The Gospel Proclaimed

Mark 1 : 14 - 15

Sometimes, the proclamation of the church is mistakenly seen as a kind of propaganda. But Jesus chose to proclaim the gospel of God in Galilee rather than Jerusalem—and that already tells us something important. If Jesus wanted to spread propaganda, why wouldn’t He go to Jerusalem? Galilee was an insignificant place in Israel, yet Jesus began His ministry there, not in a powerful, metropolitan city. Even after His death and resurrection, He gathered His disciples again in Galilee.

Throughout the Bible, Jerusalem often represents not faith, but faithlessness, disbelief, and even opposition to Jesus. There’s always a certain danger when people live in powerful cities like Jerusalem—or today, perhaps cities like Berlin—where faith can be drowned out by noise, distraction, or self-sufficiency. But that doesn’t mean the solution is to flee to the countryside to become religious. Jesus did go to Jerusalem later, but He intentionally began His mission among the humble and overlooked. This pattern began even earlier, in the story of Christmas, when His birth was first announced to shepherds, Gentiles, and the magi—people on the margins of society.

In Mark 1:14–15, there is a moment of transition—a kind of “handing over”—when John is arrested and Jesus comes into Galilee and begins to proclaim the gospel. This shows us that the gospel is proclaimed in a time of adversity and suffering, not comfort and ease. Today, many Christians practice their faith in peaceful, comfortable settings. But the context is very different for believers in places like North Korea or Indonesia, where Christians are persecuted. When someone continues to follow Jesus under persecution, we can say they possess true faith.

We often pray for persecuted Christians. But perhaps they should also pray for us, because their faith may be purer than ours. Does that mean we should stop praying for them? Not at all. We must continue to pray—while also having the courage to live out our Christian belief both in times of adversity and in times of comfort.

The life of John the Baptist anticipates the life of Jesus—not only in his message but also in his suffering and martyrdom. This pattern continued with the early church. But what about the modern church? Do we have the courage to proclaim the gospel even in times of hardship and difficulty? Or do we remain silent, even in comfort?

Some forms of Christianity have distorted the gospel. They treat it as a means to a comfortable life—this is known as the prosperity gospel. But that is not the gospel we see in the Bible. Jesus proclaimed the gospel in the midst of adversity. He not only proclaimed the gospel—He is the gospel. That’s why, when you read about the life of Jesus in Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, you’ll see they are titled “The Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

We cannot separate the gospel from Jesus Christ. To receive the gospel is to know and follow Him. This idea echoes Isaiah 61:1:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

This is a declaration of the coming reign of God—and when Jesus proclaims the gospel, He is announcing that the kingdom of God has arrived.

But what is the kingdom of God, and what is not the kingdom of God? When you read the Old and New Testaments, you’ll see a strong contrast between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of the world. They have completely different principles, narratives, values, and glories. One of the most important stories that illustrates this is the story of Israel’s liberation from Egypt. Egypt represents the worldly kingdom, which always comes with a certain kind of bondage and slavery. In the modern world, we face different kinds of slavery—our mobile phones, social media, AI, and other things that can control our time or emotions. But the kingdom of God is about joy, peace, and freedom, while the kingdom of the world is about war, conflict, power, pride, and competition.

In Mark 1:14–15, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” What does it mean that the kingdom is “at hand”? It means it is very near—emphasizing spatial rather than merely temporal nearness. The kingdom is close, and we are invited to enter into it..

But what does it take to enter the kingdom of God? The Bible often tells us that the rich, the powerful, and the self-confident have a hard time entering, while the poor, the outsiders, and children are welcomed. As we grow older, we often lose something beautiful: dependence. In our culture, dependence is often seen as weakness or failure. But in the kingdom of God, dependence is a virtue. How can we truly relate to God without being dependent on Him? Children are open, receptive, and humble. They have nothing to boast about—no status or achievements to claim. They can only receive. That is why Jesus said, “Unless you become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of God.” The kingdom of God is not something you earn or deserve through merit—it is freely given by the grace of God. All we can do is humbly receive it. So, when the kingdom of God is at hand, the question becomes: are we ready to enter, not by the principles of the world, but by the values of the kingdom itself?

Jesus gives us a clear invitation in Mark 1:15: “Repent and believe in the gospel.” On the one hand, we proclaim that the kingdom of God is a blessing from God, simply given. But on the other hand, we have a human responsibility to respond—that is, to repent and believe. We must choose how we will respond: will we receive the gift humbly, or will we ignore it?

Commentaries often explain the word “repent” as a farewell to your old life. Repentance means receiving the new life given by God in Jesus Christ. It is a radical change and transformation of the heart and mind. Things that once seemed valuable now appear meaningless. With Jesus at the centre, we no longer chase after the values and glories of this world. But repentance alone is not enough. After turning from your old life, where do you go? That’s why belief in God is essential. You are not left in a vacuum—you begin a new life, walking with Jesus. Belief means dedicating your life to God, trusting in His mercy, and living under His lordship. In our broken world, belief is rare. We live among untrustworthy systems and people, so suspicion often feels natural. But in Scripture, we see that even the act of believing is a gift from God. One of the most striking verses in the Bible is when a man wants to believe in Jesus but realizes he is unable. So he prays, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). This is a humble confession. We cannot truly believe by our own strength. But God, in His mercy, helps us to believe. He invites us into a relationship with Him—not by force, but by grace.

Belief and repentance always go together. You cannot believe in God without turning from your old life. And you cannot truly repent without turning to God in faith. This is not a cheap or superficial exchange. It is a deep, spiritual transformation.

This is the kingdom of God. This is the gospel proclaimed by Jesus. May God help us to understand His will and respond to His invitation.

God bless us all (G.N.S.)