Starting – an overview
With a subject as broad as the Kingdom of God, how and where shall we start?
Before we even begin, I’d like to personally welcome you. Thanks for taking the time, energy, and initiative not only to visit our website but to get this far. If you’re one of those who identified themselves as a possible “skeptic” or “seeker” you’ve already demonstrated a lot of courage and humility just getting here. OK, maybe it’s just curiosity. I get it. If you identified as a “follower” or beyond I appreciate you taking this detour on your way in. I struggled with where to start myself when I was initially mapping out this website. Whew! To try to cover the entire Bible from beginning to end with insights hopefully guided by the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the universe Himself – how and where is a person to begin?
Then I thought, “What about diving right into the middle with that interesting Bible story fellow known as John the Baptist who was born just before Jesus, and then looking at the past, present, and future from there?” A person has to start somewhere.
And if you don’t know anything at all about the Bible or John the Baptist, please just hang on and bear with me. OK, here goes!
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” — Matthew 3:1-3
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” — Matthew 3:11-12
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” — Matthew 4:17