A Kingdom within a kingdom

In the second part of our Mark Series, we dive into the pivotal beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, where He announces that the "Kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). This declaration is not just a proclamation; it signals the arrival of a new era, where the reign of God begins to break into the world in tangible ways. Jesus' ministry unfolds in direct contrast to the kingdoms of darkness and the powers that have long held sway over the earth. Throughout this section of the Gospel of Mark, we witness the radical clash between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.

Jesus confronts the kingdom of darkness—the dominion of Satan, sin, and demons.

Jesus also demonstrates His kingdom authority over the kingdom of disease as He heals the sick, restores the broken, and brings wholeness to the physically afflicted.

Jesus challenges the religious and political powers of His time. His teachings expose the corrupt systems that manipulate and oppress, bringing into question the authority of both the religious elite and the political rulers.

Through Jesus’ words and actions, we learn that the Kingdom of God is both now and not yet—it is at hand, breaking into the world through Jesus, but it will fully come when He returns. And it all starts with a confrontation in the desert. Mark 1:12-13 - 12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Here's what I think we need to see today. The Kingdom of God is more than a sermon Jesus delivers; it is an invitation to accept Jesus' rule in every aspect of life. This means that Jesus is calling people to live according to his rule in the midst of other kingdoms that demand attention. Remember that Jesus original audience included, Romans, Jews, Palestinians, Samaritans, and others. He spoke to Pharisees, Saduccees, Herodians, and Pagans. They didn't have to surrender their passports, or join a new nation. They simply had to accept his invitation, and live in this new reality! you see.... The Kingdom of God is more than a sermon Jesus delivers; it is an invitation to accept Jesus' rule in every aspect of life. The Temptation to give allegiance to the wrong Kingdom

Jesus in The Wilderness

For the original audience the term wilderness would have drown up very specific imagery.

Moses was in the wilderness for 40 years when he saw a burning bush. It was from the wilderness that God Called him to rescued Israel from Egypt

Moses, led the people of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years after they rejected the promised land on their first arrival.

Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days before David showed up.

It was a place of death, a place of trials, a place of testing.

Have you been in this place before?

Then you understand what Jesus was facing.

And this is where we find Jesus being tempted by the enemy.

Jesus Tempted by Satan

Mark does not include the details the other gospels include regarding this temptation. If you'd like to read more about these details you can read the parallel passages in the notes

Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13

But one thing is certain, and this gets at the heard of our discussion for today!

Clearly the appearance of the Son of God is a direct onslaught on Satan’s realm. All of the unclean spirits recognize him and cower before him

Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary.

You see, the Bible seems to say that all the kingdoms of this world are all under the control Satan.

And so when Jesus appeared it's an assault on that Kingdom. Satan's rule over the kingdoms of this world came under siege.

But it is also an opportunity for Satan. It's an opportunity for Satan to try and persuade Jesus to give up this ultimate authority.

One scholar said this about Marks record of Jesus' temptation.

"this began an ongoing conflict with Satan who kept attempting through devious means to get Jesus to turn aside from God’s will (cf. Mark 8:11, 32–33; 10:2; 12:15). Grassmick, John D. “Mark.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures.

You see at the foundation of the kingdom idea is who is in charge.

Thus “the kingdom of God” is a dynamic (not static) concept that refers to God’s sovereign activity or ruling over His Creation.

Grassmick, John D. “Mark.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 107. Print.

Bruce Metzger pointedly says: “The kingdom of God in its essence is the reign of God, the personal relationship between the sovereign God and the individual. Thus there is no point in asking whether the kingdom is present or future, just as there is no point in asking whether the fatherhood of God is present or future. It is both” (The New Testament [New York: Abingdon, 1965], p. 148).

Wessel, Walter W. “Mark.” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke. Ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984. 625. Print.

So the temptation of Jesus is all about Satan tempting Jesus to surrender his sovereign right to rule.

This temptation is not completed in the wilderness, but we do see a dramatic representation of this cosmic conflict.

Jesus ministered to by the Angels

Mark reveals that Jesus is also ministered unto by the Angles in the wilderness.

