The Bible Study Podcast, episode 268.

Today, the Bible Study podcast continues a study of the kingdom of God.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen.

We continue the study of the kingdom of God,

looking at New Testament references for the kingdom of God. And we looked last time at Matthew.

This week we'll look at the Gospel of Mark, and we'll start with the 15th verse, or the 14th and 15th verse,

which are in Mark 1. In Mark 1, Mark starts with the story of John the Baptist, coming and

preaching and telling people about a baptism of repentance, and that the one who comes after him,

whose sandal he's not worthy to untie, will baptize you with fire and the Holy Spirit. And then we get

Jesus baptism. And then immediately after Jesus baptism, we get these verses.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

The time has come, he said.

The kingdom of God has come near.

Repent and believe the good news.

We're here at the beginning of Mark's Gospel.

We only get 13 verses about John the Baptist.

His ministry, so far as we can tell, wasn't particularly long, but it was particularly impactful.

That John comes, there hasn't been a prophet in Judah for 500 years, and suddenly there's this man in the wilderness crying, prepare the way of the

Lord. And prepare of the way of the Lord is a particularly kingly phrase that when a king would come,

when somebody importance would come, you would redo the highways. You didn't have a regular

highway program, but when the king would come, you'd make sure you made the path straight.

And then Jesus comes, and he says, the kingdom of God has come near.

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