The Strategic Time is Now
From Pastor Tim Olof
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
When Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, He wanted people to know that it was near, as close as your hand. It wasn’t as distant or as dreamy as they had imagined. Now was the time for them to encounter the kingdom of God.
There are two Ancient Greek words that can be translated as "time": one is chronos, meaning simple chronological time; the other is kairos, meaning “the strategic opportunity, the decisive time.” Jesus used this second word when He said, “the time is fulfilled.” His idea was, “The strategic time for the kingdom of God is now. Now is your time of opportunity. Don’t let it pass you by.”
When Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, He wanted people to know what entering that kingdom was like. They could not enter the kingdom going the same way they had been going. They had to change their direction to experience the kingdom of God.
Some people think that repentance is mostly about feelings, especially feeling sorry for your sin. It is wonderful to feel sorry about your sin, but repent isn’t a “feelings” word; it is an action word. Jesus told us to make a change of the mind, not merely to feel sorry for what we have done. Repentance speaks of a change of direction, not a sorrow in the heart.
Repentance does not describe something we must do before we come to God; it describes what coming to God is like. We can’t come to the kingdom of God unless we leave our sin and the self-life.
When Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, He wanted people to know what it was like to live in the kingdom. The kingdom Jesus preached was not just about a moral renewal; it was about trusting God, taking Him at His word, and living a relationship of dependence on Him. The Ancient Greek word Jesus used for believe (pisteuo) means much more than knowledge or agreement in the mind. It speaks of a relationship of trust and dependence.
Love, Tim
