Cedric Pisegna - Kingdom Living (01/22/2026)
Father Cedric highlights Jesus' first public words in Mark 1: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." This core message proclaims God's rule and presence available now—the "kairos" opportune time—while also future-oriented. The kingdom is a priceless treasure worth everything, bringing righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and present-moment living free from regret and worry.
Welcome and Jesus' First Words
Welcome to «Live With Passion»! I’m Father Cedric Pisegna. So glad that you tuned into the program. I love coming into your homes, wherever you’re watching the program from, or listening on radio. Really appreciate it. This is about the kingdom of God. Mark chapter 1: «After John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and he said, 'The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.'» We’ve all heard that phrase, «famous last words».
Well, what about first words? Can they be famous too? How about these words: «That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind». Of course, those were the words by Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. First words spoken on the moon. What about Jesus’s first words? Can they be memorable? You might wonder what they were. What were Jesus’s first… was it, «Love one another»? Was it, «Go the extra mile,» «Turn the other cheek,» «Do unto others as they would do unto you»? Actually, I just read to you the first words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, although it comes second in the Bible, it really was first, scholars tell us, Gospel of Mark. The first words of Jesus were programmatic and they had great meaning. And what were they? «The kingdom of God is at hand».
The Central Message: Kingdom of God
You must understand that that was Jesus’s message. Certainly, love and being kind to each other and forgiving each other, that’s part of the kingdom. But it was all encompassed under this programmatic message: The kingdom of God is at hand. He told lots of parables about the kingdom. For example, kingdom of God is like a person who’s walking in a field and he finds a treasure and he goes off and he sells everything that he has and he buys that field because it’s got that treasure. That’s what the kingdom of God is like. It’s valuable. Or the kingdom of God is like a merchant and we’re all searching, a merchant in search of fine pearls. And finally, he finds the one pearl of great price and he goes and he sells all his other little pearls and he buys that pearl. Jesus was saying the kingdom of God is valuable. It’s precious. It’s everything that we’re hoping for. It was his first message. He wanted people to get it, that the kingdom of God is at hand.
What in the world was he saying? That’s what a lot of people don’t understand because we don’t really live in a kingdom here in the United States. Possibly you’re in England and you’re watching and yeah, the United Kingdom, but we’re not really familiar with that word, «kingdom». It has to do with a jurisdiction or a dominion, this sovereignty, this area. And he says the sovereignty of God is at hand, the dominion of God, the rule of God. In other words, God’s person and presence is available to you now. And he also said the time is fulfilled. The time is fulfilled. They were waiting for this kingdom for centuries. Way back when King David was king, there was prophets that were talking about a new kingdom was coming, much like David, that there would be a new king with a new kingdom. And the Jews were waiting for this.
So when Jesus said, «The kingdom of God is at hand,» they’re thinking, «Well, what is he saying? That the kingdom is now? That the new King has come»? I want to try to explain that to you. The kingdom of God was a time that had arrived. And that’s why Jesus was so enthusiastic about it. And he used the word «kairos,» the kairos moment. The kingdom of God is at hand, the time is fulfilled. kairos is a word in the Greek that means the opportune time. I love that because he was telling the people you now have the opportunity, the responsibility, if you will, to experience the kingdom and enter the kingdom. Everybody who hears the message, including you, have the opportunity. You are responsible for your response to the message. And he was saying that God is available. You can experience the person, the presence, the sovereignty, the rule, the dominion of God, even now. And that’s my hope for you as you watch this program, that you will experience God in a new fresh way.
The Opportune Time (Kairos)
Growing up, there was a rock group called Chicago and the song said, «Does anybody really know what time it is»? And Jesus was saying, «This is the time. It’s the kairos time, the opportune time, and it’s for you and it’s for everybody, that God is available,» and you are responsible for what you do with the message. And he said, «Repent and believe in the message because it’s good news, it’s gospel and it’s for everybody». I want you to understand that right now, as you watch this program, your response to the kingdom is very important.
