His Final Week on Earth

Holy Week is here. This is not a time for writing about “denominational politics.” We need to focus on the final week of Jesus’ life as we prepare for Easter.

The gospels tell us that Jesus spent time each day preaching in the temple courts. Jesus had guts!! His teaching in the temple was an “in your face” to the Jewish religious leaders. Most of Jesus’ ministry took place near the Sea of Galilee. But now, he was taking his message to the temple in Jerusalem. He was on their turf. How dare he come there and preach the gospel!

What gospel was Jesus was preaching? One needs only look at his past messages to find the answer to that question. Jesus was passionate about the “kingdom of God.” Mark’s gospel uses the phrase “kingdom of God” fourteen times! All but one of those uses of the “kingdom of God” were by Jesus. His message concerning the kingdom of God included the following points:

• The kingdom of God is near (Mark 1);
• We have been given the secrets of the kingdom of God (Mark 4);
• Jesus used parables to help describe the kingdom of God (Mark 4);
• Some people with Jesus would not die before the coming of the kingdom of God (Mark 9);
• Some will be thrown into hell and not enter the kingdom of God (Mark 9);
• The kingdom of God belongs to little children (Mark 10);
• We must have the faith of a little child to enter into the kingdom of God (Mark 10);
• It is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10);
• Some people are not far from the kingdom of God; yet, they are not in the kingdom (Mark 12);
• After the last supper, Jesus said he would not drink wine again until he drinks it anew in the kingdom of God (Mark 14).

My guess is that Jesus preached these same messages in the temple courts! Jesus wanted people to be in the kingdom of God! He told people when they were outside the kingdom. He wanted them to know that you didn’t have to be a scholar to be invited into the kingdom. The “kingdom of God” was his message.

Jesus didn’t preach about “religion”—religious ritual. The Israelites were great at religious ritual. Ritual wasn’t good enough—only the kingdom of God was good enough!

Courageous preaching about the kingdom of can get a person in trouble. Presbyterian pastors are passionate about lots of topics—and even preach passionately on those topics. Yet, how often do we hear passionate preaching about someone going to hell and not entering the kingdom of God? How often do we hear passionate preaching about how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God?

A few years ago a couple stopped attending our church. The reason… in a sermon I had mentioned that not everyone was going to make it to heaven and that those who didn’t make it to heaven would go to hell. The truth about the kingdom of God is not easy to hear. I want Aunt Betty to be in heaven—unless there is a major change in her life she won’t be there. I want my brother to be in heaven—unless there is a major change in his life he won’t be there. I want Jimmy my sailing instructor to be in heaven—unless there is a major change in his life he won’t be there. The truth about the kingdom of God is not easy to hear.

What would happen in the PCUSA if every pastor took the next three years and only preached on the truths about the kingdom of God? Some people would leave our churches, to be sure. But I am confident that thousands upon thousands would experience new life in Christ and enter into the kingdom of God.

It’s just a thought.