Having established that it is the kingdom message that men are to preach and teach in this life, let us take note of the emphasis Jesus placed on that message. This is brought out in Matthew 24 where we find Him and His disciples coming out of the Temple in Jerusalem. Having make much of the Temple’s physical appearance, the disciples were obviously startled to hear the Lord say that the magnificent structure they were so enamored with would one day be nothing more than a pile of rubble. They understood that He was referring to the end times. Being as curious as the rest of us about His return, they said to Him: “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?” Jesus began His answer with a warning to those who would be alive during the end times. Those of the terminal generation were to let no man deceive them, for many would come in His name declaring that He is the Christ, and would deceive many people. He added that leading up to His return there would be wars, famines, diseases and earthquakes throughout the earth. These disasters, He warned, would indicate that mankind’s troubles were only beginning. His people would be persecuted, some to the death. Many would betray and hate one another. Many false prophets would rise up in the church and deceive many people by telling them that He had done away with the Law. Love for Him would grow cold as men, having abandoned His Ten Commandment Law, thereby proving their hatred of Him–“If you love Me, keep my commandments;” “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (Jn. 14:15/1 Jn. 5:2,3)–would become a law unto themselves. He warned that only those who endured to the end of life or until His coming with their righteousness intact would be saved. Then He spoke about the part His gospel was to play in the lives of His saints and the world: “And this GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM–His gospel–shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, then the end will come” (1-24). Note the Lord’s emphasis on the content of the apostles’ message–THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. They were to tell the people about the coming kingdom of God on earth and how to enter it–through faith in God’s Word and obedience to it. Jesus declared that all men would be judged by (their obedience to) that Word to determine if they were eligible to enter the kingdom (Jn. 12:44-48). And in that Jesus Himself preached that gospel, man must believe and obey it in order to sit with Him on his throne in that kingdom (Rev. 3:21).

To further emphasize not only the importance of the kingdom message, but its eternal nature as well, Jesus returned to earth following His resurrection (Acts 1:3) where he spent 40 days with His apostles, “speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” These Scriptures make clear the depth of concern Jesus had relative to the message His apostles then and in the future would preach and teach. He was making sure that the kingdom message would be the focus of their ministry until His return to establish the kingdom whose capital will be located in Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-9). Ever true to His command, His apostles continued to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the kingdom message throughout their lives. Their ministerial descendants continue to follow in their footsteps and will do so until the end of the age when their messiah will return to earth. To be continued. L.J.