At that time, when they heard this kingdom of God message, they were creating quite a stir, this message. It touched a longing within them, because there was an overwhelming sense that when the kingdom of God came the world would end. So in other words, what I’m saying is that they believed that the end of the world was near, much like today. We have a lot of apocalyptic prognosticators that are saying that it is the end of the world. And that happened 2,000 years ago too. And Jesus said, «Nobody knows the day or the hour. But we gotta read the signs of the times. There will be great earthquakes, there will be nation against nation. That’s the end of the world».
Historical Context: Qumran and Apocalyptic Expectations
But right now, we do have the birth pangs but wanted to tell you that I studied over in Israel and I’ll never forget the time we went down to the Dead Sea in this area by Masada. Masada is where the Jews stood against the Romans that were coming against them. A thousand Jewish people lost their life there. This is just after the time of Jesus. There’s the Dead Sea. I went swimming in the Dead Sea, and it’s actually so salty, you can’t drown in it. You bob like a fishing bob. You can’t sink. Down by that area, that’s to the east of Jerusalem, very dry, very hot. It’s the lowest place on earth, it’s below sea level, the Dead Sea. They have a place called Qumran. Qumran is where they found, archaeologists found the Dead Sea Scrolls. And it happened when a shepherd boy threw a rock in a cave and he heard a jar break and they went in there and they found these scrolls.
The Qumran community was a Ascetical community that lived apart by itself, and they believed that the end of the world was coming, that a teacher of righteousness was at hand. They were called the Sons of Light and they believed that it was the end of the world. And some say that John the Baptist was an Essene. You have to understand that Judaism at the time of Jesus was manifold. There was Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Essenes. Much like Christianity, there’s all kinds of different denominations, if you will. Well, they thought it would be the end of the world. There was an apocalyptic fervor, words that we use in theological terms. The apocalyptic, eschatological, having to do with the end times. And there was a fervor. So when Jesus announced the kingdom of God, everybody was saying, «Well, is he the King, is he the Messiah? Is it the end of the world»?
The Paradox: Now and Not Yet
When Jesus talked about the kingdom of God, though, it was paradoxical and it was confusing because, on one hand, he was saying that it has arrived. But on another hand, he was saying it’s still to come. He told a parable, for example, about the parable of the pounds in Luke and the parable of the talents in Matthew. And he seemed to say that we have to prepare for the kingdom by exercising our talents to the best of our abilities so that we’ll be ready when it comes. But on the other hand, when somebody said, «When is the kingdom of God coming»? Jesus said, «It’s in your midst». Sometimes that word is translated, «It’s within you,» but really it has to do with it being present now. So the kingdom of God is now. So on the one hand, he’s saying it’s now; on the other hand, he’s saying it’s still to come. I call it the now and the not yet.
So what is this kingdom, and what’s going on here? Is it present? Yes, it is. Is it to come? Yes, it will. When Jesus comes again, he’s gonna usher in the kingdom of God with all of its power. But he’s already come to give us the availability to seek first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and everything else will be given to us. And that’s exactly what he said in Matthew. He wants us to seek this kingdom and to seek it like a treasure, like a buried treasure, to give everything we have for this kingdom because it’s God’s availability. So it’s a both-and, not an either-or. We can experience the kingdom now and that will help us to get ready for the kingdom to come.
The Holy Spirit and the Kingdom
I wanna explain it even further. Remember at the Acts of the Apostles, when Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, they come up to him, his disciples, and said, «Lord, are you gonna restore the kingdom to Israel now»? They were expecting a political Messiah that would come with power and they would overthrow the Romans and they would have the kingdom of God. So they asked him right as he’s about to ascend, «Is this the time? Are you gonna restore the Kingdom of God to Israel now»? And Jesus said to him, «It’s not for you to know the time or the seasons that the Father has decided on his own». But he said, «You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you». Jesus’s answer to that, «Is the kingdom now? Is the kingdom coming»? Jesus’s answer is, «You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes».