They were not to keep Jesus from being tested by satan, just as finally they would not keep him from Calvary itself, but to assure him that his beloved Father was watching over him, was there with him, was loving him, acting through him, pouring out his Spirit all the time in and through him.

Wright, Tom. Mark for Everyone. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004. Print.

The Announcement of Kingdom within a kingdom

Jesus leaves the wilderness on a Mission! Just like the other OT characters who had wilderness experiences, Jesus moves forward with clarity and confidence.

What does he do?

Mark 1:14-15 - 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Now, This is no small thing to to the narrative, but if we are not careful we will pass over the small detail.

John's voice was silenced.

He was put in prison

The forerunner is silenced, but the message it not!

Jesus Message is.

The Kingdom of God is Here!

This is the central theme of Jesus' teaching in the gospels.

Last week we said that at the Baptism of Jesus, it was if God Torn open the heaven to introduce his Son. But it is more than that. God ripped open the heaven to insert his kingdom into the kingdoms of this world.

AS one scholar puts it, the announcement of the kingdom of God is the announcement of...

"the coming of God’s new world, which is even now breaking into the present.” Garland, David E. Mark.

The Kingdom of God is more than a sermon Jesus delivers; it is an invitation to accept Jesus' rule in every aspect of life.

To the Jesus audience this phrase, "The kingdom of God" would have brought about very specific ideology.

"The kingdom of God is an expression that embodied the hopes of the Jewish people that God would one day remove all evil from the world and inaugurate a new, unprecedented age of blessing, prosperity, and joy. This hope was nourished by a number of important Old Testament text and it touched every area of life. It was spiritual because the power of sin would be destroyed, and Yahweh would be universally worshiped as the one true God, (Isaiah 11:9). It was political in that God's people would be released from the power of the various gentile governments that had afflicted them with so much suffering for the course of history (Daniel 7:13-14, 22, 25). War and the lust for power would be replaced by the politics of peace (Isaiah 9:7). It was an economic hope because the New World would know nothing of poverty, hunger, famine, or depravity (Isaiah 32:1-8; 35:1-2). The world would be so transformed that children could play safely with lions, bears and poisonous shakes (Isaiah 11:6-8). The kingdom of God expressed the hope for a world in which the powers of sin, death and darkness are replaced by peace, justice, and the worship of the one true God. In essence, it is the hope that the rule of God would be restored overall creation. (Ronald J Kernaghan. Mark: the IVP New Testament commentary series. Page 41.)

That's why the Disciples ask Jesus is he was going to restore the Kingdom?

And that's why they were so devastated when he died on the cross!

But Jesus idea of the Kingdom of God wad different than theirs!

God's Kingdom Exists amid other kingdoms!

What other kingdoms exist?

In the next three chapters of Mark we are going to examine some of those kingdoms

There is the Kingdom of Satan

There is the Kingdom of Disease

There is the Kingdom of Counterfeit Religion

There is the Kingdom of political Power

Jesus will also encounter the kingdom of wealth.

You see, Jesus idea of a kingdom is anything that might hold power over a person

Anything that one might follow or pursue to find meaning, value, and life.

You see, there exists a dueling of kingdoms in each of our lives. These kingdoms struggle for value, importance, control, power over us.

These Kingdoms exalt themselves against the rule of God.

They are competing Kingdoms.

Many people are blind to this reality, meaning they only see the physical kingdoms.

But Jesus calls to one and all. The kingdom of God is at hand.

And The kingdom of God is available to us in the midst of these others kingdoms.

The Kingdom of God is more than a sermon Jesus delivers; it is an invitation to accept Jesus' rule in every aspect of life.

It is possible to live by the rule of God in the midst of these other kingdoms.

A good deal of Christian faith is a matter of learning to live by this different reality even when we can’t see it. (Wright, Tom. Mark for Everyone.)

Your Invitation to the Kingdom of God.

"Repent ye, and believe the gospel"

Jesus’ call to repent is not a caustic reprimand but an invitation to switch allegiances. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary.

