The concept of the kingdom of God is one of the great themes of all Scripture. As we have seen already, the OT abounds in passages that declare God’s righteous rule over his creation, including men and their affairs.
The kingdom is the principal theme of Jesus’ message in the synoptic gospels. It also appears briefly in John 3 as we will see.
1) Matthew 4:17, 23: Jesus announced the arrival of the kingdom--he said it was "at hand"--and preached repentance in preparation for the kingdom. In association with this proclamation he carried on a ministry of healing.
2) Mark 1:15: Jesus declared "the time is fulfilled" (compare Galatians 4:4) and urged on his hearers repentance and belief.
3) Luke 4:42-43: Jesus states that he was sent specifically for the purpose of preaching the kingdom of God.
4) Finally, the interview Nicodemus conducted with Jesus as recorded in John 3 opens with Jesus' declaration that spiritual rebirth is a precondition for seeing the kingdom.
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