So in other words, he was saying, the kingdom is yet to come, but the kingdom will come in you when you receive God in a personal way. And the Holy Spirit did come. And that’s what Paul the Apostle said. He said, «The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,» a right relationship with God, righteousness, being right with yourself. And then the peace and the joy that the Holy Spirit brings. There is no greater joy than knowing that you’re on the way to heaven. No greater joy that knowing that Jesus died for you personally, and the peace that comes from that. So kingdom living has to do with being prepared for the kingdom that’s coming. But most of all, receiving the kingdom that Jesus came to bring. And you have to understand this. Jesus’s programmatic message, his initial words, his first words, that mean so much: «The kingdom of God is at hand. Now is the opportunity».
Kingdom Living: Peace and Presence
And I’m saying this with a lot of fervor and enthusiasm because I simply want you to understand what Jesus was all about, what he was trying to proclaim. Yes, the kingdom will come one day and will encompass the whole earth and the whole universe. But the members of the kingdom, the citizens of the kingdom, and our citizenship is not here, our citizenship is in heaven, are those who receive the kingdom now. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. I preach and write a lot about the Holy Spirit. God’s love poured into our hearts assures us of our salvation. The foretaste of heaven brings us the strength and comfort of God in our daily life. The kingdom is focused on God.
I want to make this clear. Jesus was saying this: God is available. Focus on your personal relationship with God, develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit, and the kingdom will come. The kingdom is at hand and it’s available. I wanna stress that because you might be thinking, «Well, wait a minute. I don’t even go to church and I haven’t really been praying». Well, he was saying that for you and for all, that the kingdom is available. You are responsible for what you do with this message. It’s an opportune time. The opportunity is here. Please say yes to the kingdom. And then I wanna concentrate on the peace of the kingdom. Number one, the kingdom is God, his person, his presence. And then kingdom living: peace, tranquility, serenity, rest, soul peace, wow.
One time I was driving to play golf, and I was in my car, of course, and I’m driving and I get pulled over. The policeman comes up to me. He says, «Sir,» he says, «you were speeding. Why were you speeding»? And I said, «Well, officer,» I told him the truth. «I was going to play golf and I wanted to get there». And he said, «Okay, thank you for being honest. But I gotta give you a ticket». So he goes back to his car, writes out the ticket, comes to my car, hands me the ticket, and I’ll never forget what he said. He said, «From now on, slow down». And I think that’s so important because everybody’s in a hurry, frantic, overwhelmed, in a hurry. Slow down.
You never see Jesus running. He had this way of serenity and calmness and soul peace about him. And that’s kingdom living. «The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit». I think that’s so true. People everywhere so need peace. And I always advocate take a walk, breathe the fresh air, take some time out. One day at a time, take a deep breath, relax. Let God move in. Let his sovereignty and jurisdiction, his dominion, take over your life. Let him influence you, strengthen you, help you, and then savor the moment. Live in the now. We have a tendency to obsess about the past, worry about the future. I like to tell people you prepare for the future, you learn from the past, but you live in the now. Live in the now.
Living in the Present, Free from Regret
Notice what’s going on in your life. Be aware of God with you. Regret is a thief and it robs our peace. Jesus preached a three-word sermon about regret. He said, «Remember Lot’s wife». It’s kind of funny because down by the Dead Sea, they have all these pillars of salt and over one of the pillars of salt that stick up from the ground, there’s a sign. Somebody had slung a sign right over one of the pillars. And it said, «Remember Lot’s wife». Because if you remember, Lot’s wife turned back about Sodom and Gomorrah, she looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt, and that’s the way it is. When we start looking back in regret, thinking about the past, we get stuck, and we can turn into something that’s paralyzed. It’s hard to drive a car when you’re looking in the rearview mirror. We have to look ahead. And as I said, yeah, you prepare for the future, you learn from the past, you live in the moment.
