PREACH THE KINGDOM

PREACH THE KINGDOM

John the Baptist and Jesus preached the kingdom before the Church was organized. “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (Luke 16:16). “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:1, 2). “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:14, 15). “And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent” (Luke 4:43).

One of the first commands that Jesus gave to His newly organized Church was to preach the kingdom. “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7). “And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him” (Luke 8:1).

After the Church was organized, the seventy, Philip, Paul, etc. preached the kingdom. To the seventy, Jesus said, “And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” (Luke 10:9). “...they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God...” (Acts 8:12). “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (Acts 28:30, 31).

One of the last commands that Jesus gave to His Church was to preach the gospel of the kingdom. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature... So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven...” (Mark 16:15, 19). The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24:14).

As the kingdom is preached it will grow (Matt. 13:31-33) and so will the Church. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls... Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:41, 47). A key to the phenomenal growth of the early Church was preaching the kingdom! So will it be in The Church of God in these last days!