God's invitation for us is to trade allegiances.

To move our faith from this world, and place our faith in him.

To move our allegiance from this world to an allegiance to God

To move from following the way of this world, to following the way of Jesus.

This is Jesus' invitation!

The Kingdom of God is more than a sermon Jesus delivers; it is an invitation to accept Jesus' rule in every aspect of life.

Repent. This means to switch you allegiance

Believe. This does not just refer to the head knowledge, but rather to Follow God.

CONCLUSION: We cannot stop this conversation about the kingdom without one final thought. The Jewish idea about the Kingdom of God was not wrong. The Disciples were not wrong to ask about Jesus about restoring the Kingdom of Israel. But their timing was wrong. There is coming a day when all the Promises about the Kingdom go God will be fulfilled. There is coming a day when the rule of God will be the only rule. Revelation 11:15 - And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And to that we say. Even so come Quickly Lord Jesus. Closing Prayer! Next Steps: Read: Mark 1:12-15; Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13Memorize: Mark 1:15 - And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Accept God’s invitation to live according to the Kingdom of God!

Jesus’ struggle with doubt, with his sense of purpose, with his commitment to his task laid out for him by God—all things that we might identify with from our own pilgrimage. The emphasis in Mark, however, is that Jesus does battle with Satan. The temptation, like the baptism, has cosmic significance.

Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary.

But the angels were there, too.

The time of decision had come; thus the required response to which Jesus summoned His hearers was a double command: Repent and believe the good news! Repentance and faith (belief) are bound together in one piece (not temporally successive acts). To “repent” (metanoeō; cf. Mark 1:4) is to turn away from an existing object of trust (e.g., oneself). To “believe” (pisteuō, here pisteuete en, the only NT appearance of this combination) is to commit oneself wholeheartedly to an object of faith. Grassmick, John D. “Mark.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 107. Print. Jesus does not order Satan to leave, and the devil does not run off, tail between his legs. This could signify that the desert sojourn is only the first round in Jesus’ struggle with evil. The battle is not over; the decisive victory is yet to come. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. Whichever option may be correct, clearly the appearance of the Son of God is a direct onslaught on Satan’s realm. All of the unclean spirits recognize him and cower before him. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. The Pharisees think he is in league with Satan. Herod’s best guess is that he is John the Baptizer come back to life to haunt him for his sins. Some think he is Elijah; others, one of the prophets (6:14–16; 8:27–28). The disciples are captivated by his powers but are baffled as to who he is for much of the opening chapters. Only Peter, James, and John are let in on this mystery at the Transfiguration. They hear the voice from the clouds proclaim that Jesus is God’s beloved Son and learn on the way down from the mountain that Elijah has already come and gone (9:2–13). Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. The problem is that the way that Jesus prepares for us to go home is not the one we want to travel. It is arduous and paved with suffering, but it is one that we must journey to get home Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. The emphasis in Mark, however, is that Jesus does battle with Satan. The temptation, like the baptism, has cosmic significance. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. “Rather, it is a word that announces an event, the coming of God’s new world, which is even now breaking into the present.” The coming of the kingdom of God is central theme in the Gospel Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. (1) They affirmed that God was not an indifferent spectator of human affairs but was over all things, directing them to a specific end that would soon be realized. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. (2) Different elements of the divine plan are worked out in distinct periods of history. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. (3) The world is beset by a kind of spiritual entropy. Human empires rise and seem unshakably established, only to fall and give rise to another human empire. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. The new age does not come from human activity of any kind, positive or negative, nor does it evolve from this present age. It comes through the direct intervention of God Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. Jesus’ clash with Satan in the desert clearly did not end in a tie because the preaching of the good news of God that immediately follows is the proclamation of victory. God has entered the fray; the world is under a new governance. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. Jesus’ call to repent is not a caustic reprimand but an invitation to switch allegiances Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary. The problem is that when we lose any sense of sin and responsibility, we also lose any burning desire for pardon. If we do not admit that we have a problem, then we do not get down on our knees and come to God for the solution. Garland, David E. Mark. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Print. The NIV Application Commentary.