Jesus said, «The kingdom is at hand. It’s the opportune time. Receive it». And I hear many confessions in my life. People confess their sins and well they should, and some of the confessions have to do with the past, way past, that people haven’t let go of. That’s called the general confession. And they’re stuck. They think that God is mad at them because of something they did in the past, they haven’t been able to move forward. It’s very hard for them. I want you to receive God’s forgiveness. It’s part of the kingdom. Kingdom of God is at hand. You were forgiven at the cross, saved at the cross. Receive God’s forgiveness.
Heard a story about a visionary who was having messages from God and bishop of the town got a little worried about this and called the visionary into his office and said, «Hey, I hear that you’re having visions from God. Is that true»? And she said, «Yes, Bishop, it is». He says, «Well, if that’s true, I want you to ask God a question. I want you to ask God what my secret sin is that nobody could possibly know. And I want you to tell me. Would you do that»? She said, «Yes». Well, about a week later, she came back and came before the bishop, and the bishop said, «Well, did you have a vision this week»? And she said, «Yes, Bishop, I did». «And did you ask God the question»? And she said, «Yes, Bishop, I did». «Well, what did God say»? «God said to tell his bishop that his secret sin is forgiven and forgotten».
God separates us from our sins, «as far as the East is from the West so far have I put your transgressions from me,» says the Lord. «I have cast your sins,» right from the prophet. «I have cast your sins into the depths of the sea,» wow. See, that’s kingdom living. You realize that God loves you, forgives you. Live in the now. You become fruitful and productive. Wow, let it go. Lay your burdens down, live in the now. The kingdom is like a treasure buried in a field and we all wanna be rich. This is what Jesus came to bring us, this wealth, this treasure that is the kingdom of God.
The Future Kingdom and Invitation
Is the end of the world coming? It certainly is. All you have to do is look at the world and what’s going on, the wars, the tragedies, the accidents, the sicknesses, the abortions, the hatred, the crime.
Our world is a mess and the end of the world is coming. Jesus will usher in the kingdom of God when he comes again in glory. Is the kingdom of God coming in our lifetime? I don’t think so. I think God is so gracious and generous that there are generations more to come. We are experiencing the birth pangs. But is the kingdom of God available now? Absolutely. Because, as I said, Jesus spoke about the kingdom in a paradoxical way. It’s to come and we gotta get ready for it, but it’s present now, it’s available.
This is the opportune time. And I’m inviting you to make a move in your life right now to receive this kingdom. Jesus offered it to us and I’m inviting you to give your life to God. Lay your burdens down no matter what you’ve done, no matter what your past has been, and receive the kingdom. It’s a whole new way to live. I call it kingdom living. You don’t have to be all bent out of shape all the time, living in stress, worried about the future, in regret about the past. You live in the moment, and the moment is charged with the glory of God, wow. The kingdom of God is at hand. This was exactly what Jesus preached and he told all kinds of different parables about it. I want you to understand that this was his programmatic message, what he was trying to bring to people and many people received the kingdom and other people rejected him as the Messiah. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior right now. Let me pray.
Jesus, I give you my heart. I believe that you are the King, you are the Messiah, you are the Lord, and I surrender to you. I give you all that I am. And I receive your kingdom, and I receive you as Lord of my life.
Just wrote a booklet called, «The Lifestyle of Surrender». And in this booklet, I talk about what surrender is and giving your life to God. And I pray that you will surrender to God every day of your life, many times during the course of the day, especially when you’re assailed with worries, with doubts, and especially when you’re assailed with regrets of the past. Live in the present. Receive the kingdom. Be blessed. When Jesus came into Galilee, he proclaimed the gospel. And this is what he said. It was his first words, memorable words, words to be taken seriously: «The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the good news». And I’m praying that by the grace of God, you will receive the kingdom and don’t just live; live with passion.