the same meaning as "Messiah," which transliterates the Hebrew word "מָשִׁיחַ"—pronounced "mashíach."

Both titles mean "the anointed one," referring to the practice of anointing kings, priests, and prophets with oil to signify God's selection and empowerment. When applied to Jesus, these titles affirm His divine appointment as Prophet, Priest, and King—the long-awaited deliverer promised throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.

Responding to the Gospel

The Gospel isn't merely information to understand but an invitation to respond. Jesus' initial call still echoes today:

1. Recognize God's Initiative - Acknowledge that God has drawn you to Himself through Christ
2. Repent - Turn from self-ruled life to God-centered living
3. Believe - Place your trust in Jesus and His finished work
4. Enter the Kingdom - Begin living under God's loving rule
5. Share the Message - Join in proclaiming this Good News to others

As Jesus said: "This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)

The Gospel story continues unfolding, and each person has the opportunity to participate in this divine narrative through faith in Jesus Christ.