Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY The Kingdom is near Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA January 26, 2003 Main Scripture text: Mark 1:14-20. Throughout the centuries, human beings in every culture have known there is something wrong with the world. "Come, follow me..." This is why human beings are incurably religious. People have searched for a power beyond themselves to transform the "is" into the "ought to be." When Jesus arrived on the scene, he said the the searching is over. The Kingdom of God was at hand. Our response? To "repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15), turning from self to God -- not out of fear but out of love. This "good news" isn't just about going to heaven when we die. It is about Christ living in us, giving us the power to overcome death and adversity, the power to love as God loves, the power to do God's will. "Believing" the good news means committing ourselves to act in ways consistent with the profession of our lips. We must follow Jesus and become true disciples. There is a cost to discipleship. It costs you everything. Most people don't respond to the call to discipleship. Others leave all behind and follow the Master. Which kind of person are you? Supporting texts: Hebrews 1:3 | Colossians 1:24-27 | Ezekiel 36:24-27 | Jeremiah 31:31-34 | Acts 2:38-39 | Hebrews 2:14-15 | 1 Corinthians 15:55 | John 11:25-26 | Romans 5:1 | 1 John 1:9 | Hebrews 7:25 | Romans 8:35, 37 | James 2:19 Audio of this sermon is not available. © 2003 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us