Our preaching must center on Christ–on both His first and second comings. The reality of His first advent, culminating in the resurrection, provides hope for His second advent as conquering King. The only way to prepare for His kingdom is to believe the gospel.

Preach the kingdom? Is that the same as preaching the gospel? What about the gospel of the kingdom?

The Great Commission is clear: preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). But when the early church obeyed this command, they also preached the kingdom of God (Acts 8:12; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31). Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom as He offered the kingdom to Israel (Mark 1:14). Yet, He also spoke of the gospel of the kingdom being proclaimed in a future Tribulation (Matthew 24:14). What should we preach today? How should we preach it?

Preach the Gospel Today

The gospel centers on Christ’s first coming. Paul defined the gospel in his epistles: “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved … For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:1–5). Again, Paul declared that “the gospel of Christ … is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). To preach the gospel is to proclaim the good news of spiritual salvation from the penalty of sin through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Preach the Kingdom Today

The kingdom centers on Christ’s second coming. Though Israel rejected the offer of the kingdom and crucified their King, Jesus continued teaching about a coming kingdom during the forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3).

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