The Gospel isn't just about "Conversion," it's about a Kingdom.

What does it mean when someone says, "The kingdom of God is at hand"? In our world of nations, governments, and political systems, this biblical proclamation can sound strange, even archaic. Yet this announcement stands at the very center of Jesus' mission and the commission He gave His followers. Too often today, evangelism has been reduced to simply "getting people saved," and consequently, the entire Christian life has been narrowed to the singular event of "conversion." This leaves many believers unsure where true discipleship fits in, leading them to believe that "getting saved" is the ultimate goal, rather than understanding a much grander mission.

But saved for what purpose? Saved into what new reality? Is our mission here on earth solely about securing a comfortable afterlife, or is it about something far more expansive: making God's will known throughout creation, actively participating in restoring brokenness even now, and inaugurating His Kingdom even as we eagerly await its final, glorious consummation? When we reduce the Christian message to merely securing a heavenly afterlife, we miss the revolutionary, world-transforming reality that Jesus inaugurated. The Kingdom of God is not simply a future hope—it is a present reality that demands our response now.

 

The Sending of the Seventy (Luke 10:1-12)

Luke 10:1-2 - The Commission

"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'" (Lk 10:1-2)

The text begins by connecting this commission to Jesus' previous teachings about discipleship in chapter 9. The number seventy-two (or seventy in some manuscripts) resonates with Israel's story—echoing either the seventy elders who received Moses' spirit (Num 11:16-17) or the seventy nations of Genesis 10, suggesting the universal scope of the gospel.

Jesus' language of harvest draws from prophetic imagery. The command to "pray earnestly" is in a tense that suggests urgent, decisive petition, not habitual prayer. This is no casual request—the Kingdom's advance requires divine intervention.

The harvest metaphor reframes evangelism: not merely rescuing individual souls, but participating in God's cosmic ingathering, the eschatological harvest anticipated by the prophets (Joel 3:13; Jer 5:24).

Luke 10:3-4 - The Challenge

"Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road." (Lk 10:3-4)

The word "sending" shares its root with "apostle," emphasizing their delegated authority. The image of lambs among wolves presents a striking paradox: vulnerability becomes the mode of mission. Kingdom proclamation operates not through dominance but apparent weakness—power made perfect in vulnerability (2 Cor 12:9). As Sirach 13:17 [it's a book from the intertestamental period, included in Catholic and some protestant bibles, not missing in most protestant Bibles these days] reminds us, "What does a wolf have in common with a lamb? No more has a sinner with the devout." This is a metaphor that the 70/72 would have understood, given it's prevalence in Jewish literature. Jesus is underscoring the inherent opposition these messengers would face.

The mission of Christ is always opposed. Don't expect it to be easy. 

The prohibitions against provisions (moneybag, knapsack, sandals) and even customary greetings underscore the urgency and counter-cultural nature of the mission. This is not merely pragmatic advice but a theological statement about dependency on God and the priority of the Kingdom message

The messengers themselves embody the message—living testimonies to God's provision and the primacy of His reign.

Luke 10:5-9 - The Message

"Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you... Heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'" (Lk 10:5-6, 9)

The greeting "Peace" carries the full weight of the Hebrew shalom, signifying wholeness, well-being, and reconciliation with God. The conditional clause about "a son of peace" employs a Semitic idiom, describing one receptive to God's peace—one whose heart is prepared for the Kingdom message. The climactic proclamation in verse 9, "The kingdom of God has come near to you," uses a verb tense indicating completed action with continuing results. The Kingdom is not merely approaching; it has arrived and continues to be present. This proclamation accompanies healing, demonstrating that Kingdom proclamation involves both word and deed, announcement and demonstration.

 

The Nature of Kingdom Proclamation

More Than Individual Salvation

Proclaiming the Kingdom transcends a simplified salvation message. The term "gospel" literally means "good news"—an announcement of God's reign breaking into history. When we reduce this to merely securing post-mortem destiny, we domesticate its revolutionary power. When examining John the Baptist's proclamation, we find: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 3:2). The verb "repent" implies a comprehensive reorientation of one's life toward God's rule, not merely emotional regret or a momentary decision. It calls for a radical change in thinking and living—a new allegiance to a new King.

The Continuity with Jesus' Ministry

Jesus begins His ministry with identical language: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 4:17). Mark's account adds: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mk 1:15). The perfect tense "has been fulfilled" indicates that in Jesus, salvation history reaches its culmination. Jesus' entire ministry—His teaching, healing, exorcisms, table fellowship with sinners—constitutes the Kingdom in action. When He casts out demons "by the finger of God," He declares, "the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Lk 11:20). The Kingdom is not merely proclaimed but demonstrated through acts of restoration and liberation.

The Kingdom in Acts

The Book of Acts frames the early Christian message around this Kingdom proclamation. Before ascending, Jesus speaks about "the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3), and the narrative concludes with Paul "proclaiming the kingdom of God" (Acts 28:31).

The phrase "teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ" stands in apposition to "proclaiming the kingdom," indicating their essential equivalence. 

To proclaim Christ is to proclaim the Kingdom; to proclaim the Kingdom is to proclaim Christ. Philip preaches "the good news about the kingdom of God" in Samaria (Acts 8:12). Paul and Barnabas encourage new believers to continue in faith despite tribulations because "through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). The apostolic message consistently frames salvation within the larger context of God's kingdom.

 

Theological Implications

The Already/Not Yet Tension

Kingdom proclamation embraces what theologians call the "already/not yet" tension. The verb "has come near" in Luke 10:9 indicates present reality, yet Jesus also teaches disciples to pray, "Your kingdom come" (Mt 6:10), using an imperative that suggests future fulfillment. This paradoxical reality shapes Christian existence. We live between the ages—experiencing the firstfruits of the Kingdom while awaiting its consummation. The Kingdom has been inaugurated but not yet fully realized. It operates now, within history, yet points toward its future perfection. Like seed growing secretly (Mk 4:26-29) or leaven working through dough (Mt 13:33), the Kingdom advances incrementally, often imperceptibly, yet inexorably.

The Totalizing Claim

The "kingdom of God" makes a totalizing claim on human allegiance. It challenges our presuppositions, reorders our priorities, and demands radical obedience.

The Kingdom is not a compartment of life reserved for religious activities—it encompasses all of existence. 

Every sphere of society, every dimension of individual and communal life, falls under the reign of God. To proclaim the Kingdom is to challenge the powers and principalities that oppose God's rule. It is to confront injustice, oppression, and idolatry with the radical love and transformative power of the gospel.

The message of the Kingdom subverts human systems that exalt self-interest, domination, and exploitation. It offers a radical alternative—a new way of being human in harmony with God's intentions for creation.

As we engage in Kingdom proclamation, we participate in the cosmic drama of God's redemption. We become co-laborers with Christ in reconciling all things to Himself (Colossians 1:20).

This is not merely a personal transaction securing individual salvation; it is a cosmic mission to restore all of creation under the benevolent rule of God.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, to proclaim the Kingdom of God is to announce a radical message that challenges the status quo, transforms lives, and ushers in God's reign on earth as it is in heaven.

It requires more than just words—it demands our wholehearted allegiance, obedience, and participation in God's redemptive work.

As we continue to echo the proclamation of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early apostles, may we embody the Kingdom message in both word and deed, demonstrating the transformative power of God's love to a world in desperate need of hope and redemption. Let us go forth as lambs among wolves, proclaiming peace and healing, declaring that the Kingdom of God has come near.

In Jesus' name,

Judah