Reading for Monday, Oct 8: Mark 1

Christ’s first words in this Gospel: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel,” (v15). God’s eschatological (end time) reign stands at the heart of the ministry of Jesus. Here we see the future intersecting the present as God’s glorious Kingdom bursts forth through the ministry of Jesus.

We are right to speak of the Kingdom as a future reality, for it is yet to be fully consummated; evil has yet to be fully eradicated; and we’ve yet to experience the fullness of eternal life in the age to come. But we’re also right to speak of the Kingdom as a present reality, right here, in our midst. New life dawns amid brokenness and death, resurrection the motif of our fellowship. So the Kingdom comes to us much as Jesus comes to us: already and not yet, present but not complete. And we give thanks for our present condition with hearts fully anticipating the glories that await us in the Kingdom come.

With these words, Jesus foments a movement of God-activity in human history, a movement in which we are willing participants as we pray the words He left us: “Your Kingdom come, will be done, on earth as surely as in heaven.”